Poached Salmon Asparagus With Wild Garlic Mayonnaise Recipes

Steps:

• For the mayonnaise, bring a pan of water to the boil and have a bowl of iced water ready. Plunge the garlic leaves into the boiling water for 30 secs, then lift out with a slotted spoon and drop into the iced water - this helps to keep the green colour. Leave for a few mins, then pat dry and put in a mini food processor with the egg yolks and mustard. Pulse until finely chopped, then scrape into a big mixing bowl. Pour the oils into a jug.
• Whisk the yolks mixture with an electric whisk. Slowly add the oil, first a drip at a time, then in a steady, thin drizzle - the mixture should thicken and start to look like mayonnaise. If at any point it starts to look greasy, add 1 tbsp cold water and continue whisking until all the oil has been added and you have a thick mayonnaise. Add the vinegar and season with salt and white pepper. Lay cling film directly onto the surface of the mayonnaise so a skin doesn't form, then chill. Will keep for 3 days in the fridge.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put a large sheet of baking parchment in a large roasting tin and arrange the asparagus in a line that's long enough for the salmon to sit on. Season, put the salmon on top and scatter over the lemon zest. Thinly slice the remaining lemon and put the slices on top of the salmon with the butter. Pour over the lemon juice and season. Bring the sides of the parchment up and over the salmon and scrunch together to seal, creating a tent over the fish. Bake in the oven for 30 mins.
• Bring the roasting tin to the table, open the parcel, and serve with a bowl of wild garlic mayonnaise and some new potatoes on the side.

Steps:

• Find a high-sided pan large enough to accommodate both salmon fillets side-by-side, without too much excess room; a small skillet or medium-sized saucepan should do. Pour lemon juice and olive oil into the pan, along with enough water to bring the water level up to 3/4-inch. Season the water to taste with salt and pepper, then add the salmon. Pour in enough water to just cover the salmon.
• Place the salmon over medium-high heat, and heat until the water is hot and steaming, but not simmering (165 degrees F (75 degrees C)); reduce heat if needed to keep the water at the proper temperature. Poach until the salmon turns opaque, and is firm to the touch; or to an internal temperature of 140 degrees F (60 degrees C). Proceed making the Hollandaise sauce while the salmon is poaching.
• Pour a few inches of water into a saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat, then turn heat to medium-high and maintain water at a gentle boil. Place the egg yolks in a metal bowl, and whisk in hot water. Place the bowl over, but not touching, the boiling water. Whisk constantly until the yolks thicken, turn a light, opaque yellow, and double in volume. You may need to remove the bowl from the boiling water from time to time in order to keep from scrambling the yolks.
• When the yolks have thickened and increased in volume, begin whisking in the butter, a cube at a time until it melts and incorporates into the hollandaise sauce. Wait for each cube to melt and incorporate before adding the next. Once all of the butter has been incorporated, remove from heat, whisk in the lemon juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• To serve, drain the poached salmon and place each piece onto a dinner plate. Generously ladle with the warm hollandaise sauce, and sprinkle with chives.

Steps:

• Poach the salmon; leave to cool. Meanwhile make the Tomato and Mint Salad. Remove the cores from six tomatoes and quarter. Sprinkle with a little salt, sugar and black pepper. Toss immediately in a little French dressing; sprinkle with 1 to 2 teaspoons of chopped mint and basil.
• Slice a medium cucumber, sprinkle with salt, 1 to 2 dessertspoons of wine vinegar and plenty of sugar. Stir in 2 teaspoons of finely chopped fennel.
• To assemble the Salmon Mayonnaise, put a portion of salmon on each plate when it is just cold. Garnish with a little lettuce, pipe some Potato Salad onto the lettuce and put a little Tomato and Cucumber Salad on the plate as well as one spoonful of egg mayonnaise. Garnish with tiny spring onions and watercress and a segment of lemon. Additional mayonnaise can be served separately or put into a bowl on each plate.
• Piped Potato Salad: Add French dressing, finely chopped parsley, chives and mayonnaise to 1 litre (1 3/4 pints) stiff, freshly mashed potato to taste. Pipe onto individual leaves of lettuce.
• Mayonnaise: Most people don't seem to be aware that mayonnaise can be made, even with a hand whisk, in under five minutes. The great secret is to have all your ingredients at room temperature and to drip the oil very slowly into the egg yolks at the beginning. Good quality ingredients are essential to a successful mayonnaise.
• Put the egg yolks into a bowl with mustard, salt and the white wine vinegar. Put the oil into a measuring jug. Take a whisk in one hand and the oil in the other and drip the oil on to the egg yolks, drop by drop, whisking at the same time. Within a minute you will notice that the mixture is beginning to thicken. When this happens you can add the oil a little faster, but not too quickly or it will suddenly curdle. Taste and add a little more seasoning and vinegar if necessary.
• If the mayonnaise curdles, it will suddenly become quite thin, and if left standing the oil will start to float to the top. You can easily rectify the situation by whisking another egg yolk or 1 to 2 tablespoons of boiling water into the mayonnaise, half a teaspoon at a time, until it emulsifies again.
• Lower the eggs gently into boiling salted water, bring the water back to the boil and hard-boil the eggs for 10 minutes in boiling water. Drain and put immediately into a bowl of cold water. (Eggs with a black ring around the yolk have been overcooked.) When cold, shell and slice in half lengthways. Sieve the yolks and mix the sieved egg yolk with mayonnaise. Add chopped chives and salt and pepper to taste. Fill into a piping bag and pipe into the whites. Garnish with a sprig of parsley or chervil and serve on a bed of lettuce.

Steps:

• Begin poaching the fish and vegetables at least 3 hours before serving. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and salt it. Meanwhile, place fish in a skillet or saucepan, and cover with water. Add a large pinch of salt, and turn heat to medium high. When water boils, lower heat, simmer fish for 8 to 10 minutes or until a thin-bladed knife inserted into the center meets little resistance. Remove fish with a slotted spoon to a plate, cover loosely, and refrigerate.
• Add carrots and potatoes to the pot of boiling water. Cook until tender, then remove with slotted spoon. Run under cold water. Refrigerate. Cook beans in the same water. When crisp-tender, drain and plunge beans into a bowl of ice water. Refrigerate.
• To make aioli, combine egg, cayenne, saffron, garlic, lemon juice and 1/4 cup of the oil in a blender or a food processor. Turn on machine, and begin adding remaining oil in a thin, steady stream. As mixture thickens, add oil a bit faster, blending until emulsion is thick. Taste, adjust seasoning, and chill.
• Serve fish and vegetables cold, passing aioli at table, along with some crusty bread.

Steps:

• In a large, deep, straight-sided skillet or heavy pot, combine carrots, celery, onion, lemon, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 6 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 8 minutes.
• Season salmon with salt and gently lower into simmering liquid (liquid should just cover fish). Reduce to a very gentle simmer. Cover and cook until salmon is opaque throughout, about 5 minutes (longer for thicker fillets). Using a wide slotted spatula, remove salmon from liquid.