Cold Poached Salmon with Herbal Champagne Vinaigrette
Poached salmon fillets prepared in a fragrant court-bouillon and coated with a fresh herbal Champagne vinaigrette featuring Dijon mustard, chives, tarragon, dill, chervil, and parsley.
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Print Pin RateServings: 6 Servings
Calories: 280kcal
Cost: £10.00
Equipment
- 1 Cutting Board and Cooks Knife
- 1 Wide Saucepan, for court-bouillon and poaching salmon.
- 1 Bowl, for mixing vinaigrette
Ingredients
Salmon
- 6 each Salmon Fillets, skinless and pin-boned approximately 160g each (5½ oz each)
- 5 g Fine Sea Salt 1 tsp
Court-Bouillon
- 1.5 litres Water 2⅔ pints
- 375 ml Dry White Wine 13 fl oz
- 1 each Lemon, thinly sliced
- 1 each each Small Onion, thinly sliced
- 1 each Celery Stalk, thinly sliced
- 1 each Small Carrot, thinly sliced
- 2 each Fresh Bay Leaves
- 4 Flat-Leaf Parsley Stalks
- 4 each Fresh Tarragon Stalks
- 6 each Black Peppercorns, lightly crushed
- 10 g Fine Sea Salt 2 tsp
Herbal Champagne Vinaigrette
- 60 ml Champagne Vinegar 2 fl oz
- 15 g Dijon Mustard 1 tbsp
- 5 g Clear Honey 1 tsp
- 120 ml Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 4 fl oz
- 30 ml Neutral Oil 1 fl oz
- 15 g Fresh Chives, finely chopped (½ oz)
- 10 g Fresh Tarragon Leaves, finely chopped (⅓ oz)
- 10 g Fresh Dill, finely chopped (⅓ oz)
- 10 g Fresh Chervil, finely chopped (⅓ oz)
- 15 g Flat-Leaf Parsley Leaves, finely chopped (½ oz)
- 3 g Fine Sea Salt ½ tsp
- 1 g Freshly Ground White Pepper ¼ tsp
Instructions
- Place the water, white wine, lemon, onion, celery, carrot, bay leaves, parsley stalks, tarragon stalks, peppercorns, and salt in a wide saucepan or shallow-sided pan large enough to hold the salmon fillets in a single layer.
- Bring the court-bouillon slowly to the boil, reduce the heat, and simmer gently for 15 minutes to develop the flavour. Remove from the heat and allow the liquid to stand for 5 minutes.
- Season the salmon fillets lightly with the salt and arrange them in a single layer in the court-bouillon. The liquid should cover the fillets completely. Return the pan to a very gentle heat and maintain the liquid between 75°C and 80°C (167°F and 176°F), without allowing it to boil.
- Poach the salmon for approximately 7–10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets, until the flesh is just opaque and the centre reaches 54–56°C (129–133°F), or the temperature required by local food-safety standards.
- Remove the pan from the heat and leave the salmon in the court-bouillon for a further 3 minutes. Carefully lift out each fillet with a slotted fish slice and transfer to a tray lined with absorbent paper. Cool promptly, cover, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
- For the vinaigrette, place the Champagne vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and white pepper in a bowl. Whisk until smooth.
- Gradually whisk in the extra-virgin olive oil and neutral oil to produce a light emulsion. Fold in the chives, tarragon, dill, chervil, and parsley. Taste and adjust the seasoning and acidity as required.
- Remove the chilled salmon from the refrigerator approximately 15 minutes before serving. Pat the surfaces dry if necessary and spoon the herbal Champagne vinaigrette evenly over each fillet. Allow the salmon to stand briefly so that the vinaigrette lightly coats and seasons the surface.
Presentation
- Arrange each salmon fillet on a chilled plate and spoon over a little additional herbal vinaigrette. Garnish with small chervil leaves, dill fronds, finely cut chives, and a thin lemon slice.
- Serve with dressed baby leaves, blanched asparagus, cucumber ribbons, new potatoes, or a composed summer vegetable salad.
Notes
The court-bouillon must remain below simmering point once the salmon has been added. Boiling will tighten the proteins, force moisture from the fish, and produce a dry, flaky texture.
Choose evenly portioned salmon fillets of similar thickness to ensure consistent cooking. The fillets may be poached several hours in advance and refrigerated, but the vinaigrette should be added shortly before service to preserve the fresh colour and aroma of the herbs.
Champagne vinegar provides a refined, rounded acidity. A good-quality white wine vinegar may be substituted, although the flavour will be slightly sharper.
The neutral oil softens the intensity of the extra-virgin olive oil and allows the delicate herbs and salmon to remain prominent.
For buffet presentation, arrange the salmon on a chilled platter over a bed of dressed leaves and garnish immediately before service. Maintain appropriate chilled holding temperatures throughout service.
Nutrition
Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 1278mg | Potassium: 262mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 757IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 2mg
Rate this Recipe
✨ Tried this recipe? We’d love your feedback! 💬 Leave a comment above and ⭐️ give it a star rating — it helps others and makes our kitchen happy too.
Cold Poached Salmon with Herbal Champagne Vinaigrette
Poached salmon fillets prepared in a fragrant court-bouillon and coated with a fresh herbal Champagne vinaigrette featuring Dijon mustard, chives, tarragon, dill, chervil, and parsley.
⭐ Have you tried this recipe? Click the stars to rate it and leave a quick comment below.
Print Pin RateServings: 6 Servings
Calories: 280kcal
Cost: £10.00
Equipment
- 1 Cutting Board and Cooks Knife
- 1 Wide Saucepan, for court-bouillon and poaching salmon.
- 1 Bowl, for mixing vinaigrette
Ingredients
Salmon
- 6 each Salmon Fillets, skinless and pin-boned approximately 160g each (5½ oz each)
- 5 g Fine Sea Salt 1 tsp
Court-Bouillon
- 1.5 litres Water 2⅔ pints
- 375 ml Dry White Wine 13 fl oz
- 1 each Lemon, thinly sliced
- 1 each each Small Onion, thinly sliced
- 1 each Celery Stalk, thinly sliced
- 1 each Small Carrot, thinly sliced
- 2 each Fresh Bay Leaves
- 4 Flat-Leaf Parsley Stalks
- 4 each Fresh Tarragon Stalks
- 6 each Black Peppercorns, lightly crushed
- 10 g Fine Sea Salt 2 tsp
Herbal Champagne Vinaigrette
- 60 ml Champagne Vinegar 2 fl oz
- 15 g Dijon Mustard 1 tbsp
- 5 g Clear Honey 1 tsp
- 120 ml Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 4 fl oz
- 30 ml Neutral Oil 1 fl oz
- 15 g Fresh Chives, finely chopped (½ oz)
- 10 g Fresh Tarragon Leaves, finely chopped (⅓ oz)
- 10 g Fresh Dill, finely chopped (⅓ oz)
- 10 g Fresh Chervil, finely chopped (⅓ oz)
- 15 g Flat-Leaf Parsley Leaves, finely chopped (½ oz)
- 3 g Fine Sea Salt ½ tsp
- 1 g Freshly Ground White Pepper ¼ tsp
Instructions
- Place the water, white wine, lemon, onion, celery, carrot, bay leaves, parsley stalks, tarragon stalks, peppercorns, and salt in a wide saucepan or shallow-sided pan large enough to hold the salmon fillets in a single layer.
- Bring the court-bouillon slowly to the boil, reduce the heat, and simmer gently for 15 minutes to develop the flavour. Remove from the heat and allow the liquid to stand for 5 minutes.
- Season the salmon fillets lightly with the salt and arrange them in a single layer in the court-bouillon. The liquid should cover the fillets completely. Return the pan to a very gentle heat and maintain the liquid between 75°C and 80°C (167°F and 176°F), without allowing it to boil.
- Poach the salmon for approximately 7–10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets, until the flesh is just opaque and the centre reaches 54–56°C (129–133°F), or the temperature required by local food-safety standards.
- Remove the pan from the heat and leave the salmon in the court-bouillon for a further 3 minutes. Carefully lift out each fillet with a slotted fish slice and transfer to a tray lined with absorbent paper. Cool promptly, cover, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
- For the vinaigrette, place the Champagne vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and white pepper in a bowl. Whisk until smooth.
- Gradually whisk in the extra-virgin olive oil and neutral oil to produce a light emulsion. Fold in the chives, tarragon, dill, chervil, and parsley. Taste and adjust the seasoning and acidity as required.
- Remove the chilled salmon from the refrigerator approximately 15 minutes before serving. Pat the surfaces dry if necessary and spoon the herbal Champagne vinaigrette evenly over each fillet. Allow the salmon to stand briefly so that the vinaigrette lightly coats and seasons the surface.
Presentation
- Arrange each salmon fillet on a chilled plate and spoon over a little additional herbal vinaigrette. Garnish with small chervil leaves, dill fronds, finely cut chives, and a thin lemon slice.
- Serve with dressed baby leaves, blanched asparagus, cucumber ribbons, new potatoes, or a composed summer vegetable salad.
Notes
The court-bouillon must remain below simmering point once the salmon has been added. Boiling will tighten the proteins, force moisture from the fish, and produce a dry, flaky texture.
Choose evenly portioned salmon fillets of similar thickness to ensure consistent cooking. The fillets may be poached several hours in advance and refrigerated, but the vinaigrette should be added shortly before service to preserve the fresh colour and aroma of the herbs.
Champagne vinegar provides a refined, rounded acidity. A good-quality white wine vinegar may be substituted, although the flavour will be slightly sharper.
The neutral oil softens the intensity of the extra-virgin olive oil and allows the delicate herbs and salmon to remain prominent.
For buffet presentation, arrange the salmon on a chilled platter over a bed of dressed leaves and garnish immediately before service. Maintain appropriate chilled holding temperatures throughout service.
Nutrition
Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 1278mg | Potassium: 262mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 757IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 2mg
Rate this Recipe
✨ Tried this recipe? We’d love your feedback! 💬 Leave a comment above and ⭐️ give it a star rating — it helps others and makes our kitchen happy too.