Salmon Mushroom Pot Pies + wine
Perfectly paired with Chardonnay from the seabed soils (Kimmeridgian) of Chablis (acidity cuts through the richness of the filling and crust) or a slightly fuller style from Burgundy’s Maconnais area (think Macon, Pouilly-Fuisse or Saint-Veran).
Serves 4
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 tablespoon olive oil
28 ounces low sodium chicken broth
1 fennel bulb, fronds chopped, stalks sliced half-inch thick, and bulb cored and diced
3 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small shallot, minced
¼ cup dry white wine
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup sliced button mushrooms
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon or chervil leaves
1 ½ pounds skinless Kvaroy Artic salmon fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup milk (plant milk such as almond or oat is ok)
¼ cup cornstarch
DIRECTIONS
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly flour a work surface. With a floured rolling pin, roll out the puff pastry to 1/8 inch thick. Invert a 2-cup ramekin or soufflé dish on the pastry and cut around it to form 4 pastry circles, each about 1 inch larger in diameter than the ramekin. Place the circles on the prepared baking sheet, brush with the olive oil, and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, place the chicken broth and fennel stalks in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until reduced by half. Remove and discard the fennel. Decrease the heat and keep the broth at a low simmer.
Preheat the oven to 400F. In a heavy skillet, melt 1 ½ tablespoon of the butter over medium-high until it foams. Add the chopped fennel and fennel fronds, shallot, and wine, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, then decrease the heat to medium. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes, until the fennel is soft. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes, until the fennel and mushrooms are tender. Add the tarragon and salmon, season with additional salt and pepper, and stir to combine.
In a small bowl, mix together the milk and cornstarch to dissolve. Whisk into the simmering broth and continue whisking for about 1 minute until the mixture thickens. Cook, stirring, 2 more minutes, and season with salt and pepper. Stir 1 ½ c of the gravy into the salmon mixture.
Divide the salmon mixture evenly among four buttered 2 cup ramekins, but do not overfill. Spoon in some additional gravy and put a pat of the remaining butter in each ramekin (this is optional if you are watching fat intake). Top each with a pastry circle, curling the edges upward and pressing just inside the lip of the ramekin to seal. Bake on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes, until golden brown.
