Recipes
Oven-Poached Salmon with Succotash Salad
Source: The Washington Post, August 7, 2002
Servings: Makes 4 servings
- For the salmon:
- Vegetable oil for the pan
- Four 6-ounce salmon fillets (skin on or skinless)
- Salt to taste
- 4 sprigs fresh dill
- 1 leek (white part only), sliced
- 1 stalk celery, sliced
- 1 or bay leaf, crumbled
- 1 cup white wine or dry vermouth
- For the succotash salad:
- 2 cups fresh corn kernels, cooked
- 2 cups lima beans, cooked
- 2 cups thinly sliced summer squash
- ¼ cup thinly sliced sweet onion
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
- 1 head bib or butter lettuce, leaves separated (optional)
- For the vinaigrette:
- ½ cup salad oil
- 3 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
- 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon celery seeds
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions:
For the salmon: Preheat the oven to 325° F. Lightly oil a glass or ceramic baking dish.
Pat the salmon dry, place in the prepared dish (being careful that the fillets do not touch one another) and season lightly with salt. Place 1 sprig of dill on top of each fillet. Place the leek and celery slices and the bay leaf bits between the salmon fillets and pour the wine or vermouth over the top. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and then cover tightly with foil, being certain to completely cover the plastic wrap with foil.
Roast (or oven-poach) the salmon until cooked through, 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. (The top of the foil should puff; this is okay.) To check for doneness: Remove the salmon from the oven, carefully remove the foil and plastic wrap from a corner of the pan and check to see that the salmon flakes easily and is opaque throughout. Transfer the dish to a wire rack, carefully unwrap the rest of the dish and set aside to cool slightly. Transfer the salmon to a plate, cover tightly and refrigerate.
For the succotash salad: In a large bowl, combine the corn, lima beans, squash, onion and dill. Set aside. If using lettuce, rinse the leaves under cool running water and pat them dry. Arrange the lettuce in the center of 4 serving plates. Set aside.
For the vinaigrette: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the oil, mustard, vinegar, sugar, celery seeds and salt and, stirring frequently, bring the mixture to a simmer. Pour about 4 tablespoons into a small bowl; set aside. Drizzle the vinaigrette remaining in the pan over the succotash salad and toss to combine. Set aside at room temperature.
To serve: Have ready 4 plates or bowls (with or without the lettuce). Spoon the succotash salad in the center of each plate. Place the salmon fillets on top of the succotash and drizzle each fillet with about 1 tablespoon of the reserved vinaigrette.