Talk about a dish that is aesthetically pleasing and drool-worthy, it has to be this Russian coulibiac! Cause just look at those layers of heavenly goodness! This is a loaded dish, no one could move well in my house after the sizeable portions we had. I told y’all, we are exploring the world through food this year!
What is Russian coulibiac?
Aka the best fish pie ever! Facts though, it has to be one of the richest, well endowed pies I have ever made. It is usually made with salmon/sturgeon, mushroom rice, herbs and hard boiled egg. Each of these ingredients are layered into the pie, all forming an immaculate work of art.
The coulibiac is a traditional Russian dish that can be traced to the Russian term Kulebyaka meaning to shape with hands or knead. It is a dish that is never far from any festive table in Russia, from Easter to Christmas. It has since evolved to become a part of the cuisine of many other European cuisines such as the French. This closed pie can be baked in one large oblong piece featuring fillings as in a beef wellington or in small manageable portions like a meat pie. It is usually paired with a glass of milk.
Ingredients needed for Coulibiac
Protein
This is fish pie, hence, the choice of protein is always between sturgeon or salmon. I usually go for the wild salmon because it is flavorful and holds up pretty well due to its fattiness.
Sturgeon (caviar fish) on the other hand is a common fish that is usually eaten raw in many parts of Asia. It is another good option for coulibiac.
Mushroom Rice
This explains why this pie is so filling. If you don’t know how to make mushroom rice, I have just the quickest and simplest recipe here. Mushroom rice is simply jasmine rice, cooked with mushrooms, onions, garlic, carrots and garnished with fresh dill. Some recipes skip the rice part altogether and use just sauteed mushrooms.
Hard-boiled Eggs
These are sliced up and then layered in the pie.
Puff Pastry
This can be made from the scratch or simply save time by buying the puff pastry sheets at your local grocery store. I absolutely went with the latter!
Herbs & Seasonings
A combination of paprika, oregano, bouillon, salt, black pepper and any other types of seasonings you prefer are needed for the fish. Some people simply rub it on the fish and let it marinate for some time, or use herbed butter to coat the fish. I made a dry-spice rub for the fish in this recipe. Some fresh dill is used to garnish the finished dish.
Each slice of the coulibiac is traditionally topped with a butter sauce, I simply had mine with a gravy I had made earlier that day and each bite was unforgettable.
Recommended
Russian Coulibiac (Salmon Wellington)
Ingredients
- 1/2 300g salmon fillets
- 2 cups mushroom rice
- 5 hard-boiled eggs sliced
- 2 sheets puff-pastry cold
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp fish bouillon
- 1 tsp oregano
- salt to taste
Extras
- 1 egg for egg wash
- gravy or sauce
- fresh dill for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse and pat dry your salmon fillets. Combine the seasonings and coat the salmon with it, set it aside to sit while you continue on to Step 2.
- Preheat oven to 375℉
- Spread out your first puff pastry sheet on a lined baking sheet, a rectangular shape does it better.
- Assemble the first layer with the mushroom rice along the middle of the puff pastry, followed by the marinated salmon. Add on another layer of rice followed by the sliced eggs.
- Lay on the 2nd puff pastry sheet and begin to pinch the edges to secure the filling.
- Use a flour-dipped fork to pin the edges tightly. Brush on the egg wash all over the pie., use the same fork to create 4 vents on the surface of the coulibiac.
- Bake for 45 mins-1 hour, or until the pie is golden brown and crisp.
- Let it cool just a bit before serving a slice, drizzle on some of your favorite gravy and garnish with fresh dill.
