In this light, summery dish, tender poached salmon sits atop a creamy yogurt sauce similar to a Greek tzatziki. This version, however, is made with zucchini instead of the traditional cucumber, a twist that gives it an earthy flavor and more substantial texture. Adorned with a drizzle of olive oil and feathery dill fronds, it’s a meal that delivers ample pleasure and nourishment. The poached salmon can be served either warm or chilled.
Storage: Refrigerate the salmon for up to 2 days; the sauce, for up to 3 days.
Ingredients
Directions
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Step 1
Place the lemon zest in a small bowl and cover with a clean, damp towel to keep it from drying out. Coarsely grate about 2 teaspoons of one of the shallots and transfer to a medium bowl. Slice the remaining shallots.
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Step 2
In a colander or fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl, toss the zucchini with 1/8 teaspoon of the salt and let drain for about 15 minutes. Using your hands, squeeze out (and discard) as much liquid as possible; you should get about 3/4 cup zucchini.
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Step 3
While the zucchini is draining, in a large (12-inch) lidded skillet with tall sides set over high heat, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. (In a separate saucepan or kettle, bring an additional 2 cups of water to a boil, in case it’s needed.) Add 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, the sliced shallots and dill sprig to the boiling water in the skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low and place the salmon in the skillet, skin side down. If the fillets are not completely submerged, add boiling water from the kettle to the skillet until they are.
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Step 4
Cover the skillet and poach the salmon, checking occasionally to make sure the water is at a bare simmer, until the fish is opaque, flakes easily under the tines of a fork and reaches an internal temperature of 125 degrees on an instant-read thermometer for medium-rare, about 10 minutes for 1-inch-thick fillets. Use a slotted spatula to transfer the fillets to a plate, let sit until cool enough to handle, then remove and discard the skin.
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Step 5
While the fish is cooling, transfer the drained zucchini to the bowl with the grated shallot. Add the yogurt, 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil, 1 tablespoon of the dill, the remaining 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, the mint, if using, and 1/8 teaspoon of the salt, and stir to combine. You should have about 1 1/3 cups.
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Step 6
Add the remaining 1/8 teaspoon of salt and the pepper to the lemon zest, and stir to combine. Sprinkle the zest mixture on top of the salmon.
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Step 7
To serve, spread about 1/3 cup of the sauce on each plate, top each with a salmon fillet (warm or at room temperature), drizzle with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil and garnish with dill.
Substitutions
Dill >> parsley.
Shallot >> white or yellow onion.
Zucchini >> yellow squash.
Dairy-free? >> Use a nondairy Greek yogurt instead.
