Aquavit Poached Salmon With Leeks And Dill Food

POACHED SALMON WITH LEEKS

Steps:

• Trim the roots and leaves from the leeks, leaving the soft white stem. Chop the stem into sections and place in a colander over the sink, or in a bowl of water. Rinse the leeks very thoroughly, these are notoriously grainy vegetables and you don't want the dirt to end up in your food, and pat dry. In a straight edge sauté pan with a lid over medium heat add the butter and allow to melt. Then add the leeks and sauté until tender. About 8 minutes.
• Once the leeks are tender pour in the chicken broth until it just covers the leeks. If you need a little more broth than the 2 cups called for, add a little more bit by bit. Then, add the salmon steaks on top, making sure they are separated a little. If there is skin on the salmon, place the skin side up so that the fish is resting directly on the leeks.
• Turn up the heat so that the broth is simmering. Place the lid on the pan and cook the salmon for 8 minutes. After that, check to make sure the steaks are cooked through. If not, continue cooking for 1-2 more minutes.
• Divide the leeks between two plates. Serve one salmon steak on top of each bed of leeks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

COLD POACHED SALMON WITH DILL MUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• To poach salmon, begin by placing the small bunch of dill inside cavity of the salmon, and put salmon in a fish poacher or a large roasting pan. (If necessary remove head to fit salmon in pan.) Cover with water, and add salt, sugar, mustard seeds, peppercorns and onion. Place over high heat, and bring to a boil. Turn salmon over, and cook 10 minutes. Turn off heat, and let salmon cool in water for about an hour.
• To make sauce, whisk together the mustard and brown sugar in a small pitcher. Add sour cream and vinegar, and whisk until smooth. Mix in the chopped dill, and season with salt. Cover, and refrigerate until serving.
• To serve, remove salmon from poaching liquid and lay on large sheet of parchment or waxed paper. Remove skin from top, gently peeling it away, along with fins. Carefully lift top layer of salmon in one long fillet, removing it from backbone and transferring it to a large platter.
• Lift backbone off fish in one piece, and pick out any other visible bones. Turn fish over, and remove skin as before. Then place second fillet alongside the first on platter. Arrange leafy sprigs of dill between fillets, and drizzle sauce on top. Scatter lemon wedges around edges of plate. Pass pitcher of sauce separately.

SALMON & LEEK PARCEL

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Place two sheets of baking parchment (large enough to wrap up each salmon fillet) on your work surface.
• Put the leeks in a pan with 6 tbsp water, cover and bring to the boil. Cook for 5 mins until the water has been absorbed and the leeks are almost tender. Stir in the mascarpone, 1 tbsp dill and some seasoning.
• Spoon half the creamy leeks into the middle of one sheet of parchment and place a salmon fillet on top, then repeat to make a second parcel. Sprinkle over the lemon zest with a squeeze of juice, then scatter over the capers and the remaining 1 tsp dill.
• Bring the parchment up over the fish and join the two edges together by folding them over several times down the middle. Do the same with the ends and place the parcels, spaced apart, on a baking sheet.
• Bake for 12-15 mins, depending on how well done you like your fish, then carefully tear open the parcel. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over, baby potatoes and wilted spinach, if you like.

CREAMY SALMON, LEEK & POTATO TRAYBAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Bring a medium pan of water to the boil. Add the potatoes and cook for 8 mins. Drain and leave to steam-dry in a colander for a few minutes. Toss the potatoes with ½ of the oil and plenty of seasoning in a baking tray. Put in the oven for 20 mins, tossing halfway through the cooking time.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the leek and fry for 5 mins, or until beginning to soften. Stir through the garlic for 1 min, then add the cream, capers and 75ml hot water, then bring to the boil. Stir through the chives.
• Heat the grill to high. Pour the creamy leek mixture over the potatoes, then sit the salmon fillets on top. Grill for 7-8 mins, or until just cooked through. Serve topped with extra chives and capers and a salad on the side, if you like.

DILL POACHED SALMON

Steps:

• Place the salmon fillets in a large pot, and pour in the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and place dill in the pot. Cover, and cook 15 minutes, or until fish is easily flaked with a fork.

SALMON WITH CARAMELIZED LEEKS

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with foil, and spray with cooking spray.
• Trim away the root end, tough outer leaves, and dark green tops of the leeks. Cut the leeks lengthwise into quarters, then crosswise into thirds. Wash the leeks well to remove any grit, and drain in a colander.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook and stir the leeks until they have started to soften, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the leeks with brown sugar, and cook until they turn brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the matchstick carrots, sprinkle with kosher salt, and cook and stir until the carrots are tender, about 5 minutes.
• Place the salmon on the prepared baking sheet, rub the fillets with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the salmon until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily but isn't dry, about 10 minutes per 1 inch of thickness. Remove the cooked fillets to plates, and top each fillet with 1/4 of the caramelized leeks and carrots.

SAUTéED SALMON WITH LEEKS AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• If there are any bones in the salmon, pull them out with tweezers and discard. Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper.
• Trim off the stem ends of the leek. Cut the leek lengthwise into thin slices. Finely chop the leek. There should be about 1/3 cup.
• Drop the tomatoes into boiling water and let stand 9 to 12 seconds.
• Peel and remove the cores. Cut the flesh of the tomatoes into quarter-inch cubes. There should be about 1 1/4 cups.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a nonstick skillet over moderately high heat and add the salmon pieces skinned side up. Cook 2 minutes and then turn the pieces. If you want the salmon medium rare, cook the fish 2 minutes longer. Transfer the fish to a warm platter.
• Add the remaining oil to the skillet. Add the tomatoes and leek, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Cook about 1 minute. Pour the mixture over the salmon and sprinkle with the coriander or basil.

EASY POACHED SALMON WITH DILL

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
• Remove any visible bones and cut off the head and tail (if it hasn't already been done for you) If using a poacher place the tray in the poacher, add 1/4 cup water and place your salmon in the tray skin side down.
• If you do not have a fish poacher (how many of us do?) you can use any oven safe pan large enough to hold your fish.
• Just crumple and crinkle a medium sized sheet of tin foil and place your fish on the foil skin side down.
• Add enough water to just come to the edge of the foil without spilling onto the fish (approx 1/3 cup).
• On top of the fish sprinkle all ingredients.
• Cover with lid or tin foil.
• Cook for 12-20 min's.
• For RARE fish, cook just until white liquid emerges from fish (this is the cooked fish oil).
• It will be pinky white on the outside and peachy pink inside.
• For more well done fish, cook until fish is a pinky white color all the way through.
• Place on a platter to serve.
• Leave onions, capers and dill on the fish.
• Slice lemons on the side for those who like fresh lemon juice.
• This salmon is great served with rice and steamed veggies or a salad.

AQUAVIT "POACHED" SALMON WITH LEEKS AND DILL

Steps:

• In a large, deep, heavy-bottomed skillet heat butter over med-high heat until melted and pan is hot. Add leeks and sautee until slightly tender - about 5 minutes. Add dill and sautee for about 1 minute. Add aquavit and boil for about 2-3 minutes to help burn off alcohol. Add orange juice, bring to a gentle biol. Place salmon fillets on top of leeks and cover. "steam" on med-low until salmon is just cooked through.