Too stingy to buy leeks and fennel 7795

Nexis

Can't make 'talian saw-seege without fennel seeds, in fact I almost always add a big pinch of fennel seeds to my tomato sauce. Fennel seeds are also great baked in bread, and especially pizza crust... fennel dough is a good change from dill dough.

I occasionally enjoy a fresh fennel bulb, like to slice em and eat with just salt. Was very tempted to buy one today but they were kind of small, old looking, with no fronds, and $1.99-each, so I wimped out. But fennel is now on my veggie garden menu for next year. Fennel is nice with tomato and mozz drizzled with fruity EVOO and a little red wine vinegar, good with sweet sopressata too. Yep, gonna grow me a mess of fennel next year, and the bulbs keep well in the fridge too. And fresh fennel fronds are essential for salmon aspic, one of the very few fish dishes I cook at home, mainly because I love all that rich gelatinized stock, and even the very best fish restaurants don't do that anymore.

I've posted this before. I make it at least once a year, it's a lot of work but well worth it. I've been preparing this many years prior to this recipe but it's pretty much what I do, not really exactly but close... I add fennel stalks to the stock... and like a lot more carrots, I ripple cut them... and I don't do the mayo thing, I do horseradish. I also do this with whitefish. This is the dish schnapps was invented for.

POACHED SALMON IN ASPIC

Active time: 1 3-4 hr Start to finish: 12 hr Before you start this recipe, make sure there's room in your refrigerator for a 24-inch fish poacher and a 25-inch platter.

For salmon 1 (6-lb) whole salmon (with skin), cleaned and backbone removed, head and tail left intact 1 teaspoon salt 6 qt cold water 1-2 cup fresh lemon juice 1 large onion, coarsely chopped 2 carrots, coarsely chopped 2 celery ribs with leaves, cut into 4-inch pieces 2 bay leaves (not California) 6 fresh parsley stems (without leaves) 2 fresh thyme sprigs 1-4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

For aspic 1 cup dry white wine 2 tablespoons Sercial Madeira 1 fresh thyme sprig 1 teaspoon salt 1 large leek, white and pale green parts chopped and 2 outer leaves reserved

For garnish 1 carrot, coarsely chopped 1 celery rib, coarsely chopped 3 large eggs, whites lightly beaten and shells crushed (reserve yolks for another use) 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin (from two 1-4-oz envelopes) 1-4 cup cold water

Accompaniment: green mayonnaise Special equipment: 2 (35-inch-long) pieces of cheesecloth; kitchen string; a 24-inch fish poacher*; a long (25-inch) platter

Poach salmon: Wash salmon inside and out and sprinkle inside with salt. Unfold 1 piece of cheesecloth on top of the other to make a double layer, then wrap fish snugly in it and tie ends (close to fish) with kitchen string. Place on poacher rack in poacher, then straddle poacher across 2 burners on stovetop. Add 6 quarts cold water (it should cover fish by 1 inch), lemon juice, vegetables, herbs, and peppercorns.

Bring to a boil, partially covered, over high heat (this will take about 25 minutes; fish will register 145¡F on an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of fish). Transfer poacher to a metal rack and cool fish in broth, uncovered, 30 minutes. Then chill fish in poacher (do not pour off broth), uncovered, at least 8 hours.

Reduce broth for aspic: Lift fish on poacher rack out of broth and drain well, then transfer from rack to a large shallow baking pan and chill. Pour broth through a sieve into a large bowl. Transfer 8 cups broth to a 4-quart heavy pot, reserving remainder for another use. Add white wine, Madeira, thyme sprig, and salt and boil until reduced to 5 cups, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool 20 minutes.

Prepare salmon for glazing: Wash reserved leek leaves and chopped leeks in a bowl of cold water, then lift out and drain well. Cut leaves into decorative strips. Blanch strips in a saucepan of boiling water 1 minute, then transfer to a bowl of ice and cold water. Drain and pat dry.

Remove strings from cheesecloth, then open cheesecloth but don't remove it. Remove fatty strip and small bones (they look like a comb) from spine of fish from head to tail. Trim off any fat from edges of belly. Carefully remove bony section under gills, then remove skin and dark flesh from visible side (top) of fish by gently scraping with a small sharp knife. Using the cheesecloth, roll fish over onto platter and remove bony section under gills, then remove skin and dark flesh from other side of fish. Wipe platter clean, then cover fish with dampened paper towels and chill until aspic is ready.

Clarify broth (using egg whites and shells) and make aspic: Whisk together reduced broth, chopped leek, carrot, celery, and egg whites and shells in a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, then reduce heat and cook at a bare simmer, undisturbed, over low heat 30 minutes. Ladle broth through sieve lined with a double thickness of dampened paper towels set over a 1-quart glbutt measure, then press firmly on solids.

Soften gelatin in cold water in a 1-quart saucepan 1 minute. Add 3 cups broth and simmer, stirring, until gelatin is dissolved, about 2 minutes.

Glaze salmon with aspic: Ladle 2-3 cup aspic into a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water. Let stand, stirring occasionally, just until aspic is the consistency of raw egg white. Remove bowl from ice water and spoon a thin layer of aspic over fish, then chill fish until aspic is set, about 10 minutes. Arrange leek garnish on fish and glaze fish with more aspic. Chill fish, uncovered, until ready to serve.

Pour remaining aspic into a 13- by 9-inch baking dish and chill until firm, about 1 hour. Cut into 1-2-inch cubes, then arrange cubes around salmon.

Cooks' notes: á Salmon can be poached and chilled in broth up to 2 days. á Aspic-glazed salmon keeps, chilled (uncovered), 1 day.

Gourmet November 2001