Dinner
Wild Salmon With Fingerling Potatoes
From Owner/Chef John Sundstrom, Lark, Seattle
“May means the beginning of salmon season to me,” says Sundstrom, a James Beard Award winner. “It’s kind of a perfect shelter-in-place fish, as it has so many health benefits and it’s simple to cook.” Sundstrom, who has appeared on Food Network’s The Best Of and FoodNation, along with the PBS original series Chefs A’Field, is also the author of Lark: Cooking Wild in the Northwest, in which he shares stories and recipes, like this swimmingly delicious dish for four.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound fingerling potatoes
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
- 1-1/2 pounds skin-on wild king salmon, scaled, trimmed, deboned, and cut into 4 (6-ounce) portions
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon minced chives
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 bunch of frisée, yellow and pale-green leaves only, washed and spun dry
1. Place potatoes in a medium saucepan that will fit them easily. Cover with cold water, add the salt, and bring the water to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer gently until the potatoes are tender throughout but not falling apart.
2. Drain the potatoes and let them cool enough to be handled. While the potatoes are still warm, peel off the skins, then cut the potatoes into 1/4-inch-thick coins. Set aside.
3. Season the salmon fillets on both sides with salt and pepper.
4. Heat a medium ovenproof sauté pan over high heat and add 2 teaspoons of the oil.
5. Place the salmon, skin side down, in the pan and cook until the skin is crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn it over and add the butter. As the butter melts, use a spoon to baste the salmon. Continue cooking until the salmon is medium-rare to medium, 1 to 2 more minutes.
6. Transfer the salmon to a plate and let it rest for 2 minutes before serving.
7. Drain off half of the fat in the pan and add the potato coins to heat them through. Add the chives and toss.
8. Spoon the potatoes onto 4 plates. Top each plate with a salmon fillet, crispy skin side up, and a bundle of frisée.
Vinaigrette for frisée: In a small mixing bowl, combine lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Gently toss frisée with half of the vinaigrette. Add more vinaigrette to taste.
Chef’s Tip: If salmon fillets are more than 1-inch thick, place them in the oven at 350°F after basting and cook for 4 to 6 minutes.
