Salmon Shepherd’s Pie

I was reading Eating Well magazine the other day and came across a recipe for Salmon Perok, an Alaskan comfort food. The idea of it reminded me of one of The Hubs favorites, shepherd’s pie, so I thought, “why not combine the two?” 

It actually turned out really great, and by substituting the rice with quinoa, I bumped up the health factor a bit. (Ok it got bumped back down by the addition of mashed potatoes, but whatever) It really sparked my imagination on what other kinds of potato topped pies I could create. My mom makes this thing she calls “chili beef”. To be honest, I’m not really sure what cut of meat it is, but I absolutely love it. I think that would maybe go well in a shepherd’s pie. What else? Any ideas?

Salmon Shepherd’s Pie recipe adapted from Eating Well 

• 3/4 cup prepared quinoa
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1 pound wild Alaskan salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 1/2-inch pieces, or three 6- to 7-ounce cans bone less, skinless wild Alaskan salmon
• 4 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
• 2 cups prepared mashed potatoes, about 1lb

• Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 350°F.
• Stir thyme into prepared quinoa 
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, 7 to 9 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Continue cooking until the onions are golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes more. Add a few tablespoons of water, if needed, to release any bits that are sticking to the pan. Stir in peas. Remove from the heat.

• To assemble the pie: Coat a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan with cooking spray. Spread the quinoa in the pan. Layer the caramelized onions and peas over the quinoa. Toss salmon and vinegar in a medium bowl. Layer the salmon on top of the peas.

• Spread mashed potatoes over the top of the salmon, all the way to the edges
• Bake the pie until golden, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.