Salmon Strudel
by Former Alaska Governor Tony Knowles

Last week, I was watching one of those food shows where they were making a beef Wellington and I thought to myself, why couldn't you do something like that with salmon? I had phyllo in the freezer and some Bodega Bay salmon that was beckoning me. So I got online and found this recipe. I surprised my husband (a died in the wool, put it on the barbecue salmon kind of guy) with this "Salmon Strudel" and guess what? He LOVED it, and I mean Loved it! We asked permission from former Alaska Governor Tony Knowles and his wife Susan to reprint for our readers. Their response was yes, they were very happy that I liked it, and to be sure our readers also knew that it is One of his favorite recipes!

Ingredients

1/2 cup sour cream

3 Tablespoons oil packed sun dried tomatoes, drained

1 each garlic clove

1 Tablespoon oregano leaves, fresh

Salt

Pepper

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons fresh herbs, minced (chives, parsley and thyme work well)

1 pound salmon fillets, cut in 2-1/2 inch strips

6 each Phyllo leaves

3 Tablespoons basil pesto

1. Place sour cream, sundried tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste in food processor. Process until smooth and until tomatoes, garlic and oregano are well incorporated.
2. Melt butter and add minced herbs.
3. On a sheet of parchment or waxed paper place 1 phyllo leaf, with widest side facing you. Brush with herbed butter to cover entire surface. Repeat with remaining phyllo leaves.
4. Spread sour cream/tomato mixture on phyllo approximately 2-1/2 inches from edge facing you. Make a strip approximately as wide as your salmon strips. Leave 1-1/2 inches on each end free of the sour cream mixture.
5. Lay salmon strips on top of sour cream mixture, overlapping as necessary to ensure even thickness of salmon.
6. Rub top of salmon with pesto sauce to coat evenly.
7. Fold edge closest to you over the salmon. Using the parchment paper, continue to roll the salmon into a strudel 'log' until phyllo is gone. Fold ends under.
8. Carefully place the strudel on parchment lined baking tray. Refrigerate for at least 1/2 an hour. This step is very important to assure flaky layers.
9. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake strudel for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cut off ends of strudel, then cut into 4 equal slices.

Serves: 4

We thank Tony Knowles for taking the time to respond to our inquiry. He is currently running for U.S. Senate and his website is www.tonyknowles.com.

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