A recipe

I have not posted many recipes because I haven’t been doing much real cooking this last year. But another blogger was talking about salmon, and it got me in the mood. I like salmon almost anyway it is cooked, but a convenient way to cook it in the house (as opposed to on the grill) is to poach it. It keeps the salmon moist, and if you are following a recipe like the one I am about to post, you don’t have the uncertainty of how long to cook it.

This recipe is from a cookbook called Bless this Food by Julia Pitkin and Karen Grant. My mother-in-law has made this recipe several times, and it always turns out great. I have followed the recipe to the letter once or twice, but I have turned to it many times to remind me how much liquid is needed for the poaching, what temp to set the oven at, and how long to leave it in. I made poached salmon tonight, and I didn’t have any wine on hand, so I used redwine vinegar, and it gave the salmon a nice tangy flavor but still let the taste of the meat come through.

One other thing about the cookbook . . . it’s sort of a fun one to use. It is set up with menus and recipes for holidays/special occasions throughout the year. Alot of them are a bit involved, but they are still easy enough for anyone who can read and follow instructions. I actually prepared the entire menu for the President’s Day dinner for some couples back in Oklahoma, so you know it’s not too hard.

Ok . . . enough going on. Here’s the recipe:

Poached Salmon
2 C water
1 C dry wine or vermouth (I prefer wvermouth for the nutty flavor)
4 slices fresh gingerroot, flattened
1 T black peppercorns, bruised
1 bay leaf
1 2 1/2 pound piece salmonm filet
Salt to taste

1/2 C sour cream
1/4 C mayonaise
2 t dijon mustard
1 1/2 T grated peeled fresh gingerroot
1 t freshly grated orange peel
2 T fresh orange juice
1 1/2 T drained green peppercorns
1/2 t sugar
1 T white wine vinegar
Salt to taste

Butter a large baking dish. In a small saucepan bring the water and wine to a boile with the gingerroot, black perppercorns, and bay leaf. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture stand for 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.

In the repared baking dish attange the salmon skin-side down. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Add the wine mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, until the salmon just flakes and is cooked through.

In a medium bowl, whish together the sour cream, mayonaise, mustard, gingerroot, orange peel, orange juice, green peppercorns, sugar, vinegar, and salt to taste. Let the sauce stand at room temperature for 20 minutes for the flavor to develop.

Place the fish on a serving dish, and drizzle with some of the sauce. Serve the remaining sauce on the side.

Makes 6 servings.

Enjoy!

One thought on “A recipe”

  1. Hi Jennifer! I’m so glad you are still enjoying the cookbook. This recipe is my favorite way to prepare salmon too!! But I rarely make the sauce. Instead, I serve it with a bit of melted butter and fresh squeezed lemon juice. We all love it this way (it’s one of my children’s favorite meals!), it’s easier, and the fish is so wonderful and moist, that it disappears very quickly!

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