Salmon Royale

Ingredients

• 1.1 kilogram phyllo pastry, kept covered with a damp cloth at all times to prevent drying out
• 2.butter, melted; for brushing between pastry layers
• 3.breadcrumbs, for sprinkling between layers; also sesame seeds on top
• 4.90 gram butter, for filling — used in two stages: 45g for onions/mushrooms, 45g for sauce
• 5.25 millilitre onion, chopped
• 6.300 gram mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 7.426 gram canned salmon, 2 tins (2 × 213g); liquid reserved
• 8.milk, 250–375 ml; combined with reserved salmon liquid to make the sauce base
• 9.50 millilitre flour, for sauce
• 10.2 millilitre salt
• 11.black pepper
• 12.1 millilitre paprika
• 13.cayenne pepper, a good pinch
• 14.2 egg yolks, beaten
• 15.37.5 millilitre parsley, chopped
• 16.37.5 millilitre pickled cucumber, chopped
• 17.37.5 millilitre spring onions, chopped
• 18.25 millilitre sherry
• 19.sesame seeds, for sprinkling on top before baking

Method

1. 1.FILLING: Fry the onions in 45g butter until soft. Add the mushrooms and cook a few minutes. Turn up the heat and cook until the liquid evaporates. Remove from heat.
2. 2.Drain the liquid from the tins of salmon and add this liquid to the milk. Set aside.
3. 3.Melt the remaining 45g butter. Add the flour and cook a few minutes. Add the reserved milk-salmon liquid mixture, stirring to make a thick sauce. Do not use all at once — start with 1 cup. Add the mushrooms, salt, pepper and cayenne. Cook a further 5–8 minutes until thick, stirring all the while.
4. 4.Add a little of the hot sauce to the beaten egg yolks, then return to the pot. Add the salmon, parsley, pickled cucumber, spring onion and sherry. Heat through and then cool completely.
5. 5.PASTRY: Remove phyllo from its plastic wrap. Place on a cloth and cover with another cloth. THE PASTRY MUST BE KEPT COVERED AT ALL TIMES — if you do not do this, the pastry dries out and becomes impossible to use.
6. 6.Take one sheet of pastry, place on a board, brush with melted butter. Cover with another sheet of pastry, brush with butter. Sprinkle lightly with some breadcrumbs. Layer 3 more sheets — each brushed with melted butter. You must have 5 layers in all. Sprinkle with more crumbs.
7. 7.Place half the filling at the bottom of the sheets. Enclose the sides and roll up — Swiss roll fashion. When enclosing the sides, give a generous fold to prevent spillage. Brush with melted butter.
8. 8.Mark slices with a sharp knife (makes it easier to cut when baked). Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
9. 9.Bake on a greased tray at 375°F (190°C) for 20–30 minutes. Watch and try to see that it bakes an even golden colour. Serve hot.
10. 10.Repeat with remaining filling to make the second roll.

Notes

• There is enough filling for two rolls.
• TO MAKE INDIVIDUAL ROLLS: Use only 3 or 4 sheets pastry. Only sprinkle crumbs on the top layer. Cut the sheets into four. Roll like a blintze.
• TO FREEZE: Freeze before baking; defrost before baking.
• A blintze is a thin Jewish crepe-style roll — the rolling technique is similar.