Rick Stein’s poached salmon recipe is perfect for summer and only needs a few ingredients

Celebrity chef Rick Stein has shared a delicious salmon recipe that’s perfect for a midweek meal – and it couldn’t be easier to make

Whipping up a midweek meal can often feel like a Herculean task, especially after a draining day at the office.

The last thing you want is to be chained to the stove, rustling up something that’s both tasty and good for you. It’s all too easy to succumb to the siren call of ready meals, but they’re hardly the stuff of culinary dreams and can leave you feeling worse for wear.

But don’t despair, weary chefs!

Rick Stein has come to the rescue with a simple yet sublime dish that’s ideal for balmy evenings and won’t pile on the pounds. His poached salmon with new potatoes and a crisp cucumber salad is a classic from his 1997 tome ‘Fruits of the Sea’.

Rick’s a fan of serving the salmon just a tad underdone to keep it succulent, and his poaching technique ensures a clean kitchen post-cooking. His website says: “Try it at home for your fish-loving family – we’re sure they’ll be very keen indeed.”, reports the Express.

To get started, you’ll need to concoct a court-bouillon – a posh term for a flavorful broth. Rick’s version calls for six bay leaves, a teaspoon of peppercorns, a sliced ​​carrot, a sliced ​​onion, two tablespoons of salt, four tablespoons of white wine vinegar, and three liters of water in a pan, brought to a rolling boil.

Let this aromatic potion simmer for 20 minutes to infuse before carefully slipping in four salmon fillets.

Gently poach the fish in water for about five to six minutes until it’s tender, just beginning to flake and has turned completely opaque – remember, you want a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil.

Once cooked, remove the fish and let it rest. While it’s resting, get 750g of new potatoes on the boil in salted water with a couple of sprigs of mint.

Cook them until they’re soft enough to pierce with a fork, then drain and keep warm. If you fancy a richer flavor, toss the spuds in a knob of butter, a good pinch of salt and some freshly ground pepper.

Next up, peel a cucumber and slice it into wafer-thin discs; a mandolin is ideal for this, but a knife will do the job too. Finely chop two sprigs of mint and mix with a tablespoon of white wine vinegar, then stir through the cucumber slices.

To finish off, season everything with another pinch of salt and pepper, serve with a generous squeeze of lemon and a dollop of top-notch mayo.

This dish is best enjoyed al fresco with a glass of robust white wine like a Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir.