Broiled Salmon & Spinach Salad with Mango Chutney

Anyone who went to, Miami University in Oxford, Ohio likely knows what I am talking about when I say that the Smashed Salmon Salad at Kona Bistro is one of the most amazing things you could ever eat.  I suddenly had a craving for this favorite of mine and so decided to try to make my own variation of it. I made a homemade mango chutney for this salad because, for one thing, I have never had an easy time finding a jarred mango chutney, and secondly, many chutney recipes have a ton of added sugar in them. I came across a recipe of Alton Brown's which had far less sugar in it as compared to other recipes, so used his recipe to work from.  This chutney is delicious, but is definitely a little spicy due to the red curry that I used. If you like the curry flavor but don't want the hotness, you could use a yellow curry instead. Alton Brown's recipe called for golden raisins, but I decided to leave those out.  I made the chutney a couple days ahead of time over the weekend, so putting this meal together was pretty simple when it came time to make it. The recipe makes a pretty large amount of chutney, so I froze the leftover in 2 small containers for future use.

Make sure to get the perfect bite with a combination of mango chutney, salmon, potatoes and spinach when you eat this - it is to die for!

Broiled Salmon & Spinach Salad with Mango Chutney

Serves 3

Ingredients

3 wild salmon fillets (~4oz each)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
1 pound organic red potatoes
2 cups organic chicken stock
Salt, pepper & garlic powder, to taste
5 oz fresh organic baby spinach leaves

Mango chutney:
2 pounds frozen chopped mango
1 1/2 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 1/4 cups red onion, diced
2 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
4 oz pineapple juice
2 oz cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
Salt and ground white pepper, to taste
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

Directions

To make the mango chutney:

1. In a large pot, heat canola oil over medium heat and add red pepper flakes; lightly toast flakes for 1-2 minutes. Add onions and cook until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add ginger and bell pepper and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add mango and cook for 1 minute.

2. In separate bowl, combine pineapple juice, vinegar, sugar, and curry powder. Add mixture to pot and stir to combine. Bring mixture to a low simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and white pepper. Add nuts and transfer to metal mixing bowl over an ice water bath.

The make salad:

1. Cut potatoes into 1-inch chunks, leaving skin on.  Place in small pan with 2 cups chicken stock (or enough to just cover the potatoes). Bring to a boil. Continue to boil until potatoes are tender (do not break apart when pierced by fork), or for about 12 minutes. Drain chicken stock from potatoes with a collander over a bowl to collect the stock. Place potatoes back in pan and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add a small amount of cooking stock and mash with a potato masher. Add more stock to achieve desired consistency.

2. Preheat oven to broil setting. Cover a baking sheet with foil and place salmon fillets skin-side down.  Place brown sugar and ground ginger in a small bowl and stir to evenly combine. Evenly pack down brown sugar mixture on top of salmon fillets. 

 Broil until cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for a few minutes. Use spatula to remove fillets from skin (should just slide right off).

2. To assemble salad, place 2 large handfuls of spinach leaves on serving plate. Top with 3/4 cup mashed potatoes. Flatten mound of potatoes a bit so that salmon may lay flat on them. Place salmon fillet on top of potatoes and top salmon with mango chutney.

(Chutney recipe adapted from foodnetwork.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this salad? Wild salmon gives nice dose of omega-3s and protein. Spinach is packed with fiber,  vitamins K, A, C, B2, B6 and folate, and the minerals iron, manganese, magnesium, calcium and potassium. Potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of potassium. Leaving the skin on the potatoes adds a good amount of fiber as well. Mangoes are an excellent source of vitamins C and A. Macadamia nuts are rich in monounsaturated fats.