Potato Crusted Salmon

It's just The Fireman and I for dinner tonight. I hate to admit how much I enjoy these. My kids are getting older and I dread the day they leave home but sometimes family meals are a battle. Especially when I make grown up food. That's what they call some of my recipes. How salmon got lumped into that category is beyond me. Mahi Mahi isn't lumped into it. But salmon. OK..

If you were born yesterday and missed the memo, salmon is really good for you. The Fireman and I are trying to move more and eat less (NOT) and the moving more is happening (sadly...I've had a couple of days that walking up my own stairs after lunges was not advisable) but the limiting food is not so easy. I thought I would attempt to make a healthy meal. Not that the potato crust is dietetic. Let's just say it makes the lack of carbs feel not so hard. It takes 1/2 of a small potato per slab of salmon. Hardly a carb...right??? Plus I'm Irish and lived in Idaho so potatoes are practically in my blood so the calories or carbs don't count. If you disagree, mail your letters to the Potato Council.

I originally saw this done on Diners Drive Ins and Dives! I watched in fascination. I don't know many dishes that potatoes don't make a dish better. Once I looked up the recipe, I was in horror. Too many steps. Too many strange directions. I'm sure the outcome is delish but frankly I don't have time to ground up salmon just to spread it on a salmon steak. Nope! There had to be a better way. I only had two pieces of fish and fifteen minutes to prepare dinner. So I'd better get cooking.

Potato Crusted Salmon
First thing first! I'm sauteing green beans so it has to go into the pan first. It's simple. Just swirl about a TB of olive oil into a frying pan. Dump frozen green beans. (not fresh. It's faster and I promise it will be good.) sprinkle some salt, pepper and garlic powder. I like it a little on the brown side but time is an issue.

While that's cooking get the following ingredients out;
a clean kitchen towel
small russet potato peeled
paper towels
Dijon mustard
dill (dried is fine but fresh is better)
salt and pepper
Things go pretty quickly so you will want it all out in front of you.

Pat dry with the paper towels the salmon
Grate on the regular side the potato. Place in the kitchen towel and squeeze all the water out. Keep wrapped up so it doesn't turn brown.
Heat 2 TB olive oil over medium high heat.
Spread some Dijon mustard on one side if the fish.

Carefully place 1/2 the shredded potato on top of the salmon. Press it in just to ensure it will stay.

Carefully put potato side down in the pan. Quickly repeat process on the second salmon.

Sprinkle dill, salt and pepper on the side of salmon that is not covered with potatoes.
Cook potato side down for about five minutes. Do not move it until you are sure the potatoes are cooked and golden. Then carefully flip.

Cook an additional three to four minutes careful to not over cook the fish.
Serve over the green beans.