Creamed Salmon on Toast

Creamed Salmon on Toast
From Every Kitchen Tells Its Stories: Recipes to Warm the Heart

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20-30 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 tins (10 oz/284 ml) cream of mushroom soup
15oz/426 ml milk
1 lb/450g fresh mushrooms, sliced, (I prefer cremini)
2 tbsp butter (for sautéing mushrooms)
1 tin (12 oz/340 ml) corn niblets, drained
2 cups frozen peas
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1-2 tsp sherry (optional)
3 tins (7.5 oz/213 ml) sockeye salmon, cleaned (reserve liquid)
Toasted white bread or challah (2 slices per person)

Directions
1. In a large skillet, sauté mushrooms in butter (5 minutes or until soft & juicy). Set aside. Do not drain cooking juices.

2. In a Dutch oven or large pot, make a roux of flour and butter. Using a whisk, stir flour and butter over medium heat until it makes a paste and starts to brown. Add a little milk and whisk to emulsify the mixture.

3. Add the soup and milk along with ¼ - ½ cup of salmon liquid and stir until blended. Add mushrooms and juices and stir.

4. Gently add the rest of ingredients, adding the salmon last (trying not to turn salmon chunks into mush).

5. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes and season to taste.

Pour heaping ladleful of salmon over toast and serve.

For a more formal occasion, use flaky pastry shells instead of toast and mix some exotic mushrooms, like dried porcini (reconstituted) or oyster mushrooms, added just before the end.