| 109 | 110 | 111 | 112 | 113 |
| 1 | 103 | 205 | 308 | 410 |
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add plain water to determine the quantity of liquid you'll need to submerge the whole fish. Don't
cook the fish past 140°F (60°C), measured in the center of the thickest part. The internal
temperature keeps going up for several minutes after you remove the fish from the heat, giving
you the margin of safety.
Removing the fish from the hot poaching liquid is not the easiest task. You may use
turkey lifting tools or large spatulas or you may wrap the fish in a single layer of cheesecloth
before putting it into the liquid, so you can lift it out in one piece. Using heavy rubber gloves is
another possibility—it protects your hands from the hot liquid for 15 or 20 seconds, long enough
to quickly but gently lift the fish out.
Seafood should never boil, although some cookbooks apply the term boiling for
poaching. Even chowders and soups should not boil but gently simmer. The difference in
temperature between a full boil and a gentle simmer is about 10 or 15 degrees. In a gentle
simmer only a small number of bubbles come to the surface instead of a whole army, as in
boiling.
Whole poached salmon
Here's a recipe made with whole salmon that will impress even your most jaded guest.
Few fish preparations are as elegant or impressive as a full poached fish with head and tail on,
adorned with tasteful garnishing and served cold. On a buffet table a whole fish is always a
winner, overshadowing just about anything else. Few nonprofessional cooks are willing to
undertake a whole poached fish; its preparation appears overwhelming. But all you need is a
little experience and two basic pieces of equipment: a large shallow pot (if you don't own a fish
poacher) and an accurate pocket thermometer that guarantees to remove the fish from the heat
when it is cooked just to perfection and not a minute sooner or later.
The special poaching liquid lends its flavor to the fish. After cooking you can freeze this
liquid (if you have enough freezer space) and use it over and over again. I freeze mine in one or
two large, heavy plastic bags. Each time you poach in this liquid, the flavor improves as it
borrows a little from every fish you cook in it.
I often use salmon in this recipe, but any fish full-flavored fatty fish lends itself to this
technique. I wouldn't recommend one that is downright ugly, like eel or monkfish. Reserve these
for a special Halloween feast. The taste is not compromised by their appearance.
If a whole fish is too large or too intimidating for you, choose a large fillet instead. Its
presentation is not quite as striking, but the delicious flavor is there, and serving a fillet is far
easier than dealing with a whole fish. If you chose a fish that is too large for your poaching
container, cut it in half crosswise and poach the two halves separately or side by side (if they fit
the pan). Cool, then reassemble the fish on the serving platter after squaring the two cuts with a
sharp knife and hide the demarcation line with garnish or a light glazing sauce. No one will know
there are two pieces.
For a light buffet or hors d'oeuvres, count on 6 to 8 ounces (170 to 225 g) for a whole
dressed fish per serving, 2 to 3 ounces (55 to 85 g) if you poached fillets. Double the amount per
serving if it is a main course.
Ingredients
1
whole dressed salmon
play © erdosh 111
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