When anglers come to Alaska and catch high numbers of sockeye salmon with us on the Naknek River, they take home a lot of fresh, great-tasting salmon. Be it Alaska’s sockeye salmon–or any salmon from Alaska–when your freezer is full of fish, folks are often looking for different ways to prepare it.
Potachos–a take on traditional nachos using fried potato rounds instead of tortilla chips, is great any time of day. Feel free to substitute in any type of fish or “nacho” condiment in this flexible recipe, one you’re sure to love.
Salmon Potachos
1-2 potatoes
1 cup salmon chunks
2 slices thick bacon
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced jalapeño pepper
1/3 cup diced tomato
1/4 cup diced olive
1/4 cup cheddar or jack cheese
2 tablespoons crumbled cojito cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
2 lime wedges
Olive oil for potatoes
Preheat oven to 375º. Wash potatoes and slice into 1/4” rounds. Brush each potato slice with olive oil and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 10-15 minutes, turning potatoes over mid-way to brown evenly on both sides. Arrange potatoes on a heat-safe platter and keep warm prior to serving. In a medium skillet, fry bacon on medium-heat until crisp. Remove bacon and chop into crumbles, set aside. Sauté onion and peppers in bacon grease 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle sautéed onions and peppers on warm potatoes. Sprinkle cheddar or jack cheese on top, place back into warm oven. Using remaining bacon grease–or add olive oil if needed–sauté salmon 3-5 minutes or until it reaches desired doneness. To assemble Potachos, remove warm potatoes from the oven and top with salmon, olives, tomato, cilantro, and cojito cheese. Serve with lime wedges and pickled onions.
Pickled Onions
1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
1/4 cup vinegar of choice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
In a small bowl, mix salt and sugar with vinegar until dissolved. Add onions, pressing down to fully submerge into vinegar. Let sit at room temperature at least 20 minutes before serving. If prepared ahead, refrigerate until ready to serve.