Salmon rillettes will take you all of twenty minutes to prepare, with most of that time spent steaming the salmon. This recipe folds steamed fresh salmon and chopped smoked salmon with mayo, sour cream and butter with loads of fresh chives, horseradish and lime to boost things along.
Gently steaming the salmon results in an extra tender, soft and moist flesh that flakes beautifully through the rillettes making a rich tasting spread that is perfect on toasted sourdough.
The texture of the rillette is far more interesting using silky smoked salmon and coarse pieces of fresh salmon, rather than blending it all together. Technically rillettes are meats that have been chopped or shredded and preserved slowly in its own fat or butter to make a thick spread.
Perfect for picnics, parties or spread on your morning bagel it’s incredibly easy to make and can be prepared ahead. Grab a baguette and a chilled bottle of wine and you have a luxurious spread for hot date night.
It’s Easter and we’re in lockdown so we offered a generous bowl of rillettes to our new neighbours and had some for dinner on toasted sourdough, followed by cold, sweet navel oranges and great chocolate. Perfect!
salmon off-cuts
Look for smoked salmon ‘offcutsʼ or ‘trimmingsʼ which are invariably sold for a third of the price of premium sliced salmon. Salmon offcuts are what we used to make this with, and because the cost is so cheap for a luxury fish we can afford to be extremely generous in the amount of salmon used. In Australia, Huon salmon off-cuts are sold in Woolies or Coles, as Huon Deli Bites. Look out for them.
Watch How To Make Salmon Rillettes
What’s your go-to pate recipe? We would love to hear from you in the comments below when you make this delicious quick salmon rillettes.
Salmon Rillettes
Salmon rillettes will take you all of twenty minutes to prepare with most of that time spent steaming the salmon. This recipe folds steamed fresh salmon and chopped smoked salmon with mayo, sour cream and butter with loads of fresh chives, horseradish and lime to boost things along.
Ingredients
- 250g (9 ounces) smoked salmon, finely chopped - we used Huon Deli Bites from Woolworths or Coles
- 250g (9 ounces) fresh salmon - preferably cut from the middle - see notes
- 1/2 small red onion, very finely chopped
- 1 cup chives, finely chopped ( we know, its a lot!)
- 75g (2 1/2 ounces) room temperature soft butter
- 1 tablespoon horseradish cream
- zest of the whole lime, and one tablespoon of fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup full fat sour cream
- fine white pepper to taste - we used 1/2 a teaspoon
Note
- You will need 4 small ramekins, or one larger container lightly sprayed with oil, and lined with overhanging clingfilm, if presenting the salmon as shown in the photos
Instructions
- weigh 100g (3 1/2 ounces) of the smoked salmon and reserve if serving as shown in our photos. If not, simply add all the smoked salmon when you add the steamed salmon.
- steam fresh salmon over gently simmering water
- when cooked, cool and remove skin if any, and use two forks to pull the flakes apart
- in a medium bowl add butter, sour cream, mayonnaise, pepper, zest, horseradish and lime juice mixing well
- add chives and onion and mix together
- add smoked salmon and steamed salmon and use two forks to gently break the flakes of steamed salmon
- mix gently until all is incorporated
- divide the reserved smoked salmon (if using ramekins) among the four ramekins and push the salmon down so there are no air pockets
- spoon the salmon mixture on top of the salmon and wrap the clingfilm over the rillettes
- tap the ramekins a few times on the bench to remove any air pockets
- refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight
- lift clingfilm out of ramekin and lift rillettes on to serving plates or platter about 30 minutes before you wish to serve (this allows the butter to soften)
- serve with toasted baguettes, cornichons and lightly pickled cucumber if you wish
- enjoy!
Notes
- the middle cuts of salmon are fattier, and therefore moister than the tail
Nutrition Information
Amount Per Serving Calories 0Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 0mgCarbohydrates 0gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 0g
Cooper
Cooper has just received a new soft toy bunny, so the following photos show Cooper as he firstly notices the new blue intruder in the veggie patch too when he pounces on the bunny and subsequently attempts to give it a lobotomy.
smells good to me
