Poached Salmon with Lobster Butter
Submitted by drunative 2003
Whole poached salmon served with a warm lobster butter sauce made from reduced shell stock and lemon. An elegant British-style centerpiece for special occasions.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
5 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
1 hrsA whole salmon steamed or baked in foil, served just barely warm with a rich lobster butter that turns a gorgeous orange-pink from the tomalley. This is old-school British entertaining food at its finest, the kind of dish that commands a table.
The lobster butter is built like a beurre blanc. Cold butter gets whisked into warm lemon juice a piece at a time, creating a smooth, emulsified sauce. The reduced lobster stock and tomalley (the green paste from the lobster head) fold in at the end, transforming it from plain butter sauce into something with real depth and color.
The salmon itself stays moist and flavorful with gentle cooking. Whether you steam it in a fish kettle or wrap it in foil for the oven, low heat is the key. You want the flesh to be silky and full of its own juices, not dry and flaky.
Serve it just cool with piping hot baked potatoes and the warm butter. That temperature contrast between the cool, tender fish and the hot, silky sauce is part of the experience.
Pro Tips
- Make the lobster stock ahead from shells and heads. Simmer them for 30 minutes, then reduce hard until you have just a few concentrated tablespoons. All the flavor is in that reduction.
- Whisk the butter in gently over barely simmering water. Too much heat and the emulsion splits. If it does break, a splash of ice-cold water and vigorous whisking will usually bring it back.
- Rest the salmon after cooking. It continues to set as it cools and will slice much more cleanly than if you cut into it straight from the oven.
Variations
- Herb-crusted: Before baking, spread the salmon with Dijon mustard and press on a mix of fresh dill and breadcrumbs for a golden, fragrant crust.
- Cold presentation: Chill the salmon completely, remove the skin, and serve with the lobster butter on the side as a summer buffet centerpiece.
Ingredients
Directions
Note: Lobster stock should be made from shells and heads, then heavily reduced to make 3 to 4 tablespoons.
Scale, gut and wipe the fish.
Rub the inside cavity with salt.
If you have a fish kettle, steam the salmon whole over boiling water for 30 to 35 minutes (making sure the water is kept topped up).
Or wrap the fish in lightly oiled foil and bake it in the oven for an hour at 325℉ (160℃) (170 C) gas mark 3.
Leave it to rest while you make the butter.
Warm the lemon juice in a small basin over a saucepan of simmering water.
Beat in the nuggets of cold butter, adding more as each one melts.
Do this gently - it can split if you overheat it (revive it with a quick splash of cold water).
When you have an unctuous smooth sauce like thin cream, sieve and whisk in the green goo from the head of the lobster - which immediately turns the butter a wonderful orange-pink.
Serve the salmon when it is just cool but still sweet-flavoured and full of its own juices, with piping hot baked potatoes and warm lobster butter.
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