The inspiration for this dish was a magnificent friend, Manfredi Pio di Savoia, who was born under the sign of Pisces and who loved water, boats, and fish. The first time I made it for his birthday luncheon,was, sadly, the last meal I cooked for him; he passed away in Rome a couple years ago.
List of ingredients
The Salmon:
one pound of fresh salmon steaks
2 cups each white wine, water
2 bay leaves, tablespoon peppercorns, 1 medium sliced onion
The Mustard Cream
2 tablespoons gelatin, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
2-3 tablespoons dry mustard
pinch salt
1 cup of whipping cream, whipped
The Garnish:
2 avocados, sliced
4 hardboiled eggs, sliced
red lettuce leaves
dried parsley
1 olive
The Sauce
1 cup sour cream
cream horseradish to taste
Fish mold
kitchen towel
hair dryer
Method: Read the recipe thoroughly. Do all of your shopping. Plan to make this one day ahead of serving.
Hard boil 4 eggs, chill, remove shells, refrigerate in a container with paper towels on the bottom.
Salmon
Simmer the wine, water, bay leaves, peppercorns and onion for 20- 30 minutes in a deep saucepan that has a lid. Add the salmon, poach for 10-12 minutes, turn off heat, add lid and let cool. When you can safely touch the sides of the pan, remove salmon, take off any skin and bones, place pieces on a paper towel. This section can be done 2 days ahead, refrigerate salmon, strain salmon broth and freeze for another poaching or a fish stew. It is very tasty to drink, as is.
Mustard Cream
Place vinegar, water, and sugar in saucepan, add dissolved gelatin and dry mustard, using a spoon to dissolve lumps. Bring to boil over medium heat, strain, again using spoon to work through strainer. Cool completely.Whip the cream, fold into gelatin mixture. At this point you are ready to fill the fish mold with salmon and Mustard Cream. Note: you will have about 2 cups of mustard cream left over. I put it in a smaller mold to use later with another dish. It is very tasty with ham.
Assembly
Spray mold with non stick cooking spray. Ladle in Mustard Cream to cover bottom. The mold has a small support at the tail end which helps steady the uneven bottom. Start laying in pieces of salmon over the Cream, you will have some salmon left for other things. Then cover the salmon with more Cream right up to the edge of the mold. Refrigerate until firm, then cover with plastic wrap.
Prepare sour cream and horseradish by stirring together, place in serving dish with a spoon.
Day of Serving
Remove salmon mold to work surface. Have large oval platter at the ready. Run a knife around the entire edge. Place salmon on the platter. To unmold, I take a kitchen towel and wet it thoroughly with hot water from the faucet, wring out the excess water, and lay over the whole outside of mold. You will need to do this 2 or 3 times. If it is a bit stubborn, I also use a hair dryer, whooshing the hot air over surface of mold, checking constantly to see if the salmon haas been released. Caution! Too much heat and the mold will begin to melt!
Once out, you can tuck in pieces of the lettuce. Peel and slice the avocados; slice the eggs, place around the outside edges as you will, or as shown in the photograph. Place olive in for the eye. Dust your magnificent dish with dried parsley. Refrigerate until guests are seated and ready for your surprise.
I served hot buttered homemade olive bread with this recently, and a mixed grain salad (SooFoo, Maurice Kanbar's product.)
Recipe serves 6 people nicely.
