Sometimes I’m possessed by food jealousy – I think it might happen to a lot of people who are 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!
Salmon & Asparagus Hash with Hollandaise Sauce
“OK, Ms. Frau,” I tell myself, “take a deep breath…follow your Strategies. ” So maybe I can’t financially justify Tyler’s meal, but I can still make a darned good one: Salmon can become a key-note in the symphony of flavors instead of the main player. Potatoes & eggs are cheap & I can use the more seasonal sale priced Asparagus instead of the very expensive (this time of year) Red Bell Peppers…
The result? Spectacular. Simple ingredients transformed. Sometimes the sum truly is more than it’s parts…
Salmon & Asparagus Hash with Hollandaise Sauce
There are multiple steps to this recipe, so plan accordingly. Here’s a few suggestions to make this brunch easy. Links are below for how to’s.
- Salmon is usually on sale b4 Mother’s Day. Serve it a day or two before as a meal, but save back part for this dish. Maybe the skinny portion on the end.
- The hash is based on precooked baked potatoes, best used cold. Again, why not serve as a meal and make a couple extras.
- You can do the same with the asparagus, and make extra for a meal, but I often cook them the night before and plunge into cold water, then reheat in the hash. The asparagus is great sauteed right in the hash, too.
- Poach eggs ahead, the same day or evening before. Hold them in water, refrigerated. Reheat for seconds in simmering water.
- Hollandaise can always be made a bit ahead and keep warm. Usually it’s at it’s best when it’s on it’s way to cooling, anyway.
So, you see, with a little bit of finessing, you can make this meal primarily from leftovers! Shhhh…don’t tell! Just let everyone think you’re a genius. All up early in the morning slaving away, lol! This dish is still a bit of work, even with the key components knocked out ahead, but really it IS well worth it. 🙂
Salmon & Asparagus Hash with Hollandaise Sauce
Salmon & Asparagus Hash with Poached Egg & Hollandaise
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. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until just done, timing varies on thickness of 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, the tougher ends added with the potatoes and onion, the tops added just a few moments before the potatoes are done. I usually cook Asparagus in the Microwave.
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, cooked in microwave, sliced diagonally
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¾ 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 moment 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 done.)
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 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 to the potatoes. Using 2 forks, flake the salmon, removing it in chunks from the skin, and fold 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 left over Hollandaise – use it on the Asparagus you didn’t cook up.
RAW EGG WARNING: This recipe contains under cooked 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.
Let’s talk about how to save money/time on this recipe:
- Use a coupon matching site!
- Follow my Strategies – You’ll see them all explained on the upper left tab of every page and how I apply them, below.
- Don’t get discouraged if your prices don’t match mine! Keep shopping at the best prices and your fridge/freezer and pantry will be stocked with sales priced ingredients.
- Read Strategies for additional tips as well as throughout the recipe, for saving time and managing food.