This is like shepherd's pie, only with canned salmon and white sauce instead of beef and gravy. I riffed on two recipes. One came from The Little Irish Baking Book, which is a delightful read that tucks me into the Irish countryside.
The other recipe was from Laura Ingalls Wilder's
Country Cookbook, which is delightful for the interior photos of Rocky Ridge.
I added some parsley and spinach with the peas, and kicked up the white sauce with some onion, celery seed, and dry mustard. When I drained the liquid off the canned salmon, I used that as part of the liquid for the white sauce.
Even so, I thought the whole thing was a little on the bland side, but my family was enthusiastic. My husband called it comfort food. Good thing they all had seconds because the pie filled up my casserole dish more than I expected from my guesstimates and I was hoping I didn't have a big dud on my hands.
My mom filled this same casserole dish with macaroni and cheese when I was a kid. . . comfort food. . . one of the nostalgic necessities of home life.
And also, I realized I was making this Irish recipe wearing the Irish fisherman's sweater my parents got in Ireland in the 1970s when my mom was pregnant with me. I love these objects freighted with memories which are also in happy use in my current life!
10 comments:
That's a gorgeous sweater! (If you're into Irish stuff, you might want to watch Fisherman's Friends. Gentle story, fun music.)
Shepherd's pie must be in the air! I made one on Saturday and it was so massive that I took it over to my neighbor's house for an impromptu dinner get together. Still had leftovers - which I don't mind at all. I had never imagined making a shepherd's pie with salmon; I might have to give that a try.
That casserole dish (with lid!) is beautiful and even more so because it is imbued with memory. The sweater is gorgeous. I love these physical connections to one's history.
Thanks for the recommendation! Unfortunately, it's not on Netflix or in my library. . .
Ha! Must be *big* shepherd's pies in the air! How lovely to share yours with neighbors - so eager to socialize outside our households again, ahhhhh.
I have that same dish in gold but we got ours for a wedding present when we were married in 1978. We use that dish at least 3 days a week. Your pie looks delicious!
That dish does indeed look like serious comfort home cooking ! I would of eaten a heaped plate of it 😋
Love it! I bet my parents got that dish as a wedding present in the 70s also, ha! I will ask them. . .
I love this idea - I'm totally going to use it as inspiration. Thank you!
My mom had a sweater like that - my grandparents got everyone one when they went to Ireland in the 1970's to meet my Grandmom's cousins (She was first generation here).
Love that 1970s Irish connection!
It is a truly fabulous sweater.
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