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Poached Irish salmon with herb butter
Gently poached salmon with a chive and lemon butter sauce
A side of poached salmon is the centrepiece of Irish wedding buffets, First Communion lunches and summer gatherings along the Moy and the Blackwater, where wild salmon once ran thick. Poached gently in a court bouillon, it stays silky and moist, and here it is served warm with a simple chive and lemon butter sauce, new potatoes and peas. Chef's tip: never let the poaching liquid boil; it should barely shiver, or the salmon tightens and leaks white curds.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the salmon
- 4 salmon fillets, skin onabout 150 g each
- 4 ¼ cups water
- 1 lemonsliced
- 1 small onionsliced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp salt
For the herb butter
- 3 ⅛ oz cold butterdiced
- 1 shallotfinely chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp chivessnipped
- 1 tbsp parsleychopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put the 4 ¼ cups water, 1 lemon, 1 small onion, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp black peppercorns and 1 tsp salt in a wide pan, bring to the boil and simmer 10 minutes. Turn the heat to its lowest.
12 minStep 2: Slide in the 4 salmon fillets, skin on skin-side down; the liquid should just cover it and barely tremble. Poach for 7–9 minutes, until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily at the thickest part.
9 minStep 3: Meanwhile, put the 1 shallot, 1 tbsp lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of the poaching liquid in a small pan and simmer until reduced to a spoonful.
4 minStep 4: Over a low heat, whisk in the 3 ⅛ oz cold butter a piece at a time until creamy. A common mistake is letting the sauce boil, which makes it split into oil. Stir in the 2 tbsp chives and 1 tbsp parsley.
3 minStep 5: Lift out the salmon with a fish slice, peel off the skin if you like, and serve with the sauce spooned over.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 36 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does poached Irish salmon with herb butter take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of salmon fillets, skin on?
- Trout or any firm white fish, same weight (check white fish a little sooner).
- What can I use instead of lemon?
- Lime, or 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice per lemon (no zest from bottled juice).
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