The Sharper Chef, Vancouver: Lee Cooper, L’Abattoir

Every couple of months, DailyXY visits the kitchen of a top Vancouver chef and gets the scoop on an easy but impressive recipe from her or his catalogue. Today, chef Lee Cooper of L’Abattoir opens his cookbook and shares one of his personal favourites: Warm Steelhead and Crunchy Potato Salad.

“I think of things that I like to eat, and I like to make things tasty and pretty,” Cooper says of his inspiration for this dish, which can be served as a side or a main. “It’s texturally interesting, and it has a bold, spicy flavour.” The salad is currently on the menu at the restaurant and Cooper says it’s quite popular. Lucky for us home chefs, he’s simplified the recipe. We’d never have suspected — it still tastes wonderful.

Warm Steelhead and Crunchy Potato Salad
Makes four servings

Ingredients
12 oz steelhead fillet (sub trout or salmon if steelhead not available)
1 large starchy potato (Yukon gold/russet/kennebec)
4 oz mayonnaise
2 oz Dijon mustard
1 head pickled garlic slices
4 pieces assorted radishes
2 soft boiled eggs
½ cup loosely packed fresh dill leaves
½ cup baby cabbage greens
1 lemon for juicing
1 piece fresh horseradish root
Extra virgin olive oil
Oil for deep frying
Salt and pepper

Method
1. Simmer potato in salted water until completely cooked through. Allow to cool, break apart into bite-size pieces, and reserve.
2. Place boneless/skinless steelhead fillet on an oiled baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Place in 250°F oven for 12 minutes or until the fish becomes opaque in colour and just slightly firm to the touch. Remove fish from oven and set aside to rest.
3. Heat frying oil to 350°F and fry cooked potato pieces until golden and crunchy. Drain on to paper towel and season with salt.
4. Mix mayonnaise and dijon mustard together and set aside.
5. Thinly slice radishes and season with salt and olive oil.

To assemble
1. Spoon mustard and mayonnaise mixture onto the plates and place fried potatoes on top.
2. Break steelhead into bite size pieces and distribute evenly amongst the fried potatoes.
3. Cut soft boiled eggs in half and season with salt and pepper; place one half on each dish.
4. Arrange pickled garlic slices and radish slices neatly on each dish.
5. Dress cabbage greens and dill leaves lightly in olive oil and lemon juice; arrange on each dish.
6. Grate fresh horseradish over the salad, as much or as little as you like.

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Image courtesy of L’Abattoir.