Poaching is one of the easiest and best methods of cooking salmon. Among the major benefits are that it's a significantly cleaner way of cooking, the fish remains intact, it retains its valuable vitamins and minerals in the meat, and the taste, especially when olive oil and lemon are added, is unlike any other.
With this key detail out of the way, here's 7 easy steps for learning how to poach salmon.
Step 1 - prepare the meat
You need 6.5 oz (180 g) of meat for one serving. Debone the salmon and remove the skin.
Step 2 - choose a broth to poach the fish in
There are several ways of poaching the fish. The traditional recipe uses plain old water but if you'd like a more different taste, use vegetable broth. The best method is to boil 2 finely chopped carrots, 1 onion head, 1 bay leaf, 2 tbsp white wine, black pepper and water. Let the water come to a boil and strain the liquid. Then poach the fish with it. You also have the option of using plain vegetable or chicken broth but this should be a last resort because the taste isn't like that of the homemade one.
Step 3 - choose the spices
If using water instead of broth, add spices. For a lighter aroma use lemon or lime, plus thyme, dill and parsley. For a stronger aroma use lemon, ginger, anise, soya sauce.
Step 4 - heat the liquid
Heat the liquid on low heat. Add the spices and let them simmer for 5 min. If poaching a whole fish, put it in the water while it's still cold and then add the spices.
Step 5 - add the salmon
The secret to a masterful poaching is keeping the water temperature at just under boiling point. Keeping it at 200°F (95 °C) is best. Make sure that the salmon is fully submerged.
Step 6 - cooking the salmon
If poaching on the stove, the meat needs to stay in the water for 8-10 min. depending on how you like it.
If poaching in the oven - heat the oven to 390°F (200 °C) and poach for 15 min.
Step 7 - final preparations and serving
Serve the poached salmon with a garnish of sauteed vegetables. Garnish everything with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. You can also use freshly prepared quinoa, boiled spinach, peas and a little pesto. Another suitable garnish is green salad and a hard-boiled egg.
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