The Quickest Way To Craft A Tasty Sauce For Your Poached Fish

While poached fish doesn't have the crispy textural edges of pan-fried bass, it doesn't have to be bland when it comes to flavor. Serving a yummy sauce with your delicately poached salmon or cod is an awesome way to punch it up with some savory sass. The quickest way to craft a tasty sauce for poached fish? Reducing the poaching liquid to create a concentrated jus that's packed with flavor and body.

The first step to poaching fish is making a poaching liquid, which will eventually form the base of your sauce. This is usually a scant mixture of fish stock, butter, and white wine, which has been flavored with aromatics, such as finely chopped shallots and herbs. Once your fish is poached, remove it from the pan and set it aside before bringing the liquid to a simmer on the stove. As it reduces, the viscosity of the liquid will change, transforming it into a richer, syrupy sauce that's full of distilled flavor (this will take about a minute or so, depending on how much moisture the fish released while poaching). This step is important because it mellows the natural acidity of the white wine while thickening all the fishy juices collected at the base of the pan. At this point, add in a splash of cream and reduce for a further minute. The result should be a lush, unctuous sauce, flecked with aromatic herbs, that takes mere minutes to make. 

Before pouring your sauce over your fish, double-check it for seasonings and sprinkle in a touch of salt and pepper if needed. You can also stir through some more chopped herbs for a burst of color (just be sure to turn the heat off the pan before adding your herbs to retain their verdant hue and inviting aroma). If preferred, you can poach your fish in the oven in an oven-safe skillet instead. Just be sure to avoid one of the mistakes everyone makes when poaching fish by pulling it out of the oven the moment it's cooked, so it doesn't become rubbery. Once ready, remove the fish and place the skillet on the stove to reduce the liquid in the pan as normal. 

With both options, keep your fish warm while you're making your sauce by spooning over some of the hot poaching liquid and covering it with a cartouche. This will ensure your fish remains moist right up until your sauce is ready. Any liquid gathered on the plate can be poured back into your sauce once prepared.

The most flavorful pan sauce for fried fish follows a similar technique — add a dash of butter, cream, wine, and a squeeze of lemon juice to the pan and reduce. The creamy sauce complements the crispy texture of fried fish, and the lemon brings some zingy brightness to the table.