My husband and I celebrated our first dating anniversary (many moons ago) at this little Scandinavian café at a vineyard that had a limited menu. We both adore fish and tried the fish au gratin and fell in love with the dish! Today I make salmon and potato au gratin at home for special occasions.
Au gratin is a special occasion dish as it is very rich, loaded with milk and cheese. It is perfect for indulgent meals that you want to celebrate, including the holidays! I have made it with both 2% milk and whole milk, and both work, but the whole milk is just a bit richer.
Traditionally au grain is made with white fish, such as cod. Salmon is such a popular fish nowadays, I decided to try it and we enjoyed this version just as much as one made with cod. Use whichever fish you prefer or have on hand.
I made my version much like the version I first had at the Scandinavian café: loaded with dill and topped with mashed potatoes. The dill pairs perfectly with the salmon and the mashed potatoes make the whole thing feel creamier.
Variations to the Salmon and Potato Au Grain recipe:
- Type of Cheese: Many au gratin recipes use cheddar. I used Jarlsberg here because it paired very well with the dill and salmon. Use what you like and can find locally.
- Dry Potatoes: If the mashed potato look a little dry, they will end up soaking up the sauce and leaving the whole dish dry. Add additional milk/broth to the potatoes as necessary to keep them moist.
- Homemade Shrimp Stock: Check out my easy recipe for shrimp stock. Alternatively, you can use any fish or seafood stock or broth that you can find.
- Peel the Potato? I almost always leave the skin on the potato because it is loaded with nutrients and fiber. You can certainly peel the potatoes if you prefer.
- Baking dish: I used two oblong baking ramekins, but an 8×8 inch glass pan works just as well.
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
- ¾ cup shrimp stock
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 TBS all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup 2% or whole milk, divided
- ½ tsp dried dill
- ¼ tsp salt, divided
- 1 cup shredded Jarlsberg cheese, divided
- 2 salmon fillets
- Fresh lemon wedges, for serving
- In a medium pot, cover potatoes with water so that it almost covers them. The tops should stick out of the water a little. Bring to a boil uncovered and simmer until the liquid has evaporated, 30-45 minutes. Check often as it gets close so that they do not scorch.
- Melt butter in a skillet. Whisk in flour to make a roux, stirring for 3-5 minutes to deepen the flavors. Whisk in ¾ cup shrimp broth and ½ cup milk. Stir until it comes back to a boil. Mix in dill and half the salt. Taste test and adjust seasonings as necessary. Remove from heat.
- When potatoes are cooked, mix in ¼ cup Jarlsberg cheese, ¼ cup milk, and the remaining salt. Mash with a potato masher to your desired consistency.
- In a baking dish, layer fish, potatoes, and sauce and top with remaining cheese. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes.
- Cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. Serve with fresh lemon wedges.
