leftovers & cupboard – chorizo topped baked salmon

Time again to start working on my freezer, have far too much of everything. Honestly, I think I could eat comfortably for 6 months on it. It is all down to that the is no single package of meat, chicken or fish anywhere here in Landskrona – and I think it’s the same all over Sweden.

We have most single households in the world and the market hasn’t adopted. Smallest portion packs are for 4.  Same times fresh salmon can be bought in 2 portion packs. 

Neither do we have local butcher och food hall – fish and seafood we can buy fresh. So the freezer is building up very quickly.

Yesterday I took out a piece of Norwegian salmon and the last knob of chopped frozen spinach. The Chorizo sausage I had in my fridge – the remaining 2 has now gone in the freezer. *smile 

For the mash, I used an Idaho potato that has been around for a while and it worked fine. I always use warm milk, butter, small amounts of sugar and nutmeg in my mash and an electric hand mixer for the mashing.

When I do bake or pan-fried fish I always have it with what we call “Brynt smör” (Burnt butter) – something very Swedish, I think. And it’s only to put some butter in the frying pan. Melt the butter until it has a golden brown color and scent crumbly. Whisk continuously so that the butter will not burn. When the butter is foamed and then settles it is clear…then I add loads of chopped dill – most of the time I use frozen. 

This a fantastic add for meat or chicken too – and instead of dill – you can use crushed garlic and thyme, but it’s important that added after you removed the frying pan from the heat. Simple to do and very quick. 

Chorizo topped oven baked Salmon with Spinach Mash and “Brynt Smör” – serve 2
180C/350F/Gads mark 4 – 12 to 15 min.

40 gr/1.4oz  chorizo sausage, cut into pieces.
2 x 125-150gr/40.5-5.3oz salmon filet
50 gr/1.75 oz panko breadcrumbs.

100 gr/3.5oz butter & dill

Regarding the mash, I think all of us know how to make a mash. Only make sure that all excess liquid is squeezed out of the spinach before adding it.

1. Dry-fry the Chorizo pieces over a medium-high heat for about 5 min until crisp – transfer to an absorbent paper (save the juice/oil) until going in the mixer.
2. Blitz the chorizo and add a 1 tbsp of its own oil, then stir it into the breadcrumbs.
3. Put the salmon (with or without skin) on a lined baking tray or in a greased baking dish, as I did. Cover generously with the chorizo crumbs. There is no need for any seasoning because of all seasoning you need is in the crumbs.
4. Bake until the salmon reach 56C/132F – be aware of that salmon cooks after it has been removed from the heat.  I left mine a bit too long in the oven.

While the salmon is in the oven you can make the mash.

I got the idea from the UK supermarket – Tesco, which is one of the major things I miss from my years over in the UK.

We could call this dish a quick fix dish when the crumbs been done. 

“Love and sausage are alike.
Can never have enough of either.”
Dean Koontz