Catch Of The Day With Potato Cream And Almonds Recipe

Prepare and cook potatoes

Peel the potatoes and cut into even 2-3 cm cubes. Place them in a pot and cover with cold salted water (about 1 tsp salt per liter). Add the smashed garlic cloves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are very tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Warm dairy

While potatoes cook, warm the milk, heavy cream, and butter together in a small saucepan over low heat until the butter melts and the liquid is warm but not boiling. This prevents chilling the potatoes when you mash.

Make potato cream

Drain the potatoes well, removing the garlic. Return potatoes to the still-warm pot, add the warmed dairy mixture, and mash with a potato ricer or masher until smooth. For an extra-silky texture, pass through a fine sieve or blend briefly with an immersion blender. Stir in chopped chives, grated nutmeg, sea salt, and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm on very low heat or in a warm oven (90–100°C / 200–210°F) while you prepare the fish and almonds.

Toast and season almonds

Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the blanched almonds and toast, stirring frequently, until lightly golden and aromatic, 4–6 minutes. Watch closely so they don't burn. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Rough chop and flavor

Roughly chop the toasted almonds. In a small bowl toss the chopped almonds with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, lemon zest, chopped parsley, chopped dill, and flaky sea salt. Set aside at room temperature.

Season fish

Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels. Brush both sides lightly with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Season with 1 tsp sea salt and 1 tsp black pepper (adjust to taste).

Cook fish

Heat a large nonstick or stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter. When it foams, add the fillets skin-side down if skin-on. Press gently for 15 seconds to ensure even contact. Sear without moving until the underside is golden and releases easily, 3–4 minutes depending on thickness. Flip and cook the other side 2–4 minutes until opaque and just cooked through (internal temperature about 60°C / 140°F). Remove from pan and let rest for 1–2 minutes.

Plate and finish

Spoon a generous bed of potato cream onto each plate. Place a cooked fish fillet on top. Scatter the almond-herb mixture over the fish and around the potato cream. Add microgreens or baby arugula if using. Finish with a light drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, and a lemon wedge on the side. Serve immediately.