Canadian Salmon Strudels

Instructions

FOR THE RICE: In saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; cook onion and mushrooms, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add stock, water, salt and pepper; bring to boil. Add wild rice; return to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 35 minutes. Stir in long grain rice; simmer, covered, for 25 minutes or just until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Let cool.

Trim spinach; rinse, shaking off excess water. In saucepan, cook spinach, with just the water clinging to leaves, over medium heat for 8 minutes or until wilted; drain in sieve, pressing out moisture. Chop; toss with lemon juice and nutmeg. Cut salmon crosswise into 4 pieces. Separate some skin from flesh. Holding skin, insert knife at 45 degree angle; slide along to remove fillet.

Lay 1 sheet of phyllo on work surface, keeping remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap and damp towel to prevent drying out. Brush with about 2 tsp. of the butter. Place second sheet on top; brush with butter.

About 1 inch from long side of pastry, spoon 1/2 cup rice mixture lengthwise into 3-inch wide strip, leaving 4-inch border at short sides. Top with one-quarter of the spinach. Top with 1 piece of salmon.

Fold 1-inch border over filling; fold each side over and roll up. Place, seam side down, on greased baking sheet. Brush with butter. Repeat to form 4 packages. Bake in 425 f. oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden.

SAUCE: Meanwhile, in saucepan, boil vinegar, wine, shallots, salt and pepper for 5 minutes or until reduced to 2 tbsp. Reduce heat to low; vigorously whisk in butter, a few cubes at a time, until thickened. Stir in parsley. Serve with salmon. Makes 4 servings.

TIP: Remove all the pin bones from the salmon before separating the skin from the flesh. Do this by running the straight, dull edge of a knife across flesh side of fillet. This raises the pin bones, making them easy to extract with tweezers.

Canadian Living Cooks Step by Step

Author's Comments

Few things say Canadian more readily than salmon and wild rice. Combined with flaky phyllo pastry, earthy mushrooms and tender spinach, the patriotic duo is transformed into a heavenly package designed specifically for entertaining occasions. This is a dynamite entrée for special dinners, always earning high praise and well satisfied appetites. The strudels can be assembled up to four hours ahead.