Oil-Poached Salmon with Fresh Cucumber Salad

When the Cooking Light Test Kitchens made this restaurant favorite, we discovered that the fish absorbed just 2 tablespoons of the oil. To ensure even cooking, have the fishmonger prepare similarly shaped fillets, and make sure the oil's temperature returns to and stays at 150° after the fish is added.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet, 1/2 cup cucumber salad, and 1 tablespoon dressing)

Ingredients

• Salmon:
• 5  cups  olive oil
• 1/2  cup  basil leaves
• 1  large lemon, thinly sliced
• 4  garlic cloves, crushed
• 4  (6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/8  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 
  Remaining ingredients:
• 1  large English cucumber, peeled and thinly diagonally sliced (about 2 cups)
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 2  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh basil
• Basil leaves (optional)

Preparation

1. To prepare salmon, clip a kitchen thermometer onto side of a 10-inch skillet. Add oil, basil leaves, lemon slices, and garlic to pan; heat to 150°. Add fish to oil; cook for 12 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Remove fish from oil; place on paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

2. Toss cucumber with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; set aside.

3. Combine juice, chopped basil, remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl; drizzle over fish. Serve with cucumber salad. Garnish with basil leaves, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

231

Fat:

11.9g (sat 1.8g,mono 6.3g,poly 2.9g)

Protein:

28.1g

Carbohydrate:

2.1g

Fiber:

0.5g

Cholesterol:

73mg

Iron:

1.2mg

Sodium:

390mg

Calcium:

29mg