Last Night's Dinner: Wild Salmon w/ Avocado Salad & Pesto Smashed Potatoes

I'm in the mood for potatoes this week.

I have been posting most of my dinners on instagram lately, so sorry if you saw this one last night.

It was too good not to write about and share the recipes with you.

I love this time of year, everything is blooming and so colorful, including the fish, eg. this gorgeous wild Alaskan salmon.

Wild salmon tastes nothing like the farm raised stuff, (that I am usually forced to buy, except for this time of year).

On a hot night, there is nothing better than putting this wonderful avocado salad on top (which I make in the morning and stick in the fridge, it does not turn brown for some odd reason).

I paired it with farmers market NJ potatoes, and made a simple pesto with my garden basil.

This is the perfect summer meal.

Here is a recap of last night's dinner:

Fish:

1 lb. of wild salmon filet, skin on
kosher salt & pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander

Season the fish with the spices and oil and place in the fridge until ready to cook (can be done in the a.m.).

Avocado Salad:

1 ripe avocado, sliced
a couple of cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/4 small red onion, sliced
hot pepper flakes
juice from 1 lemon & the zest
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
kosher salt

Lay all the ingredients in a bowl and lightly mix, you don't want to break the avocado slices.
You can make this ahead and keep covered in the fridge.

Heat a non-stick skillet or grill pan with some oil, and sear the salmon skin side down for only 3 minutes (wild salmon is much denser, though thinner than farm raised salmon and will dry out quicker).

Flip over and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Place on a platter and spoon the avocado salad on top and serve.

Delicious.

For the Pesto Smashed Potatoes:

1 cup of fresh basil leaves
handful of walnuts
1 garlic clove
juice of half a lemon
kosher salt
4 tbsp olive oil

Whiz all ingredients in a mini food chopper and set aside.

Boil some Yukon gold and/or red new potatoes for about 22 minutes.
While still warm, smash with a fork lightly.

Lay the potatoes in a baking dish and drizzle w/ olive oil and season liberally w/ kosher salt.

Place the casserole dish under a broiler for about 8 minutes, keep an eye that they don't burn.
Carefully remove from the oven and spoon the pesto over the tops.

Serve with the salmon, because you know Henry has to have carbs with his dinner. Who doesn't?

Enjoy the glorious summer.

xo