Name: Cold Poached Salmon with Cumin Yogurt Sauce
Total time: 90 min
Ingredients: 3 cups dry white wine; 1 small onion, chopped; 3 celery ribs, chopped; 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns; 3 parsley sprigs; One 3-pound fillet fatty salmon, pin bones removed; 6 thin lemon slices, for garnish; 12 thin cucumber slices, for garnish; 2 cups plain Greek yogurt; 1/3 cup finely diced seeded cucumber; 1/4 cup finely diced red onion; 1 garlic clove, minced; 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice; 3 tablespoons minced capers; 3 tablespoons minced cilantro; 3 tablespoons minced dill; 1 tablespoon ground cumin; Kosher salt; Freshly ground white pepper

Cold Poached Salmon with Cumin Yogurt Sauce

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A large salmon fillet is gently poached in water, wine, and aromatics then chilled and served with a creamy, flavor-packed yogurt sauce.

Andrew Zimmern

Updated on December 22, 2022

Overhead view of cold poached salmon with cumin yogurt sauce served on an earthenware platter and garnished with cucumber and lemon slices. — Photo:
Julia Hartbeck

Active Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

1 hrs 30 mins

Servings:

8 to 10 servings

Chef and television personality Andrew Zimmern used this recipe in Boiling Water 101, a class he taught for 10 years at a school in Minnesota. He developed this recipe to teach a basic cooking skill — how to poach salmon — that also delivers complex flavors. It's an excellent touchstone for family meals or entertaining. The technique is simple: Gently simmer a salmon fillet in water seasoned with wine, onion, celery, peppercorns, and parsley, then let it sit on a platter to finish cooking. He serves the salmon chilled with sliced cucumber, sliced lemon, and a delicious yogurt sauce packed with herbs, capers, and a healthy amount of ground cumin.

Ingredients

Salmon

3 cups dry white wine
1 small onion, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
3 parsley sprigs
1 (3-pound) fillet fatty salmon, pin bones removed
6 thin lemon slices, for garnish
12 thin cucumber slices, for garnish

Cumin yogurt sauce

2 cups plain Greek yogurt
1/3 cup cucumber, seeded and finely diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons capers, minced
3 tablespoons minced cilantro
3 tablespoons minced dill
1 tablespoon ground cumin
Kosher salt
Freshly ground white pepper

Directions

Prepare the salmon

Julia Hartbeck

Gather your ingredients.
Julia Hartbeck

In a fish poacher or a pot large enough to hold the salmon, combine the wine, onion, celery, peppercorns, and parsley.
Julia Hartbeck

Add 3 inches of water and bring to a boil. Add the salmon fillet (it should be fully submerged) and bring the water to a simmer. Cover and simmer gently over low heat until the salmon is just cooked through, about 8 to 9 minutes.

Make the yogurt sauce

Julia Hartbeck

In a medium bowl, combine all of the cumin yogurt sauce ingredients and mix well.
Julia Hartbeck

Using two spatulas, carefully transfer the salmon fillet to a large platter. Dab off any white bits and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool.
Julia Hartbeck

Garnish salmon with the lemon and cucumber slices and serve with the cumin yogurt sauce.