Sunday, March 3, 2013

Salmon and leeks pie (Tarte saumon poireaux)

We're now choosing where we'll go for summer holidays.

Last year, we went in Pyrenees, west mountains, which separate France than Spain. We stayed for 15 days. 
This was gorgeous.

Even if, for 15 days, we had grey weather, cold and often rainy.

Finally the last day before leaving... Sunshine.
And scorching heat.
Smothering heat.
This was the perfect weather, for my husband, to decide to go hiking, in mountains ! 

Well ...
The problem was that he wanted US to go with him :
"Aaaaaare you crazy ?... Almost 45°C (110°F) and you want me to what ?... WALK ? NO... ? TO ??? CLIMB ???????"

I laughed. For me, it was clear, my husband just became mad. 

I had to find argumentation : 
"Vincent ... We're urban, right ? When we walk, it's just to go to the supermarket and sometimes to make a short walk at the beach. And you want us to go hiking ? In mountains that we don't know at all ? Under this heat ? The last day of our holidays ? The only day we can hope to put a toe in the swimming pool ?!"

He argued : 
"Come on ! We're in the Pyrenees ! We have to discover those wonderful mountains ! We can't come here and stay at the swimming pool and the bar (Just tell me : Why not ?), while there are so many marvelous landscapes. 
- But why today ?
- Because this is the LAST day and we had such a rotten weather till today.
- We will be cooked before the end of the walk ! 
- ... Put your book on the table and GET OUT OF THIS CHAIR !"

He didn't leave me any escape. I had to find a last argument. 
"THERE ARE BEARS IN PYRENEES !!!!"

... Well, you have to know that years ago, government decided to reintroduce bears in Pyrenees. Between France and Spain, there are about twenty bears. 
We would be very unlucky to be in front of one of them, during a walk. Most of all, our walk, who where on a busy hiking trail.

Vincent looked at me. And I understood in this look all the patience he was convinced to have, living with me.

He took us in the car and we went to the start of one hiking trail. 

He drived for one hour. I spent a SMS to my mother : 
"If you don't have news from us tomorrow, send the police ! We would have been eaten by bears or lost in mountains !".
I love adventures.

At the bottom of the mountain, the path was climbing so hard, without any shade (remember the temperature).

While I was climbing, breathless, perspiring, one only thought helped me to keep on walking :
"... Just let me arrive under the woods ... Just let me five minutes to recover my strength... Just let my heart beat normally ... and I'm going to explode him ... Too bad, he's a nice man yet ..."

We arrived under trees, it was cooler and Vincent didn't stop. Not totally crazy, finally ... 
So I kept on walking, grumbling. 

We were alone, and I was looking nervously right and left. Who knows ... Maybe a lost bear ! 
I found a big pointed stick and took it. I was Indiana Jones.

The path was beautiful but very steep. We didn't have the right shoes.

Suddenly ... (a little bit of suspense...), in front of us ... not a bear but a small waterfall that we needed to cross.

On the right side, the mountain. On the left side, a real steep slope. 

We helped the children to cross, without slivering, under my threats : 
"Listen to me well... If it happens something, run fast and far ! ".

Finally, on the other side, we discovered, just behind us, a beautiful tiny bridge, who was built there to cross the waterfall. 

At this point, I wasn't afraid anymore to meet bears. On the contrary. I was just hoping to see one of them. 
I had one husband to give them to eat ! 

Fortunately, this story ends well. The walk was gorgeous, landscapes made me forget my anger and I called my mother to tell her we were safes ! 

But this year... I'm scared to know where we'll go !

Here the recipe I'm sharing with you !

  • 1 pie crust
  • 4 eggs
  • 4 slices (200 grammes) of salmon smoked. You can use tuna as well.
  • 4 leeks whites
  • 40 cl of half cream
  • 50 grammes of cheese, like gruyère (not obligatory)
  • Some olive oil.
Your oven must be preheated at 180°C (350°F / Th 6).

 

Step 1 : 
In olive oil, let brown leeks for 10 minutes on a low fire.


Step 2 : 
On the meantime, whisk eggs and cream. Add a little bit of pepper. Not too much salt.


Step 3 : 
Unroll the pie and arrange the salmon's slices. 


Step 4 : 
Pour the leeks, mixture creamy and finally the cheese.




And in the oven for 35-40 minutes.


Bon appétit ! 


Recapitulative :
  • 1 pie crust
  • 4 eggs
  • 4 slices of salmon smoked (200 grammes)
  • 4 leeks whites
  • 40 cl of half cream
  • 50 grammes of cheese, like gruyère (not obligatory)
  • Some olive oil.
Your oven must be preheated at 180°C (350°F / Th 6).

In olive oil, let brown leeks for 10 minutes on a low fire.

On the meantime, whisk eggs and cream. Add a little bit of pepper. Not too much salt.

Unroll the pie and arrange the salmon's slices. 

Pour the leeks, mixture creamy and finally the cheese.

And in the oven for 35-40 minutes.

9 comments:

  1. Here's to an even better holiday adventure this year! The salmon and leek pie looks easy and delicious!

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    Replies
    1. I cross fingers :D !
      Thank you for your nice comment and welcome here :)

      Delete
  2. Dear Axelle, This looks amazing! What did I ever cook before you came into my life: thanks Donna Booshay for introducing us! I am going to buy gruyere cheese one of these days and relive your recipes. For our summer vacation this year the children and I will be working in the fields picking blueberries and listening to a lot of spanish. WORK WORK WORK! : ) My husband will be working at setting up the 11th grade at the school where he is Headmaster. For a treat, the children and I will go jump in the river occasionally. You must tell us where you decide to go. I LOVE Bruxelles....Regards-Jamie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Jamie, Donna helped me a lot putting my link's blog in her blog. I'll always thankful to her for this.
      But I'm sure you cooked great recipe too ! :D
      It's just that we're always looking for a little and easy change in our daily cooking. This was the goal of this blog and I'm so so glad to know that you cook what I share.
      All your family will be very busy for summer vacation !! Your husband is school's Headmaster. Are schools closed for summer ? For how many time ? How many holidays children have in States, for summer ?
      As far as we are concerned, I think we'll stay in France, this year. And we'll go to visit Bretagne and Normandy. Our children learned the 2nd World War, at school, and we think they are old enough to understand what it means to see Omaha beach, for example.
      But I'll let you know, promise :)
      Friendly !

      Delete
  3. Dear Axelle, Your stories put a smile on my face and your recipes inspire me to want to cook again. I too am so grateful that Donna put your blog address on her Quiet Life blog. I come every day now to see what you are "cooking up" as we say here. Have a safe and happy trip for your summer vacation and remember all your adventures, so you can share them with us please!
    love and prayers, jep

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Jep, I smile today, but I swear ... I wasn't smiling at this time !! :D
      I thank you to come here every day and to post comment, and I remember very well knowing you on Donna's blog !
      If I live other adventures, I promise, I'll share will all of you ! :)

      Delete
  4. Hi Axelle,
    What an "adventure"! Seeing a bear would have been the highlights!
    Your pie looks so delicious! I am not cooking with salmon often enough and looking at your delicious pie, I really should get some salmon soon!
    Good luck in choosing your vacation, hopefully it would be somewhere, where you have always wanted to go!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Joyce ! My family tease me all the time :"Axelle ... A BEAR !!!" and they laugh ... I'm so misunderstood ... :)
      I cook often with salmon. This is one of the rare fish my children like... But not the cheapest !

      Delete
  5. I love salmon and leeks so I'm definitely going to try this! As for hiking and bears, I love them both! We've seen bears (from a very safe distance) on two backpacking trips. My husband thinks I'm crazy to be so excited when most sane people would want to avoid seeing bears.

    ReplyDelete