Shallow poaching is a fast, easy, and delicious way to enjoy any fish. From a delicate Whitefish to this fatty Norwegian caught King Salmon you can bring your dinner from pan to plate with a naturally occurring elegant presentation. Shallow poaching can be done with a variety of liquids like the deep flavors of seafood stock or chicken broth and lemon. There is nothing more luxurious than poaching fresh fish with butter and a splash of white wine. By continuously basting any fish in melted salted butter the flavor of the sea and richness of the salmon become amplified. The same butter left in the pan can then be used to make the risotto.
Bellino Risotto, found in multiple varieties on the shelves of Joe’s, is a fine arborio rice from Italy. Risotto requires time to prepare so build this into your prep time. Achieving a perfect texture is a graceful dance of stirring, simmering, adding stock, stirring some more, and rendering down. Once you have achieved the al dente texture you will understand the seemingly tedious effort was worth it.
Ingredients
- Four 8 oz salmon fillets
- 2 cups risotto
- 1/2 lb bacon
- One bunch asparagus tips
- 1 bunch kale
- 1 cup grape tomatoes
- 1 cup white wine
- 3 tbs butter
- salt, pepper, olive oil
Instructions
- Pat salmon fillets dry and pull skin away in one gentle pull. There is no need to keep the skin on when shallow poaching fish as you are not going to get a crispy skin using this technique.
- Sprinkle each side with crushed peppercorns and salt.
- In a large pan melt three tablespoons of salted butter on medium heat.
- Drizzle olive oil to ensure your butter does not scorch. It is fine if it browns slightly.
- Add white wine.
- When the pan slightly steams gently place salmon into the liquid. This is a shallow poach, so the liquid does not need to completely cover the fillets of fish.
- Use a spoon to continuously ladle butter wine sauce over the fish for four to five minutes. Baste fish until slightly opaque while maintaining its translucence.
- Set fish aside.
- Roughly chop bacon. In the same pan cook bacon down until fat has been rendered.
- Add risotto and allow to toast in bacon.
- After a couple of minutes begin adding 1/4 increments of broth to the pan and stir continuously. This process should take about fifteen minutes for the risotto to become al dente and a creamy texture.
- Add asparagus tips, grape tomatoes, and kale. Warm vegetables through.
- To plate serve a heaping spoon of risotto and lay salmon filet over the bed of rice.
This recipe comes from: Emily Frye – Food On The Monon