Salmon Florentine with Lemon Smashed Potatoes
Full disclosure, we had never made this before, but man are we glad that we did! We are all about pushing our own boundaries when it comes to expanding our culinary seafood knowledge and salmon florentine was no exception. As with many experiences in the kitchen, testing recipes means trial and error and we love when our first attempt comes out this good! Try it for yourself and don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions along the way. This decadent recipe is worth exploring uncharted waters.
Recipe
Salmon Florentine with Lemon Smashed Potatoes by Nutritionist Alicia Spangenberger
total time: 45 minutes
servings: 2
Ingredients:
2 six ounce Villa frozen Organic salmon portions, thawed
1/2 lb mini gold potatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
juice and zest of a lemon
salt & pepper
2 tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, chopped
3 cups uncooked baby spinach
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
pinch chili pepper flakes
1/3 cup white wine
1-2 tbsp capers
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
Instructions:
Bring 5 cups of water to a boil in a pot medium sized pot & salt generously
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
Rinse potatoes and boil for 6-7 minutes, then drain & let cool slightly
Arrange potatoes on a baking sheet & push down on the tops of them with a jar or palm of your hand & a cloth (be careful, they will be hot!) Push down to smash them, the skin will break - see pictures for reference.
Season the smashed potatoes with the olive oil & a healthy pinch of salt, pepper & zest of 1/2 of the lemon. Bake on 425 for 30 minutes or until crispy.
In a sauté pan, melt 1 tbsp of butter & add garlic and shallots once melted. Let these cook on low-medium heat for about 10 minutes, then add spinach & let this cook down until spinach is fully wilted. Remove from heat and let cool.
In a separate bowl, add the ricotta & the cooled spinach mixture. Stir to combine & then spread a thick layer over each of the salmon portions, smoothing to the shape of the portion. You can bake the salmon on a baking sheet or in a cast iron pan or other oven safe pan.
Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit & bake salmon for 15 minutes (Don’t worry if your potatoes are still in there, if you need to raise the oven temperature after you cook the salmon to crisp them up, that’s fine!)
In the pan that you used to sauté your spinach mixture, melt the other tablespoon of butter, then add the cherry tomatoes, a healthy pinch of salt & pepper & let simmer for a couple of minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine & juice of the lemon. Add the capers & fresh parsley & stir until wine cooks off.
Remove salmon & potatoes from oven, plate each salmon fillet & top with tomato sauce. Garnish with lemon & fresh parsley & enjoy!