Salmon Casserole

We usually prefer our salmon raw, as it is in sashimi form. Sushi is alright, but nothing beats the taste of fresh, succulent, orange flesh of salmon dipped in wasabi soy sauce.

Hubby brought home a big can of salmon one day. I did not really know what to do with it. I just placed it in the pantry for several weeks until one day, I was reviewing one of my old recipe notebooks. Yup, I have several recipe notebooks, my private compilation of interesting recipes copied from here and there. I found this easy-to-do recipe for the canned salmon which had been sitting in the pantry for several weeks now. I do not know the source of this recipe. When I copied the recipes many years ago, I did not forsee that I might have a blog to write about and that I might need the references. I apologize.

I altered the methodology a bit. The original recipe says to mix the Bechamel sauce to the salmon mixture before placing in the baking dish. I did not. I made the dish layered (see instructions later). I was trying to imitate the baked salmon dish at Conti's. Well, the dish did not turn out to look loke the one we ate at Conti's but it tastes like the one at Conti's!

Bechamel Sauce:
1/4 C butter
2 T all-purpose flour
1 C fresh milk

1/2 C Chopped onion
1 can button mushroom, sliced
1 can salmon
1/4 C butter
salt and pepper
grated quick melt cheese

1. Saute onions and mushrooms in butter. Season with salt and pepper. Add salmon. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer into a baking dish.

2. Make the bechamel sauce: Melt butter in the pan. Add flour. Cook over low heat for about 3 min. Pour in fresh milk and simmer, stirring until sauce thickens. Pour on top of the salmon in the baking dish.

3. Sprinkle quick melt cheese on top. Bake for 10 to 15 min or until cheese melts.

4. Remove from oven. Serve hot. You may sprinkle with chopped parsley or green onions before serving.