Salmon Perok
This Alaskan-inspired salmon pie is pure comfort food. It doesn’t slice neatly, so scoop it like a shepherd’s pie.
From EatingWell: March/April 2012
Yield: 6 servings
Active Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 1/4 hours
Ingredients
Filling
- 3/4 cup short-grain brown rice
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 1/2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1 pound wild Alaskan salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 1/2-inch pieces, or three 6- to 7-ounce cans bone less, skinless wild Alaskan salmon
- 4 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
Crust
- 3/4 cup white whole-wheat flour
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- Pinch of ground mace or nutmeg
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 tablespoons cold water
- 1 egg white, beaten
Preparation
- To prepare filling: Combine rice, thyme and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan; add water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the rice is a thick porridge, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- To prepare crust: Meanwhile, combine whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cayenne and mace (or nutmeg) in a medium bowl. Add 1/3 cup oil and 5 tablespoons water; stir with a fork until evenly combined. Knead the dough in the bowl a few times and pat it into a disk. Cover (or wrap in plastic) and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes and up to 1 day.
- To finish the filling, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, 7 to 9 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Continue cooking until the onions are golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes more. Add a few tablespoons of water, if needed, to release any bits that are sticking to the pan. Remove from the heat.
- When the rice is almost done, position rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 350°F.
- To assemble the pie: Coat a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan with cooking spray. Spread the rice porridge in the pan. Layer the caramelized onions and peas over the rice. Toss salmon and vinegar in a medium bowl. Layer the salmon on top of the peas.
- Roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle and place on the pie. Trim the crust so it overhangs the pan by 1 inch; tuck the overhanging dough under and crimp the edges with a fork. Reroll the dough scraps and cut out a decorative salmon shape (or use a salmon-shaped cookie cutter; see Sources). Place it on top of the crust. Lightly brush the crust with egg white.
- Bake the pie until the crust is golden, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Tips & Notes
- Make Ahead Tip: Prepare rice (Step 1) and dough for crust (Step 2), cover and refrigerate separately for up to 1 day. | Equipment: 9-inch deep-dish pie pan
- Sources: Salmon cookie cutter, 4-inch: amazon.com.
Nutrition Per serving:
459 calories; 19 g fat (3 g sat, 13 g mono); 35 mg cholesterol; 50 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 23 g protein; 5 g fiber; 373 mg sodium; 501 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Iron (25% daily value), Folate (20% dv), Magnesium (19% dv), Vitamin C (15% dv), omega-3s
3 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 3 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 lean meat