Poaching is a good technique for cooking lean fish like tilapia, cod, sole, haddock, snapper, or halibut as well as fatty fish like salmon or trout. It is a type of moist-heat cooking technique that involves cooking by submerging a food item in a liquid usually at a low temperature.
How to Poach Delicious Fish Every Time
Broth-based poaching is refreshing and relatively low-calorie, while oil- or butter-based poaching makes for unbelievably tender fillets. Other staples like coconut milk or wine make great poaching liquids, too. (Note: Each of the recipes below uses a different poaching liquid.)
The Butter & Wine Poach
A butter poach is as decadent as it sounds. It’s also a great way to make lean white fish more tender. Wine, garlic, and thyme deepen the flavor but are subtle enough not to distract from the buttery taste.
Try It at Home: Heat 14 tablespoons butter, ¼ cup white wine, 1 clove smashed garlic, and 1 sprig thyme in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. When the liquid is nearly simmering, add seasoned fish fillets and cook until opaque, 10 to 15 minutes.
Court bouillon is a quick-cooked broth that gets its flavor from wine and aromatics. It’s the perfect way to add lots of flavor without a ton of calories and works equally well with lean or fatty cuts of fish.
Try It at Home: In a large pot, combine 5 cups water and 1 cup dry white wine. Add 2 chopped celery stalks, 1 chopped leek, 1 small chopped onion, 1 crushed lemongrass stalk, 1 bay leaf, 6 black peppercorns, and 3 parsley stems. Simmer 15 minutes, then strain. Return strained liquid to pot or saucepan, add seasoned fish fillets, and simmer for 7-10 minutes.
How to Poach Fish – Easy Seafood Recipe
FAQ
What is the best liquid to poach fish in?
What is the best fish to poach in milk?
What are common foods to poach?
Is poached fish good for you?
What kind of fish can you poach?
The technique also works well for just about any type of fish, from firm white varieties like cod and tilapia, to fattier fish like salmon, to crustaceans like shrimp and lobster. You can poach fish in a wide range of different liquids, and serve poached fish with all types of sauce—or with none at all.
What is poached fish?
Poached fish is a simple and delicious dish that can be prepared quickly and easily. Poaching is a good technique for cooking lean fish like tilapia, cod, sole, haddock, snapper, or halibut as well as fatty fish like salmon or trout.
Can You poach a whole fish?
If you’re poaching a whole fish, choose one with clear eyes and ask the fishmonger to gut and clean it if necessary. Rinse the fish to remove any impurities before cooking. If you’re poaching fillets, use a knife to make several slash marks into the skin. This will prevent the fillets from curling up as they poach.
How do you poach fish?
As for the poaching liquid for fish, you can prepare a simple court bouillon, which is a flavorful, aromatic, slightly acidic liquid that adds a lot of flavor to fish without overpowering it. Or, instead of a court bouillon, you can poach fish in a mixture of half-fish stock, half white wine. Just make sure there is enough liquid to cover the fish.