Dinner-party worthy and pretty on the plate, a glistening crisp-skinned fillet of salmon sits atop smashed and fried new potatoes. The salmon and potatoes are surrounded by a lemonspiked brown butter pan sauce and topped with a heady dill-parsley gremolata. If you are entertaining, make the gremolata and simmer and smash the potatoes earlier in the day to simplify the last-minute steps.
Serves 4
4 center-cut salmon fillets, about 6 oz [170 g] each, skin on and scaled, pin bones removed, skin-dried (see page 40)
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp grated lemon zest
Big pinch of fine sea salt
Small pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1 lb [455 g] baby new white potatoes
Fine sea salt
4 Tbsp [60 ml] grapeseed or other neutral oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup [40 g] Wondra flour (see Cook’s Note, page 76)
4 Tbsp [55 g] unsalted butter
11/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1Remove the salmon from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature.
2TO MAKE THE GREMOLATA: In a small bowl, combine the dill, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper and mix well. Set aside.
3Put the potatoes in a medium pot and add water to cover by at least 1 in [2.5 cm]. Add 2 tsp salt, place over high heat, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat so the water just simmers, cover partially, and cook the potatoes until very tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes.
4Drain the potatoes in a colander and let stand until just cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Working with one potato at a time, place it in the palm of one hand and press gently with your other palm to flatten, forming a patty about 1/2 in [12 mm] thick. (The edges will split and that is fine.) As the potatoes are flattened, set them aside on a plate.
5In a 12-in [30.5-cm] heavy frying pan, preferably cast iron, warm 2 Tbsp of the grapeseed oil over medium-high heat until hot and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the potatoes in a single layer. Fry on one side until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Turn and brown the second side, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer the potatoes to a warmed plate, sprinkle with a little salt, and keep warm. Wipe the pan clean.
6Blot the salmon dry with paper towels. Season both sides of each salmon fillet with salt and pepper. Spread the flour in a pie plate or a wide, shallow bowl. Dip the skin side of each fillet in the flour, shaking off the excess. As the fillets are coated, set them aside, coated-side up, on a plate.
7Return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 Tbsp grapeseed oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the salmon fillets, skin-side down, then press down on each fillet with the back of a metal spatula to maximize the contact with the surface of the pan. (This helps crisp the skin.) Cook on one side, without disturbing, until the skin is golden and crisp, about 3 minutes. Add the butter to the pan and swirl it around the fillets. Turn the fillets skin-side up and cook, basting frequently with the butter, until the salmon is almost opaque throughout but still very moist, or an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 115° to 120°F [45° to 49°C], about 3 minutes longer. Transfer the salmon to a warmed plate.
8Add the lemon juice to the pan along with 1/4 tsp salt and stir to combine. Bring the sauce to a simmer and then remove from the heat.
9Divide the potatoes evenly among warmed dinner plates, arranging them in the center of each plate. Place a salmon fillet, skin-side up, on top of each bed of potatoes and evenly spoon the brown butter sauce over the salmon and the potatoes. Sprinkle the gremolata over the salmon, dividing it evenly. Serve immediately.