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Salmon casserole

When you crave for comfort food, the Finnish salmon casserole is what you need to make. I confess that I had forgotten all about it for the longest time but now that I’ve re-discovered it, it will be frequently on our table. This is too good to count calories!

Prep time 35 min     Cook time  1h 15 min

INGREDIENTS FOR 6-8
  • 1 big fillet of fresh salmon (600-700 gr)
  • 2 kg of potatoes
  • 3 yellow onions
  • 1-2  bunches of fresh dill
  • 1 dl of fish stock
  • sea salt and black pepper
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 dl milk
  • 2 dl heavy cream
  • breadcrumbs
  • butter
  • extra vergin olive oil

1. Butter a big oven pan and cut the salmon fillet in 2 cm (1 inch) slices.

2. Peel and slice the potatoes. Good slices, not paper thin. Put the slices in cold water until you start layering the casserole.

3. Slice the onions and sautée them in olive oil. At the end add the fish stock and let the sauce brew .

4. Layer first 1/3 of the potato slices in the pan, add salt and pepper. Add half of the onions and cut a good handful of fresh dill on top.

5. Make one whole layer of salmon, add salt and pepper. Place another handful of dill on top. Add a layer of potatoes, the rest of the onions, salt and pepper. One more layer of potatoes + a pinch of salt and pepper.

6. Whisk the eggs, milk and heavy cream together adding salt and pepper. It seems like a lot of salt but the potatoes absorb lots of it.

7. Pour the cream in the pan, add a few dabs of butter and sprinkle bread crumbs on top.

8. Place in a preheated oven at 200°C  for 1 hour and 15 minutes until the casserole is golden brown and the potatoes are properly done. Not al dente.

9. Don’t count the calories! This is too good!

BUON APPETITO!

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Eggplant casserole with a Greek twist

I love eggplants! This is a lighter version of eggplant parmesan. And anything with feta cheese can be considered Greek.

Prep time 30 min +30 min degorging eggplants    Cook time  45 min
INGREDIENTS FOR 4-6
  • 2 big eggplants
  • 450g (1 lb) ground lamb or beef
  • handful of dried herbs: oregano, basil, rosemary, mint
  • 2 onions
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 fennel
  • 2 celery sticks
  • 400g (14 oz)  crushed tomatoes
  • salt, pepper
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 200g feta cheese

1. Cut the eggplants into slices and sweat or degorge them: sprinkle salt on the slices, put them in a colander with a weight on for 30 minutes and rinse or wipe them. This takes the bitterness out. Also you need less oil when frying since the eggplant soaks up oil like a sponge.

2. Roast or fry without oil the slices on both sides. Put aside. You can do this step a day before. Just store the roasted slices in the fridge.

3. Fry the ground meat in oil and add the herbs. I used fresh mint because I didn’t have any dry mint . Next time I will try all fresh herbs.

4. Chop the onions, fennel, celery and garlic, cook them in a pan with lots of olive oil  until soft. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper and let simmer for 20 minutes.

5. Assemble your dish in layers: first onion-tomato sauce on the bottom, eggplants, ground meat and crumbled feta. Repeat 2-3 times. On top add the juice from the pan. I didn’t and had to moisten the dish half way through in the oven.

6. Put in a preheated oven at 170° C (340F) for 45 minutes.

7. Serve with good rustic Italian bread.

BUON APPETITO!