Salmon Pie with Lemon Dill Béchamel Sauce (Québec Pâté au Saumon avec Béchamel au Citron et à l'Aneth)

canadian-quebec-tarteausaumon Salmon Pie is a seafood version of the classic French-Canadian Tourtière, a traditional meat pie enjoyed throughout Canada and New England on Christmas Eve. In coastal areas of Canada and New England where fish was abundant, salmon was commonly used for making tourtière. Salmon pie is a simple but delicious pie made from a combination of salmon, potatoes, onions, seasonings, and baked in a flaky piecrust.

Pie Pastry:
2 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
½ tsp. sea salt
⅔ cup butter or lard
6-7 Tbsp. water, cold
1 egg, beaten

Salmon Filling:
2 lbs russet potatoes (about 6 medium)
2 Tbsp. butter
¼ cup onions, chopped
½ cup water
1 lb salmon fillet, pin bones removed
½ tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. black pepper, freshly cracked

Lemon Dill Béchamel Sauce:
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, unbleached
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped or 1 tsp. dried dill
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground

Prepare the Pie Pastry:
In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in butter or lard until mixture is an even crumbly texture. Add cold water a Tbsp. at a time and mix until dough comes together.

Shape the dough into a disc, wrap, and chill in the refrigerator. While pastry is chilling, prepare filling.

Prepare the Salmon Filling:
Wash and peel the potatoes. Cut into chunks and boil in a medium size pot of water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain, mash the potatoes, and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, and sauté until they are softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the ½ cup of water to the skillet.

Season the salmon fillet with salt and pepper, and place it into the skillet skin side down.

Spoon liquid and onions over the salmon, cover the skillet, and cook until the salmon is opaque, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the salmon cool slightly.

Remove the skin and break the salmon into pieces. Add the salmon, onions, and poaching liquid to the mashed potatoes and mix to combine. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C/180°C fan, Gas Mark 6).

Assemble and Bake the Salmon Pie:
On a lightly floured surface, divide dough in half and form two balls. Flatten one ball with your hands, and roll dough to about 12" in diameter, to fit a 9" pie pan.

Place the pastry into the pie plate and add the salmon pie filling. Gently pat the filling down to remove any air spaces.

Brush around the outer edge of the pastry with the beaten egg. Roll out the top pastry and place on top of the pie filling.

Fold the top crust under the bottom crust and pinch the edges. Brush with egg wash and cut vent holes.

Bake the salmon pie in a preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. While the salmon pie is baking, make the dill béchamel sauce.

Make the Lemon Dill Béchamel Sauce:
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Gradually add milk stirring constantly. When sauce begins to thicken, add the lemon juice, dill, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 2 minutes. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Remove the pie from oven and let it cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

To serve, cut into pie wedges, drizzle with the Béchamel sauce and serve warm.

Makes 1 pie, about 8 servings.