With this plan, you can get three full meals for four people out of a large side of salmon. Serve it hot from the oven the first day with crispy roasted potatoes and a simple, creamy sauce. Then flake the room temperature salmon over a greens-and-grain bowl on Day 2. You might not want salmon three days in a row, so our salmon cakes are easy to make and freeze for another lunch or dinner down the line. You can make four large salmon cakes to serve on a sandwich bun or make eight smaller ones to serve over salad greens or roasted vegetables.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 45 min |
| Active: | 55 min |
| Yield: | 3 four-serving meals (12 servings) |
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest, plus lemon wedges for serving
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 side of salmon (about 2 3/4 pounds), skin removed
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound baby red potatoes, halved
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons drained capers in brine, coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 scallions, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh peeled ginger
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 12 cups mixed greens
- 2 cups cooked whole grain of your choice, such as brown rice, quinoa or farro
- 4 cups mixed sliced crunchy raw vegetables, such as carrots, snow peas, radishes, bell peppers and cucumbers
- Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
- Sliced scallions, for garnish
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 large egg, beaten
- Kosher salt
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, plus more for dredging
- Vegetable oil, for shallow frying
Instructions
- For the salmon and potatoes meal: Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Stir together the lemon zest, 2 teaspoons salt and a generous amount of black pepper in a small bowl. Place the salmon on the prepared baking sheet and rub the lemon zest mixture over the top of the salmon. Brush with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Roast on the top rack until the salmon is just cooked through and flakes with a fork, 14 to 16 minutes depending on thickness.
- Meanwhile, toss the potatoes on a second rimmed baking sheet with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper. Roast on the bottom rack, tossing once about halfway though, until golden and tender, 15 to 17 minutes.
- While the salmon and potatoes cook, stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, parsley, dill, capers, lemon juice, Dijon and scallions in a serving bowl. Remove 1/3 cup of the mixture and reserve in the refrigerator to make the salmon cakes.
- Place a 5-ounce (approximate) portion of salmon on each of 4 plates, divide the potatoes and sauce among the plates and serve lemon wedges on the side. Wrap and refrigerate the remaining salmon for salmon bowls and salmon cakes.
- For the salmon bowls: To make the dressing, combine the rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, ginger and sriracha in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the vegetable oil and sesame oil.
- To assemble, make a base of 3 cups of mixed greens per bowl. Top each with 1/2 cup of the grains and 1 cup of the mixed vegetables. Flake 12 ounces to 1 pound of the leftover salmon into large chunks and divide equally over the bowls. Drizzle with the dressing and garnish with sesame seeds and sliced scallions.
- For the salmon cakes: Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl to cool for about 10 minutes.
- Flake the remaining 8 ounces leftover salmon into the bowl. Add the seafood seasoning, lemon zest, egg, 1/3 cup reserved sauce from the salmon and potatoes meal and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix well with a fork to combine and break up the salmon into small flakes. Add the panko and mix well to combine. Form into 4 large or 8 small cakes.
- Dredge the salmon cakes in the panko mixture and chill for 30 minutes on a large plate in the refrigerator. Heat about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until a few breadcrumbs sizzle on contact. Add the salmon cakes and cook until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. (The dredged salmon cakes can also be wrapped and frozen; cook from frozen, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the total cooking time.)