Dinner pie: salmon and spinach

Sunset, Oct, 1992 by Elaine Johnson

Good-looking and easy to make, this dinner pie is delicious hot, at room temperature, or chilled. If you make it a day ahead, cover when cool, then chill.

Salmon and Spinach Pie

2 packages (10-oz. size)

frozen chopped

spinach, thawed

1 large egg

2 cups cooked rice

2 teaspoons dried

tarragon leaves

1/4 teaspoon ground

nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon pepper 1 1/2 pounds boned and

skinned salmon fillets,

cut 1/2 inch thick

No-fat duxelles (recipe

follows)

1 sheet (9 in. square,

about 8 oz.) frozen puff

pastry, barely thawed

Salt, sour cream, and

lemon wedges

Squeeze liquid from spinach. In a bowl, beat egg to blend; save 1 tablespoon. Mix remaining egg with spinach, rice, tarragon, nutmeg, and pepper; pat half into an oiled 9-inch-diameter shallow casserole.

Lay salmon in casserole; cover with duxelles, then top with remaining rice mixture.

On a floured board, roll pastry into an 11-inch square. Cut an 11-inch round and drape over pie. Snip rim and fold decoratively; brush pastry with egg. Top pie with cut-out pastry scraps; brush with remaining egg. Bake in a 375 [degrees] oven until top is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Scoop from dish. Add salt, sour cream, and lemon to taste. Serves 6 to 8.

Per serving: 351 cal. (36 percent from fat); 22 g protein; 14 g fat (1 g sat.); 31 g carbo.; 243 mg sodium; 68 mg chol.

No-fat duxelles. In a 10-to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat, frequently stir 3 1/2 cups (3/4 lb.) chopped mushrooms, 1/4 cup minced shallots, and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg until vegetable juices evaporate and mixture browns and sticks, 10 to 12 minutes. Add 1/4 cup dry white wine; stir often until vegetables brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/3 cup more dry white wine to loosen browned bits. Use warm or cool.