Poached salmon steaks with creamy dill sauce
Instructions:
- 1 /2 cup fresh lemon juice (2 juiced halves reserved)
- Coarse salt
- 1 1 /2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
- 4 salmon steaks (each 3 /4 inch thick)
- 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 1 /2 cup finely chopped fresh dill, plus 8 sprigs, plus more sprigs for garnish
- 8 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
- 1 /2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 /2 cup sour cream
- 3 /4 cup snipped fresh chives
- Freshly ground pepper
- Bring 6 quarts water, 6 tablespoons lemon juice, the lemon halves, 1 tablespoon salt, and the peppercorns to a boil in a large, wide pot. Reduce heat; let simmer
- Season 2 salmon steaks with salt. Place one quarter each of the fennel and onion and 2 sprigs each dill and parsley on a long sheet of parchment; top with salted steaks, one-quarter each fennel and onion, and 2 sprigs each dill and parsley. Fold the parchment to make a packet. Repeat the process to make another packet.
- With kitchen twine, tie one packet to a wire rack; place in the pot. Cover; poach until cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Use tongs and a spatula to transfer the rack to a rimmed baking sheet. Carefully open the packet. Remove skin and any brown fat; discard. Transfer the fish to a platter, discarding the vegetables; cover. Cook the other packet. Reserve 1 tablespoon cooking liquid.
- Whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and cooking liquid in a bowl. Stir in the chopped dill and chives; season with salt and pepper. Garnish the salmon with dill sprigs; serve with sauce.