Roasted Salmon with Herbs and Crushed Potatoes
Tender salmon fillets are roasted beneath a fragrant herb, garlic, and lemon topping until just flaky, then served with crisp-edged crushed potatoes. This simple, flavorful combination delivers an…
Ingredients
- 900 g Baby Yukon Gold potatoes
- 2 teaspoons, divided, plus more for the cooking water Kosher salt
- 5 tablespoons, divided Extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 fillets, 170 g each Skin-on salmon fillets, about icm thick
- 3 tablespoons Fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons Fresh dill, finely chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic, finely grated or minced
- 1 teaspoon Lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons Fresh lemon juice
- 0.5 teaspoon, plus more for the salmon Freshly ground black pepper
- 30 g Unsalted butter, melted
- 4 wedges Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 220°C. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil it. Pat the salmon completely dry with paper towels; removing surface moisture helps the fish roast rather than steam and encourages light browning.
- Scrub the potatoes and place them whole in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water by 3 cm, add 1 tablespoon of salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium so the water maintains a steady simmer, then cook for 15 to 18 minutes, until a thin knife slides into the centers with slight resistance; do not cook them until they are falling apart.
- While the potatoes cook, combine the parsley, dill, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, melted butter, 0.5 teaspoon of salt, and 0.5 teaspoon of black pepper in a small bowl. Stir until the herbs are evenly coated and the mixture smells bright, garlicky, and lemony. Reserve 1 tablespoon of this herb mixture for finishing the potatoes.
- Drain the potatoes thoroughly and let them stand in the colander for 2 minutes so excess steam evaporates. Transfer them to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them apart, and gently flatten each one to about 1.5 cm thick with the bottom of a glass or a potato masher. Keep the skins intact; the rough broken edges become especially crisp in the oven.
- Drizzle the crushed potatoes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and a little black pepper. Turn them carefully to coat both sides, then arrange them in a single layer with space between each potato. Roast on the center rack for 15 minutes, until the undersides are golden and the edges are beginning to crisp.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and turn the potatoes with a thin spatula. Push them toward the edges of the pan, leaving four spaces in the center, and place the salmon fillets skin-side down in those spaces. The skin should lie flat against the hot pan; if a fillet curls, press it gently with a spatula for the first 30 seconds.
- Spoon the remaining herb mixture evenly over the tops of the salmon, keeping most of it on the flesh rather than the skin. Return the pan to the oven and roast at 220°C for 10 to 13 minutes, depending on thickness. The salmon is ready when the thickest part separates into moist flakes when pressed with a fork, or registers 52 to 55°C for medium, rising slightly as it rests; avoid cooking until it looks dry and chalky.
- If the potatoes need more color after the salmon is cooked, transfer the salmon to a warm plate and return the potatoes to the oven for 3 to 5 minutes, or switch to the grill on high for 1 to 2 minutes while watching constantly. They should have crisp, browned ridges and tender centers, not blackened edges.
- Let the roasted salmon rest for 3 minutes, loosely covered with foil, so its juices redistribute and the flesh finishes gently. Toss the hot potatoes with the reserved 1 tablespoon of herb mixture; adding it after roasting preserves the fresh flavor of the herbs and lemon.
- Divide the crushed potatoes among four warm plates and place a salmon fillet alongside each portion, skin-side down. Spoon any herb juices from the baking sheet over the fish, garnish with lemon wedges, and serve immediately while the salmon is moist and the potato edges are crisp.
Watch the Roasted Salmon with Herbs and Crushed Potatoes cooking video
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