More recently, I’ve decided to push myself and start figuring out some recipes of my own. I really love cooking, and one day I’d like to own a little food stand of my own, so figuring out some recipes and being more creative is really making me happy nowadays. I’ve been really meaning to try making a Burre Blanc, a white wine based butter sauce, also, so I slipped one in this recipe. Turns out, it’s simple to make (despite its fancy name), and super tasty with fish, like this roasted salmon. I made a mashed potato cake also and some fried capers and asparagus, just to make it a full meal. It met with rave reviews (though The Russian might be a touch biased), so try it out for yourself.

Ingredients
Parsley [$1.50]
2 baking potatoes [$2]
Unsalted butter and Dijon mustard, which if had on hand
White wine, any one sitting in your fridge will do
Salmon filets [$7]
Asparagus [$2]
1 lemon [.50 cents]
Capers (I had them on hand, but they normally cost around $3 for a jar)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400.
Make the potato cakes: cut the potatoes into small pieces and put into a pot with boiling salted water for about 10 minutes.
When the potatoes are tender, mash with a little butter, salt, Dijon, parsley, and a touch of milk. Form into cakes and place in a hot pan with oil or butter for about 5 minutes per side. When the cakes are browned, place in the oven to keep warm.
While the potato cakes are cooking, boil the water and cook the asparagus (or any other veggie, now that spring is here the options have really doubled).
Sear the salmon for about 3 minutes then transfer to the oven for 10 minutes.
Make the sauce: take about a half cup of the wine and let boil over heat until only a few tablespoons remain. Then take the wine off the heat and place cubes of the butter (unsalted, about a stick or so), in the wine, whisking constantly until all the butter is melted and the sauce comes together. Add a squeeze of lemon and some chopped parsley and serve with the other ingredients. Make sure to whisk very thoroughly. Quickly fry some capers in olive oil for a salty garnish if desired.

!

The butter sauce with the salmon, the potato cakes, and the veggies is certainly a filling meal. Enjoy this Easter Sunday!
-L