Salmon coulibiac

Our twist on the classic Russian fish pie is good for entertaining or a casual, comforting midweek meal. 

Preparation Time

15 minutes

Cooking Time

30 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 16 sheets filo pastry
• Olive oil
• 250g pkt Uncle Ben’s Express Chinese Style Rice
• 400g pkt Woolworths Fresh Traditional Stir-Fry Vegetables
• 4 (about 200g each) skinless salmon fillets

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 190°C. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
2. Place filo on a clean work surface. Cover with a dry tea towel, then a damp tea towel (this prevents it from drying out). Brush 1 filo sheet with oil. Top with another filo sheet. Brush with oil. Repeat with another 2 filo sheets and oil to make a 4-sheet stack.
3. Place one-quarter of rice in centre of filo stack. Top with one-quarter of the vegetables. Top with the salmon. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in the sides to enclose. Place, seam-side down, on prepared tray. Repeat with oil and remaining filo, rice, vegetables and salmon to make 4 parcels.
4. Brush with oil. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and crisp.

Wasabi-coated salmon with cucumber salad

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 telegraph cucumber, halved lengthways, seeds scooped out, thinly sliced
• 2 cups (160g) bean spouts, trimmed
• 1/2 loosely packed cup coriander leaves
• 1/2 loosely packed cup mint leaves
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 2 tbs sweet chilli sauce
• 1 tbs lime juice, plus lime wedges to serve
• 1/4 cup (60ml) peanut oil
• 150g wasabi peas (see note), ground to fine powder in a food processor or spice grinder
• 1/2 cup (75g) plain flour
• 2 eggwhites, lightly frothed
• 4 x 180g skinless salmon fillets, pin-boned

 

Method

1. Place cucumber, sprouts, herbs and onion in a bowl. Combine sauces, juice and 1 tbs oil in another bowl. Set both aside.
2. Mix ground peas with flour in a shallow bowl, and place eggwhite in another bowl. Season fish with salt, then dip in eggwhite, followed by pea mixture to coat well.
3. Heat remaining 2 tbs oil in a large non-stick frypan over medium heat. Cook fish for 2-3 minutes each side until golden (if browning too quickly, transfer to a 180°C oven for 2-3 minutes to finish cooking). Toss salad with dressing, then serve with the fish and lime wedges.

 

Notes

• From Asian food shops.

Asparagus salmon battleships

The kids will love helping to make these sushi style "battleships". 

Equipment

You'll need a bamboo sushi mat for rolling.

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 1 quantity Basic sushi rice (see related recipe)
• 200g mini asparagus, trimmed
• 2 nori sheets, halved
• 200g sliced smoked salmon, cut into 4cm squares

 

Method

1. Make Basic sushi rice (see related recipe). Cook asparagus in a saucepan of boiling water for 1 minute or until tender. Rinse under cold water. Drain. Cut each asparagus spear in half crossways. Cut each nori sheet into 2cm-wide strips.
2. Form tablespoons of rice into rectangular mounds with rounded edges. Top each mound with 2 pieces asparagus and 1 piece salmon to make 24 battleships.
3. Wrap 1 nori strip around each. Serve.

 

Notes

You can find sushi seasoning, sushi mats, nori sheets and wasabi paste in the Asian section of larger supermarkets. Serve sushi with soy sauce, pickled ginger and extra wasabi paste.