Salmon Kulebyaka

A Russian festive dish in which a layer of moist salmon and eggs sits on a bed of butter-dill flavored rice, all encased in crisp puff pastry. Serve with a watercress salad

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4  tablespoons butter
• 1  small onion, finely chopped
• 1  cup cooked long-grain rice
• 1  tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
• 1  tablespoon lemon juice
•  salt and pepper
• 1  lb puff pastry, defrosted
• 1  lb salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 2 inch pieces
• 3  hard-boiled eggs, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Melt butter in a pan, add the finely chopped onion and cook gently for 10 minutes or until soft.
3. Stir in the cooked rice, dill, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
4. Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 12 inch square.
5. Spoon the rice mixture over half the pastry leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edges.
6. Arrange the salmon on top; scatter the egg between.
7. Brush the pastry edges with egg; fold it over the filling to make a rectangle, pressing the edges together firmly to seal.
8. Carefully lift the pastry onto a lightly oiled baking sheet.
9. Glaze with a beaten egg; pierce the pastry a few times with a skewer to make holes for steam to escape.
10. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 40 minutes, covering with foil after 30 minutes.
11. Leave to cool on the baking sheet, before cutting into slices.