Poach Fish In Butter Sauce For An Easy Meal With Luxurious Flavors

Poaching fish in a butter sauce yields impressive results in no time. As the meat lightly simmers in a buttery, fragrant bath for about 20 minutes, it acquires a velvety richness that tastes divine and looks that way too. Spoon some of the remaining butter sauce onto the fish before serving for an elevated finishing touch. Hands down, it's one of the best ways to present a fancy meal in under thirty minutes. 

It's also a versatile method that's perfect with any firm fish you want to poach. Cod, grouper, halibut, monkfish, salmon, sea bass, and snapper are all perfect candidates. The butter sauce will gently cook any of them, just as long as you keep the temperature nice and low and below boiling at about 190 degrees Fahrenheit. To create this type of meal, many fine-dining restaurants poach their seafood in a French sauce beurre monté, which is a delicious way to emulsify butter. 

This method really shines with delicate meats and once you figure out how and when you should use beurre monté, you'll understand just how perfect it is. To use this technique, make sure the size of your poaching vessel is big enough to accommodate all of your fish so that they're fully submerged. If you're not using salted butter, you'll want to add 1 and 1/2 teaspoons to your butter sauce for four, 6-ounce filets, and then you'll add your favorite fresh herbs and spices to build even more depth of flavor.

Like many fish recipes, lemon and fresh herbs are all you need to create a sensational flavor profile. With butter poaching, you'll add these finely chopped herbs and spices to the simmering butter sauce as aromatics. They will not only flavor the butter sauce, but they will also lightly flavor your fish as it poaches. 

You can also never go wrong with bay leaves, chives, dill, and parsley, classic herb combinations for cooking seafood. Or switch things up with tarragon, the perfect dill substitute for your dish. For a unique twist, try fennel and orange zest, or go for a Mediterranean butter sauce by adding basil, oregano, and sundried tomato. 

Try experimenting with dried spice combinations too. We like 1 teaspoon of dried turmeric, ginger, and coriander, paired with half a Thai chile, and cilantro. A big spoonful of butter sauce ladled over the fish helps cut through the subtle heat for a tasty, Thai-style meal that can be served with veggies and rice. However, if you just want to keep it simple but still delicious, a squeeze of lemon, garlic, and parsley is all you need to make a flavorful dish.