Poached salmon in herb marinade with avocado and gazpacho

Vegetable stock:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
• 6 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 fresh fennel bulb, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 cups water or chicken stock
• Pinch saffron, optional

Gazpacho:

• 8 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cucumber, peeled, cut in chunks
• 1/2 each, seeded, chopped: red bell pepper, green bell pepper
• 2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
• 1 small onion, cut in chunks
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1 recipe vegetable stock, from above

Poaching liquid:

• 3 cups water
• 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 4 sprigs each: fresh thyme, fresh tarragon, fresh dill
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed white peppercorns
• 4 salmon fillets, 5 to 6 ounces each

For serving:

• 2 plum tomatoes, seeded, cut in tiny dice
• 1 small onion, cut in tiny dice
• 1/2 each, small, cut in tiny dice: red bell pepper, green bell pepper
• 1/2 small cucumber, cut in tiny dice
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt, freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 ripe avocadoes, peeled, pitted, sliced

For vegetable stock, heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.

Add mushrooms; cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add tomatoes and garlic; cook 2 minutes.

Add all remaining stock ingredients.

Simmer, uncovered, until liquid is reduced to 1 cup, about 45 minutes.

Strain out vegetables; reserve them for another use, if desired.

Chill thoroughly.

Can be made 2 days in advance.

For gazpacho, puree all ingredients except stock, in batches, in a food processor or blender.

Strain and stir into vegetable stock.

To cook salmon, combine ingredients for poaching liquid in a large skillet or saute pan.

Add fish and let marinate for 20 minutes.

Place over very low heat.

Cook until steam rises from liquid but without allowing it to reach a simmer.

Poach fish until it lightens, 15 to 20 minutes.

Let fish stand in poaching liquid, off heat, as long as 35 minutes before serving.

To serve, toss tomatoes, onion, bell peppers and cucumber with lime juice, oil, salt and pepper.

Arrange a half of a sliced avocado in each of 4 large, shallow, serving bowls; top with a salmon fillet and ladle about 3/4 cup of gazpacho around fish.

Sprinkle with some of vegetable mixture and serve at once.
 
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