Poached Salmon
For those around the Easter table who really want some meat or fish then poaching wild salmon from a sustainable source is a great compromise. Serve warm with spring veg and baby new potatoes or perhaps that big platter of seasonal steamed vegetables. Leftovers are versatile too for the fish eaters around you.
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Prep: less than 30 mins
Cook: 30mins to 1hr
Serves: 8
Ingredients
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1 whole salmon 2.5-2.75kg/4lb 15¼oz-6lb 1oz
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1 onion, chopped
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2 bay leaves
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4 tbsp white wine vinegar
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1 lemon, quartered
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sea salt
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cracked black pepper
Method
Place the salmon in a fish kettle. If you haven't got one a large roasting tin will do fine. You might have to cut the head and tail off – headless looks better when serving to sensitive souls.
Add enough cold water to cover the fish (it must be covered). Add the onion, bay leaves, vinegar and lemon and a good pinch of salt and a little black pepper.
Cover with a lid, or tin foil, and bring to the boil on the stove. It is easier and quicker to put two rings on underneath the fish. Once it is boiling, turn off the heat and allow the fish to stand in the water until cool.
Carefully remove the salmon and place onto a board. Carefully scrape off the skin and place on a large flat serving dish. Serve with lemon wedges and a bowl of hollandaise or Mousseline sauce.
Pairing
With the poached salmon you could serve a barrel aged white or a lighter red. Don't believe that red wine doesn't go with fish - it all depends on the sauces that are with the fish. With this recipe, Sally says that of course Château George 7 white would fit the bill perfectly, it’s fermented and aged on the lees in Burgundy oak barrels. Wendy suggests that to push the boat out, perhaps try a dry white from Pessac Leognan, one of the oldest wine appellations of Bordeaux. A favourite is Château Olivier white, also barrel-aged, it has Semillon and a touch of Muscadelle in the Sauvignon dominated blend, making it aromatic and with enough weight even for that garlic mayonnaise.