RecipeTin Eats x Good Food: German-style potato salad with salmon

1. To pickle the onion, bring the vinegar, water, salt and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan on high heat until sugar dissolves. Put the onion in a bowl, pour over pickling liquid and set aside for 30 minutes then drain.

2. Put potatoes in a large pot with cold water. Add salt, bring to a boil over high heat then simmer for 10 minutes until potatoes are tender. Drain, cool to room temperature, slice into 7mm thick rounds, then keep potatoes warm.

3. For the dressing, place bacon pieces in a cold non-stick frypan over medium heat. Once the bacon fat starts melting (about 1 minute) turn the heat up to medium-high and cook the bacon for 3 minutes until golden. Add onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add cider vinegar and sugar, bring it to a simmer then add the oil, stir, then simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

4. Scoop out 3 tablespoons of dressing (for salmon and salad) and set aside to cool. Pour remaining dressing (including bacon and onions) over the warm potatoes, add spring onion and toss. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

5. To sear salmon, mix caraway seeds, salt and pepper then sprinkle all over the salmon. Heat oil in a non-stick frypan over medium-high heat. Place salmon in the pan and cook for 4 minutes or until deep golden brown. Turn and cook the other side for 3-4 minutes or until the internal temperature is 50C. Remove salmon to a rack set over a baking tray and rest for 5 minutes. Break the salmon up into large chunks then drizzle with 2 tablespoons of reserved dressing.

6. To assemble, toss salad leaves with the remaining dressing then spread out on a serving platter. Add dill to the potatoes and toss. Pile the salmon and potatoes on top of the leaves, scatter over pickled red onion and cucumber ribbons and serve.

Notes

Cooking salmon so the internal temperature reaches 50C yields the juiciest just-cooked results. But feel free to cook it further to your taste.

Make cucumber ribbons by shaving lengthwise using a vegetable peeler, discarding the watery seeds in the middle.

This recipe features in Nagi's four days of Easter feasting menu