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Week 2: Shallot-butter salmon with Blue Lake green beans and German potatoes
How German is this recipe for German potatoes?
I dunno, and it doesn't matter - it's delicious.
Some would call it a "German potato salad," the type often served with bratwurst and braised cabbage at Oktoberfest.
But "salad" doesn't sound right to me because I like to eat this dish warm. And who wants a warm salad? Sounds gross.
So I'm just calling it German potatoes. It's a side dish I've made dozens of times at Seasoned Catering, and my meal delivery customers love it.
But what's special about it?
It's got bacon!
That should be enough reason to enjoy it. But wait - it gets better.
Shallot-butter salmon with Blue Lake green beans and German potatoes
After I cook the bacon, I strain it out and sweat some onions in the bacon fat. Red wine vinegar, agave syrup, and seasonings go in the pan, and I bring the mixture to a boil.
Then it's all folded together into the hot, boiled potatoes, which absorb all that sweet, tangy, bacony goodness to make a knockout side dish.
I like to pair it with salmon. For this recipe, I steamed sockeye salmon in the oven with butter, shallots, and lemon.
Garnish with some blanched Blue Lake green beans, and you've got a colorful, high-protein entree that hits the spot for a post-workout meal.
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Here's the nutrition breakdown:
Calories: 810
Protein: 63g
Carbs: 72g
Fat: 30g
Chef's tip: Serve these German potatoes at Thanksgiving instead of mashed potatoes, and you'll become an instant holiday legend.
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Recipe: Shallot-butter salmon with Blue Lake green beans and German potatoes
Cooking time: 90 minutes
Makes 5 portions
Ingredients
Click the blue links to buy product on Amazon Fresh
2 lbs Wild salmon, divided into 5 portions https://amzn.to/3wNCEaf (order 3)
1/4 cup butter https://amzn.to/3KeT6U7
6 slices bacon, cut into 1/4 inch slices https://amzn.to/3VaR1in
8 cups Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch slices (8-10 potatoes) https://amzn.to/3wNkDZL
1 yellow onion, diced 1/4 inch https://amzn.to/3WQPcIv
1/4 cup agave syrup https://amzn.to/3VdtsFx
2 cups blue lake green beans, sliced 1-inch long https://amzn.to/3WTadlQ
1/3 cup red wine vinegar https://amzn.to/3XcMGwH
1/4 cup water
2 tsp kosher salt, plus a handful for blanching water https://amzn.to/4bUFrgZ
1 tsp ground black pepper https://amzn.to/3WWK5GO
1/2 head celery https://amzn.to/4aDnPVA
1 shallot, minced https://amzn.to/4aA8EMQ
1 lemon, sliced thin https://amzn.to/4dVY71I
1 bunch parsley, coarsely chopped https://amzn.to/4bQYgBk
DIRECTIONS:
For the salmon:
Pour 1/2 cup of water into an oven pan, and place the fillets inside. Season with salt, and add butter and sliced shallots. Place a lemon slice on each fillet, and cover with foil.
Place the pan in the oven and cook for 30 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked to your liking.
For the potatoes:
Place the sliced bacon in a small pan, and cook over medium heat until the bacon is crispy. Carefully strain out the rendered fat into a metal bowl. Pour the cooked bacon into another bowl, and set aside.
Clean the small stockpot, set it back on the burner on medium-high heat, and pour in the rendered bacon fat. When it's smoking hot, add the diced onions to the pan, and cook for 5 minutes. Pour in the water, vinegar, agave syrup, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, and set it aside.
Pour the diced potatoes into a large stockpot, and cover them with cold water. Turn the heat to high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Let the potatoes boil, stirring occasionally, until they're cooked just barely al dente.
Strain the cooked potatoes out into a colander, and transfer them to a mixing bowl.
Place the cooked onion mixture back on the heat, bring it to a boil again, and pour it over the potatoes while still hot. Without mashing them, carefully fold the liquid into the potatoes using a rubber spatula.
One the potatoes are cooled, carefully fold the chopped parsley, sliced celery, and cooked bacon into the potatoes.
For the green beans:
Bring another pot of water to a boil, and add a handful of salt. Blanch the green beans in the salted water for 2 minutes, or until al dente.
Scoop them out with a strainer, and shock them in a bowl of ice water. After the beans are chilled, lift them out and pour them into a bowl lined with a towel.
To plate:
Set out 5 meal prep boxes, and evenly distribute the potato mixture between them. Place one salmon fillet on top, and garnish with the cooked green beans. Seal the boxes, stack them up, and store in the refrigerator until you're ready to reheat in the microwave.
