taking a classic for a spin … Salmon Rillettes

A few weeks ago David Lebovitz, the Paris based American born pastry chef and cookbook author, wrote a post about pork rillettes. I’m never sure how I feel about rillettes. They are essentially shredded meat of some kind, often pork or duck, slowly cooked in their own fat and pressed into a dish or ramekin to be enjoyed on a crispy baguette. I’ve encountered them countless times on my travels through France, brought home a zillion tins from the local market and I want to like them. I really do. But something about them doesn’t quite do it for me.

It might be the fat – they’re very rich, however, that’s never something that has stopped me in the past. It might be the shredded texture but again, that’s not something that’s necessarily bothered me before. It might be the flavor; they’re very meaty and often (dare I say it?) rather bland. It might also be the appearance. To put it kindly, rillettes can often look like canned pet food. It might very well be a combination of all these things. David says rillettes are the cornerstone of a charcuterie platter and I feel like a bit of a traitor admitting I’m not head over heels for them. It is especially ironic that right now, at this very minute, I’m in Southwest France where this all began.

As I tried to put my finger on what it was specifically about rillettes, it got me to thinking. I remembered another rillettes post David did way back in 2007 for a salmon version. Now those, which I’ve made occasionally over the last 10 years, I very much enjoy. His recipe is a a riff off the classic technique, combining smoked and steamed salmon with a combination of butter and olive oil. How could that not be good? Brightened up with lemon juice, chives and a bit of smoked paprika it’s quite delicious.

Comparing the two – salmon to pork – I realized it’s the slight heaviness of a meat based rillette that doesn’t quite work for me. A lighter, brighter fish based dish is more to my preference and that’s a hard thing for me to admit, given my deep love of charcuterie. I feel the slight twinges of betrayal and I’m not sure how this will go over with my France-based friends. Since I’m staying with the friend who introduced them to me right now, I may have to keep this on the down low. Ha!

This spread comes together prettily easily and is a great summer starter. I like it on crackers, particularly a darker cracker like pumpernickel or some such thing but its also great on slices of baguette. It also freezes beautifully which is so endlessly helpful during these long, hot months.

STRESS THERAPY BAKING FACTOR: EASY BREEZY. This is exactly the kind of light summer dish you want. Sure, there’s butter it in, but butter is delicious. Spread it on a cracker for a nice appetizer. Schmear it on a bagel for a French-ified brunch. Stuff it in a sandwich for a really nice snack. Or spoon a little into miniature cream puffs for a fancy party starter. The possibilities are endless.

Eight years ago: Strawberry Picking, Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies
Seven years ago: Sour Cherry Cobbler
Six years ago: Life in Southwest France
Five years ago: Spanish Sunday Lunch, Patatas Aioli
Four years ago: Watermelon Aqua Fresca, Tin Roof Sundae
Three years ago: Guinness Crème Anglaise
Two years ago: Slow Roasted Spiced Pineapple
last year: Roasted Cherry Vanilla Frozen Yogurt, Chicken Shawarma Pocket Sandwich, Orange Julius (with Strawberry and Pineapple variations)

SALMON RILLETTES – from this recipe by David Lebovitz
Serves 6-8 as an appetizer
This is straight up David’s recipe. Sometimes I’ll zip it up a little by adding more lemon juice or dill instead of chives. But a good recipe is a good recipe. Why mess with it?

8 ounce piece of salmon, preferably wild, bones removed
kosher salt
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 ½ Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons chopped chives
4 ounces smoked salmon, cut into thin strips, then cut into ½” pieces
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
scant 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
toasted baguette slices or crackers for serving

1. Season the salmon on both sides lightly with a pinch of salt.
2. Steam in a lightly greased steamer basket, skin side down, until just cooked, about 8-10 minutes.
3. Remove from the steam, place on a plate and allow to fully cool.
4. In a medium-sized bowl, mash together the butter and the olive oil with a fork until very smooth.
5. Stir in the lemon juice, then the chopped chives and smoked salmon.
6. Remove the skin from the salmon and flake the cooked salmon into the bowl.
7. Gently fold the flaked salmon into the mixture along with the smoked paprika and pepper.
8. Taste and season with salt, if necessary.
9. Gently turn the mixture into a ramekin or serving dish, cover, and chill for at least two hours.
10. Let come to room temperature before serving with crackers or toasted baguette slices.
11. Storage: The rillettes can be made up to two days before and refrigerated or frozen, well-wrapped, for up to two months.