French
Poached Salmon
Individual salmon portions cook in a restrained court bouillon held well below a simmer. The low, stable liquid temperature gives an evenly tender texture with minimal albumin, while lemon-dill vinaig
4 servings · 20 minutes prep · 27 minutes cook
Ingredients
Court bouillon
- 4 cups (950 ml) water
- 1 cup (240 ml) dry white wine
- 1 small carrot, thinly sliced
- 1 small leek, white and pale-green parts sliced and washed
- 4 parsley sprigs
- 2 dill sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 black peppercorns
- 1 strip lemon peel
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt (6 g)
Salmon
- 4 center-cut skinless salmon fillets, 6 ounces (170 g) each and about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick
Lemon-dill finish
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot
- Pinch of fine sea salt
Directions
Make the court bouillon
- Combine all court-bouillon ingredients in a wide saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook 15 minutes. Strain and return the liquid to a skillet just large enough to hold the salmon in one layer.
Poach and serve
- Adjust the liquid to 175°F to 180°F (79°C to 82°C), with steam but no bubbling. Lower in the salmon. The liquid should cover the fillets; add hot water if needed.
- Maintain 170°F to 180°F (77°C to 82°C) for 8 to 12 minutes, until the thickest part reaches 145°F (63°C) for a fully cooked result. Do not boil.
- Whisk the finish ingredients. Lift salmon with a slotted spatula, blot the underside, and serve warm with the lemon-dill mixture.
