Smoked Salmon Koulibiaca

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to Fan 200C / 220C / 425F / Gas Mark 7. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and add the spring onion and mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the rice, mix well then pour in the fish stock. Bring up to the boil, turn down the heat to low, cover and simmer for 12 minutes. Remove from the heat, uncover and set aside until completely cold.

2. Break the roast smoked salmon into large flakes and place in a bowl. Roughly chop the hard-boiled eggs and add to the salmon with half the chopped dill and half the parsley, mixing well. Taste and season. Tip the rice into another bowl and use a fork to fluff it up, then mix in the remaining dill and parlsey and the lemon zest and juice, taste and season.

3. Unroll the pastry onto a lightly floured work surface and re-roll to make a larger rectangle. Spoon half the rice mix along the centre of the pastry, widthways, leaving a good bit of pastry at either side that will eventually wrap over the filling. Leave a border of at least 2.5cm (1 inch) at either end.

4. Carefully spoon the salmon mix evenly over the rice, piling it high. You may want to use your hands to mould this into shape. Top with the remaining rice mix, pressing and moulding into a loaf shape.

5. Bring one side of the pastry up and over the filling, brush the edge with beaten egg, then bring the other side over to enclose the filling completely. Pinch the ends to seal. Carefully flip the parcel oer so that the sealed edges are underneath on the base. Lift onto a buttered baking tray. Brush the surface of the pastry all over with beaten egg. If you like, use extra pastry to cut into fish shapes to decorate the pastry, then glaze again.

6. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until deep golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing to serve.

7. For a special occasion, shape into a fish.