Herb-Crusted Salmon with Potatoes, Caviars, and Cream

An easy, flavor-packed weeknight or special occasion dinner from Anastasia Zolotarev's "Sour Cherries and Sunflowers." And don't forget about that giveaway!

Hello and welcome to Chesnok: Notes from a Post-Soviet Kitchen, a newsletter that explores life and cooking in the Soviet diaspora! If you’re interested in more, I’ve written a whole book on recipes from Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and beyond - also called Chesnok - that is now available for pre-order! Also, I’m excited to be partnering with Books on the Square in Providence to offer personalized signed copies for those who pre-order the book. Head to their website for more details.

If you’re here and not already subscribed, well, here you go:

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Hello friends!

As promised, I am back with a second recipe from

Anastasia Zolotarev

’s book Sour Cherries & Sunflowers: Recipes from Eastern Europe and Beyond.

This time we’re going the savory route with her Herb-Crusted Salmon with Potatoes, Caviar, and Cream*. I am always looking for new ways to prepare salmon and the genius movie of covering it in a flavor-packed herb paste (featuring my two favorites: dill and tarragon!) is not only delicious, but also extremely easy. The dish makes for an impressive special occasion main, but prepared with a smaller slab or individual fillets, it would work just as well for a weeknight dinner.

As for the side, this Eastern European thinks you can never go wrong with hot-steaming potatoes tossed in butter and a generous handful of dill. But a little sour cream and pop of salmon roe really take them over the top! Of course, if the roe isn’t in your budget or available where you live, feel free to omit.

My birthday (hello, 33!) is next week and I think this salmon will fit the bill for festive dinner that night very nicely :)

Lastly, don’t forget: You can still enter the giveaway for a chance to win Anastasia’s book here. I love reading about some of your favorite food memories - thank you to all those who have shared so far! The giveaway closes *this* Sunday, June 8, at midnight and I will notify the winner the following day.

Anastasia, congrats again on your beautiful book, and I hope the rest of you will check it out. Enjoy!

All the best,
Polina

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Herb-Crusted Salmon with Potatoes, Caviar, and Cream (Losos’ iz dukhovki)