Last Updated on 15th August 2022 by
Although the word “poached” might give you a false impression that it’s a difficult way to cook salmon, it’s actually one of the easiest methods and some ideas on what to serve with poached salmon
Poaching generally refers to cooking tender meat and other food gently in a broth over low heat. Poaching a salmon is great because it retains the integrity as well as the nutritional benefits of the fish and produces a tender, succulent, and highly aromatic broth.
Since you dress the cold poached salmon with different sauces, there are tons of ideas on how to prepare your fancy yet simple recipe.
Today, we’ll provide you with the top 5 ideas for a cold poached salmon dinner, so you can choose the one that you like the most!
1. Traditional Cold Poached Salmon Recipe
Of course, the easiest and quickest way to prepare a cold poached salmon is to prepare it the traditional way without adding specific sauces.
The flavour of a cold poached salmon on its own along with the saute of vegetables like onions, celery, and carrots are preferred by a lot of people over covering it up with sauces.
This recipe will work great with any kind of salmon fish you have. However, it’s always better to go for wild-caught fish from a fish market over store-bought and farm-raised ones to avoid any added antibiotics or chemical pollutants.
The method is the base recipe for any type of poached salmon, so you can prepare the salmon this way before serving it with any of the sauces below. Here’s how to perfect it:
Traditional Cold Poached Salmon Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 salmon fillets with pin bones and skin removed (about 5 to 6 ounces each)
- 4 cups of cold or room temperature water
- 1 medium-sized yellow onion , cut into quarters
- 1 or 2 stalks of celery, chopped into large and equal-sized chunks
- 1 carrot, chopped into large and equal-sized chunks
- 3 tbsp of lemon juice
- 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
- 1 or 2 bay leafs
- 4 parsley sprigs
- A pinch of sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- Start by bringing a fish poacher, a large saute pan (about 3 quarts), or any low-sided pot that’s large enough to keep your salmon fillets spread unfolded.
- Add the water, lemon, carrots, celery, onions, bay leaf, whole peppercorns, parsley, and salt into the saute pan or pot but don’t heat it up just yet. (The best way to poach salmon easily is to get the salmon and the broth to heat up together.
- Add the salmon fillets to the poaching liquid, and make sure that the fillets are fully submerged and covered by the salmon.
- With everything ready, turn the heat up to medium heat and let it warm up the poaching liquid and the salmon fillets until the poaching liquid starts to wave or quiver. Make sure that you don’t let the water boil fully, as the ideal poaching temperature is between 165 to 180 degrees F (75 to 85 degrees C)
- Let the salmon cook by covering it for about 8 to 12 minutes. Check on the salmon for completion before taking it off the burner. (A tip here is to get the core of the salmon fillets to about 120 degrees F, which you can find out with a cooking thermometer stuck to the thickest part of the fillet)
- When the salmons are done, transfer them off the heat to a plate and let them rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve the fresh chilled or at room temperature. The salmons can be eaten alone or with the sauce of your choice.
Notes
Keep in mind that the fillets will continue to cook internally throughout this time, so make sure that you factor it in to keep the salmon juicy.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 733Total Fat: 42gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 30gCholesterol: 215mgSodium: 280mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 76g
2. Cold Poached Salmon with Dill & Yogurt Sauce Recipe
A lot of people might be asking “what to serve with cold poached salmon”. Ideally, the dill & yogurt sauce is one of the most popular choices to enjoy your cold poached salmon with. Here’s how to prepare it and what to serve with cold salmon.
Cold Poached Salmon with Dill & Yogurt Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 salmon fillets
- ¼ cup of fresh dill, chopped
- 1 cup of low-fat yogurt
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 celery stalk
- 2 tsp of lemon juice
- 2 cups of vegetable broth
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the salmon fillets the same way as the traditional method
- Combine celery, onion, and vegetable broth in a saucepan, then bring to a simmer for about 2 minutes
- Meanwhile, blend the yogurt, dill, and lemon with a hand mixer and set aside.
- When the salmons are ready, drizzle them with the sauce, then serve.
3. Cold Salmon Recipes with Mustard & Lime Sauce
Another popular sauce for cold poached salmon is the mustard & lime sauce. This one emphasises the acidic and aromatic quality of the fish, which is great for those who like a little zing in their dinner meals! Here’s a quick and easy guide to prepare the mustard lime sauce for cold poached salmon:
Cold Poached Salmon with Mustard & Lime Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup of sour cream
- 5 tbsp of dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp of honey
- 1 tsp of grated lemon peel
- 3 tbsp of lemon juice
- 1 tbsp of minced cilantro
- 1 tbsp of minced basil
Instructions
- Bring a blending bowl, and add the sour cream, mustard, honey, and lemon peel and juice, cilantro, and basil.
- Blend the mix in a food processor for 3 minutes
- Cover the mix and refrigerate for at least one hour
- Prepare the salmon fillets the same way as the traditional method
- Dazzle the sauce over the salmons.
4. Cold Poached Salmon with Asian Pesto and Watercress Salad Recipe
In addition to sauces, you can also try out the cold poached salmon with salads. Here’s a suggestion for a perfect juicy salad that combines watercress along with Asian pesto dressing:
Cold Poached Salmon with Asian Pesto and Watercress Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 2 cups of watercress
- 2 cups of purple cabbage, shredded
- ½ tsp of ginger root, grated
- ½ cup of cilantro leaves
- ½ cup of extra-virgin olive oil.
- ½ tsp of toasted sesame seeds
- 3 tbsp of lime juice
- ½ tsp honey
For the pesto:
- 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 cup of cilantro leaves
- ¼ cup of parsley leaves
- ¼ cup of mint leaves
- 3 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp of lime juice
- Pinch of salt, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the salmon fillets the same way as the traditional method
- Add all the ingredients for the pesto in a food processor then blend it at medium-high speed until smooth, then cover and set aside.
- Add olive oil, lime, ginger root, honey, and cilantro in a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Toss the cabbage and watercress in a salad bowl along with the contents of the food processor, then serve along with the salmon immediately.
Note: You can prepare the poached salmon with either the pesto alone, the salad alone, or with both.
5. Cold Poached Salmon with Coconut Ginger Sauce Recipe
Last but not least, if you want to try out a unique and offbeat but very delicious recipe for cold poached salmons, you should give this one a try! Here’s how to prepare cold poached salmon with coconut ginger sauce:
Cold Poached Salmon with Coconut Ginger Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 salmon fillets with pin bones and skin removed (about 5 to 6 ounces each)
- 4 cups of vegetable broth
- 2 cans of coconut milk (about 14.5 ounces)
- 1 tsp of ginger root
- 2 tsp of lemon juice
- 2 tsp red chili paste
Instructions
- Lightly salt the salmon fillets and set this aside for 5 minutes.
- bring a fish poacher, a large saute pan (about 3 quarts), or any low-sided pot that’s large enough to keep your salmon fillets spread unfolded, then add the broth, ginger, coconut milk, chili paste, lemon juice, and a dash of salt
- Bring the mix to a boil over high heat then reduce to a simmer over medium heat to extract the flavors and allow the coconut milk and ginger to fully infuse. This should take 10 to 15 minutes.
- When the broth is ready, carefully submerge the salmon fillets into the poacher and let it cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.
- Once the salmons are done, remove the salmons from the heat, let them cool down to barely warm, then serve them in the broth.
Wrap Up
There you have it! 5 ideas for a cold poached salmon dinner with a variety of sauces, so you can enjoy the tender and delicious fish in a wide range of delicious flavours.
As you can, the cold poached salmon can work with creamy and rich sauces as well as acidic and vegetable ones.
Most of the recipes are easy to prepare and you can always improvise a little if you don’t have some specific ingredients.
What to serve with poached salmon?
New potatoes, or maybe a Caprese salad or a mixture of fresh green beans and a creamy rich fish sauce.
I'm Pauline, a mother of four grown children, my passion for cooking stemmed from the joy i get cooking for my family. I love to try new dishes, especially when dining out but creating and sharing my own recipes is my favourite thing to do!