Cold Poached Salmon With Fennel Relish Food

SALMON WITH FENNEL

Steps:

• Have the fishmonger cut the head and tail off the salmon and butterfly it, removing all the bones. You should have about 7 pounds of salmon.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Saute the onions and fennel in the olive oil for 10 minutes on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Add the thyme leaves, fennel fronds, orange zest, orange juice, salt, and pepper and saute for 5 more minutes, until the onions and fennel are tender. Taste for salt and pepper.
• Lay the salmon, skin side down, on a cutting board and sprinkle both sides generously with salt and pepper. Spread the fennel filling over half of the salmon. Pull the other half up and over the filling, enclosing it. Tie the salmon every 2 inches with kitchen string to secure the stuffing.
• Place a sheet pan lined with parchment paper in the oven for 5 minutes to heat it. Carefully transfer the salmon to the hot sheet pan and bake it for exactly 30 minutes (10 minutes for each 1-inch of thickness). Do not overbake!
• Allow to cool slightly, then remove the strings. To serve, cut into thick slices with a very sharp knife. This salmon is delicious hot or at room temperature.
• Note: If you're making this in advance, be sure to cool the filling before stuffing the salmon. Refrigerate until ready to roast.

COLD POACHED SALMON WITH FENNEL RELISH

Steps:

• Bring first 4 ingredients to simmer in heavy wide saucepan over low heat for 15 minutes. Strain. Return liquid to same pan and bring to boil. Turn off heat. Add salmon and cook 5 minutes per side. Using slotted spatula, transfer salmon to baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate. (Can be made 1 day ahead.)
• Combine remaining ingredients in small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate.
• Place salmon on plates. Spoon relish over salmon and serve.

EASY POACHED SALMON

Steps:

• First make the poaching liquid for the fish. Put the peppercorns, 2 tsp salt, vinegar, fennel, bay leaves and parsley stalks in a saucepan with 2.5 litres of water, and bring to the boil. Boil for 10 mins so all the flavours infuse into the liquid.
• Make sure that you choose a roasting tin big enough to hold the salmon fillet. Strain the liquid into the empty tin, bring to the boil on the hob, then add the fish, skin-side down, making sure it is covered in liquid. Scatter around the lemon slices, and simmer gently for 1-2 mins until the fish changes colour completely. Cover the surface with a large piece of foil, turn off the heat and leave to cool completely. The fish will cook as the liquid cools.
• To make the salsa verde, put all the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor, then blitz to make a bright, slightly chunky sauce. Season to taste.
• Carefully remove the salmon to a serving platter and peel away the skin if you like. Serve with the salsa verde, new potatoes and asparagus.

COLD-POACHED SALMON WITH CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• Place salmon, carrots, celery, shallots, fennel, leek, peppercorns, and wine in a fish poacher or large roasting pan and add enough water to cover. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer; cook until salmon is firm to the touch and some of the fat begins to come to the surface of the fish, about 10 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat and let fish cool in liquid. Transfer to refrigerator until chilled, about 1 hour.
• Remove fish from pan and transfer to a serving platter. Serve with cucumber salad, honey mustard mayonnaise, and rye bread.

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.

BAKED SALMON WITH FENNEL & TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Trim the fronds from the fennel and set aside. Cut the fennel bulbs in half, then cut each half into 3 wedges. Cook in boiling salted water for 10 mins, then drain well. Chop the fennel fronds roughly, then mix with the parsley and lemon zest.
• Spread the drained fennel over a shallow ovenproof dish, then add the tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil, then bake for 10 mins. Nestle the salmon among the veg, sprinkle with lemon juice, then bake 15 mins more until the fish is just cooked. Scatter over the parsley and serve.