So tonight was the first time I poached something other than eggs. And I have to admit I was a little nervous about poaching fish. It is just hard to tell if it's done. And it is a little scary just throwing hot liquid on a fish and calling it done. I know that my fear makes absolutely no sense at all, especially since I am one of the biggest sushi fans on the planet...and yes I know that it is raw fish...but when fish is supposed to be cooked...you want it cooked, right? Yes, I know it is totally a psychological mind F*#k.



Anyway, tonight I poached salmon. I figured this has got to be good as it is a Bon Appetit recipe and they have been pretty darn successful for a few years (understatement of the year). So I tried it! First you season the salmon with salt, pepper and fresh tarragon.

 If you are unfamiliar with tarragon, it is an herb, and it has a slightly similar taste to black licorice. Next you submerge the salmon in boiling vegetable broth and let it sit for 15 minutes. It kind of looks like a nasty pond that you don't want to swim in.








Meanwhile, you make my favorite part of the dish...the avocado sauce. In a food processor, puree the avocado, yogurt, cumin, lime juice, salt and pepper.


Yum! This is almost like a creamier, tangier guacamole. I could have seriously just eaten this part by the spoonful...ok a few did end up in my mouth. But I knew I needed it for the dish...so I put the spoon down...hard but necessary!


Next you make the "salad" portion. Combine the arugula, sliced cherry tomatoes, shallots, peas, olive oil and salt/pepper. I have very rarely had shallots raw, but these were good. They added a nice crunch to the dish and the flavor of the shallots complimented the spice of the arugula. If you are unfamiliar with arugula it is in the lettuce family, but it has a peppery taste.

Finally, you place the avocado mixture on the place and put the fish on top. You can either serve the arugula salad between the avocado and fish layer or as a side, like I did. The flavors meld very well together, so just have fun with it!

Here is the full recipe:


2 8-ounce skinless salmon fillets (preferably wild), halved crosswise
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
20 fresh tarragon leaves, torn
1 quart vegetable broth
2 cups stringed trimmed sugar snap peas or snow peas
2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 tablespoon (or more) fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
4 cups arugula
20 grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh chives
4 lime wedges
Preparation
Season fish with salt and pepper. Place in an 8x8x2" or 9x9x2" metal or glass baking dish. Scatter half of tarragon over fish. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes
Bring broth to a boil in a small pot. Pour over salmon to submerge. Let stand until cooked to medium-rare, 10–15 minutes. Using a spatula, transfer to a plate; chill.
Cook sugar snap peas in a pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer peas to a bowl of ice water. Let cool; drain. Cut larger snap peas in half on a diagonal.
Scoop avocado flesh into a food processor. Add yogurt, 1 Tbsp. lime juice, and cumin; purée. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and additional lime juice, if desired.
Spoon about 1/2 cup avocado purée into the middle of each plate. Mix remaining tarragon, peas, arugula, tomatoes, and shallot in a medium bowl. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp. oil; season with lime juice (if desired), salt, and pepper. Toss; divide among plates. Top with salmon and chives; drizzle each fillet with 1/4 tsp. oil. Serve with lime wedges

Overall, this dish has a great diversity of flavors. The salad has a peppery taste from the arugula which is complimented from the tanginess of the tomatoes and the spice of the shallots. It is also complimented in texture with the olive oil. The salmon has a nice, salty flavor from the vegetable broth and it is enhanced with the creamy texture of the avocado sauce. This dish is great served with a pinot gris or a sauvignon blanc in my opinion. And seriously trust the timing on the poaching...my fish was cooked to perfection. Cheers!