Rustic Salmon

A few years ago, I was at a weekend seminar in Los Angeles. At lunch, I went downstairs to the restaurant and ordered this incredible salmon dish. When I saw how easy it would be to make, I had to recreate it at home. So here it is: my Rustic Salmon. I am sure you will enjoy it as much as I do.

Click here to view the video demonstration with additional tips.

For the recipe, you'll need the following:

• 2 boneless, skinless salmon filets
• ¼ cup cooking oil
• 2 russet potatoes
• Cajun or Creole seasoning to taste
• 1 lemon
• ½ to 1 cup of fresh green beans, ends removed and cut into 2” pieces
• ½ cup kalamata olives, halved
• 1 pint of cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1 cup hollandaise sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Smoked paprika (optional)

 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Begin by partially cooking the potatoes in your microwave oven for about 7 minutes (time may vary depending on your microwave oven).

In the meantime, place 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium high heat. Season the salmon on one side with either the Cajun or Creole seasoning. Place the salmon, seasoned side down in the hot oil. It should sizzle immediately when you place it in the pan.

Once the edges begin to get a little opaque, put the pan in the oven for about 10 minutes, until the salmon just begins to flake. Remove the salmon from the pan and set it aside.

While the salmon is in the oven, prep the lemons for broiling. Slice a bit off each end of the lemon so it will stand straight on the plate, then cut the lemon in half. Place each half on a piece of foil under your broiler and depending on your broiler, cook for 5 to 10 minutes. You just want to get a nice char on the lemons.

Heat another pan with 2 tablespoons of oil. Coarsely chop the potatoes and place them in the hot pan.

Once they start to brown, add the green beans and toss or stir to combine. Once the green beans have cooked for a few minutes, add the tomatoes and olives. Toss or stir to combine. Continue cooking until the beans are al dente and the tomatoes and olives are heated through, about 5 minutes. If you like your vegetables cooked more thoroughly, feel free to cook a little longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To plate the dish, spread a generous portion of the potato and vegetable mixture on a plate. Break the salmon into bite size pieces and place it atop the potato and vegetable mixture. Finally, drizzle to hollandaise (as much or as little as you like) over the entire dish. Sprinkle the dish with a bit of smoked paprika. Before serving, garnish with the char broiled lemons.

Enjoy!

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