Poached Salmon Fillets (No Wine)

Clean, tender salmon with zero fuss. We poach in lightly salted aromatic water (no wine), keep the temperature gentle to avoid the white albumin, and finish with olive oil + lemon. Serve warm, room temp, or chilled.

Ingredients

• 4 salmon fillets, 6 oz each, skin on if possible
• 4 cups (1 qt) water (or 3 cups water + 1 cup low-sodium vegetable stock)
• 2 tsp kosher salt (about 10–12 g)
• 1 small shallot, sliced (or 1/2 small onion)
• 1 strip lemon zest + 4 slices lemon
• 6–8 peppercorns · 1 bay leaf · a few parsley stems or dill fronds
• To finish: extra-virgin olive oil, lemon wedges, chopped dill/parsley, flaky salt

Want a hint of garlic or ginger? Add a sliced clove or a few coins of ginger to the poaching water.

Method — Stovetop (gentle “steep”)

1. Make the poaching liquid: In a wide skillet (10–12"), combine water, salt, shallot, zest, lemon slices, peppercorns, bay, and herbs. Bring just to a simmer, then turn heat to low and let it barely simmer 3–5 minutes to infuse.
2. Add salmon: Slide fillets in, skin-side down. The liquid should cover them by ~½". If not, add a little hot water.
3. Steep, don’t boil: Turn heat off (or to the lowest setting). Cover and let the salmon steep 10–12 min (1-inch thick) until the center reaches 120–125°F (50–52°C). Thinner fillets: start checking at 8–9 min.
4. Finish: Lift out with a slotted spatula, blot gently, and plate. Spoon a few drops of olive oil, squeeze lemon, sprinkle herbs, and add a pinch of flaky salt.

Method — Oven (hands-off)

1. Heat oven to 275°F (135°C). Place salmon in a shallow baking dish; scatter aromatics around; pour in hot seasoned water just to cover.
2. Poach in oven 15–18 minutes until 120–125°F in the thickest part. Finish with olive oil, lemon, and herbs.

Quick Sauce Ideas (30 seconds)

• Lemon–Olive Oil: 2 Tbsp olive oil + 1 Tbsp lemon juice + pinch salt + chopped dill.
• Yogurt–Herb: 1/2 cup Greek yogurt + 1 Tbsp olive oil + lemon zest + dill/parsley + pinch salt.
• Mustard–Dill: 1 Tbsp Dijon + 2 Tbsp olive oil + 1 Tbsp lemon juice + dill.

Mediterranean Diet Points

• Seafood: ~4 oz cooked fish ≈ 1 point. A typical 6-oz portion still counts as 1 seafood point on your tally.
• Fats & Oils: A drizzle of olive oil supports the unsaturated:saturated fat ratio goal (good for the Med score).
• Vegetables/Grains: Add a big veg side and whole grains (farro, quinoa) to rack up more points.

Nutrition (estimates)

Per serving for a 6-oz cooked wild salmon fillet, finished with 1 tsp olive oil. Poaching liquid salt uptake varies; values below assume light seasoning.

*Base salmon has little sodium; most comes from added salt. Use less in the poaching liquid if you’re watching sodium.

Tips for Perfect Texture

• Low heat = no albumin: Keep liquid below a simmer (160–180°F). Boiling drives out albumin (the white stuff).
• Skin on: Helps keep fillets intact; peel off after cooking if you prefer.
• Chill for salads: Poach, cool, then flake over greens with a yogurt–dill sauce.