My Aunt’s Salmon Pie

My Aunt’s Salmon Pie

Serves 6-8

1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust

2 tablespoons butter

1 stalk celery, finely diced

1 small onion, finely diced

6 mushrooms, sliced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, or the homemade version, below

2 7.5-ounce cans Alaskan salmon, drained, any bones removed; or 1 pound of cooked salmon fillet, flaked into small pieces

2 cups cooked rice (white or brown)

Salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Saute the onion and celery in the butter in a large skillet until they’re just getting soft. Then add the mushrooms and thyme and continue to cook until the mushrooms are done. Stir in the soup, salmon, and rice, and add a little ground pepper. Heat it through and taste the mixture for salt. Pour the salmon mixture into the pie crust. Bake for 40 minutes. Check the pie after 30 minutes and if it looks too brown, lightly tent it with aluminum foil and continue baking the additional 10 minutes. If it’s not brown after 40 minutes, bake another 5 minutes or so until it’s done.

Not Canned Cream of Mushroom Soup

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

1-1/2 cups concentrated mushroom liquid, heated (made with 2-1/4 teaspoons Better than Bouillon mushroom base OR 2 small or 1 large Knorr Porcini mushroom bouillon cubes dissolved in 1-1/2 cups hot water)

3 tablespoons heavy cream

1 tablespoon dry sherry

Make a cooked roux from the flour and butter. Whisk in the hot mushroom liquid until smooth, then stir in the cream and sherry.