Poached Salmon Recipe - Great British Chefs

As with many tomato dishes, using the ripest, freshest tomatoes will transform a nice dish into a spectacular one. Francesco Mazzei uses red and yellow cherry and datterino tomatoes in this beautifully summery salmon with tomato salad recipe, topped off with salty, crisp salmon skin.

Ingredients

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Poached salmon

4 salmon fillets, each 180g in weight
40g of celery, cut into 4
1 Spanish onion, quartered
5g of fennel seeds
25ml of white wine
1 lemon, zested
salt

Tomato salad

500g of cherry tomatoes, red and yellow
500g of datterino tomatoes, red and yellow
15g of black fennel seeds
30g of basil
1 lemon, zest and juice
250ml of extra virgin olive oil
salt

To serve

1 red onion, small
12 caper berries
1 handful of flat-leaf parsley, leaves only

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To prepare the poaching liquor for the salmon, combine 2 litres of water with the celery, Spanish onion, fennel seeds, white wine and lemon zest. Bring to the boil then turn down the heat and gently simmer

40g of celery, cut into 4
1 Spanish onion, quartered
5g of fennel seeds
25ml of white wine
1 lemon, zested

Gently lower in the fillets and poach for 8-9 minutes, ensuring the water is just on the verge of simmering. Remove with a slotted spoon onto a plate and carefully remove and reserve the skin from each fillet. Keep the poaching liquid for reheating the salmon later

4 salmon fillets, each 180g in weight

If you have access to a plancha, place the portions of salmon skin in between 2 pieces of parchment paper and press onto the hot plancha, placing a heavy pan on top to keep them flat. Cook for 2 minutes, then turn over each portion of skin and repeat the process. Remove, season with salt and allow to cool

salt

Alternatively, sandwich the skins between 2 pieces of parchment paper, in between 2 baking trays to hold in place. Cook in a preheated oven at 180°C/gas mark 4 for 15-20 minutes. Remove and check to see if the skin is crispy - if not, return to the oven for 5 minute increments until you have the desired crispy finish

Using a sharp paring knife, make 2 small, very shallow incisions into the skin of each tomato to form a small cross at the base

500g of cherry tomatoes, red and yellow
500g of datterino tomatoes, red and yellow

Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for 5-10 seconds to loosen the skin. Drain and refresh in ice cold water. Gently remove and discard the skins and season with a pinch of salt, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, black fennel seeds and basil

salt
1 lemon, zest and juice
250ml of extra virgin olive oil
15g of black fennel seeds
30g of basil

Bring the poaching liquor up to a simmer and reheat the salmon for 1-2 minutes to warm through, taking care not to overcook

Slice the red onion into small rings and toss through the tomato salad

1 red onion, small

Divide the salad onto 4 plates, followed by the warm salmon, crispy skin, caper berries and parsley leaves. Drizzle the dressing from the tomatoes over each plate before serving

12 caper berries
1 handful of flat-leaf parsley, leaves only

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Francesco Mazzei

Francesco Mazzei reminds us why we fell in love with Italian food in the first place, conjuring soulful dishes that put flavour first.

Poached salmon with cherry tomato salad

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