Pâté au saumon comes from the Gaspé Peninsula and the shores of the St. Lawrence, where salmon was so abundant it was salted or canned to carry families through the winter. Home cooks would fold the fish into a creamy potato-and-onion filling and bake it under a flaky crust — a practical, delicious way to stretch a prized catch.
What makes it great is that gentle, satisfying combination: sweet, flaky salmon, buttery potatoes, and soft onion in a silky sauce, all tucked into golden pastry. It’s elegant enough for company and homey enough for a weeknight — serve it with a green salad and a squeeze of lemon.

