Salmon & Barley Kulebiake

[TheHummer]

This is a Russian version of a pie. Originally salmon, mushrooms and rice in brioche dough, in France it became coulibiac. Here barley replaces the rice.

For the onions and barley
3 tbs olive oil
3 onions, thinly sliced
zest of 2 lemons
1 tsp salt
½ cup coarsely chopped dill
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup pearly barley

For the mushrooms
4 tbs olive oil
600 g Portabella mushrooms, sliced
300 g button mushrooms, sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Kulebiake
400 g skinned and boned salmon fillet, cut into 4 cm pieces
400 g flaky puff pastry
1 egg, beaten

Serve with
200 g sour cream
100 g salmon caviar

For the onions and barley
1 Heat the oil over a moderate heat and add the onions, lemon zest, salt, dill plus a good grind of black pepper. Fry gently, without browning, for about 15 minutes until the onion is soft. Remove from the heat and cool.
2 Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Add the barley and boil for 20 minutes or until tender. Remove from the heat and drain well. Cool. Mix the onions and barley together and put to one side.

For the mushrooms
1 Heat the oil over a moderate heat and add the mushrooms, stir well and season with salt and pepper. Slow fry for about 10 minutes until the mushrooms have reduced in bulk and are very tender. Remove from the heat and put to one side.

For the Kulebiake
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C. Roll the pastry out on a floured surface into a rectangle 45 cm x 28 cm. Trim the edges and save the trimmings.
2 Place half the barley and onion mixture down the middle of the pastry rectangle. Spread half the mushrooms on top. Place the salmon pieces evenly on top, put the remaining mushrooms, then barley and onion mixture on top.
3 Brush the edges with egg and then draw the two long edges up and pinch them together. Fold the ends in. Make decorative leaves out of the trimmings and stick them on using the beaten egg, if you wish. Then brush the Kulebiake with the beaten egg and bake for 40 minutes or until well cooked. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
4 Serve slices with the sour cream and caviar.

Servings: 8