Savory Rhubarb Recipe: Poached Salmon with Rhubarb Yogurt
Poached salmon with honeyed rhubarb yogurt is a light, make-ahead spring dinner that’s as easy as it is impressive. Rhubarb is macerated in honey until tender, then folded into cool Greek yogurt for a tangy, slightly sweet sauce that pairs beautifully with pink peppercorn poached salmon. Everything can be made in advance and served chilled — perfect for a relaxed spring dinner or lunch. Pair with a glass of rhubarb rose sangria for a full spring spread.
Why Rhubarb Works in Savory Dishes
Rhubarb is technically a vegetable, and its natural tartness makes it a surprisingly versatile ingredient beyond the usual pies and crumbles. When cooked with a touch of sweetener, rhubarb softens into a bright, tangy condiment that cuts through rich proteins like salmon and pork beautifully. Think of it the way you’d use a fruit chutney or a citrus sauce — it brings acidity and freshness to savory dishes in a way that feels both unexpected and completely natural. If you’re more familiar with rhubarb in sweet applications like rhubarb oat crisp, this savory take will surprise you
Honey Rhubarb Sauce
Maceration is the technique to slowly break down fruit using sweetener. In this recipe honey works to slowly soften the rhubarb stalks over time.
About the Pink Peppercorn Salmon
Poaching the salmon in pink peppercorn does two things:
- Pink peppercorn adds a bright, kick of heat to the salmon, floral and soft spice.
- Poaching the salmon keeps it moist and locks the flavor in.
This recipe for Poached Salmon with Honey Rhubarb Yogurt uses salmon sprinkled with pink peppercorns to bring the floral notes of Rhubarb out in a beautiful way. If you are looking to Rhubarb in a savory entree instead of the typical dessert recipes, this culinary creation is for you.Â
Recipe Steps:
Rhubarb stalks grow readily in the spring time and are available for a short period of time. You can make use of this seasonal ingredient in an unexpected way by incorporating it into a cooling, yogurt sauce to pair with fish, in this recipe I used pink salmon.
Poached salmon with honeyed rhubarb yogurt is an impressive dish, that packs a ton of flavor through different cooking methods. Don’t be put off by the long resting time listed in the recipe, you will find while making this recipe, this is slow cooking in it’s most simple form.
By chopping the rhubarb and allowing it to naturally break down due to the sugars in honey, (a process called maceration), this recipe is actually very hands off and conveniently cuts down on your time spent in the kitchen.
The same goes for poaching the salmon, the poaching method allows for little stove top time and the peppercorns and lemon peel infuse flavor directly into the salmon during the boiling period. The salmon finishes cooking in the hot water even after you have removed the pan from the heat.
Savory Rhubarb Recipe: Poached Salmon with Rhubarb Yogurt
Ingredients
- 1/2 stalk Rhubarb Chopped
- 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt Plain
- 1 tbsp Honey
- 2 Fillets Salmon about 3-4 ouces each
- 1 tsp Pink Peppercorn crushed
- 2 peels Lemon 1 inch in length each
Instructions
Honeyed Rhubarb Yogurt
- Slice rhubarb stalk into thirds, then chop into 1/3 inch slices.
- Place chopped rhubarb in bowl and cover with tablespoon honey mixing gently to cover. Refridgerate at least 2 hours or overnight, macerating the rhubarb until soft.
- Place plain greek yogurt in bowl
- Mix macerated, chopped rhubarb into yogurt
Pink Peppercorn Poached Salmon
- Place both salmon fillets in medium saucepan, skin side down and sprinkle with crushed red peppercorn. Place lemon peels in pot.
- Add water until just covering salmon and place lid on top. Bring saucepan to a boil over high heat, rduce heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat source and allow salmon to rest in peppercorn liquid for an additional 10 minutes.
- Remove salmon from pan and allow to cool in refridgerator for 30 minutes to an hour before plating. Serve poached salmon with a scoop of rhubarb yogurt. I like to serve this meal with simple, fresh spinach leaves.
Nutrition
Another great make-ahead spring lunch worth trying, Tarragon Chicken Salad
Like pea shoots, rhubarb is one of the first ingredients to arrive in early spring.
The best spring ingredients won’t be here long — let’s make the most of them.
Love the pop of the pink peppercorn and the tangy rhubarb yogurt! Sounds delish
I love poached salmon. I’ll look for those pink peppercorns. They may be hard to find? I’m on it!