Recipe: Salmon Bake with Sour Cream, Bacon and New Red Potatoes

SALMON BAKE WITH SOUR CREAM, BACON AND NEW RED POTATOES
When an idea strikes, it is usually a combination of flavors or ingredients. In this case, I had the title King Salmon Bake spinning around in my head before I knew what it was. What it turned out to be was a cozy combination of salmon, cheesy spinach and potatoes that became one of the best sellers in the history of the Fish House in Stanley Park. King salmon is the U.S. name for spring salmon.

1 lb. (454 g) small red potatoes
1 lb. (454 g) spinach, stems removed, washed and drained
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup (240 mL) shredded, extra-old white Cheddar cheese or Asiago
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. (2.5 mL) sea salt
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) unsalted butter
4 (6-oz.) (170-g) skinless, boneless salmon fillets
2 tsp. (10 mL) lemon juice
8 slices good-quality bacon
4 Tbsp. (60 mL) sour cream, heaping
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) minced chives

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Cook the potatoes in boiling water until just tender, approximately 20-25 minutes. Drain and cool.

Place the spinach in a large pot, turn the heat to high and cover with a lid. Steam until it wilts, turning it over occasionally. Transfer to a large plate and spread out to cool. When cool, squeeze into small balls with your hands to remove the water. Finely chop and place in a bowl. Add the melted butter, cheese, garlic and salt. Mix well. The potatoes and the spinach mixture may be prepared up to a day in advance. Cover and refrigerate.

Slice the potatoes into 1/4-inch (.6-cm) slices and arrange in slightly overlapping rows in an 8- by 11.5-inch (20- by 29-cm) baking dish. Season well with salt and pepper and dot with half the 1 Tbsp. (15 mL) butter. Divide the spinach mixture into 4 equal portions, flatten each into an elongated patty and place one in each quarter of the baking dish over the potatoes. Place a salmon fillet over each patty of spinach, sprinkle with the lemon juice, dot with the remaining butter and season with salt and pepper. Cover snugly with foil and bake for 20-30 minutes, until the salmon is cooked through.

While the salmon is cooking, fry the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels and crumble when cool. When the salmon is done, lift each portion onto heated individual plates or leave in the baking dish. Top each piece of salmon with a dollop of sour cream. Sprinkle the bacon and chives over the sour cream and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings
Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Whitecap Books
Source: The Passionate Cook by Karen Barnaby