Green Tea Poached Salmon and Greens

Helloo,

Have I ever told you about the duck-fat-poached salmon?  I'm sure I've mentioned it.  Oh it was the best thing to ever enter my mouth.  Beautiful, soft, rich flesh that just instantly disintegrates and melts as it meets your tongue.  The man behind that taught me how that was made, but I cannot bring myself to make it for myself.  Some things I just can't cook, my arteries would clog up and explode just at the process of cooking it.  

So I poached salmon in green tea.  What a downgrade, I know.  It's more delicate and light.  Less indulgent.  Better for your heart and waistline. 

The tea is also flavored with some other spices, and then this salmon sits on a top of garlicky and lemony greens. 

serves 1
Ingredients
1 fillet of salmon
2 bags of green tea
3 bay leaves
1/2 tbsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 tbsp salt
2 cup of water



Spinach
2 cups of spinach leaves
1/2 cup of broad beans
1cm cube ginger
1 small garlic clove
lemon juice
fish sauce
soy sauce

Method
Bring the water to the boil in a pot that's wide enough and deep enough to be able to have the fish completely submerged in the water.  

Add the tea bags, peppercorns, bay leaves, sugar and plenty of salt.  Let that infuse for 3 minutes before straining the mixture and reserving the liquid.

Bring the liquid to a simmer, turn the heat down to medium-low and put the fish in, skin side down.  Cover with lid and cook until just cooked, about 5-8 minutes.  Depends on how big your fish is and how well cooked you want it. This is what Julia Child says,  “Fish is done when the flesh has turned from translucent to opaque and, rather than feeling squashy to the touch like raw fish, it feels lightly springy. It should still be juicy. Fish that is resistant and flaky is overdone – too bad!”



Meanwhile, make the spinach.  Mince the garlic and ginger.  Fry in a bit of oil until fragrant, then add the spinach and sautee until the spinach has wilted.  Blanch the broad beans in a pot of boiling water for a couple of minutes until just cooked through, then add that to the pan.  Season with fish sauce, lemon juice and soy sauce. 

Plate by putting the spinach in the center of the plate, and laying the salmon on top.  Top off with another squeeze of lemon juice.