#294 Salty/Sweet Salmon and Hot/Cold Potato Salad (By: V)

From V.....

Having just been in San Francisco I still had the flavors of fresh seafood on my mind.  That combined with my push to incorporate more fish in diet are the causes for this simple salmon dish.  I say simple because the ingredients in the marinade aren’t too complex at all.  The soy and honey flavors create a great sear and delicious flavor.  Paired with a hot and cold (you’ll understand soon enough) potato salad made for a great end of the summer meal.  The addition of cinnamon to the potatoes in the salad seems rather odd, but adds to the layers of flavor.  With each bite of the salad you first taste the sweetness of the cinnamon followed by the heat of the red chili flake and the crunch of the celery and scallion.  I’ll be tucking away this cinnamon secret for future potato salads! 

Soy Honey Salmon – serves 2

2 Salmon Filets

1/2 cup Soy Sauce or Tamari

¼ cup Honey

1 tsp Ginger/Garlic paste

½ tsp red chili flakes

1 tsp Coconut Oil (or Olive Oil)

I’m not a fan of keeping the skin on fish filets, so I like to take the skin off the filets.  But this is a complete preference based decision, so I leave this up to you!  Once your fish is cleaned place it in a shallow dish and pour the soy sauce and ginger over the fish.  Then, microwave the honey for about 20-30 seconds in a microwave safe bowl and pour immediately over the fish and start massaging the fish with the marinade.  I say to do this immediately because if you wait too long the honey will resolidify.  You can let this sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes but if you are in a rush, go ahead and start cooking.

Take a pan and heat the oil up.  Once the pan is well heated take the salmon filets out of the marinade and gently place in the pan.  There will be a lot of popping and “splurting,” so be careful.  Sear on one side for one minute and then flip to the other side for another minute.  Cover the pan and lower the heat to medium heat and let the salmon cook through for about 4 minutes.  The filets inside and out should be a baby pink color. 

Potato Salad – serves 3-4

3 tbsps Olive Oil

2 tbsps salt

1 tbsp black pepper

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tbsp garlic powder

3 medium sized red (new) potatoes OR 1 ½ russet (baking) potatoes

2 celery stalks

½ cup chopped scallions/green onions

1 cup mayo

1 ½ tbsps red wine vinegar

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Dice the potatoes into bite-sized pieces and place in pan.  Pour olive oil over the potatoes along with the salt, black peper, cinnamon and red pepper flakes.  Toss and coat the potato pieces evenly.  Bake these in the oven for 30 minutes until they are fully brown and roasted. 

Chop the celery and scallions.  Place in a bowl along with the roasted potatoes.  Then add the mayo and red wine vinegar and stir thoroughly.  Salt to taste.