Poach delicious salmon steaks or fillets in only 15 minutes! Salmon poached in white wine, seasoned with fresh dill.
Whether you are entertaining a crowd or making a simple meal for one, there’s nothing more easy, healthy, and delicious than poached salmon. This is my hands down favorite way to prepare salmon, because it’s so quick!
Start to finish it takes only 15 minutes (at least with a small fillet), and it doesn’t stink up the kitchen the way broiling or frying salmon can.
The method we use is “shallow poaching”. Rather than submerging the salmon into a poaching liquid, we rest it on a bed of shallots, parsley, and dill, with a little white wine and water, bring to a simmer, cover and cook. The salmon cooks gently and absorbs the flavors of the aromatics.
How to make easy poached salmon
Poached Salmon Recipe
- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Cook time: 10 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2 to 4 or more, depending on the size of the fillet
Ingredients
- 1 to 1½ pounds salmon fillets, pin bones removed
- Salt
- ½ cup dry white wine (a good Sauvignon Blanc)
- ½ cup water
- 1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced or a few thin slices of onion
- Several sprigs of fresh dill or sprinkle of dried dill
- A sprig of fresh parsley
- Freshly ground black pepper
- A few slices of fresh lemon to serve
Method
1 Sprinkle the salmon fillets with a little salt. Put the wine, water, dill, parsley and shallots or onions in a sauté pan, and bring to a simmer on medium heat.
2 Place salmon fillets, skin-side down on the pan. Cover.
3 Cook 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet, or to desired done-ness. Do not overcook.
Serve sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper and a slice or two of lemon.
Links:
Shallow poaching versus deep poaching – an explanation on Wikipedia
Feed a crowd with a large fillet poached in a fish poacher or a pan wide enough to hold the whole fillet. Add enough white wine and water to cover the bottom of the pan by at least 1/4 of an inch.
