Poached Salmon Mousse

Serves: 6 - 8

Preparation: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Category: Fish

Plan: Best made the day before and chilled overnight or allow minimum 3-4 hours to chill before serving

Difficulty: Medium

Course: Main

Cuisine: English

My Mother used to cook this wonderful mousse and it not only looks very pretty
but tastes delicious as well.   Part of the fun is the trouble one can take to garnish with
whole cooked prawns, lemon slices, salads, vegetable art and edible flowers.

The original recipe was made with one pint of aspic, which is no longer available and so I have just

made up a 400g can of beef consommé with one sachet of gelatin with a dash of dry sherry, which

is described as Method No.2.

However, the first method shown below is made more simply by using the cooled fish stock

with gelatin and then adding the rest of the ingredients.

I have shown the results of both methods in the photos above.

Utensils

• Copper fish mould or use a loaf tin
• Mixing bowl for fish mixture
• Measuring jug
• Large saucepan or fish kettle if cooking side of salmon
• Small dish to dissolve gelatin
• Chopping board
• Sharp knife
• Bowl for prawns
• Bowl for chopped cucumber

Ingredients

• 500g salmon fillets, skinned
• 2 glasses white wine
• salt and freshly ground black pepper 
• 4 rounded tbsp good quality mayonnaise 
• Half a cucumber, chopped into tiny cubes 
• Juice of half a lemon (or according to taste) 
• 400g fish stock (use one cube or make Court Bouillon) 
• Alternatively, use instead a 400ml can of Beef Consommé. (Plus a dash of dry sherry, optional)
• 1 sachet of gelatin, dissolve in two tablespoons of boiling water, or you can use Agar Agar (see Cook's note below recipe) 
• Freshly cooked peeled prawns (optional) 

To Garnish

• Sliced Cucumber 
• Freshly cooked Prawns in their shells
• Lemon twists
• Vegetable art
• Rocket, cress
• Fresh herbs
• Edible flowers
  

Method

1. Make up 400ml of fish stock using boiling water and two glasses of white wine plus one fish stock cube, or you could make your own fish stock by boiling up skin, bones, heads and shells of assorted fish and freeze for future use.
   
   
2. Pour the stock into a large pan, place the fillets skin side down and bring to the boil and simmer for five mins and leave to cool for about 45 mins to one hour. 
   
   
3. Drain the liquid using a sieve and discard the fish heads etc.
   
   
4. Take the fillets out of the saucepan as soon as the liquid is cool enough and remove the skin and discard, and then break into flakes and place in a large mixing bowl.
   
   
5. Meanwhile, add one sachet of gelatin to a small amount of liquid to dissolve (I use the microwave to do this) and then add this into the remaining liquid and stir well and leave to cool further.
   
   
6. When cooled, add the tiny diced cucumber, mayonnaise and juice of one lemon and mix with the flaked salmon.
   
   
7.  Pour a little of the cooled fish stock with the gelatin or Agar into the bottom of a fish mould, add a little cucumber and some prawns (if using) and then place into the freezer keeping the mould absolutely level for half an hour to allow this to set.
   
   
8. Then remove the mould from the freezer and the bowl of mixed salmon and cucumber from the fridge and carefully spoon the fish mixture on top of the now set gelatin, prawns and cucumber and make sure the remaining mixture is filled level to the top of the mould, return to the freezer for another 15-20 minutes to allow it to set a little.
   
   
9. Remove the fish mould from the freezer and carefully double wrap the mould with cling film and place on a level shelf in the fridge overnight so that it can finish setting properly.
10. You might need to gently immerse the bottom of the fish mould (VERY, VERY BRIEFLY) in hot water to help loosen the mousse before turning it out onto a serving platter.  If you leave it even for too many seconds, the gelatin stock will quickly start to melt.
    
    
11. Place a long oval serving dish or board on to the top of the mould, turn over and gently lift away.
    
    
12. Garnish with cucumber slices, lemon twists, whole Prawns in their shells and perhaps watercress, pea shoots, vegetable art and edible flowers.
    

1. Second method:  This version is made with beef consommé and a dash of sherry. 
   
   
2.  I chose to microwave the salmon in white wine, discarded the cooking juices and transferred the salmon flakes into a separate bow. I then added the melted gelatin to a 400 ml tin of beef consommé in a pyrex jug and also added a dash of dry sherry to try and create my own version of aspic, which is no longer available to buy. 
   
   
3. Now add the tiny cubed cucumber, mayonnaise and juice of one lemon and mix with the flaked salmon.
   
   
4. Pour a little of the cooled fish stock/consommé  with the gelatin or Agar into the bottom of a fish mould, add a little cucumber and some prawns (if using) and then place into the freezer keeping the mould absolutely level for half an hour.
   
   
5. Meantime, add the stock or consommé mixture to the fish, cucumber, prawns and mayonnaise and gently mix and place in the fridge to cool whilst waiting to retrieve the mould from the freezer.
   
   
6. Then remove the mould from the freezer and the bowl of mixed salmon and cucumber from the fridge and carefully spoon the fish mixture on top of the now set gelatin, prawns and cucumber and make sure the remaining mixture is filled level to the top of the mould, return to the freezer for another 15-20 minutes to allow it to set a little.
   
   
7. Remove the fish mould from the freezer and carefully double wrap the mould with cling film and place on a level shelf in the fridge overnight so that it can finish setting properly.
   
   
8. You might need to gently immerse the bottom of the fish mould (VERY, VERY BRIEFLY) in hot water to help loosen the mousse before turning it out onto a serving platter.  If you leave it even for too many seconds, the gelatin stock will quickly start to melt.
   
   
9. Place a long oval serving dish or board on to the top of the mould, turn over and gently lift away.
   
   
10. Garnish with cucumber slices, lemon twists, whole Prawns in their shells and perhaps watercress, pea shoots, vegetable art and edible flowers.
    
    
    COOK'S NOTE
    
    China grass or Agar Agar or Kanten is a sea weed and completely vegetarian. It gives a smooth, glossy finish and many chefs prefer to use it over gelatin. China grass, if used properly sets easily at room temperature. The method of using Agar Agar or Gelatin (which is derived from the collagen inside animals’ skin and bones) may be the same. Agar agar comes in flakes or powders.
    
    Be careful to follow the recipe correctly to get the desired texture. These are some useful tips to cook with agar agar, china grass or kanten:
    
         They need to be broken into pieces and softened by soaking in cold water for about 10-15 minutes.
         Heat in low flame for them to melt completely. Never heat on a high or even medium flame.
         When you boil agar agar, stir continuously or the flakes/powder will set in the bottom.
         Do not over cook the agar agar mixture as it tends to set while cooking.
         The agar agar mixture has to be added to another hot mixture immediately.
    
    Both the mixtures have to be HOT for the agar agar to set properly. If any one of them is cold, then your dish or dessert will not set properly
         
    In case the agar agar mixture solidifies before you add to another hot mixture, reheat in low flame until it melts again completely and then add it.