Salmon Coulibiac in Puff Pastry

Directions

Make ahead rice

1. Add 1 T. butter to a pan and add the onion, cumin,  coriander seeds, cardamom and star anise and gentry fry for 8 minutes until onions are golden. 

2. Stir in rice and add bay leaf and cinnamon stick and add water and season with salt. 

3. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.  Turn off heat and leave rice covered for 10 minutes. At this point, stir in lemon zest and lemon juice. Once cooled, add chopped dill.  Remove the cinnamon stick, star anise and cardamom pods. 

Cook salmon

1. Heat 2 T. butter in a non-stick pan. Add salmon and cook 1 min per side. You do not want to cook the salmon all the way through. Put salmon on plate and set aside. 

To assemble

1. Roll out one piece of puff pastry to a rectangle, then lay on a baking sheet. 

2. Put half the rice along the middle of the pastry, leaving a small border around the edge. Lay the seared salmon over the rice, then slice the eggs and lay on top of salmon. Top the eggs with the remaining rice and pack down gently to make a firm, even shape.  Make sure you have a clear border with no rice on the edge.

3. Beat an egg and brush the border of the pastry with beaten egg.  Roll the second piece of puff pastry and drape over the coulibiac.  Press the edges together with a fork (the egg will help to "glue" the pastry.  Brush the top of the puff pastry with egg wash.  You can lightly score the pastry with the back of a knife with a criss-cross pattern making sure not to cut all the way through. 

4. You can chill this for a day or keep frozen at this point. 

5. To Bake: heat oven to 390° and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° and bake for another 20 minutes, until the top is a nice golden brown. 

6. Serve with dill cream or herb salsa. (see note below)