Today, we are making a pain de saumon – a salmon quiche loaf.  Think of it as a crustless salmon quiche that you bake in a loaf pan – that’s it!  So easy to make, it’s also quick to prepare (about 15 min) — then put it in the oven and go do other things until dinner is ready.  We like to either serve one slice of our pain de saumon as a 1st fish course or for a full dinner, we serve two slices with a good serving of green salad and a small rice timbale (optional if you want to cut on carbs).  And voilà, dinner is ready.   So check Art of the Home detailed salmon quiche loaf recipe below, as well as Art of the Home suggestions.  Enjoy and bon appétit!

Easy and Moist Salmon Quiche Loaf

 Salmon Quiche Loaf on a Bed of Lettuce

Salmon Quiche Loaf (Pain de Saumon)
by Art of the Home

Ingredients (for 4-6 servings)

• 3-4 salmon fillets (about 1-1.25 lb)
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup of heavy cream
• Bouquet garni: 1 sprig of parsley, 1 sprig of thyme, 1-2 laurel leaves, 1 anise star, and a pinch of fennel seeds.
• About 4-6 branches of chives, roughly chopped
• Juice of 1/2 lime (optional)
• Salt & pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 °F.
2. Prepare a bouquet garni for fish to poach the salmon (you’re basically making a court-bouillon).  To do so, tie the following in a piece of cheesecloth: 1 anise star, a pinch of fennel seeds, 1 parsley leaf, 1 thyme leaf, and 1-2 laurel leaves.  Note: we love the subtle anise flavor but you can certainly skip the anise star and fennel seeds if you don’t have them handy.
3. In a medium saucepan, bring water, bouqet garni, a few pinches of salt and the juice of 1/2 a lime (optional) to a boil, .  Add in the  fish fillets and depending on the thickness, poach for 5-10 minutes (note: even if the fish is not cooked completely, that’s fine it will cook some more as it bakes).  Remove from heat, cover with lid, and set aside.
4. Beat eggs and add in heavy cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Using a fork, shred salmon fillets slightly and pour egg/cream mixture over the shredded salmon.  Gently toss to coat the salmon.
6. Butter a loaf cake pan or place a piece of parchment paper inside (note: it won’t stay tucked inside the pan but once you pour the creamy salmon mixture,  it will be fine, just make sure you cut a piece that is big enough to cover the sides of your loaf pan).
7. Pour salmon mixture in the loaf pan and bake for about 35  minutes.
8. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before cutting.  Carefully lift your salmon quiche loaf by holding the parchment paper and transfer to a large serving plate before slicing.
9. Sprinkle slices of your salmon quiche loaf with chopped chives – adds a nice flavor to each bite.

Art of the Home Suggestions:

1. Make ahead – this is a great dish to make the day before and warm up in the microwave.  You can also make 2 loafs at once – lunch one day and dinner the other day!
2. Rice Timbale: Save the water you used to poach your fish to cook rice that you can serve as a side dish (remove your bouquet garni beforehand).  It will add a nice flavor to your rice.
3. Sauce: you can add a small scoop of cocktail sauce, tartar sauce or even creme fraiche next to your slices of salmon quiche loaf and top it with chopped chives.