How Simple is THAT: Poached Salmon (and some sauce recipes to top it )

As our weather continues warming up and I am wanting to spend more and more time outdoors, meals get lighter and less complicated. The grill comes into play a lot BUT I don't want to eat grilled food EVERYDAY -- I have found a solution to that -- poaching, salmon to be exact.


Poaching salmon is incredibly simple and the end result light, flavorful and sophisticated -- perfect for summertime company who will ohh-and-ahh all over this and you'll know how little work it took! Poached salmon is perfect for adding to salads, serving for breakfast with eggs and the possibilities are endless. 

What you'll need:

Salmon fillets - 4 of them at about 4-6 ounces each
sea salt
water
a slotted spatula
a pan deep enough that the salmon will be covered with your cooking liquid

Side note -- you could use white wine in your poaching liquid or lemon juice or add in some aromatic veggies but just water and salt is fine and the result is super flavorful.

Bring just enough water to cover your fillets to a boil. Add a good teaspoonful of sea salt and reduce the water to a simmer.

Gently lower fillets into simmering water and cook until salmon is opaque throughout, about 5 minutes (longer for thicker fillets).

Using a wide slotted spatula, remove salmon from the simmering water.

I then lay the poached fillet onto paper toweling and remove the skin and gently wipe any protein albumin (the white coagulated stuff) off the fillet. Serve hot or refrigerate and serve cold.

Here I have served the fillets with Rich Butter Sauce (see below) and a sprinkling of flat-leaf parsley. A salad on the side and what a fabulous meal in about 1/2 an hour!

This sauce is similar to hollandaise -- only much simpler. It can be used any where you would use a hollandaise sauce -- I especially like it over asparagus and poached salmon or eggs!

Rich Butter Sauce

2 egg yolks

2 tsp cold water

1 stick (8 Tbsp) butter

1 tsp lemon juice

parsley, optional

Cut butter into 8 1-Tbsp pieces. Set aside. Put the egg yolks into a heavy bottomed saucepan on a very low heat. Add the cold water and whisk thoroughly.

Add the butter, 1 Tbsp at a time, whisking all the time. As soon as one piece melts, add the next. The mixture will gradually thicken, but if it shows signs of becoming too thick or scrambled slightly, remove from the heat immediately and whisk in a teaspoon of cold water then continue. 

Do not stop whisking until completed. 

Once all the butter is worked in, whisk in lemon juice.

 Remove from heat and serve. 

Another suggestion for poached salmon is Cucumber Sauce -- great over chilled salmon. I am not sure if I grow dill to go with cucumbers or grow cucumbers to go with my dill -- either way, I will be eating this A LOT this summer!!

Cucumber Sauce

1 cucumber, diced finely
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp granulated sweetener
1/4 tsp red wine vinegar
1 c sour cream
2-3 Tbsp chopped fresh or 1 Tbsp dry dill

Dice cucumber finely and put in a small mixing bowl. Toss with the salt, sweetener, and vinegar. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes, then mix in the sour cream. Season to taste and fold in the dill. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Top poached salmon fillets before serving.