Cold poached salmon steaks with tarragon sauce

Tarragon goes extremely well with salmon.  This dish is served cold and the sauce brings out the combined flavours of the tarragon and the salmon.  It can be serves as a starter, as a cold main course or as a picnic dish.

Preparation Time: 25 Mins

Cooking Time: 3 Mins

Total Time: 3 Hrs

Ingredients

For 4 servings…

4 steaks           Salmon     

140 cl              Court bouillon         

200 gms          Mayonnaise

200 gms          Yoghurt  - Greek      

½                   Cucumber  - peeled and cut into strips    

1 tbs               Tarragon  - chopped 

2 tbs               Vinegar  - white wine 

½ tsp             Salt          

For the court bouillon

110 cl              Water       

2                    Onions  - sliced       

230 gms          Carrots  - chopped   

2 sticks            Celery  - chopped     

30 cl               Wine  - dry white     

1                    Bouquet garni         

1 pinch            Salt          

6                    Peppercorns  - crushed          

For the mayonnaise

1                    Egg  - yolk 

                     Pepper  - white        

½ tsp             Salt          

½ tsp             Mustard  - Dijon      

½ tsp             Sugar       

10 cl               Olive oil    

½ tsp             Lemon juice            

2 tbs               Vinegar  - tarragon   

                     Cayenne    

To garnish

4 strigs            Tarragon   

To serve

                     Salad        

                     Potatoes  - new, small, soused in butter and chopped mint    

Method

Place the salmon steaks in the warmed court bouillon and bring gently to simmering point.  Let the liquid bubble for a few seconds, then remove the pan from the heat and allow the salmon and court bouillon to cool - turning the steaks every so often in the liquid until they are completely cold.  Remove the salmon from the liquid and set aside on a plate.  Keep the poaching liquid.

Beat together the mayonnaise and yoghurt, fold in the chopped tarragon and cucumber strips and add the vinegar and about 4 tablespoons of the poaching liquid until the mixture is of a coating consistency.  Season with salt.

Place each steak on a plate, coat with the mixture and decorate with a sprig of tarragon.

Serve with salad and scraped new potatoes soused in melted butter and chopped mint.

Wine recommendations

A robust white wine.

Conventional

     Côtes du Rhône Villages blanc

Interesting

     Riesling

     Vouvray sec

Special

     Châteauneuf-du-Pape blanc

Adventurous

     Champagne