Poached Salmon

Bouillon:
2 qt. water
1 medium onion, sliced very thin
1 carrot, sliced very thin
6 peppercorns
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
1 tsp. salt
1 bouquet garni (using a piece of cheesecloth, enclose 3 sprigs of parsley, the leaves of a celery rib,
2 bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, not powdered, and 3 cloves)
fish heads and frames (optional)

Bring the water to boil in a big saucepan. Add the remaining ingredients, including any fish heads and frames that you may have on hand, and simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

The Salmon:
Dress the salmon, removing gills and entrails. Leave on the skin, head, and tail, or cut out section of a large salmon for the purpose. Do not scale. Using your hands, rub salmon outside and in with a couple tablespoons of lemon juice. Lay the salmon onto a piece of cheesecloth large enough to accommodate length of fish plus a hand-hold length of cloth in addition and wide enough to enclose the salmon. Put the cooled bouillon into your poaching roaster, lift in the salmon. The water should just cover the fish. Even if your receptacle has a lid, make foil tent over the fish. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat and poach the fish at a low simmer. Time it from the moment you turn down heat to simmer at 10 minutes for every inch of the fish's thickness. (Thickness is measured through the body side to side, not from dorsal to ventral. Fish is assumed to be at room temp. Cold or frozen fish will take longer to poach.) Lift out the salmon gingerly to avoid breaking, lay on draining board to drain with the cheesecloth still on it, then roll it onto platter or serving board.

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