LE FRENCH OVEN Super moist olive oil-poached salmon and meyer lemons
Salmon
4 cups (1 l) olive oil
2 teaspoons salt, plus more,
divided
1 tablespoon crushed pink
peppercorns
1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 medium Meyer lemons, 1 sliced
into thin half moons and 1
quartered
2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 bay leaves, broken into small
pieces
4 (5-ounce / 140-g) salmon filets,
the same thickness so they
cook evenly
2 tablespoons capers
Couscous
1 1⁄4 cup (300 ml) water
1 cup (180 g) couscous
1 pint (280 g) cherry tomatoes,
sliced in half lengthwise
1 ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
into small dice
1⁄4 small red onion, diced
2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin
olive oil
3 teaspoons (15 ml) red wine
vinegar
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
Salmon
Pour the oil into the French oven; add the salt, peppercorns, cayenne, thyme, slices of lemon, garlic,
and bay leaves and heat on low to barely a simmer, around 140° F (60° C) on the thermometer, letting the ingredients cook in the oil for 15 minutes.
Liberally salt the salmon filets before submerging them into the oil. Cook, covered, on low heat for
anywhere from 9–17 minutes, depending on their thickness. Thinner filets could take as little as 5 minutes, thicker from 10–17, so keep watch. Slice into the middle of 1 filet to check that it is done to your taste. If it needs to cook longer, keep the filets in the hot oil for another 3 minutes.
Couscous
Meanwhile, make the couscous by boiling the water in a saucepan. Pour in the couscous, cover, and
remove from the heat. After 4 minutes, uncover and fluff with a fork. Toss in the tomatoes, avocado, and onion. Combine the oil, vinegar, and salt and pour in the pan and mix with a fork to coat.
To serve, transfer the salmon to paper towels to drain. Place a piece of salmon on each plate, drizzle
with a little of the poaching liquid, top with pieces of poached lemon, and scatter capers around. Spoon a mound of couscous to the side and lean a wedge of lemon into the couscous.
Recipe by Hillary Davis, Le French oven
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