Poached Cucumbers With Marrow Recipes

POACHED CUCUMBERS WITH MARROW

Steps:

• Peel cucumbers and remove seeds. Hollow out slightly to make boat. Trim bottom to make cucumbers stand flat, if necessary. Poach in salted water for 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender-firm. Drain and set aside, but keep warm.
• Gently poach marrow bone in boiling water to barely cover, one and one-half to two minutes. Marrow should remain pink. Carefully remove marrow from bone with grapefruit knife. Set aside.
• Heat brown sauce.
• Coat 10 small plates with brown sauce, reserving enough to place one teaspoon in cavity of each cucumber boat. Place one slice of marrow on top.

POACHED SALMON WITH CUCUMBER, CRESS, AND CAPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Make a Court-Bouillon: Pour 6 quarts cold water into a large stockpot. Add carrots, celery, leek, vinegar, lemon, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, and cook 30 minutes. Pour into a fish poacher, and set aside until lukewarm, about 45 minutes.
• Set fish poacher on stove over two burners. Lower rack so it rests on vegetables; place salmon on rack (remove tail if needed). Add enough water to cover.
• Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat; immediately reduce heat to medium-low. Poach salmon 10 minutes per inch of thickness or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest point registers 130 degrees. Remove poacher from heat; let cool until no longer steaming, about 1 hour. Refrigerate salmon in court-bouillon overnight.
• Lift salmon on rack from the court-bouillon, and set over a large pan or sink; let drain 30 minutes. Transfer salmon to a clean work surface. Cut through skin near head, and pull skin off top side of fish. Use the back of a knife to scrape off any brown flesh from surface. Using tweezers, pull out bones along back. Slide salmon onto a serving platter. Salmon can be refrigerated, covered with plastic wrap, up to 4 hours before serving.
• To serve, cut cucumber lengthwise into very thin strips using a mandoline or vegetable peeler. Arrange strips diagonally across salmon, spacing 1 inch apart. Garnish with remaining cucumber, cress, and chives. Serve with sauce.

COLD-POACHED SALMON WITH CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• Place salmon, carrots, celery, shallots, fennel, leek, peppercorns, and wine in a fish poacher or large roasting pan and add enough water to cover. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer; cook until salmon is firm to the touch and some of the fat begins to come to the surface of the fish, about 10 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat and let fish cool in liquid. Transfer to refrigerator until chilled, about 1 hour.
• Remove fish from pan and transfer to a serving platter. Serve with cucumber salad, honey mustard mayonnaise, and rye bread.