Cold Poached Salmon

By John, 23 November, 2011
Description

Cold Poached SalmonI make this quite a lot. It is in demand at family, work, and club gatherings, and I frequently hear hyperbolic exclamations from those who never had it before. Those who have had it just want to be sure they get it again!

To make this, you need a quantity of Court-Bouillon for Poached Salmon that's enough to cover the fish in the poacher. Paradoxically, for a big fish like this one, you need less than you would for a smaller dinner-size fish in the same poacher, because you need only enough to cover the fish and a big fish takes up more volume. I usually poach a dinner-size piece in a smaller pan.

Yield
20 Small Servings
Preparation time
3 hours
Ingredients
2 1⁄2 lb Atlantic Salmon (trimmed to fit your poacher - cut the thin side away)
3 c Court-Bouillon for Poached Salmon (enough to just cover the fish)
Instructions

  1. Trim the fish to fit a two-burner fish poacher, and set it on a piece of parchment paper on the tray.

  2. Add wine and all other ingredients, plus water to cover.

  3. Cover the poacher and turn on both burners medium-low.

  4. Bring the Court-Bouillon for Poached Salmon slowly to a good simmer, but not to a full boil.

  5. Turn off the heat and leave the poacher to cool undisturbed. If you have an electric range, then remove the poacher from the hot elements to cool. The heat in the court-bouillon will cook the fish through.

  6. When the poacher is no longer hot to the touch, put the whole thing in the refrigerator (I set it outside in the trunk of the car in winter).

  7. When the court-bouillon is cold, lift out the fish and rinse briefly under cold water, then plate it.

  8. Serve cold with Dill Sauce.

Notes

This simple recipe is traditional in technique; its elegance comes from the selection and quality of ingredients.