Court Bouillon For Poaching Fish Food

POACHED WHOLE SALMON

Steps:

• Prepare poacher Pour the Court Bouillon into a fish poacher and set the poacher over two burners on the stove. Lower the rack so it rests on the vegetables (in the court bouillon), then lay salmon on rack (trim the tail if necessary to fit inside). Add enough cool water to cover the fish completely; or, if only a small bit of fish is showing, you can cover it with a piece of parchment paper (cut to fit inside poacher).
• Poach fish Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce heat to medium-low. Check temperature with a candy thermometer and adjust heat so it is between 165° and 180°F (very few bubbles will break the surface but there should be steam coming from the surface). Poach salmon, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain the proper temperature, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest section registers 130°F (fish will continue cooking off heat). You can also test by inserting a knife into the flesh along the backbone; the flesh should still be slightly translucent and offer little resistance. The cooking time should be about 5 minutes per inch of thickness (once liquid has reached a simmer). Remove poacher from heat and allow it to cool until you no longer see any steam, about 1 hour. Lift the rack with the salmon from the poacher and set it over a large pan (or the sink) to allow the salmon to drain until just cool enough to handle, about 30 minutes.
• Prepare fish for serving Transfer salmon to a clean work surface. Use your fingers and a paring knife to pull and scrape off the skin from the top side of the fish. Use the back of the knife to scrape off any brown areas from the surface. Using two large spatulas, carefully slide the salmon onto a serving platter. At this point, the salmon can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 4 hours.
• Serve Slice the cucumber lengthwise into very thin strips. Arrange the strips diagonally across salmon, spacing them about 1 inch apart, and tuck the ends underneath so they appear to wrap around the fish. Garnish with watercress. Separate into pieces and serve sauce and lemon wedges on the side.
• The salmon is garnished with a mixture of watercress and Upland cress (a member of the mustard family with a sharp, spicy flavor), which are also used in the accompanying sauce. You can find Upland cress (also called English cress or garden cress) at farmers' markets, or use all watercress instead.
• A poacher is just the right size and shape for cooking a large whole fish, such as the salmon in this recipe. For smaller whole fish, a roasting pan fitted with a wire rack can be used instead.
• To make the paper-thin strips of cucumber that appear to wrap around the fish, a mandoline is the best tool. A Japanese-style mandoline, such as Benriner, is inexpensive and sold at most kitchen supply shops. A vegetable peeler can be used instead, but it will not be able to produce the same uniform thickness as the mandoline.
• Peel and finely chop 1 English cucumber, then toss with 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt and 1 tablespoon each Champagne vinegar and small (nonpareil) capers that have been rinsed and drained. Set aside for 5 minutes, then stir in 1 cup sour cream and 1/2 cup finely chopped cress (use half watercress and half Upland cress, if you can find it). Season with freshly ground pepper and more salt. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours before serving. Makes about 2 1/4 cups.

COURT-BOUILLON

Steps:

• Fill a large stockpot with 7 quarts of water. Make a bouquet garni: Place the herbs, spices, and bay leaves on a square of cheesecloth; tie into a bundle with kitchen twine. Add to pot. Stir in wine, leek, carrots, lemon, and salt.
• Cover, and bring mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat. Uncover; gently simmer 30 minutes. Pour through a fine sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. Let cool completely.

SEA BASS POACHED IN A COURT BOUILLON WITH SAUTEED BATONNET OF CARROTS AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Place a 12-inch saute pan on the stove, add the shallots, garlic and court bouillon to the pan. Set over a high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Season the sea bass fillets on both sides with the salt and white pepper. Place the fillets in the poaching liquid and cover with a lid, or a buttered round of parchment paper. Cook the fish for 5 to 6 minutes, or until cooked through.
• Remove the fillets from the poaching liquid using a slotted metal spatula and place on a warm plate loosely covered with aluminum foil. Put the plate in a warm place while you make the sauce. Raise the heat to high and reduce the court bouillon for about 10 minutes, or until reduced to 1/2 cup. Lower the heat, and add the butter to the pan a little at a time. Use a whisk to stir the cold butter into the sauce and season with salt and white pepper. Sprinkle the tarragon and chervil into the sauce and return the fish to the pan. Place the pan over a medium-low heat and warm the fish through, about 1 minute.
• In a 10-inch saute pan, set over a medium-heat, add the olive oil and 1 teaspoon of butter to the pan. Once the butter has melted, add the carrots to the pan and saute, stirring often for 1 1/2 minutes. Add the zucchini and 2 tablespoons of water to the pan and continue to cook for 2 minutes more. Season the vegetables with salt and white pepper and divide among 4 warmed entree plates. Place a sea bass fillet over the vegetables and divide the sauce among the 4 plates as well. Garnish with chervil.
• Combine all the ingredients into a 4-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for 45 minutes. Strain the bouillon and use immediately, or cool and refrigerate for later use. The bouillon may also be frozen and kept for several months.

HALIBUT IN SPICED COURT BOUILLON

Steps:

• In a 4- to 6-quart heavy saucepan bring wine and water to a boil with onion, carrot, celery, spices and salt and simmer 20 minutes. Add oil and halibut and poach fish at a bare simmer, covered, until just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer fish with a slotted spoon to 2 plates. Spoon court bouillon over fish. Sprinkle fish with fresh coriander and garnish with lemon wedges.

COURT BOUILLON

Steps:

• Fit a 10-quart fish poacher with a rack in the bottom, and place the poacher over 2 burners on top of the stove (or use a large stockpot). Fill with 7 quarts water (about three-quarters full). Tie the thyme, parsley, peppercorns, and fennel seeds together in a small piece of cheesecloth to make a bouquet garni, and place in the poacher; add the wine, leek, carrots, lemon, bay leaves, and salt. Cover, and bring to a simmer. Uncover; gently simmer for 30 minutes. Discard the bouquet garni. Let the bouillon cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. The bouillon can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months.