Presenting a Whole Poached Salmon Like It's Sitting on Water

Chef Larry Dann, caterer extraordinaire,  shared this recipe for with me because I think a whole poached salmon is a fabulous, delicious addition to buffets.  It's impressive and appropriate on brunch, lunch and dinner buffets.

The directions below will show you how to make the whole poached salmon look like it's sitting on water.

Poach a whole salmon.  Refrigerate the salmon until completely cooled.  Using a very sharp knife, run a line down the backbone just deep enough to pierce the skin going around the dorsal fins.  Do the same at the tail and head just behind the gills leaving the tail, fins, and head intact.  Gently remove the skin by pulling down from the top and toward the tail.  Once all of the skin is removed there are blood lines that run down the back and side of the salmon.  Again, gently scrape the blood away from the salmon using the side of your knife leaving only the beautiful pink flesh. 

After cleaning the salmon of the skin and blood lines use a dampened pastry brush to remove all and any unwanted small pieces and offal.
 
Trim the base of the salmon to clean it up and so it looks nice.  Place the salmon on a drip rack on a sheet pan and return to the cooler.  Make a clear gelatin and drizzle four thin coats over the salmon to seal it and keep it fresh allowing each coat to set before adding another.  This also lends a beautiful shine to the salmon.  You can easily remove the salmon to put onto a display tray with two large spatulas.  You will need to trim any excess gelatin away before placing onto the display tray.
 
For the base. Refrigerate a deep display tray that is large enough to accommodate salmon and condiments.  Make a clear gelatin with twice the normal gelatin needed for a simple gelatin. Add a few drops of blue and green food coloring to make the gelatin a nice turquoise color.  Only add a couple of drops at a time until you get the desired color.  Pour the gelatin onto the display tray to completely cover the base of the tray.  The gelatin needs only to be about 1/4 to 3/8 inch thick.  Make sure that the tray is level.  Allow gelatin to set firm.  Place salmon strategically onto tray on one side to allow room for condiments and cream cheese.  Whip desired amount of cream cheese and pipe onto the gelatin in "wispy wave crests" so that the gelatin looks like a lake or ocean. There should be open spaces so you can see the gelatin.  

Arrange diced tomatoes, capers, shaved red onions, and chopped eggs on edge of tray to garnish. 

 An 8 pound fish will serve about 60 people.