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Poached Salmon With Dill Mayonnaise
Serves 8 - 10
- 1 51/2-lb (2. 75-kg) salmon, cleaned
- salt and black peppercorns
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) white vinegar
- mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh dill
TO GARNISH
- 1/4-0Z (7-g) envelope unflavored gelatin
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
- 2 lemons
- 1/2 lb (250 g) shrimp, cooked and peeled dill sprigs
- small pieces of red pepper
STEPS :
- Lift out the rack from a poacher and set aside. Half fill the poacher with cold
water and add 2 tbsp salt, 12 black peppercorns, the bay leaves, onion, and vinegar.
- Put the salmon on the rack and lower into the poacher. Bring to a boil, then simmer
for 1 minute only. Remove from the heat, cover, and leave to stand for about 2 hours,
until the fish is just warm.
- Lift the rack and salmon out of the poacher. Strain the cooking liquid and reserve.
Cover the salmon with a large piece of plastic wrap and flip the fish over onto
the plastic wrap. Bone and skin the salmon (see box, below). Cover and chill in
the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Reserve 2 tbsp of the mayonnaise. Add the dill to the remaining mayonnaise, put
into a serving bowl, and chill until ready to serve.
- Make an aspic by following the gelatin package instructions, using 2 cups (600 ml)
of the cooking liquid. Arrange the cucumber slices over the fish to represent scales.
When the aspic has just started to thicken, brush a thin glaze over the fish and
cucumber. Leave to set, then brush another layer of aspic over the fish and cucumber.
- Cut lengthwise grooves in the lemons with a small knife, cut in half lengthwise,
and slice. Garnish the salmon with the lemon slices, shrimp, reserved mayonnaise,
dill sprigs, and red pepper. Serve with mayonnaise.
Boning and skinning a salmon
1 Using a chefs knife, neatly remove the head from the salmon.
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2 Run the knife along the backbone of the fish to loosen the top
fillet.
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3 Flip the top fillet over and remove the bones from the fish.
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4 Use the plastic wrap to flip the bottom fillet back onto the
top and remove the skin and any dark flesh.
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5 Use the plastic wrap to flip the fish onto a large serving plate
and remove the remaining skin.
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6 With a small knife, gently scrape away the brownish flesh, leaving
behind only the pink flesh.
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