Our family often receives packages of homemade smoked salmon as gifts from neighbors, friends, and coworkers. Every pouch of smoky red, glistening salmon contains a story that speaks of a day on the water, a fish that fought the good fight, and the mindful way the catch was taken home to be preserved and shared.
Many smoked salmon methods and recipes go back generations, each family having their own well-kept secrets on how to portion it, how to brine it, how to flavor it, how to smoke it. When we pull out a package of smoked salmon, inevitably, we bring our pride and our history to the table right along with it.
There’s no better time to pull out our treasured smoked salmon than during the holidays. It’s a time when we are cooking for a crowd and we are cooking to impress, to celebrate, and to give loved ones a taste of this Alaska life. It’s a time when we have more reason than ever to gather and linger around a meal, surrounded by our people. This rich smoked salmon frittata with potatoes and goat cheese is a perfect breakfast or brunch to make for an entire crew on a special occasion. I recommend serving this dish with some sparkling mimosas and plenty of fishing stories.