Stranger Foods

Photograph of Salmon & spinach kouliabac.

RussianSalmon & spinach kouliabac

Serves 4 | Prep 20 mins | Cook 50 mins

This is a form of wellington, made almost entirely from frozen and store-cupboard ingredients, and is no less impressive for that. You will need thick strips of salmon fillet (rather than any flatter fillets from the tail end of the fish), if you want to shape the lovely ridges across the top of the kouliabac.

Source: Foolproof Freezer: 60 Fuss-Free Meals that Make the Most of Your Freezer

Ingredients

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x0.5

250 g frozen spinach
40 g butter
200 g frozen diced onion, finely diced (or 1 onion, finely diced)
1 tbsp frozen chopped garlic (or 2 fresh cloves, finely chopped)
a good pinch of ground allspice
140 g cooked basmati rice (from a ready-cooked pouch is fine)
3 tbsps frozen (or fresh parsley), chopped
a small bunch of dill, chopped
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1x 375 g ready-rolled frozen puff pastry sheet
4 frozen salmon fillets, defrosted and skin removed
1 egg, beaten
sea salt and ground black pepper
roasted cherry tomatoes or cooked freezer veg, to serve

Instructions

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Cook the spinach in the microwave for to just defrost and break up the lumps.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the onion. Cook for until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and allspice and cook for another couple of minutes, then add the spinach. Cook, breaking up the lumps a bit more with a spatula, until the spinach is well incorporated, then add the rice. Stir in, then turn off the heat and stir in the herbs and lemon zest too. Season well with salt and pepper and allow the mixture to cool completely.
Once the mixture is cool, preheat the oven to 190°C/gas 5. Unroll the pastry sheet and spoon the spinach filling onto the sheet, arranging it in a line down one long side of the sheet, leaving a 1 cm gap and the ends bare to seal. Arrange the salmon fillets over the mixture in diagonal lines crossing the mound of rice filling, then brush the edges of the pastry sheet with a little of the beaten egg. Tuck in the ends of the pastry, as if wrapping a present, then fold the clear side of the pastry over the filling and seal along one side. Make several diagonal cuts across the top of the pastry, between the salmon fillets, then brush the whole thing with beaten egg to glaze. Chill in the fridge for .
Bake the kouliabac for about , or until the pastry is puffed and golden and the salmon is just cooked. This is lovely served with roasted tomatoes, or just delve into the freezer for some more veg options.

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