The combination of crisp, sweet and spicy all in one salmon
At first, this post may look in contrast to most of this blog – these potatoes look like too much work just for show. Actually, they are not that difficult, and if you prefer you can just skip the last steps and serve awesome mashed potatoes instead.
This salmon recipe combines two elements I like – the crispiness of frying in a pan, and the comfort of baking in the oven – you can easily plan when the dish will be ready without standing over it in the pan (entertaining the guests meanwhile or eating an appetizer).
Ingredients
- 4 fillets of salmon
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp honey
- 120 ml olive oil [4 oz]
- canola oil
- salt
Instructions
- Heat a non-stick pan over medium to high heat.
- Pour a thin layer of canola oil (or any other frying oil)
- Salt the salmon fillets and place them facing down (skin facing up). Don't crowd the pan – you can cook them one after the other.
- Let them brown and then turn them on each side, until browned on all sides (except the skin).
- When browned on all sides, take them out – they don't need to be cooked on the inside – they will be cooked in the oven.
- Mix the olive oil, mustard, and honey in a bowl until homogenous and thick.
- Place the salmon fillets in an oven dish and pour the sauce on them – cover all parts of the salmon. Cover the oven dish.
- Place the oven dish in an oven preheated to 180°C(360°F) for 25 mins if salmon fillets are still warm from the frying or 30 minutes if they are cool. If the fillets are too dry, next time lower the time in the oven (they should be moist but cooked).
Equipment
- Pastry bag with a star tube (like the one in the notes)
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg potatoes [2.5 lbs] (butter type)
- 100 gr unsalted butter [3.5 oz]
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 egg (optional)
Instructions
- Peel and clean the potatoes. Cut them into big pieces.
- Place them in a pot with cold water and 1 tbsp of kosher salt.
- Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Let cook for 45-60 mins until you can easily pierce with a fork.
- When ready, drain the water and return the potatoes to the pot over low heat.
- Cut the butter to several pieces and add to the pot.
- Mash the potatoes with the butter until homogenous and fluffy. Take off the heat.
- Cool the mashed potatoes a bit and put them in a pastry bag with a star pastry tube.
- Create the shapes on an oven baking sheet.
- Dribble/brush a bit of raw scrambled egg over each mashed potato "pastry" for added crunchiness and golden color.
- Place in the upper part of an oven preheated to 180°C(360°F) and bake it for 15-20 minutes.
- Use a metal thin spatula to gently take off each "pastry" from the baking sheet.
