The only thing that could possibly make this low-carb, 15-minute (yes, 15 MINUTE) recipe better is having someone else cook it for you. And lucky me- my father did just that when he came to visit last week! What better way to celebrate Norwegian Independence Day than with a Norwegian poached salmon recipe? It was SO good, and SO simple, and it took him almost no time to make it at all. I knew I had to have him teach me how to make it, so I could share it with you good people. I couldn’t wait more than a week to make it again. This might have to become a weekly recipe in our house.
I’m telling you- this recipe could not be easier to make. In summary, here’s what you do: boil salmon in water with some dill, salt, and red onion. Drizzle with melted butter and chives. THAT’S IT. But there are a few tricks and tips that will help you get the best, most flavorful, most fall-apart flaky poached salmon ever. Here they are.
First, flavor the poaching liquid well. Amounts aren’t too important here, but when in doubt, add more. I used four big sprigs of dill (from the garden!), two thick slices of red onion (and separated the rings), and a generous amount of kosher salt (about 1 tablespoon). As the fish cooks, it will absorb the flavors of the liquid, so you want to make sure there’s a lot of flavor for it to absorb. Kind of like what you cook pasta or boil potatoes in very salty water. Salty like the sea. Second, boil the fish gently. If the water boils too much, it will cause the fish to cook faster and be less fall-apart flaky. You want to bring the water to barely a bubble and basically simmer it once you get it going. I use this method to poach chicken breasts, too. Use just enough water to barely cover the fish so it’s not super submerged, and cover the skillet as it cooks. Just look at that perfect flaky goodness. Mmm, mmm.
Third, be careful when removing it when it’s done! If you cooked the fish correctly, it will want to fall apart when you pick it up out of the skillet. I used two utensils to get it out- a wide spatula and a wooden spoon on the other end. I am adding a fish spatula to my list of things to get- it would have worked perfectly!
The final step is melting some salted butter with some chopped fresh chives and drizzling it over the top of the fish before serving. No need to get fancy here- I just microwaved the butter and chives together in a pyrex measuring cup until it was melted. I recommend serving this with boiled potatoes (also excellent for drizzling the chive butter) and steamed asparagus or green beans. Pro-tip: save the strained poaching liquid to add to fish stew or seafood chowder.
Try these other easy salmon recipes:
Garlic Butter Sheet Pan Salmon and Veggies Orange Glazed Salmon Salmon, Arugula, and Feta Frittata One-Pan Garlic Butter Salmon and Swiss Chard Chipotle Salmon Tacos with Cilantro Lime Crema Seared Salmon with Scallion Butter Seared Salmon with Avocado, Lemon, and Garlic Aioli Garlic Poached Salmon with Creamy Lemon Caper Sauce Oven BBQ Salmon
Here’s how to make 15-minute perfect poached salmon with chive butter!
