Fish Pie, Modern Version of Squid Dish
Medieval-style salmon fish pie with figs, grapes, almonds, rosewater, and warm spices, tucked under a double pastry crust. A modern take on a vintage squid recipe.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
45 minREADY
1 hrsThis is a curiosity straight out of the medieval kitchen, reworked for a modern oven. The original called for squid, but salmon poached in court bouillon stands in here, picking up clean wine and aromatics before getting flaked and folded into a sweet-spiced fruit mixture.
What makes it strange and wonderful is the pairing. Crushed figs and seedless grapes get blitzed with marjoram, cinnamon, ginger, and ground almonds loosened with rosewater. The fruit acts almost like a chutney that gets bound by egg white and tucked into a double pastry crust.
Baking starts moderate then ramps higher so the bottom crust crisps before the top over-browns. Steam slits in the lid are a must, otherwise the filling will blow out the seams.
Kitchen Tips
- Wrap the salmon in cheesecloth before poaching. It keeps the fillet from breaking up and makes lifting it out clean.
- Pick over the flaked fish with bare fingers. Pin bones hide in the dark line down the center.
- Rosewater is potent. Measure carefully, then trust the recipe. Too much turns the pie soapy.
- Brush the top crust with beaten egg yolk for that deep golden lacquer.
Variations
- Substitute trout or arctic char for salmon. The flavor sits well with the sweet spices.
- Use dried figs soaked in warm water for 20 minutes if fresh aren’t in season.
- Add a tablespoon of toasted pine nuts to the filling for crunch.
Ingredients
Directions
Wrap the salmon in a piece of cheesecloth, tie securely with string and cook gently for about 3O minutes in a court bouillon made of water, white wine, salt, onion, peppercorns and carrot.
Remove from the bouillon, unwrap, and remove all skin, bones and the black part of the flesh.
When cool enough to handle, flake it with your fingers to be sure you feel and extract all the bones.
Peel the figs and add to them the washed and stemmed grapes.
Crush the fruits together, using a wooden spoon, and season them with the marjoram, cinnamon, ginger, sugar and 1½ teaspoons salt.
Grate or grind the blanched almonds, moisten them with the rosewater and add to the fruit.
Now stir in the flaked salmon, chopped parsley and 4 tablespoons melted butter.
Beat the egg white with a fork until frothy, then stir it into the whole mixture.
Line a 9-inch pie dish with pastry and fill it with the salmon mixture.
Cover with more pastry. Trim, roll under and crimp the edges. Make 5 or 6 generous slits in the top crust and place in a 350 ^ F. oven. Bake for about 20 minutes, turn the regulator to 400^ F. and continue baking until it looks done, or for about 45 minutes in all.
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