Never make dry or overcooked salmon by using a multicooker

To complete our healthy dinner, we made a fresh and light salad with cucumber, tomatoes, olives, and herbs. (Pixabay photo)

Cooking salmon can be intimidating since it overcooks and dries out so easily. But the multicooker makes the process foolproof: The consistent moisture level and temperature, as well as the precise timing safeguards against overcooking, produce evenly cooked salmon each and every time.

Cooking the salmon on a foil sling made it easy to transfer in and out of the multicooker, and propping the fish up on lemon slices insulated it from the direct heat.

While both methods produced great salmon in under an hour, we slightly preferred the slow cook setting since it allowed us to regularly check the doneness of the fish, guaranteeing that it was cooked perfectly.

To complete our healthy dinner, we made a fresh and light salad with cucumber, tomatoes, olives, and herbs. If using the slow cook function, check the salmon’s temperature after 15 minutes of cooking and continue to monitor until it registers 135 F.

POACHED SALMON WITH CUCUMBER AND TOMATO SALAD

Servings: 4

Pressure cook total time: 25 minutes

Slow cook total time: 45 minutes

1 lemon, sliced 1/4 inch thick, plus 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest and 2 tablespoons juice

1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, stems reserved

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, stems reserved

1 (1 1/2-pound) skinless centre-cut salmon fillet, 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick, sliced crosswise into 4 equal pieces

Salt and pepper

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 shallot, minced

2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and minced

1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced thin

8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved

3/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved

Fold sheet of aluminum foil into 12-by-9 inch sling. Press sling into multicooker, allowing narrow edges to rest along sides of insert. Arrange lemon slices in single layer on prepared sling, then scatter parsley and dill stems over top. Add water until liquid level is even with lemon slices (about 1/2 cup). Season salmon with salt and pepper and arrange skinned side down in even layer on top of herb stems.

— To pressure cook: Lock lid in place and close pressure release valve. Select high pressure cook function and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off multicooker and quick-release pressure. Carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.

— To slow cook: Lock lid in place and open pressure release valve. Select low slow cook function and cook until salmon is opaque throughout when checked with tip of paring knife and registers 135 F (for medium), 15 to 20 minutes.

(If using Instant Pot, select high slow cook function.) Turn off multicooker and carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.

Meanwhile, whisk oil, shallot, capers, lemon zest and juice, and chopped dill together in large bowl. Add cucumber, tomatoes, olives, and parsley leaves and gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Using sling, transfer salmon to baking sheet; discard poaching liquid. Gently lift and tilt fillets with spatula to remove herb stems and lemon slices and remove any white albumin. Transfer salmon to individual plates and serve with salad.

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Nutrition information per serving: 427 calories; 262 calories from fat; 29 g fat (4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 62 mg cholesterol; 1145 mg sodium; 16 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 26 g protein.

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For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visit https://www.americastestkitchen.com. Find more recipes like Poached Salmon with Cucumber and Tomato Salad in “Multicooker Perfection .”

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America’s Test Kitchen provided this article to The Associated Press.