Gone Fishin’
We’re going camping with friends this weekend which means I am knee-deep in planning. The packing is the easy part because most of what we need lives in our little teardrop. The bulk of the planning energy is focused on the food.

You don’t have to be a foodie to struggle with what to bring to feed yourself when off the grid. It takes quite a bit of thought as to what will hold up over a number of days—regardless of how good your cooler is and how much ice you have. Some things are just not camping-appropriate. And, giving your family food poisoning is not my idea of a good time. That doesn’t mean I don’t have my bougie favorites for camping.

For example, Happy Hour with adult beverages and snacks is non-negotiable. When five o’clock rolls around and we are back at the campsite relaxing in our chairs after a day of hiking, I want a legitimate reward for my hard work. I have nothing against Wheat Thins. In fact, I love Wheat Thins. But, after a day of toiling up a mountain in the sun, I’m looking for something more. A lovely dip. Some nice cheese. A crisp glass of white wine….

One of my favorite options for camping is this Salmon Rillette recipe. It’s great for camping because the process you use to make it is similar to making a confit, which historically has been used for preserving food without refrigeration. Granted, you will need to keep this cold but if you pack the container low in the cooler with the ice you should be just fine.

Salmon Rillettes Recipe
Adapted from Food and Wine
Yields 2 Cups

Ingredients
1/2 pound center-cut, skinless salmon fillet
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 celery rib
1 leek, halved lengthwise
1 small onion, quartered lengthwise
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 cup dry white wine
4 cups water
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, divided, plus more to cover
1 large shallot, minced (1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon sour cream
1/4 pound skinless hot-smoked salmon, flaked
2 tablespoons minced chives
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika

Baguette slices, toasted or not for serving

Directions
Season the salmon
On a plate, season the salmon fillet with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Cook the aromatics
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring the celery, leek, onion, bay leaf, peppercorns, wine, and water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook (about 25 minutes).

Add the salmon
Add the salmon to the pan, cover, and remove from the heat and allow to stand (about 10 minutes). Remove the salmon, pick off any peppercorns, and refrigerate until chilled (about 45 minutes). Flake the salmon.

Sauté the shallot
In a skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the shallot and cook over moderate heat until softened. Let cool.

Finish the rillettes
In a medium bowl, whisk the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter until smooth. Whisk in the sour cream. Add the cooled shallot along with the poached and smoked salmon, chives, lemon juice, olive oil, and paprika. Stir the mixture until combined.

Season the rillettes with salt and pepper.

To serve
Serve with toasted baguette slices.

To store
The rillettes can be prepared in advance and refrigerated for up to three days.

Pack them into a crock and press a sheet of plastic wrap onto the surface. Alternately, you can pour melted butter over the top to seal in freshness before covering it with plastic wrap or securing a lid.