Stacked Salmon

This recipe has it all; delicious salmon, watercress, tangy aioli all stacked onto a crisp potato pancake.   My problem with this recipe is that I didn't make enough (or rather we ate it all).

Stacked Salmon

Ingredients:

• Salmon filet
• juice of 1 lime
• cedar plank
• 4 potatoes
• 1 egg
• 1/4 C flour
• Lawry's Season Salt
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 bunches watercress
• 4 T mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 T capers
• 1 T Durkee Sauce
• juice of 1 lemon
• salt and pepper
• zest of 1 lemon

Directions:   Preheat your grill and soak the cedar plank for about 30 minutes in water.   Squeeze lime juice over salmon filet and season with salt and pepper.   Place on cedar plank and grill until done and flaky.

Peel potatoes and barboil whole for about 10 minutes, starting with potatoes covered with room temperature water and heat from there. Immerse in cold water.  Remove from water, dry and let cool.   Meanwhile, in a small bowl mash capers with a spoon.   Then add mayonnaise, Durkee Sauce (or a brown mustard with a hint of horseradish), lemon juice and Lawry's Season Salt.

Once the potatoes are cool enough to touch, grate with a box grater into a medium bowl.   Add a bit of Lawry's Season Salt.   In a small bowl combine egg and flour and whisk well and add to potatoes.  In a large fry pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.   Make 4 large potato patties and place in hot oil.   Leave it alone for 4-5 minutes until it crisps then flip to the other side and cook an additional 5 minutes.   Drain on papertowels.  

To assemble, start with a potato cake, then a handful of watercress, then a piece of cedar plank salmon, topped with the aioli sauce.   Garnish with zest of lemon and serve.

Barramundi in herb butter and lemon

We tried a new fish, well, new to us... Barramundi from Australia.   Decided it was best to cook individually in gratin dishes and it was incredible...served a side of fingerling potatoes with scallions!

Barramundi in herb butter and lemon with roasted fingerlings and scallions

Ingredients:

• 4 Barramundi fillets, washed and dried
• 4 T butter
• fresh herbs of your choice (I used thyme and basil)
• 4 t. fresh lemon juice
• salt and pepper
• 1 pkg fingerling potatoes, washed and dried
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 bunch scallions, sliced

Directions:   Preheat your over to 425 degrees F and place your fingerling potatoes into a baking dish. Add olive oil, salt and pepper and bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until fork tender.

Place each Barramundi fillet in an individual gratin dish. Top each piece of fish with 1 T butter, broken into pieces, 1 t. lemon juice and sprinkler with assorted fresh herbs, salt and pepper.   Bake in the same oven as the fingerlings for 20 minutes.

Take everything out of the oven and while the fish is cooling slightly, add sliced scallions to the fingerlings and toss to coat with olive oil.   Serve!

Fluffiest Mashed Potatoes

In 2004 my family was chosen to host an episode of a Food Network cooking show called Food 911 with Chef Tyler Florence. From 6 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. that evening, my home was transformed into a gourmet kitchen studio with cameras, lighting, a crew, producers, stagers and Chef Florence. I had a blast cooking side by side with Tyler and we presented a great menu. One of the techniques I still use today are the mashed potatoes recipe. We made them last night as a side dish to grilled rosemary lamb chops and I knew I'd have to share!

Fluffiest Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 1 head garlic, top sliced off
• 3 sprigs Thyme
• 6 to 8 Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1 T salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 C milk
• 1/2 stick butter
• pepper

Directions:

In a small sauce pan, combine milk, butter, head of garlic, thyme, bay leaf and salt. Heat over low heat until butter melts and milk warms.  The longer you warm it, the more garlic taste it has! Meanwhile, put potatoes in large pot covered with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer until they are fork tender, about 20 - 30 minutes. Drain the potatoes well and while still warm, press them through a potato ricer or food mill into a mixing bowl. Slowly add the warm milk mixture, leaving the garlic, thyme and bay leaf in the pan. Stir to incorporate, adding a little milk mixture at a time until fluffy. Season with pepper and serve immediately.

NOTE: I added some chopped fresh thyme to my potatoes as well as fresh chives! YUMMY!

Fluffy Mashed Potatoes with rosemary grilled Lamb Chops and artichokes.

Myself, Tyler Florence, Caitlin, my Mom, Emma as a baby and Lindsey - Feb 2004

Simple Side: Herb Roasted New Potatoes

Herb Roasted New Potatoes, a simple yet delicious side that I have forgotten about.   With the emergence of spring, my herb garden is showing signs of life though covered with Live Oak leaves.   I was able to cut a handful of thyme and rosemary... an excellent combination!

Herb Roasted New Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 16 - 18 red new potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
• 2 T olive oil
• your choice fresh herbs, chopped finely
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.   Scrub and quarter your new potatoes and place in a roasting pan.   Drizzle with olive oil.   Finely chop your herbs and garlic and add to the potatoes.   Salt and pepper to taste and toss to evenly coat potatoes.   Place in oven and roast 35-45 minutes until potatoes are tender but have that delicious roasted crush.