This has to be one of the finest examples of Swedish home cooking (husmanskost). This, for me, is nostalgia on a plate; Laxpudding or Salmon Pudding is a meal that is a wonderful way of using up leftovers, however that doesn’t mean it needs to be relegated to the status of a mere mid-week supper. Having said that I have tried to cut down on the cream and butter in this recipe. Purists spoon over loads of melted butter and eat it with knäckebröd (crispbread) and a glass of beer.
I start with sliced onions. I suppose so that’s the thing, so much in cooking begins with the frying of onions. The potatoes must be of a waxy variety. I suggest Charlotte or Desiree, they hold their shape well when sliced. Also, no need to peel before boiling, once cooled slightly the skin comes off in a very thin layer. Now to the green corner, dill is essential. A proportion of wilted spinach also works very well however do make sure you squeeze out the excess water.
Any kind of sliced salmon works in this dish, such as salted salmon, smoked salmon or gravlax can be used provided the amount of salt is varied. You can find a recipe for a more classic version of Laxpudding here.
This dish is just lovely, summer or winter, warm or cold, served with a seasonal salad or vegetables and knäckebröd (crispbread) of course.
Speedy Laxpudding (Swedish Salmon Pudding)
Equipment
- 2.5 Litre ceramic dish
Ingredients
- 300 g fresh salmon
- 300 g smoked salmon slices
- 700 g even sized waxy potatoes such as Charlotte or Desiree
- 300 g celeriac peeled & cut into large chunks
- 2 medium onions finely sliced
- 2 Tbls sunflower oil
- 2 Tbls butter
- 2 bunches dill
- 4 medium eggs
- 275 ml whole milk
- 75 ml single or whipping cream
- 2 Tbls fresh breadcrumbs GF breadcrumbs if you're coeliac
- salt & white pepper
To serve
- fresh grated horseradish optional
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- Place the potatoes (do not peel them) and celeriac in a large pot of cold water with a little salt and bring to the boil. Simmer until they’re just cooked through. (15-20 minutes). Drain and cool, then remove the skins and cut the potatoes and celeriac into ½-cm-thick slices. Heat a pan over a medium heat and add 1 tbsp of butter and the sunflower oil. Fry the onions with a good pinch of salt until really soft and lightly golden, remove from the pan to cool. Heat the oven to 190°C (Fan).
- Finely slice the fresh salmon. Remove a few stems of dill from the bunch to garnish then chop the remainder. Grease the dish you are going with a little butter.
- Crack the eggs into a jug and whisk lightly. Add the milk and cream and whisk again, set to one side.
To assemble:
- Place a layer of potato and celeriac in the dish, sprinkle with half of the dill and half of the onions. Season lightly with salt and white pepper. Now add a layer of the fresh and smoked salmon. Proceed with the next layer of potato and celeriac, making sure you leave the best slices of potato for the top layer. add the remaining onion and dill, season. Now add the remaining salmon. Arrange the potato slices on the top. Pour over the egg and milk mixture. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Melt the remaining butter and pour over the breadcrumbs. Finally grind a little white pepper on the top. Place in the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown and the egg mixture has set. Serve with a sprinkling of fresh grated horseradish, lemon wedges and a seasonal salad of vegetables.
Tips:
- Add 200g of spinach, wilt first and squeeze out any excess water.
- Fennel is another vegetable option, slice one bulb and saute before layering in the pudding.
- If you’d like to make a more luxurious version of this, change the ration of milk to cream. I suggest 50/50.
Festive Saffron & Cinnamon Bread Star
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