Miso Salmon Rilletttes

I treasure my cookbooks and old cooking magazines. I hang on to them, not like my other books which I have no problem getting rid of. One of my favorite cookbook authors is Dorie Greenspan. She makes everything look so easy and she gives her readers the confidence to go ahead and try new recipes.  

Normally, rillettes are made with pork or duck, similar to duck confit. The meat is seasoned and then slow-cooked in fat. I enjoy eating them, but Dorie offers a healthier version using salmon and miso. I have made her miso-salmon rillettes from her cookbook, Everyday Dorie, many times. I like eating it on a cracker for a quick lunch or snack.  It makes a great appetizer and goes well with some bubbly beverage or white wine. Imagine sitting with some friends on your patio or balcony snacking on these rillettes on toasted rye bread with a glass of white wine or champagne. The rillettes make a great gift in a pretty jar. I am making them as an appetizer for this years Christmas dinner.

You don’t need to make this dish with the most expensive salmon or smoked salmon. Dorie says you can make them with smoked salmon bits but I have never tried this.  So far, I have used Costco’s wild lox. For the salmon, I have used Trader Joe’s frozen wild salmon or leftover salmon from a meal. In her book, she also has a recipe for two other kind of salmon rillettes. I have not made them because I love the miso rillettes. I get some special white miso at the farmers market, but any other white miso will be just fine.

You want to make the rillettes at least six hours ahead so the flavors have time to blend. Tightly covered, the rillettes will keep up to a week in the fridge. But mine are usually gone long before that. For the mixed herbs, I used dill, parsley, and some chives. Or Dorie said you can use just cilantro.

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Recipe for Miso Salmon Rilletttes

Ingredients:
6-8 ounces (170 to 227 grams) fresh or frozen  salmon
¼  pound (113 grams) smoked salmon
2 scallions
1 lemon 
zest of one lemon
juice of ½ lemon 
½ cup (120ml) white wine
½ cup (120ml) water
salt and pepper for seasoning 
3 TBS softened butter
3 TBS white miso
1 small shallot (about 1 tsp.) 
3 TBS mixed herbs (or cilantro)
a squirt of sriracha 

Directions:
If you use frozen salmon, bring the wine, water, the green parts of the scallions, a lemon slice, a pinch of salt to a boil in a small pan. Add the salmon, lower the heat and simmer for three minutes. If you use fresh salmon, simmer it only for one minute. Remove the pan and let it sit for ten minutes. 
Drain the salmon and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Discard the cooking liquid. You can prepare the salmon the day before. 
Mince the shallots, rinse them in water and pat them dry. Remove the skin and bones from the cooked salmon and tear it into bite-sized pieces. Also cut the lox into bite-sized pieces. Beat the softened butter until it is spreadable. Mix with the white miso, the grated lemon zest, and the lemon juice. Add the minced shallots, minced scallions, stir and then add both kinds of salmons, three tablespoons herbs, and the sriracha. Season with salt and pepper and put in a container with a lid. It will last for a few days.

Guten Appetit!
​and Happy Holidays
Recipe from Dorie Greenspan’s Everyday Dorie cookbook
Adapted by sunnycovechef.com