Gin-brined salmon and dill picnic traybake pie
In this recipe, salmon is infused with a juniper-forward brine, then layered together with fennel, red onion and soft cheese. Baked within a flaky puff pastry crust, this pie is perfect when paired with a lightly pickled beetroot salad and refreshing dill raita.
Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
For the brined salmon
- 400g of skinless salmon fillet, chunked
- 200ml of water
- 50ml of gin
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp of sugar
- 1 tbsp of coarse sea salt
- 1 tbsp of juniper berries, crushed
For the filling
- 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- 550g of waxy potatoes, sliced
- 150g of frozen peas
- 200g of soft cheese, (quark or cream cheese)
- 1 small bunch of dill , chopped
For the pastry
- 3 320 g ready‑rolled all butter puff pastry sheets
- flour, for dusting
- 2 tbsp of breadcrumbs
For finishing
- 10 medium eggs, beaten
- 2 tbsp of nigella seeds
For the cucumber and dill raita
- 1/2 cucumber, grated and drained
- 150g of Greek yoghurt
- 1 tbsp of chopped dill
- 1 pinch of garlic powder
- salt
For the beetroot pickle salad
- 2 cooked beetroots, sliced
- 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- 1 pinch of sea salt
Equipment
- 20 × 30 cm traybake tin
- Rolling pin
Method
Combine water, gin, lemon zest, sugar, salt and crushed juniper berries in a bowl
- 200ml of water
- 50ml of gin
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp of sugar
- 1 tbsp of coarse sea salt
- 1 tbsp of juniper berries, crushed
Add the salmon and chill for 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry with kitchen paper
- 400g of skinless salmon fillet, chunked
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6
Roast the sliced fennel and red onion in the olive oil for 20 minutes until tender and caramelised
- 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
Boil the potatoes for 8 minutes until just cooked, then drain and leave to cool
- 550g of waxy potatoes, sliced
Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/160°C fan
Line a 20 × 30 cm tin with parchment
Overlap two of the pastry sheets together by a few centimetres, and then roll them together, using a splash of water to help them stick if needed. Roll out the joined pastry sheets until they are the thickness of a £1 coin, and big enough to line the base and sides of the tin. Press into the tin
- 3 320 g ready‑rolled all butter puff pastry sheets
- flour, for dusting
Sprinkle breadcrumbs across the base of the tin. Layer in the roasted vegetables, potatoes, salmon, peas, dollops of soft cheese and a generous scattering of chopped dill. Season well between layers
- 2 tbsp of breadcrumbs
- 150g of frozen peas
- 200g of soft cheese, (quark or cream cheese)
- 1 small bunch of dill , chopped
Set aside a few tablespoons of egg for glazing, then pour the rest gently over the filling
- 10 medium eggs, beaten
Cover with the ready‑rolled pastry, crimp the edges then brush with reserved egg. Sprinkle with nigella seeds and score neatly
- 2 tbsp of nigella seeds
Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes until deeply golden. Cool fully before serving. While it cools, make the sides
For the raita, stir grated cucumber into the yogurt with dill, garlic powder and salt
- 1/2 cucumber, grated and drained
- 150g of Greek yoghurt
- 1 tbsp of chopped dill
- 1 pinch of garlic powder
- salt
For the salad, toss the sliced beetroot with vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil and sea salt. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes before serving
- 2 cooked beetroots, sliced
- 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- 1 pinch of sea salt
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