Coulibiac is the French interpretation of a Russian pirog (stuffed pastry), kulebiaka. Kulebiaka and coulibiac are usually filled with a collection of grains (rice or kasha), smoked or fresh fish, and sometimes crêpes (or blinchiki) to hug the filling tight within a pastry shell. From what I can gather, Russian traditions use an enriched yeast-based dough or puff pastry; the French employ both puff and brioche.
Kedgeree is an Anglo-Indian breakfast descended from kitchari (also kichidi), which is a preparation of rice and lentils cooked together until soft. Kitchari is referenced in documents as early as the 1300s; kedgeree follows during British colonialism. Kedgeree replaces lentils with smoked fish (usually haddock), turmeric with curry powder, and adds boiled eggs.
Sparked by random interest a few winters ago I started making an amped-up kedgeree, with a garden’s worth of onions, cilantro, and chilies to keep it sprightly, and an unapologetic amount of curry powder for a full-on aromatic impact. With this intensity muted by jammy-yolked eggs, silky flakes of salmon, and cleaving spoonfuls of cucumber-flecked raita, my version is balanced and spirit-boosting.
I thought to put the two classics together, with fresh salmon steamed inside a gleaming, plump pastry crust, and here we are.