Champagne poached Alaskan coho salmon

[pz]

We've a friend whose husband owns a fishing boat in Alaska - she visited recently and brought a freezer pack full of goodies, including salmon. Tonight we wanted to enjoy one of the few remaining sunny and warm days so outdoor cooking was on the agenda - specifically, salmon poached in Champagne

The skin was removed as was the brown fat which tends to make fish smell and taste fishy

Ready to poach

The ingredients included Cooks sparkling wine, onions, dill, salt, and pepper.  Of course, the cook needs a glass of red to enjoy  ;D

Once the salmon is added, the fish cooks quickly

Tilting the pan so that the poaching liquid washes over the fish

Time to plate - the salmon was perfectly cooked, moist and tender with plenty of flavor imparted by the sparkling wine and seasonings

[Saber 4]

Looks like a tasty way to enjoy the last days of summer with good friends and good food.

[KyNola]

Looks and sound great pz. 

Sort of reminds me of a recipe I came up with; a lobster, champagne, saffron risotto.  Make risotto as you normally would but substitute heated champagne loaded with saffron for the stock that you would normally use to make a classic risotto.  Add cooked lobster pieces toward the end of the cooking process.  Definitely a special occasion dish.

[pz]

That sounds delicious, KyNola,

Thanks for the comment, and the idea for another savory dish - will definitely be on my bucket list of foods to try.

[MapleRidgeSmokeR]

Im not a fan of poached fish but MAN that looks tasty. I will have to cook my Coho like this. Thanks for sharing

[pikeman_95]

Very interesting looking. I think I would like to give this a try some time. Have you tried it with any other fish types. We have a package of northern pike thawing out right now. Might give something like this a try tomorrow.
KC

[pz]

I've not done this with anything other than salmon, because that is the cheapest fish in my area. I think it is worth a try with just about any kind of fish, because the sparkling wine, onions, and seasonings complement the flavor of the fish.  The only thing I might recommend is that in addition to the wine and onions, you use what seasonings you would normally use with your regular fish recipe.  Once you cook it the first time, you'll either like it the way it is or realize that you need to change seasonings.

The best part is that the Champagne (sparkling wine) we use is Cooks, which is only about $5 per bottle in our area.

What I did not mention in the original post is that the remaining poaching liquid can be reduced with a pat or two of butter and then used as a sauce for the fish.  It is also delicious poured over the mashed potatoes.