Cucumber Cress And Caper Sauce Recipes

POACHED WHOLE SALMON

Steps:

• Prepare poacher Pour the Court Bouillon into a fish poacher and set the poacher over two burners on the stove. Lower the rack so it rests on the vegetables (in the court bouillon), then lay salmon on rack (trim the tail if necessary to fit inside). Add enough cool water to cover the fish completely; or, if only a small bit of fish is showing, you can cover it with a piece of parchment paper (cut to fit inside poacher).
• Poach fish Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce heat to medium-low. Check temperature with a candy thermometer and adjust heat so it is between 165° and 180°F (very few bubbles will break the surface but there should be steam coming from the surface). Poach salmon, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain the proper temperature, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest section registers 130°F (fish will continue cooking off heat). You can also test by inserting a knife into the flesh along the backbone; the flesh should still be slightly translucent and offer little resistance. The cooking time should be about 5 minutes per inch of thickness (once liquid has reached a simmer). Remove poacher from heat and allow it to cool until you no longer see any steam, about 1 hour. Lift the rack with the salmon from the poacher and set it over a large pan (or the sink) to allow the salmon to drain until just cool enough to handle, about 30 minutes.
• Prepare fish for serving Transfer salmon to a clean work surface. Use your fingers and a paring knife to pull and scrape off the skin from the top side of the fish. Use the back of the knife to scrape off any brown areas from the surface. Using two large spatulas, carefully slide the salmon onto a serving platter. At this point, the salmon can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 4 hours.
• Serve Slice the cucumber lengthwise into very thin strips. Arrange the strips diagonally across salmon, spacing them about 1 inch apart, and tuck the ends underneath so they appear to wrap around the fish. Garnish with watercress. Separate into pieces and serve sauce and lemon wedges on the side.
• The salmon is garnished with a mixture of watercress and Upland cress (a member of the mustard family with a sharp, spicy flavor), which are also used in the accompanying sauce. You can find Upland cress (also called English cress or garden cress) at farmers' markets, or use all watercress instead.
• A poacher is just the right size and shape for cooking a large whole fish, such as the salmon in this recipe. For smaller whole fish, a roasting pan fitted with a wire rack can be used instead.
• To make the paper-thin strips of cucumber that appear to wrap around the fish, a mandoline is the best tool. A Japanese-style mandoline, such as Benriner, is inexpensive and sold at most kitchen supply shops. A vegetable peeler can be used instead, but it will not be able to produce the same uniform thickness as the mandoline.
• Peel and finely chop 1 English cucumber, then toss with 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt and 1 tablespoon each Champagne vinegar and small (nonpareil) capers that have been rinsed and drained. Set aside for 5 minutes, then stir in 1 cup sour cream and 1/2 cup finely chopped cress (use half watercress and half Upland cress, if you can find it). Season with freshly ground pepper and more salt. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours before serving. Makes about 2 1/4 cups.

SALMON TWO WAYS WITH CAPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• For the salmon: Season the salmon filets with salt and pepper. In a bowl, mix together the panko, parsley, dill, garlic and 1 tablespoon of the oil until the panko is evenly coated. Coat the salmon with the panko mixture and let sit for a few minutes so the crust sticks.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the salmon and cook until the breadcrumbs are golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for 5 minutes. Keep the salmon warm.
• For the salmon hash: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until the potatoes are cooked through and the peppers are soft, 10 minutes more. Turn off the heat and stir in the salmon and capers. Season with salt and pepper. Keep the hash warm.
• To make the salad: Toss the bread cubes with 1 tablespoon of the oil on a baking sheet. Spread the bread in a single layer and toast in the oven, stirring once or twice, until crunchy but not too hard, 8 to 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, shallot, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, salt and pepper. Add the cucumber, tomatoes, onion and dill and stir to coat everything in the dressing. Stir in the toasted bread.
• For the sauce: Heat the oil in a small skillet over low heat. Add the shallot and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and whisk in the butter 1 piece at a time. Stir in the capers and dill. Squeeze in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
• To plate: Divide the salmon hash among 4 plates and top each with a salmon filet. Spoon the sauce over the salmon. Divide the salad among the plates, placing it on the side of the salmon.

SIMPLE WATERCRESS SALAD

Steps:

• Combine vinegar, salt, and pepper in a salad bowl. Slowly whisk in oil. Add watercress and toss with vinaigrette to evenly coat. Serve immediately.

CUCUMBER, CRESS, AND CAPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Toss together cucumber, vinegar, capers, and salt in a small bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in sour cream and cress; season with pepper. Serve immediately, or refrigerate, covered, up to 4 hours.