Herb and Potato-Crusted Salmon with Italian Sauteed Spinach Salad

Image September 4, 2022 Tangie Holifield

Commercially prepared shredded potatoes, sold in plastic bags in the supermarket frozen-food department, usually end up as hash browns. This recipe suggests an entirely new use for them: seared onto fat fillets of salmon to form a fantastic crisp crust. Serve up the salmon with a side of sautéed spinach, onions, garlic, and fresh tomatoes is beyond delicious and extremely easy to make.

Serves 4

Ingredients
For the Salmon:
4 cups frozen shredded potatoes (hash browns), thawed and squeezed dry
2 tablespoons snipped chives
2 tablespoons minced dill
2 tablespoons potato starch
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Four 8-ounce skinless salmon fillets
2 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the Spinach:
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 peeled and julienne red onion
3 finely minced cloves of fresh garlic
2 each tomatoes cut into wedges
10 oz fresh baby spinach
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Directions:
For the Salmon: In a medium bowl, toss the potatoes with the chives, dill and potato starch and season with salt and pepper. Lay the salmon fillets, skin side down on a work surface and season with salt and pepper, then evenly spread on the mustard. Next, evenly add a layer of shredded potatoes onto the top of each fillet. Pat the potato down on the salmon to make sure it stays in place.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil and melt the butter. Carefully add the salmon fillets to the skillet, potato side down, and cook over moderately high heat, undisturbed, until browned, about 8 minutes, or until a dark brown crust has formed on the potatoes. Carefully flip the salmon and cook for 1 minute longer. Using a slotted spatula, transfer the salmon to plates. Using a clean paper towel, blot off any excess oil from the salmon.

For the Spinach: Heat a large sauté or frying pan over medium to medium-high heat and caramelize the onion and garlic, until the garlic is golden brown, about 2 minutes, add in tomatoes and sauté for 2 to 3 more minutes. Lastly, place in the spinach and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

To serve, transfer the spinach salad and salmon to plates and serve.

Pork Chops with Three Apple Slaw

Image October 1, 2019 Tangie Holifield

Photo Cred: Victor Protasio, Food&Wine Magazine, 2019.

Recipe by
JUSTIN CHAPPLE
Food & Wine Magazine
September 2019

For his zippy version of coleslaw, F&W’s Justin Chapple swaps the cabbage for a mix of sweet and tart apples—Gala, Honeycrisp, and Granny Smith—and then tosses them with a creamy, Tabasco-laced dressing.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
Four 10-ounce bone-in rib-cut pork chops,1 inch thick
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 Honeycrisp apple
1 Gala apple
1 Granny Smith apple
1/4 cup mayonnaise
4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
4 inner celery stalks, thinly diagonally sliced, plus 1/4 cup celery leaves
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup snipped fresh chives

Directions:
Season pork chops with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add pork chops to skillet; cook, turning occasionally, until browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of chop registers 135°F, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Set aside.

Cut each apple lengthwise into quarters, and discard cores. Thinly slice apple quarters lengthwise; stack slices, and cut lengthwise again into thin sticks.

Whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, poppy seeds, and hot sauce in a large bowl; season with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add apple sticks, celery, celery leaves, parsley, and chives; toss to combine. Serve immediately with pork chops.

Spinach Salad with Pears and Gorgonzola

February 23, 2018 Tangie Holifield

Pears with gorgonzola is just one of those classic combinations. Put them in salad with any kind of greens. Pick what you like best, anything from a spicy arugula or watercress to a mild butter lettuce.We used fresh baby spinach.The same goes for the pears: Bosc, Bartlett, Anjou or Comice would all be great choices.

And since the ingredients in this pear salad are so delicious, a champagne vinaigrette with a hint of lemon juice and Dijon mustard worked best for this salad. A heavy dressing would mask the delicate flavors. A sprinkling of cheese, walnuts and pomegranate arils also adds flavors and makes for delicious lighter first course to start off a meal.

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 tablespoons minced shallot
Salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
10 ounces baby spinach, washed and dried
4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese*
1 medium Bosc pear, cored and thinly sliced*
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (arils), for garnish
1/2 toasted walnuts, roughly chopped, for garnish

Champagne Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
For the Salad:
In a large bowl, add shallot, salt and pepper. Add the olive oil, whisking constantly while drizzling the oil slowly. Add the spinach and toss with tongs until the leaves are well coated.

For Champagne Vinaigrette:
In a small bowl or glass jar, add all the ingredients except the olive oil. Mix well, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil and whisk until the mixture is emulsified. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To serve, evenly divide spinach greens between 4 salad plates. Top each plate with cheese and garnish with pear slices, pomegranate seeds, and walnuts and serve with a drizzle of champagne vinaigrette.

*Cook’s Notes:
You can substitute Blue cheese or Roquefort cheese for the Gorgonzola.
Any variety of apple can also be used as a substitute for the pears.

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