I can be possessed by food jealousy; it happens to those on a budget. They hear about a friend’s restaurant dinner, see a gorgeous meal in a magazine, or maybe they watch Tyler Florence. Darn you, Tyler! Darn you and your belly of fresh Atlantic salmon that would be so perfect for Mother’s Day! My solution: a budget-friendly Salmon Hash with Hollandaise.
Salmon Hash with Hollandaise & Asparagus
I can’t financially justify Tyler’s meal and keep my grip on my long-term goals, but I can still make a darned good version, keeping all the flavor: Salmon can play a note in the symphony instead of being the main player. Potatoes & eggs are cheap & I can use the more seasonal sale-priced Asparagus instead of the pricier (this time of year) Red Bell Peppers in the original.
About Salmon Hash with Hollandaise:
The result? Spectacular. Simple ingredients transformed. Sometimes the sum truly is more than its parts…
Let’s talk about the final dish. My Baked Potato Hashbrowns are gorgeously browned, crunchy on the outside, soft and creamy inside. They’re the backbone of the dish. The salmon, in smaller amounts, cooked perfectly, punctuates without taking over; somehow, a modest amount makes it seem more special. Then the asparagus chimes in with freshness to balance the rich Hollandaise.
That Hollandaise Sauce! It’s nothing short of glorious. I don’t often make Hollandaise, even though it’s easy (especially knowing a few tricks) and relatively inexpensive. I guess there’s the not morning person, me. That’s one reason. The lazy me thinks it’s a project, and then there’s the hafta clean out the blender thing, so that’s reason number two. But the most important reason is number three. It might be a sin. It’s too good not to be!
It’s that sauce, though, that takes this hash next level. A creamy, dreamy sauce that flows over the hash. Honestly, the poached egg on top seems almost an afterthought, but I think it makes the dish, somehow, feel less rich. If you’re not a runny yolk person, feel free to skip it.
Poached Eggs in the Microwave
Making Salmon Hash with Hollandaise:
There are multiple steps, so plan accordingly. Here are a few suggestions to make this brunch easy. Links are below for how-tos.
- Salmon is usually on sale before Mother’s Day so it’s the perfect reason to cook salmon and serve it a day or two before as a meal. Make a little extra and save it back. Maybe use the skinny portion from the end of each piece; no one will miss that.
- The potatoes are made from precooked baked potatoes and are best used cold. Why not serve baked potatoes as a part of a meal earlier in the week, making extras so they’re at the ready?
- The same can be done with the asparagus. The asparagus can easily be from a component of a previous meal, or done the evening before. Either way, plunge the hot asparagus in cold water, then drain. Then it’s a simple matter to cut them and reheat in the morning.
- Poached eggs can be knocked out the evening before and held in water, tightly covered, in the fridge. When making the hash, the eggs can be reheated (it takes seconds and you don’t want to cook them more) in barely simmering water. Here’s my easy microwave recipe for the poached eggs.
- Hollandaise is best made the morning of. It can be made a bit ahead and kept warm. Hollandaise is at its best when it’s slightly cooled. As the butter cools, the sauce thickens a little more. Keep it at a good temperature for a short time by wrapping a thick towel around the blender or transferring it to a thermos.
With a little finessing, this meal can be made primarily from leftovers! Does saying “planned leftovers make it sound better?) Shhhh…just don’t tell! Let them think you were up at the crack of dawn, slaving away, lol! This dish is still a bit of work, even with the key components knocked out ahead, but it IS well worth it.
None of these components will suffer for it, but taking care of them ahead also takes care of one thing that could be potentially daunting about this dish – the mess! There will not be a pile of pans and dishes to deal with if you follow this strategy. You’ll look like a genius!
Baked Potato Hash Browns from Leftover Potatoes – so perfectly golden & crispy
Storing and Reheating:
This is the first time, is the best time dish! For reheating the hash, your best bet is the microwave; just watch it closely. Those potatoes will never be as crispy again.
Hollandaise can be reheated. The key is to do so very slowly so the butter doesn’t overheat and the sauce doesn’t “break” separating into parts that are no longer smooth, thick, and homogenous. Try the microwave on low, stopping to stir every 20 to 30 seconds or so. It’s tedious but can be done. A double boiler will work, too.
Asparagus Standing in the Microwave
Saving Money on Groceries:
Salmon:
- Salmon goes on sale, but some sales are better. You’ll see deep sales in the few weeks before Christmas and New Year’s, the same for Easter during Lent, and some around Mother’s Day. To see what’s on sale before any given holiday, see “Win at the Grocers.” Scroll down to the bottom of that page for the clickable menu for each food holiday.
- I’m not down with farm-raised Salmon (Btw, all Atlantic salmon is farm-raised), but no judgment here. You don’t always have to go for the premium cuts of salmon, especially in a recipe like this, where only bits are used; check out Aldi & Lidl. If you do want nicer pieces, check out your buyer’s club.
Asparagus:
- Asparagus is usually at its best and is least expensive in the spring. It’s often on sale before Easter and Mother’s Day. When not on special, the price can be outrageous, so take advantage of it when it’s low.
Salmon Hash with Hollandaise and Asparagus
Salmon Hash with Hollandaise
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Breakfast & Brunch
Ingredients
Instructions
For the Salmon:
- 5 to 8 ounces of Salmon (could be trimmings or frozen portions)
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place salmon pieces, skin-side down, as close together as possible on a foil-lined baking sheet. (A smaller piece of foil is fine, just turn up the edges so the oil doesn’t run off. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until just done, timing varies with the thickness of the salmon; from a few minutes and up to 15 or so, for a thick filet.
Salmon should be just flaky but holding together well – the point is to have visible chunks, not shreds in the hash. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest while you proceed.
For the Asparagus:
- 1/2 bundle of Asparagus, about 6 to 8 ounces, chopped, heads intact.
The asparagus may be added directly to the hash to cook, the tougher ends added with the potatoes and onion, the tops added just a few minutes before the potatoes are brown & crispy.
Another option is to cook it in the microwave; see Asparagus in the Microwave, which can be done the day before and then heated up in the hash, or if you prefer, cooked the day of.
For the Hash:
- About 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 russet potatoes, boiled or baked, about 5 ounces each, cut into large dice, about 3/4 inch across
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 5 to 6 ounces of asparagus, a little less than half a bundle, sliced diagonally into 3 inch pieces
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
- Fresh chives or the green part of a green onion, to taste, chopped with a few whole for garnish
- Pinch cayenne pepper
Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Add potatoes and onions, stirring now and then until browned. This is really a shallow – fry, and excess oil will be drained off. When nearly done, add the minced garlic and the tarragon, and cook for a minute longer. Tilt the skillet and remove excess oil. Add the chives or green onion, as much as desired, leave a few for garnish. Stir in the cayenne pepper.
note:
- Asparagus may be cooked directly in the hash, the tough ends added at the same time as the potatoes, the tips added a few moments before potatoes are done.
- Asparagus can be cooked before and reheated as the hash cooks, adding the tips last.
Poached Eggs:
For the Hollandaise:
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 or 4 drops of hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne
- 1 stick, 8 tablespoons of butter, melted and hot
See recipe for Hollandaise Sauce for full information and a troubleshooting guide on making this simple blender sauce.
Melt butter. In a blender, add egg yolks, mustard, lemon, and hot sauce and blend on medium speed until yolks are lightened in color. Turn speed to high and slowly add butter until sauce is thickened.
You can place this in a thermos that has been warmed with hot water if you’d like to make it and set it aside while you’re poaching your eggs and sautéing your vegetables, or perhaps wrap it in a kitchen towel and keep it in a warm place.
To Put Together:
At the last minute, so potatoes don’t get soggy, gently fold in the asparagus mixture (if precooked) to the potatoes. Using 2 forks, flake the salmon, removing it in chunks from the skin, and fold it into the potatoes. Place the salmon-potato hash on serving plates or serving platter and top with the eggs. Pour Hollandaise sauce over the eggs and garnish with chives or green onion. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Expect some leftover Hollandaise – use it on the Asparagus you didn’t cook up if you had to buy it in a larger bundle.
RAW EGG WARNING: This recipe contains undercooked egg – Use caution in consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.
