Poached salmon in court bouillon
Poaching salmon creates a tender texture and retains the salmon's delicate flavour. Served with a miso mayonnaise, pickled cucumber and buttery new potatoes.
Ingredients
For the court bouillon
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 carrot, peeled and sliced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 fresh thyme sprig
- 100ml/3½fl oz white wine vinegar
- 6 black peppercorns
- 1 star anise
- 4 sushi-grade salmon fillets (180g/6¼oz each)
- salt
For the new potatoes
- 400g/14oz new potatoes, scrubbed
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú butter
- handful fresh chives, finely chopped
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the pickled cucumber
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
- 150ml/5fl oz white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
For the olive oil mayonnaise
- 2 free-range egg yolks
- 2 tsp white wine vinegar
- 400ml/14fl oz extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp miso paste
For the salad
- 25ml/¾fl oz white wine vinegar
- 100ml/3½fl oz extra virgin olive oil
- handful mixed salad leaves, such as frisée, radicchio, lollo rosso or Little Gem
- pinch salt
Method
To make the court bouillon, place all of the ingredients and 1 litre/1¾ pint water in a large saucepan and simmer for 30 minutes.
Season the salmon fillets with salt and place them into the simmering court bouillon. Turn the heat off and cook for 4–6 minutes, or until pink inside and the fish has an internal temperature of 45C when tested with a food thermometer. Remove the salmon from the court bouillon.
Meanwhile, to make the potatoes, bring a saucepan of well salted water to the boil and cook the potatoes for 15–20 minutes. Drain the potatoes, set aside and retain the cooking water. Make an emulsion with potato water and the butter by whisking until fully combined. Return the emulsion to the saucepan and reduce until it thickens. Toss the potatoes, chives and emulsion together and season with salt and pepper.
To make the pickled cucumber, place all of the ingredients together in a bowl and leave to pickle for 20 minutes.
To make the mayonnaise, whisk the egg yolks and vinegar by hand in a bowl with a whisk. Slowly incorporate the oil, making sure every drop is fully incorporated before adding more oil. Once all the oil is added, whisk in the salt and miso.
To make the salad, mix the vinegar and olive oil in a bowl and season with salt. Pour the dressing over the salad leaves, and toss to dress.
Serve the salmon with the potatoes, miso mayonnaise and dressed salad leaves alongside.