Bastille Day Wrap Up - Crispy Skinned Salmon

Who can resist a nice piece of crispy skinned salmon? I dare anyone to pass it up. More flavoursome than crispy chicken skin and healthier to boot, how can anyone lose? When I served this up at the Bastille day celebrations it went down a treat. Coupled with potato salad, made with herb mayonnaise, and wilted spinach it was delicious. I kept the serving size small because I was concerned about the courses to follow, and besides don't things in smaller bites always taste better?

I made a burnt butter sauce to go over the top of the salmon, the nutty flavour was a nice accent to the creamy potatoes. The spinach helped to cut through the oiliness of the fish and richness of the butter. I really enjoyed this dish, and its pretty simple to prepare. The potato salad can be made well in advance, always a bonus when you are throwing a french dinner party with loads of boozy french wine!

So here is the recipe, so dead easy that anyone can make it!

Serves 4

For Salmon

4 small fillets of Salmon

150 grams butter

small handful of parsley leaves

For Potato Salad (adapted from Pearl recipe)

6-8 Kipfler potatoes, cooked with their skins on then peeled and diced into small cubes

1 cup (loosely packed) flat-leaf parsley leaves

½ cup (loosely packed) basil leaves

200 ml olive oil

2 egg yolks

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp white wine vinegar

3 large handfuls of baby spinach, wilted and seasoned

1. For herb mayonnaise, process herbs and olive oil in a food processor and stand overnight, then strain through a fine sieve, discarding solids. Whisk yolks, mustard and vinegar in a bowl to combine, then gradually whisk in herb oil in a thin stream until emulsified and thick. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Makes about 1 cup. Mix with diced potatoes and set aside until needed

2. Season Salmon with salt and pepper. Rub a little extra salt into the skin of the salmon. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Place salmon, skin side down, in the frying pan. Cook until skin turns extremely crispy 5-6 minutes. Turn the salmon over and add remaining butter. Spoon melted butter over the fish until it is cooked to your liking.

3. Place the cooked salmon on top of a small bed of spinach. Place 2-3 parsley leaves on top of the spinach and add some potato salad to the side. Return butter to the heat and continue to cook until it begins to turn brown and smells like toasting nuts. Spoon butter on top of salmon, over paisley. The parsley with crisp and crackle a bit due to the hot butter. Serve immediately.

Nom nom nom.....crispy crunchy salmon skin!