Ok, I know this sounds crazy (and I was even a little hesitant to post this because you will all think I'm crazy), but believe me, this recipe is DELICIOUS (it's by the Surreal Gourmet, Bob Blumer). I only changed the type of sauce listed to a much easier (and better!) dill sauce. We've made this recipe 4 or 5 times when guests were over, and it is the object of numerous jokes and high praise. Have fun (it's not difficult), and amaze your guests...
Dishwasher Salmon with Dill Sauce (Yes, really)
(serves 4)
by Bob Blumer
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Since the release of my second cookbook, I have traveled around the globe being a media slut and throwing spontaneous dinner parties wherever I could rustle up a kitchen and a willing audience. The hazard of the job is that guests tend to arrive with impossibly high expectations. Instead of competing with these fantasies, I counter with culinary theatrics from my surreal bag of tricks. My trump card is salmon fillets poached in the dishwasher and topped with creamy dill sauce. It's simpler then it sounds, (virtually) foolproof, and it's usually a safe bet that none of the guests ordered the same thing for lunch. As a bonus, the results are melt-in-your-mouth moist.
The answers to the following (skeptically asked) questions, and the accompanying recipe are all you need to convert your own dishwasher into a multifaceted kitchen appliance.
Q: Is there any trickery involved?
A: No.
Q: How do you keep the fish from breaking up?
A: The individual-sized fillets are sealed in aluminum foil.
Q: How long does it take to cook?
A: The salmon should be run through the entire wash and dry cycle.
(approximately 50 minutes for most models)
Q: Does the model make a difference?
A: No, I have poached salmon in almost every make and model. Although the temperatures and duration of the cycle vary with each make, salmon is very forgiving, and a little more or less "cooking" will not affect it greatly.
Q: Is there any special setting?
A: Yes. You need all the heat you can get. Modern dishwashers have "economy" and "cool dry" settings. These are undesirable since they are designed to conserve heat. However, on the other side of the spectrum, I have found that the "pots and pans" settings tends to be overkill.
Q: Doesn't the fish taste like soap (adding soap and dirty dishes is optional)?
A: No, not as long as the salmon is tightly sealed in the aluminum foil.
Q: Have you ever had a disaster?
A: Recently, moments before appearing on a live national morning TV show, I discovered that the heating element in the dishwasher was broken. After a quick huddle with the producer, I was forced to make the most of the situation by baking the salmon in the (gasp!) oven. To avoid this pedestrian fate, ask yourself the $100 question: when you last unloaded the dishwasher (immediately after it completed its cycle), were the dishes hot? If the answer is yes, you are ready to poach.
Ingredients for salmon
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 6-ounce salmon fillets
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Heavy-duty aluminum foil
Ingredients for dill sauce
8 oz. Sour cream (reduced calorie is fine for this recipe)
1-2 Tablespoons of fresh dill (use less if dried)
Salt and pepper to taste
SALMON
1. Cut two 12-inch pieces of aluminum foil.
2. Grease the shiny side of the foil with the oil. Place 2 fillets side by side on each square and fold up the outer edges.
3. Pour 1 tablespoon lime juice over each fillet. Season with salt and pepper.
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 wash and dry cycle. (To heighten the theatrics, ask your guests to crowd around the dishwasher when you put the salmon in.)
6. When cycle is complete, take out salmon (in front of your disbelieving guests), discard foil, place one fillet on each plate, and spoon a generous serving of dill sauce over top.
Le Secret: Make sure the packet is airtight by pressing down on it gently with your hand. If air escapes easily, repackage.
Adventure club: Poach the salmon with yesterday's dishes and lemon-scented dishwasher detergent (I do it this way all the time).
Suggested Accompaniment: Yellow string beans, steamed and glazed with lemon juice and butter.
Music To Cook By: Le Cirque de Soleil Soundtrack from Alegria
Wine: California Pinot Noir