Roasted Salmon Fillets With Oven Roasted New Potatoes

This recipe is a two-fer or whole dinner in one. If you add a small salad, you’re good to go. We hosted a young woman who is both gluten free and has a bunch of allergies so after some consultation, I came up with this dinner for her and we were all really pleased, delish and simple.

As I’ve mentioned in the past, fish is my fave fast food, it cooks quickly and basically, as soon as my company walks in the door, just plunk in the oven and 12-15 minutes later you have a roasted crispy, perfectly cooked piece of fish.

The potatoes take longer but if you plan a bit in advance it will work very well together. The great thing here is you are parboiling (partially boiling, i.e. halfway cooking the potatoes. There is method to this madness) the potatoes and the cool part here is that you can cook them in advance partially and let them sit till ready to roast. You need not complete the baking till your company is nearly there. Even better, say your peeps are only showing up the next day? Cook them partway, about 10 minutes or so, till the point of a knife goes through with some pushback and you know they are still partially uncooked, and let them drain in a colander. Then refrigerate and finish the roasting the next day. It’s a wonderful hack and pre-prep. Beyond that, it makes the potatoes extra crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. What could be bad?

Onward.

So preheat your oven to 400 F/200 C.

Then start with the potatoes since they take longer, and if needed, rinse them (I buy new potatoes that come clean and raring to go, just sayin’). Take a nice pot with room for the potatoes to boil freely and add at least two teaspoons of salt, fill with water and bring to the boil with the potatoes in it. Keep an eye on them, since you don’t want to overcook them.

As you can see they are boiling up a storm there so set your timer for about 10 minutes and pierce one with a sharp knife. If should be underdone. Excellent. Have a colander to hand and drain the potatoes into it. (Alternatively, scoop them out and save the water for a good soup base if you wish).

See the rising steam? You want them to lose the steam so the condensation doesn’t sog them, hence draining and letting them lose the excess liquid which ultimately gets them crispy. Good. Let ’em sit awhile and now attend to the salmon.

I used very very simple spices (her allergies) but you can change it up and go spicier or a bit more exotic if you so desire.

Rinse the fish off and pat dry.

Lightly drizzle with olive oil and shake the black pepper, sweet paprika, thyme and salt over the fish and rub into the fish to coat.

As you see this colors the fish a lovely deep rust color. Now, assuming you are ready to eat in about 25 minutes or so, you can get the potatoes ready for their roasting. Take some olive oil and drizzle right on the pan. Place the potatoes on top, sprinkle generously with salt and rosemary (I use dried, I prefer it, not so powerful) and toss, toss, toss till completely coated.

Pop into your hot oven and let the roasting begin. You will want approximately 20-25 minutes for them or till crispy and browned and you will be able to pop the fish in for the last 12-15 minutes depending on how well you want your fish done. Personally, DH and I prefer medium cooked fish (NOT medium well, true medium) which retains the moist lovely texture. To each his own but 12 minutes should be more medium rare. Know your oven in this, fish cooks quickly – if it runs hot, adjust the length of time you cook it. Timed properly, you will have the fish and potatoes ready together. If you cut up a simple cucumber, tomato and onion salad with olive oil and salt, bam you’re done. A lovely and simple meal, quick to put together.

Roasted Salmon Fillets With Oven Roasted New Potatoes

1 kilo (2.2 pounds) of new potatoes, cleaned
2 teaspoons salt for water in pot
olive oil to drizzle
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
5-6 salmon fillets with skin
1-2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon salt
olive oil for drizzling

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F/200 C.

Take a pot with plenty of room to hold the potatoes and place 2 teaspoons salt, potatoes and water to cover in pot. Bring to the boil and boil about 8-10 minutes or till a knife pierces potatoes with pushback, that is, they are still underdone. Immediately put potatoes in a colander to drain and set aside.

Rinse fish fillets and pat dry and place on rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper beneath the fish, skin side down. Drizzle fish with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika, pepper, thyme and salt. Rub the spices into the fish well. Set aside.

By now potatoes are ready to put on rimmed baking sheet (no parchment paper!) on which you’ve drizzled olive oil with a fairly generous hand and sprinkle salt and rosemary over potatoes tossing well till completely coated with oil and spices. The new potatoes need between 20-25 minutes in the oven, so depending how well you want the fish done, time it. If you will cook the fish for about 15 minutes (medium) then put the potatoes in for 10 minutes before putting the fish in. If you want your fish cooked more rare, adjust the time accordingly. The potatoes should be browned and crispy and the fish perfectly cooked and the skin crisped. Serve with a small salad for a lovely meal.