Balsamic Salmon with Parmesan Potatoes and Sauteed Spinach

I do not claim to be the wisest woman in all the land, with lo my 2 1/2 years of marriage, but let me impart some wisdom on to you, oh Internet. Wisdom which, hopefully, will lead you to a delicious and happy life.

Wisdom number 1: If your husband is from the Northern lands, trust him with fish. Even if you just wanted salmon to make sliders this week, and your eyes goggle out when he returns with a $24 package of just 1 3/4 pounds of fish. Trust him in this – he has magical knowledge which leads him to the delicious-est fishes.

Sub-wisdom number 1: If your husband knows how to divide and grill fish, make him do it. If you’re like me, you’ll wind up with some funky-sized and -shaped pieces which cook funny otherwise.

Wisdom number 2: If your husband declares dinner the best thing you’ve ever made, make it again. We had this recipe for dinner on Sunday, thinking just to use up some of the ‘extra’ Atlantic fresh-caught salmon Bill chose before I made sliders for dinner on Monday. Behold, we had this exact recipe 3 nights in a row. It is delicious.

So, yeah. Bill and I made the best, most delicious salmon of all time. And it is the SIMPLEST marinade. I do not know what sort of hoodoo voodoo is contained within the Williams-Sonoma Newlywed Cookbook that my aunt gave us  when we got married, but I trust in it. And you should too.

Succulent, flavorful, simple salmon, topped with a tasty herbed compound butter, served alongside oven potatoes with a salty Parmesan zip and spinach sauteed with shallots. I mean, are you drooling?

I mean, the butter just melts into all the little crevices of the perfectly cooked salmon, turning in into this creamy luscious main dish, with the fresh green pop of spinach and the crispy crunch of the potatoes. The balsamic and parmesan used throughout the dish make it a truly cohesive dish that’s not too heavy, but is perfectly filling.

This recipe may seem a little complex, but I have timed just right after making it so many nights in a row!

Balsamic Salmon with Parmesan Potatoes and Sauteed Spinach

• 6 fresh salmon fillets, skin on (Bill recommends North Atlantic)
• 1 stick salted butter, softened
• ¼ + ½ cup Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 teaspoon + 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar, divided
• 2 Tablespoons herbes de Provence
• 2 large garlic cloves, diced
• 2/3 cup + 1/3 cup olive oil, divided
• 1 Tablespoon dried thyme
• 2 Tablespoons sea salt, plus more to taste
• 2 teaspoons pepper, plus more to taste
• 1 pound small gold potatoes, cut into thin rounds
• 1 teaspoon fresh or freeze-dried shallots
• 4 cups fresh spinach

1. Preheat the oven to 425° F.
2. First, make your delicious compound butter.
   • Place butter, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, and the herbes de Provence in a food processor.
   • Pulse butter mixture in food processor until well-combined, add pepper to taste.
   • Scoop out butter mixture into a plastic ziptop bag and squish into a cylinder. Place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
3. Next, create the marinade
   • Combine 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar with diced garlic, 2/3 cup olive oil and thyme in a wide, shallow dish.
   • Add salmon fillets to marinade dish and turn to coat well.
   • Cover dish and place in refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.
4. Now, get the potatoes going.
   • Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil, and add potato rounds.
   • Add 1/3 cup olive oil, sea salt and pepper to potatoes on cookie sheet. Lift up edges of aluminum foil and shake to combine all ingredients.
   • Place cookie sheet in oven and bake for 20 minutes.
5. When the oven timer goes off at 20 minutes:
   • Top potatoes with ½ cup Parmesan cheese, and return to oven for 5 minutes.
   • Heat a grill pan over medium heat.
   • Saute the spinach!
6. Spinach time!
   • Melt a pat of the compound butter over medium heat in a medium pan. When butter is melted, add shallots and spinach.
   • Stir constantly until spinach is wilted, then cover the pan and remove heat.
7. Turn the oven off, but keep the potatoes in to continue crisping up that yummy cheese.
8. Let’s cook the salmon!
   • When grill pan is heated, add salmon fillets and a nice glug of marinade to the pan. (The oil from the marinade will keep the fish from sticking).
   • Cook the salmon for about 3 minutes on each side, or until crisp on the outside and opaque all the way through.
9. Remove potatoes from oven.
10. Serve salmon fillets with potatoes and spinach, topping the salmon with another slice of the compound butter.
11. Enjoy! (make sure you remove the salmon skin before eating)

Based on a recipe from the Williams-Sonoma Newlywed Cookbook, plus potatoes and spinach from my brain 😉