Serves: 8
Total Calories: 892

COURT BOUILLON:
Bouquet garni:
2 bay leaves
6 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 sprig fresh thyme
4 celery tops with leaves
12 peppercorns, bruised

1 bottle dry white wine
2 small carrots, peeled and chopped
2 small red onions, quartered
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 lemon, juiced
8 cups water

5 to 6 pounds whole salmon or midsection chunk

Garnish:
4 cucumbers or 8 lemons, thinly sliced
curly endive
radish or cheery tomatoes

Cucumber, Dill, And Watercress Sauce

TO PREPARE THE COURT BOUILLON: Make a bouquet garni by tying the herbs, celery, and peppercorns in a square of cheesecloth.

In a large saucepan, combine the wine, carrots, onions, salt, lemon juice, water, and bouquet garni. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Rinse the fish and cut off the fins. Wrap the fish loosely in cheesecloth. Place in a large roasting pan or a fish poacher.

Pour the court bouillon over the fish to cover. If more liquid is needed, add water.

Place the pan over 2 stove-top burners turned to medium-low. Cover and cook the fish for 30 minutes.

Using 2 spatulas, carefully remove the fish from the pan. Place it on a plate and carefully remove the cheesecloth, slowly pulling it away from the skin of the fish.

Remove the skin. Using a dull knife, gently scrape the gray skin residue covering the pink flesh. Cut off the head and discard (if needed). Transfer the fish to a platter.

If desired, overlap the slices of cucumbers or lemons on the fish to resemble scales. Surround the fish with curly endive and decorate the platter with radishes or cherry tomatoes.

Serve the sauce alongside.

From Dinner Parties. Text copyright © 2004 by Jessica Strand. Photographs copyright © 2004 by Victoria Pearson. All rights reserved. First published by Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco, California.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 8
Total Calories: 892
Calories from Fat: 357

More Recipes from the Dinner Parties Cookbook:
*Dinners for Eight
Andalusian Gazpacho
Chicken Tagine With Couscous
Couscous
Creamy Blueberry Pie
Cucumber, Dill, And Watercress Sauce
Guacamole With Chips
Marinated Olives
Phyllo Nests With Honey And Walnuts
Poached Salmon With Cucumber, Dill, And Watercress Sauce
Potato, Onion, And Tomato Gratin
Prune And Almond Tart
Roasted Almonds With Sea Salt
Roasted Eggplant Smothered In Olive Oil, Parsley, And Garlic
Roasted Pork Shoulder With Herbal Rub And Fennel
Sautéed Spinach
Spinach, Fuyu Persimmon, And Pine Nut Salad With Citrus Vinaigrette
Wild Rice, Pecan, And Dried Cranberry Salad