Impress any guest with a must-learn culinary technique and delicate flavours.
This recipe from America's Test Kitchen is amazing. With a few tweaks (adding alcohol, reducing the amount of poaching liquid, and resting the salmon on lemons), you can get the delicate flavours from poaching in less than 30 minutes! We suggest sharing this with your loved ones and making adjustments where you see fit (we know capers aren't for everyone).
POACHED SALMON WITH HERB AND CAPER VINAIGRETTE
Created by America’s Test Kitchen (note: the recipe on the America's Test Kitchen site is behind a paywall)
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ to 2-pound skinless Bessie salmon fillet
- 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 lemons
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, stems reserved
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon, stems reserved
- 1 large shallot, minced
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ½ cup water
- salt
- pepper
Tools
- 12-inch skillet with lid
- Instant-read thermometer to gauge doneness of fish (the recipe will yield salmon cooked to a medium-rare)
- Thin, wide spatula
- Fine-mesh strainer
Steps
- Line plate with paper towels.
- Cut top and bottom off 1 lemon, then cut into eight to ten ¼ inch-thick slices. Cut remaining lemon into 8 wedges and set aside.
- Arrange lemon slices in single layer across bottom of 12-inch skillet. Scatter herb stems and 2 tablespoons shallot evenly over lemon slices. Add wine and water to skillet.
- Use sharp knife to remove any whitish fat from belly of salmon and cut fillet into 4 equal pieces. Place salmon fillets in skillet, skinned side down, on top of lemon slices. Set pan over high heat and bring liquid to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until centre of fillets is still translucent when checked with tip of paring knife or until fillets register 125 degrees (for medium rare), 11 to 16 minutes.
- Remove pan from heat and, using spatula, carefully transfer salmon and lemon slices to prepared plate and tent loosely with aluminum foil.
- Return pan to high heat and simmer cooking liquid until slightly thickened and reduced to 2 tablespoons, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine capers, oil, honey, chopped parsley and tarragon, and remaining shallot into medium bowl.
- Strain reduced cooking liquid through fine-mesh strainer into bowl with herb mixture, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Whisk to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve, passing lemon wedges separately.
Enjoy!
Get cooking:
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