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Recipe Detail Page
Classic Poached Salmon
Early Summer 2003
This is one of the most delightful ways to eat salmon. It feeds a large group of people and is perfect for festive lunches or buffet dinners. It is always best to poach salmon on the bone - the salmon flavour is enhanced and it remains moist. Though the bones are easily removed (just lift them out with a pair of tongs after the salmon is poached and the top fillet has been taken off), many people just don't want to deal with them. This recipe, therefore, uses already-boned salmon, but you need two pieces, one on top of the other, to approximate the thickness of a fish that has its bones intact.
Serves 8 to 10
Two 2 lb (1 kg) center-cut salmon pieces, bones removed, skin on
Salt and freshly ground pepper
12 cups (3 L) Court Bouillon (recipe follows)
Garnish
Seedless cucumber
Lemon slices
Watercress
1. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).
2. Season each piece of salmon with salt and pepper, and place one on top of the other. Measure salmon horizontally at its thickest part. Wrap salmon in cheesecloth and place in buttered baking dish.
3. Bring court bouillon to boil and pour over fish. It should come three-quarters of the way up the fish. Cover dish with foil and place on baking sheet. Transfer to oven and cook for 5 minutes per inch (2.5 cm). Remove from oven, uncover and cool in broth.
4. Place on serving platter, using the cheesecloth to help with the transfer. Undo cheesecloth and remove top layer of skin. Using cheesecloth again, turn salmon over and place skinned side down on serving platter. Remove the cheesecloth and top layer of skin.
5. Thinly slice cucumber on a mandolin or slicer. Bring a pot of water to a boil, immerse cucumber slices and bring back to boil. Immediately drain. Pat cucumber slices dry. Overlap on top of fish to simulate scales. Decorate platter with lemon slices and watercress. Slice and serve with Green Herb Mayonnaise.
Serves 8 to 10
Court Bouillon
Use this for salmon or other large fish. Court Bouillon can be strained after using, refrigerated or frozen up to six months. Add water to top it up.
12 cups (3 L) water
1 cup (250 mL) dry white wine
1/2 cup (125 mL) wine vinegar
2 onions, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
2 bay leafs
6 stalks parsley
1 tsp (5 mL) dried thyme
1 tbsp (15 mL) whole peppercorns
1. In a large pot on high heat, bring all the ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Makes about 12 cups (3 L)
