Poached salmon

Eastside Road, June 25, 2011—

HEALDSBURG'S FARMERS MARKET opened a month ago, but we were away; this was our first Saturday morning there in months. The Fish Guy said he'd been worried about us: where were we? It's nice to be missed.

Tonight's dinner came from the market: his King Salmon, which I poached instead of grilling it as usual, because I wanted something a little different. For the court-bouillon I chopped up a couple of little carrots and a fat slice of a big white onion, browned them very lightly in olive oil, then added water and, at the end, thyme, parsley, and a bay leaf.

I quartered some small red potatoes to steam, and cooked chard the usual way, and L. cooked some fresh fava beans in butter — delicious! Afterward, the green salad, and for dessert Nancy Skall's unique stawberries, mixed with some black raspberries, and served on little shortcakes.

Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, Armento, 2009

[Added next day:} I forgot to mention the chopped whole lemon added to the court-bouillon with the thyme, parsley, and bay leaf. After poaching the fish I ran the bouillon through a food mill, thinking to reduce it for a sauce over the fish. Then this morning I saw an interview with David Tanis at Tablet, which made me realize I could simply have served the fish in a soup-bowl, with the bouillon over it, instead of making a sort of velouté. Duh.