This Salmon Dish can make a nice midweek Dinner, a good Friday Meal, or a decent Fish Course. The Salmon Fillets are served with a Swede and Carrot Mash and minted Peas. It is simple rather than hard to do but very satisfying.

Putting it all Together
Baked Salmon Fillets and Swede Mash Potatoes.
Timing
  • Preptime: 15-20 minutes.
  • Cooktime: 30 to 40 minutes
  • Servings: 2 portions
Ingredients

2 Salmon Fillets, portioned to get the thicker parts, skinned and deboned.

400g of Swede, diced.

400g of Carrots, chopped.

400g of Petit Pois or Garden Peas.

2 Lemons.

Mint chopped thinly, or Mint Sauce (2 Tablespoons).

1 bunch of chopped Chives.

1 Salted Butter.

3 tablespoons of Creme Fraiche.

2 tablespoons of Creamed Horseradish.

1 pot of Greek Yogurt.

Seasonining: a little Sea Salt and crushed Black Peppercorns.

Optional: a little White Wine (Sauvignon), a Chive Sauce. Home Made Butter (like Garlic and Herbs, Garlic and Chives, Smoked Sea Salt). 

 

Steps

First it is the preparation. Put the oven on gas mark 4 to preheat.

Then put a deep pan of Water on the stove, with a good pinch of Sea Salt and a Veg Stock Cube. This will be for the Swede and Carrots once the Stock Water as boiled.

Meanwhile start to prepare your Swede and Carrot Mash. Peel and chopped your Swede in little dices. Wash your Carrots and Chop them up. Place the Veg in the pan to cook for 35 to 40 minutes minutes. It will soften the Swede and Carrots to a nice consistency to do the Mash.

Then drain the Veg, but keep just a little Stock Water behind to start up your Swede and Carrot Mash by placing back the Veg into the pan. The drained  Water can also be preserved by putting it/ draining it in a smaller deep pan. This smaller pan will be for your Minted Peas.

Add the Creme Fraiche, Creamed Horseradish, Butter into the deep pan cointaining your Swedes and Carrots then mash with a potato masher. Choose the consistency you want to achieve if want it smooth, you always can add a little more Creme Fraiche. On the other hand, if you like it more rustic, you can quit mashing when you reash  your satisfaction upon the texture of your Mash. Season well your Mash with Salt and Crushed Blackpeppercorns.

During the 40 minutes while Swede and Carrots are cooking in the pan of Stock Water, it gives ample time to prepare the rest of the Meal. Starting by chopping the Aromatic Herbs: the Chives and the Mint. The Mint is reserved for the Minted Peas and Chives stays separated for the other elements of the dish.

Prepare your Salmon fillets by a Method called Silking. It consists in this recipe to leave the Salmon for 10 Minutes in a Sour Yogurt like Greek Yogurt and Haf of a Lemon Juice. It impart flavour to the Fish. Put some of the Chopped Chives in the Silking Mix.

Leave the covered Salmon in the fridge during that while. It gives time to prepare a deep baking tray by buttering it and to add the other half of the Lemon by slicing it within the tray. 

Then Bring your Salmon back from the fridge. Put the entire Yogurt Marinade with the 2 Salmon Fillets in the deep Baking Tray, add some chopped Chives and Seasoning, Cracked Black Pepercorns and a little Sea Salt. Place in the oven on the middle shelf. this will cook for 20 minutes minimum as it will be baking the Fish instead of frying it.

After the Prep of the Fish and whilst it is in the oven, you can start preping your Swede and Carrots Mash as mentionned above for the Mashing/ Crushing. You can add a little Chive to it as well, when your complete Mash is completed.

Meanwhile the Stock Water for the Peas will have reduced down, so you can put your Peas to it. They are quite fast to cook, 5 minutes maximum to not have crinkling Peas and another technique to keep them Green and not discoloure is to finish them of in a bowl of ice to stop the cooking process after draining them. Put them back to the pan and add a knob of Butter. Seasoned Butter are perfect for it, like Garlic and Chives Butter which are easy to do Home and to store in the freezer, or an already Salted Butter Shop bought or Home Made as well.

To your Peas add your Chopped Mint and the remaining of your chopped Chives, if using add a little bit of White Wine like a Sauvignon Blanc. We are speaking of one or two tablespoons there maximum three. Season.

Then you are ready to serve. Place the Salmon Fillets upon warm plates. Then your Swede and Carrots Mash, and your Minted Peas. As per say it is a plate of three quarters: Pink, Pale Yellow with a dash of Orange within and bright Green, we can also say that it is an appealingly coloured plate of food to present. The finishing touches is the quartering of the last Lemon, to add a note of bright Yellow.

That dish is rustic in my house most of the time, but can easily be refined for a Dinner Party Fish Course. It is also very yummy. 

 

Other recipes