Springtime with Poached Salmon Buffet

A whole poached salmon, moist and succulent, is the star of this spring and summertime entertaining menu. Paired with a classic–but lightened–herb sauce, a lively salsa and seasonal vegetables, a 5- to 6-pound salmon is simple to make, looks stunning and feeds a crowd. The secret of easy poaching is a cheesecloth "hammock" you'll use to lower the fish into the simmering liquid. (See our step-by-step photos.) And, to simplify things further, most of the recipes accompanying the salmon can be made ahead.

Begin dinner with fish and tomato topped bruschetta. Then set out the buffet dishes for guest to serve themselves. A lemon cake roll studded with strawberries, a light and lemony confection, is the perfect conclusion to a seafood dinner. (Actually the whole menu is low in calories, yet high in flavor–but you don't need to tell anybody!)

We help make it easy to put together an impressive and unharried dinner party with a timetable explaining what can be prepared in advance. And in case you think poaching a whole salmon is complicated and hard to do at home, just take a look at our how-to photo sequence showing you just how to do it!

So whether you're celebrating Mother's Day, Memorial Day Weekend, Father's Day, a graduation or a birthday, think poached salmon and enjoy your own party in celebration of spring and summer.

TIMELINE

The key to carefree entertaining is keeping things organized and doing as much preparation in advance as possible. Here are some guidelines for which parts of our seafood buffet recipes can be made in advance.

Fish Poachers

Stainless Steel
The best of the basic models, stainless steel offers good heat distribution and solid construction that will last for years. Prices vary, but stainless poachers are reasonably priced at about $30 for the 18-inch size, up to $45 for the 24-inch size.

Copper
An excellent conductor of heat, copper is always a reliable selection for the home cook. Here, however, the choice of copper is primarily an esthetic one. A hammered copper poacher–21-inches long–retails for about $300.

Anodized Aluminum
The process of "anodizing" aluminum makes it harder, stronger and more durable. But anodized aluminum still reacts with the acids in some foods, so take care using it with lemon, tomatoes, wine and other acidic ingredients. Aluminum fish poachers cost the least, but their value is tempered by poor heat conductance and a lack of durability. If you want just a one- or two-time poacher, though, aluminum can be the right choice.

Recipes

• Corn and Avocado Salsa
• Creamy Herb Sauce
• Lemon Cake Roll with Strawberries
• Poached Whole Salmon with Two Sauces
• Tomato and White Fish Bruschetta