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| Gail Light loves to entertain and wowing guests with her poached salmon for a buffet. |
Gail Light grew up learning to cook from a really good cook — her mother.
Light has a creative soul and while her mother was a good cook, she wasn't an inventive one. “I liked helping in the kitchen and then as a young married got interested in more adventuresome cooking,” says Light.
“I love to entertain; cook for guests, family and special occasions,” she says. “I find it a creative activity and I enjoy the planning and preparing the setting for the meal.
“Every night dinner falls into the necessity column. Here, I say, I assemble more than cook.”
Light and her husband, Bud, have lived in the Vineyard Point Townhomes on Lake Norman for about 10 years, and love it, says Light.
“I've had many careers in my time, most recently I ran an organizing business with a partner,” says Light. She also works with her daughter in San Francisco in her staffing business.
The Lights have two daughters and two grandchildren, Cooper, 8 and Emma, 6. “My current favorite hobby is playing Grandma,” she says. “Here in town, I'm very involved with the Mint Museum of Craft and Design and the docent organization.”
Light picked her Dishwasher — that's right, dishwasher — Poached Salmon recipe to share, along with a Cucumber Sauce that's one her favorites to serve with the fish.
“Brunch is a favorite time for me to entertain and a cold salmon is a great centerpiece for that meal,” says Light. “I had poached salmon in the conventional way and I never had the right equipment; I didn't want to spend the money it would cost to buy a poacher and it was something of a hassle to do.
“A friend told me about this preparation and I was intrigued,” says Light. “I approached it with some amount of skepticism, but I believed my friend wouldn't steer me wrong — and she didn't.”
Why is this recipe a favorite? “I always like to have choices that are easy to prepare in advance and make an impression. And, delicious is a must. I have a couple of different fish shaped serving pieces that add to the presentation. Easy clean up is also a big plus.”
Has it changed over the years? “Only the sauce I choose to serve with it.”
When and how often do you serve it? “Often when I'm doing a buffet and for a large group. I have done as many as 5 flats (half a salmon) at a time.”
Time to prepare? “As long as your dishwasher cycle takes, plus about 5-10 minutes to season and wrap the fish. Also, time to refrigerate it if you're going to serve it cold - my preference.”
Any special instructions not included with the recipe? “No, it's as simple as it seems. The only other element is a sauce to serve with the fish.”
Dishwasher Poached Salmon
This recipe is both a great technique and a great conversation piece.
1. Cut two 12-inch pieces of aluminum foil.
2. Grease the shiny side of the foil with oil. Place 2 fillets (or 1 half of a whole fish) side by side on each square and fold up the outer edges.
3. Season the salmon to your taste, lime, lemon, dill, salt, pepper, etc.
4. Fold and pinch the aluminum foil extra tightly to create a watertight seal around each pair of fillets.
5. Place foil packets on the top rack of the dishwasher. Run dishwasher for the entire regular wash and dry cycle. (No soap, of course)
6. If you're going to serve it hot, to heighten the theatrics, ask your guests to crowd around the dishwasher when you put the salmon in.
7. When cycle is complete, take out salmon (in front of your disbelieving guests), discard foil.
8. Serve the salmon with the sauce of your choice.
Cucumber Sauce
1 cup commercial sour cream
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1⁄2 teaspoon dill seed (or use dill weed, to taste)
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon onion powder
1 cup finely chopped cucumber
Combine ingredients, blend well. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. |
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