Left Over Salmon??? More Like Salmon Rillettes

this is a belated post, Blogger was ignoring my Publish request... better late than... xo

Coachella is upon us and has grown from its one festive weekend of 20 party bands at the immaculate Empire Polo Field, with beach chairs, Birks and punks, to a double weekend fashion encore promo pool party, with car and drivers to and from The Parker. I wish I were kidding... Actually, I wish I were there. But why not be here, in perfect beach town Venice, making left over salmon into salmon rillettes? I've already missed The Stone Roses anyway...

You know, there is a band called Left Over Salmon that I know very little about. But what I do know is that they often tour with the band Phish. How smart is that?

Blur... Anyhow...

It seems that rillettes are not well known in Los Angeles, and I often find myself describing them to friends and customers. They are a dinosaur, jr., of a French classic. Rillettes, not a bad name for a band: The Rillettes, are originally made of pork belly or pork shoulder, and are cubed, salted and left to sweat in their own phat, much like Jurassic 5's beats, why am I here???, for several hours in a slow oven, then shredded into a rich salted fatted paste, much like a pate'. They are famously stored in crocks and jars and little pots, and include other incarnations: duck, goose, game birds, rabbit, tuna and salmon. All of which can rest in their own fat, or added fat, for weeks. They taste even better with time.

I adore salmon rillettes, I adore live music with drinks on a lawn..., and couldn't wait to put them on the menu as soon as the proprietor suggested it. And with loads of salmon already in-house, it seemed only honorable to pull out the classic method and pot some Copper River Salmon. It's almost as good as the Wu Tang Clan live... Yeah, Yeah, Yeah...

Rock on.

Salmon Rillettes

1 # fresh wild salmon

2 tbs of creme fraiche

1 large shallot, finely diced

1 lemon and her zest

olive oil

butter

thyme 

bay leaf
salt 
white pepper

~

Turn oven on to 275 agrees... 

here she is...

lay your salmon in the right sized pan and drizzle generously with olive oil: enough to cover the bottom of the pan...

dress with the finely diced shallot, lemon zest and slices of unsalted butter...

lace with fresh thyme and bay leaf... 

tent with parchment and and seal with a lid... the goal is to cook the salmon slowly, in all of the fats...

put a lid on it...

and place in a heat 275 degree oven for 40 minutes...

my best friend Kim says, there is a pot for every lid... i like to believe her...

it may look over-cooked but it is not... be sure to wipe away the white protein that has coagulated on top... what a nice food science term that is... 

pull the fillets apart and remove any bones, herbs... 

shred the salmon with the tines of a fork, or your fingers...

then drizzle in a little of the warm fat from the baking dish and add the creme fraiche and a squeeze or two of lemon... and whip together with the tines of the fork...

and don't forget the Salt and Pepper, here... "and push it"...

carefully spoon the salmon into little jars... or a terrine... 

and spoon a little melted salted butter in a thin layer over the top... so good...

and smear heavily, gratuitously, on warm toast... "and push it real good..."-- Salt and Pepper