POACHED SALMON WITH ENGLISH PEAS

Poached Salmon with English Peas image

This is a wonderful dish that blends the delicious flavors of the earth and sea. You'll learn how to poach salmon, which is a great way to keep the meat moist. This delicious fish is combined with in-season fresh peas and morels to make a tasty lunch or dinner.

Provided by Canal House

Categories main-dish

Time 25m

Yield 2 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

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Ingredients

2 8 ounce salmon fillets (center cut), preferably Wild King salmon
1 cup dry white wine
Flaky sea salt, preferred brand Maldon
4 ounces fresh morel mushrooms, or dried morels soaked in hot water
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups shelled English peas, or frozen peas
Freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch of chives, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
Chive blossoms, for garnish, optional

Steps:

In a wide, deep pot or Dutch oven, add water to the depth of a couple of inches and bring to a gentle simmer.If you are cutting portions from a whole salmon fillet, cut two large pieces from the center of the fillet. To the poaching water, add the wine and a generous pinch of salt. Gently lower the fish, skin side down, into the poaching liquid, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Gently poach the fish until it is just cooked through or barely opaque in the center, 8 to 12 minutes.
While the salmon is poaching, prepare the rest of the ingredients for the sauce. Cut the morels in half or quarters, depending on the size of the mushrooms. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the morels. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the peas and toss to coat in the butter mixture. Add 1/2 cup of the salmon poaching liquid, and simmer until the peas begin to soften and the liquid evaporates, about 3 to 4 minutes.
While the sauce is cooking, finely chop the chives and pick the chive blossoms for the garnishing of the dish.Add the cream and gently simmer the sauce until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
Check the doneness of the salmon by gently inserting a paring knife into the thickest part of the fillet. If the knife blade is slightly warm to the touch, remove the fillets from the poaching liquid with a fish spatula.Carefully peel off and discard the skin.
Serve the salmon with the peas and cream spooned on top. Garnish with sea salt, chives, and chive blossoms, if you like.