Poached King Salmon with Cucumber Beurre Blanc

I love salmon. Pure and simple. This is salmon season, and it is SO available right now. You don't have to pawn your diamonds and get Copper River, either. The King salmon is delicious, as well as the Columbia River. I love salmon that is a bit fatty, as it will yield a moister fish. The reason so many do not like salmon is because they cook it to death. Here is a recipe that will be delicious, and SO impressive. And it's easy, too!

Poached King Salmon with Cucumber Beurre Blanc


This recipe will yield 6 servings, but if you are serving more it is easy to just add a few more fillets. Ideally you will use a whole fish, but if that is too much the fillets will be ok. Try to get the fishmonger to give you the head and tail. You'll need them. If purchasing a whole fish get him too remove the pin bones with tweezers or needle nosed pliers.

6 6-8 oz salmon fillets
4 cups water
1 1/4 cup dry white wine
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp. white peppercorns
1 bunch parsley stems
1 small onion coarsely chopped
1/2 head fennel thickly sliced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery
1 tspn. salt
Cucumber Beurre Blanc * recipe to follow
peeled chopped cucumber

Place head and tail into a stock pot and cover with 4-5 cups of water. Add the wine and the next 6 ingredients. Bring it to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Pour through a fine mesh strainer and discard the solids. Return to a pot and stir in the salt. Pour this liquid into a fish poacher. If you don't have a poacher, don't worry about it. Use a 13 X 9 baking pan with a cake rack inside of it.

Bring the liquid to a boil, and add the fish. Simmer for 10 minutes, remove from heat, and let stand for 5 minutes.

Remove the salmon and place on serving plates. Top with Cucumber Beurre Blanc and chopped cucumber. Serve with steamed summer vegetables.

Cucumber Beurre Blanc

4 cups peeled chopped cucumber
1/2 cup whipping cream
3 tbspns fresh lemon juice
1 cup unsalted butter, cut in pieces
1/4 tspn salt
1/8 tspn ground white pepper

Process the cucumber in a food processor until liquefied. Strain and measure 1 cup of liquid. Combine this liquid, cream, and lemon juice in a saucepan, and bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 25 minutes or until it reduces to about 1/2 cup. Reduce heat to low and whisk in butter 1 piece at a time. DO NOT OVERHEAT OR IT WILL SEPARATE! Stir in salt and pepper.

Get ready for your guests to kiss your ass. Really. ;)