40 DECEMBER 2020
HANDBOOK2 Tbsp. whole-grain mustard
15 (14- x 9-inch) frozen phyllo pastry
sheets (such as Athens), thawed
1 / 3 cup unsalted butter (2^2 / 3 oz.),
melted
2 medium pickled beets (about 4 oz.),
cut crosswise into^1 / 8 -inch-thick
slices- Preheat oven to 375°F with rack posi-
tioned in lower third of oven. Heat oil in a
large skillet over medium. Add garlic, and
cook, stirring constantly, until just begin-
ning to brown, about 1 minute. Add kale,
(^1) / 2 teaspoon salt, and (^1) / 2 teaspoon pepper.
Cook, stirring constantly, until kale is
wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a
medium bowl; let cool 15 minutes.
Squeeze kale mixture in paper towels to
drain excess liquid. Set aside.
- Stir together rice, lemon zest,^3 / 4 tea-
spoon salt, and^1 / 4 teaspoon pepper in a
medium bowl. Stir together crème
fraîche, dill, capers, caper brine, lemon
juice, and salt and pepper to taste in a
second medium bowl. Set both aside. - Trim salmon fillet lengthwise to form a
9- x 4-inch rectangle of even thickness;
reserve scraps for another use. Sprinkle
salmon with remaining^1 / 4 teaspoon salt
and remaining^1 / 4 teaspoon pepper.
Spread mustard evenly over top of
salmon; set aside at room temperature.- Unfold phyllo sheets, and place on a
work surface; cover with a damp towel to
prevent them from drying out. Place 1
phyllo sheet on a parchment paper–lined
baking sheet, and brush top lightly with
melted butter. Top with a second phyllo
sheet to create a neat stack. Brush top of
second sheet lightly with melted butter.
Continue stacking, brushing each layer
with butter, until stack is 6 sheets thick.
Do not brush top of last sheet. Cover
stack with a damp kitchen towel. Repeat
process of stacking and brushing with
butter to form a second stack of 4 phyllo
sheets; cover stack with a damp towel.
Cover and reserve remaining phyllo
sheets and melted butter. - Uncover stack of 6 phyllo sheets on the
baking sheet. Spread rice mixture length-
wise in a 9- x 4-inch rectangle of even
thickness (about^3 / 4 inch thick) in center of
phyllo stack. Top with salmon. Arrange
beet slices, slightly overlapping, on
salmon. Top with kale in an even layer. - Fold edges of phyllo base up around fill-
ing to form a boat shape, pleating as
needed. Place stack of 4 phyllo sheets
lengthwise on top of filling, and fold down,
tucking edges under coulibiac. Re-melt
butter, if needed. Brush top and sides of
coulibiac with melted butter, reserving
about 2 tablespoons for drizzling. - Working with 1 phyllo sheet at a time,
scrunch up sheet, and place on top of the
coulibiac with edges sticking up randomly
in all directions, like tissue paper. Repeat
with remaining 4 phyllo sheets, arranging
and tearing as needed to completely
cover the top of the coulibiac. Drizzle
remaining 2 tablespoons butter over top. - Bake in preheated oven until golden
brown and crispy and a thermometer
inserted in salmon through side of
coulibiac registers 140°F, about 30 min-
utes, tenting with aluminum foil after 15
minutes to prevent excess browning. Let
cool on baking sheet 10 minutes. Using a
serrated knife, cut crosswise into 6 even
portions. Garnish with dill, and serve with
crème fraîche sauce. —PAIGE GRANDJEAN
MAKE AHEAD Kale, rice mixture, and sauce
can be made up to 2 days ahead and
stored in refrigerator. Coulibiac can be
prepared through step 6 up to 1 day ahead;
wrap coulibiac and sheet pan tightly with
plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Uncover and
let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
Brush top of coulibiac lightly with melted
butter so scrunched phyllo adheres.
Proceed with step 7.
WINE Minerally Slovenian white: 2016
Movia Ribolla
Coulibiac of Salmon with
Pickled Beets and Kale
ACTIVE 1 HR 5 MIN; TOTAL 2 HR; SERVES 6Curly kale holds its vibrant green color
beautifully after cooking, but any kale will
work. King salmon is best here; its high fat
content delivers superior texture and flavor.2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 (8-oz.) bunch curly kale, ribs
removed, leaves thinly sliced
crosswise (about 4 cups)
11 / 2 tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more
to taste
1 tsp. black pepper, divided, plus more
to taste
2 cups cooked and cooled long-grain
white rice
2 tsp. grated lemon zest plus 2 tsp.
fresh lemon juice, divided
1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill, plus more
for garnish
2 Tbsp. chopped capers plus 1 Tbsp.
caper brine
1 (9-inch-long, about 1-inch-thick)
center-cut king salmon fillet (about
13 / 4 lb.), skin and pin bones removed