Salmon Hash

Yeah, it has been a while. I swore I wasn't going to post any new recipes until I got the new iPhone, but it the phone has already sold out and I have had some good meals to share in the meantime. Plus, the webpage got some new fancy design elements for me to play with, so there you go. You can more easily access past recipes with the new template when you fool around with it. Expect many more recipes once that fancy dancy phone is in my hot little hands.

In the meantime, this recipe, adapted from my new favorite cookbook, Plenty, by Diana Henry, is all about the leftovers. Leftover salmon, leftover potatoes. But we rarely have leftover salmon since I buy it in small quantities at the Japanese market and we NEVER have leftover potatoes since they are the only vegetable my son is willing to eat happily. So I made everything from scratch before I assembled the recipe and it was still pretty easy. With real leftovers, it will be a cinch.

2 tbsp unsalted butter (I used one tbsp)
1 1/2 tsp oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 1/2 c cooked potatoes in chunks (I roasted them at 425 degrees for 20 min or so)
12 oz cooked salmon (I pan roasted it over medium high heat for 10 min or so) AND smoked salmon (NOT lox) in a 2:1 ratio
10 oz spinach leaves (yes, I just emptied a bag o' spinach for this)
salt and pepper
squeeze of lemon juice
small bunch of dill, finely chopped

1. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet and add the onion and potatoes. Fry over medium heat until the onion is soft and golden.

2. Flake the cooked salmon into large chunks, discarding the skin and stir this in along with the smoked salmon and spinach until the spinach has wilted.

3. Season to taste, add the lemon juice and dill.

Saffron Fingerling Potato Salad

This amazing salad keeps well for leftovers the next day...that is if there ARE leftovers.  This dish is creamy yet light, delicious and pretty darn easy AND you can get all the ingredients in one Trader Joes trip. The recipe came from Food and Wine Magazine

Ingredients

3/4 pound fingerling potatoes, cut into 1/3-inch-thick coins
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
Pinch of saffron threads, crumbled
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered if large
1 small fennel bulb—tough outer layer discarded, bulb cored and finely diced
8 cups mixed baby greens, such as arugula and mesclun (8 ounces)

Directions

In a medium skillet, combine the fingerling potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the garlic, saffron and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Add 2 cups of water to cover and simmer over moderately low heat until the potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly. Discard the garlic. 

In a large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the lemon juice and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Add the potatoes, tomatoes and diced fennel and toss. Add the mixed baby greens, season with salt and pepper and toss again. Serve right away.
 

The cooked potatoes can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.