Parcel Poached Salmon With Herby Mayonnaise Recipes

PARCEL-POACHED SALMON WITH HERBY MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• The salmon fillets need to be skinless and boneless, so if you can't get your fishmonger to do it, you'll need to do it yourself: to remove the pin bones, stroke your hand along the flesh side of the fillets and use tweezers or pliers to pull out any bones you come across. Then, to remove the skin, you'll need a very sharp knife, preferably a filleting knife. Take each fillet in turn and place skin -side down on the board with the narrowest end facing you. Slide your knife in between the skin and the flesh from the tail end, and wiggle your knife to loosen and pull away the skin. Firmly take hold of the tail skin you have loosened and, working away from yourself, cut along the length of the fish, while moving the knife side to side. Keep the blade of your knife as flat and close to the skin as possible so as not to leave any flesh on the skin. Repeat with the second fillet.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Take a very large sheet of extra-wide foil (turkey foil works well), and lightly brush with olive oil. Place one salmon fillet on the foil and scatter over the sliced lemons, dill and half the fennel, and season generously. Place the second salmon fillet on top, domed side up. Season and drizzle with the wine.
• Top with a second sheet of greased foil and fold up the edges to enclose the salmon in a parcel. Make the parcel quite loose so there is room for the steam. Lift onto a large baking tray and cook for 1 hr then remove and allow to rest in the foil for 10 mins.
• While the salmon cooks, make the mayonnaise. Place the yolks and the mustard in a medium bowl, adding a pinch of salt, if you like. Pour the oil into a jug as you will need a controlled steady stream. Briefly whisk the eggs and start to drizzle on the oil very slowly, starting with a few drips at a time while continuously whisking.
• Continue adding the oil. When the mayonnaise starts to come together, you can add the oil slightly quicker. Continue until all the oil has been added. If the mayonnaise curdles at any point, you can rescue it by cracking another yolk into a clean bowl and whisking the curdled mayonnaise into the fresh egg. Continue doing this then add any remaining oil.
• When your mayonnaise is made, slowly stir in the vinegar and enough of the lemon juice to your taste - add more if you like it quite lemony. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in the chopped herbs. Keep chilled until the salmon is ready.
• Mix the cucumber with some of the dill and the rest of the fennel. When the salmon has rested, cut the foil open and use two fish slices to carefully transfer the fish to a long serving platter. Sprinkle with the dill and garnish with lemon cheeks. Serve with the herby mayonnaise and cucumber salad.

FOIL-POACHED SALMON WITH HERBY MAYO

Steps:

• Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/ gas 2. Place a large piece of double-width foil on top of a large baking sheet and brush it with oil, then put the salmon in the centre. Tuck a few generous sprigs of dill and the shallots in the body cavity, then season.
• Carefully bring up the sides of the foil to surround the fish, season well inside and out, then pour over the wine.
• Seal the foil all the way round, but not too tightly on the fish - you need to give it a bit of space within the parcel. Bake for 1 hr 30 mins.
• Once the salmon has cooked, carefully unwrap the foil parcel and pull the dorsal fin on the spine of the fish. If the salmon is ready, it should come away very easily. Reseal the parcel and leave to cool - it will carry on cooking a little more as it cools. If you are not sure that the salmon is cooked sufficiently, return it to the oven for 10 mins more.
• When cold, carefully peel away the skin from one side of the salmon. You may need to use a knife to get you started, but it should peel away easily after that. Leave the cooked dill and shallot in place, as you may damage the flesh of the salmon if you try to remove them.
• Use a knife to scrape off the brown fatty flesh. It tastes delicious but doesn't look as attractive as the pink flesh underneath. Carefully turn the salmon over onto a platter and remove the skin and brown flesh from the other side.
• To serve, carefully remove the fillets from one side of the fish, leaving behind the bones. You will see that the fish has a natural divide of 2 long fillets on each side. Insert your knife along the centre and carefully ease off each fillet. Transfer the fillets to a platter, bone-side up.
• Lift up the central bone from the remaining whole fish - it should come away in one piece - and remove the aromatics. Ease the 2 remaining fillets apart and remove any pin bones. Reassemble the salmon on the platter. Stir the herbs into your mayonnaise and garnish the salmon with watercress, cucumber, herbs and lemon.