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If you’re searching for Irish salmon recipes to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, honor your Irish roots or enjoy a healthy and memorable fish dish, this poached salmon with Irish butter sauce is a star. Light and elegant, it’s simple enough for a weeknight yet impressive enough to serve as the centerpiece for a romantic evening.
Best of all (as far as I’m concerned), this recipe highlights two ingredients long celebrated for their aphrodisiac qualities—salmon and fennel—making it a natural date night choice. Paired with silky Irish butter sauce, this dish transforms from just another salmon dinner into a meal designed to delight the senses.
And if you’re planning a themed night in, this recipe is also part of a Romantic Irish Dinner Menu I designed around aphrodisiac ingredients and a bit of fun.
Why this Irish salmon recipe stands out
There are plenty of Irish salmon recipes online. Some call for baking the fish in foil; others use whiskey marinades or smoked salmon wraps. But this version offers something those recipes don’t:
- The elegance of poaching – a gentle cooking method that keeps salmon moist and delicate.
- The richness of Irish butter sauce – simple, creamy and irresistible.
- An aphrodisiac twist – salmon is rich in omega-3s and linked to improved circulation, while fennel has been treasured as an aphrodisiac since ancient Rome.
This is a recipe designed not just to feed you but to set the mood.
TO TRY: Sexy Poached Salmon in Rosé Wine Sauce
How to poach salmon (my super easy way)
Poaching might sound intimidating, but it’s one of the simplest ways to cook fish. And best of all, it’s a moist heat cooking method, which means it’s really hard to dry the fish out. The key is low heat—keeping your water below 205°F ensures the fish stays tender and never toughens.
After years of teaching cooking classes, I pared my method down to these simple steps:
- Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water, add 1 tsp salt, and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a gentle simmer. Add fennel and salmon. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
- Turn off the heat but keep the fish in the water while you prepare the sauce.
The only trick is successfully transferring the salmon from the pan to the plate. I recommend using a slotted spoon.
The secret to a silky Irish butter sauce
This sauce is where the magic happens. It’s creamy without cream, rich but balanced by shallots and white wine. Butter sauce can be a little tricky but with focused attention, even a novice cook can easily master the technique.
Here’s what you do:
In a small saucepan, combine shallots and white wine. Bring to a boil and cook until nearly dry.
Remove from heat—this is really important—and whisk in cold butter one cube at a time, letting each piece melt before adding the next. Make sure you whisk constantly and take your time.
When all of the butter is incorporated, season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon.
Spoon over the salmon and garnish with parsley.
Pro Tip: Always use cold butter. If the butter warms too quickly, the sauce can break. Patience here pays off.
Expert tips for success
Choose Irish butter – the higher butterfat content creates an unmatched richness. If unavailable, use another European or grass-fed butter.
Mind the temperature – too hot and poached salmon will overcook. Gentle heat is your friend.
Don’t rush the sauce – slow whisking = silky texture.
Serving ideas for a romantic Irish dinner
This salmon recipe is delicious on its own, but it shines brightest when served as part of a romantic Irish-themed menu. This is what I recommend:
Irish Potato Soup with Stout as a starter.
Black Velvet Cocktail (Guinness and champagne) for a playful nod to Ireland.
And with this course, a light green salad or buttered green beans on the side.
You could finish with a bar of dark chocolate paired with a playful Irish whiskey tasting. Just beware of overindulgence.
Check out my tips for setting the scene. This can be the kind of dinner that transforms an ordinary evening into an unforgettable one.
The aphrodisiac nutrition behind salmon and fennel
Beyond flavor, the star ingredients in this dish carry nutritional benefits that tie directly to sexual health. These are foods that have been prized for centuries for the way they nourish the body and ignite desire:
- Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids that improve circulation and support cardiovascular health—both essential for sustained energy and sexual function.
- Fennel has a long history as an aphrodisiac, dating back to ancient Rome, and is valued for its aromatic compounds and potential hormone-balancing effects.
Variations and leftover ideas
Alternate cooking methods: Bake or pan-sear the salmon if you prefer the flavor and cooking style, then top it with the Irish butter sauce
Leftovers: Flake salmon into a salad, make salmon cakes or fold into scrambled eggs for brunch
North Atlantic Poached Salmon with Irish Butter Sauce
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Salmon can be the perfect centerpiece to a romantic meal. This salmon recipe features both the aphrodisiacs of salmon and fennel served in a creamy, Irish butter sauce. It’s a fairly simple dish that’s hard to resist.
Ingredients
- 2 6-oz North Atlantic Salmon fillets* about 1-inch thickness
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 fennel bulb coarsely chopped
- 1 shallot finely minced
- 1 Tbsp white wine
- 2 Tbsp very cold, unsalted Irish butter cut into cubes
- Salt and pepper
- Squeeze of fresh lemon
- 1/4 tsp chopped parsley
Instructions
Fill a medium-sized saucepan half full with water, salt and bring to a boil.
Reduce the water to a gentle simmer, add the fennel and fish. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
Turn off and keep fish in water while you make sauce.
Put shallots and white wine in a small saucepan, bring to boil and cook until wine is almost cooked off and shallots are dry.
Remove from heat and whisk in cold butter** one cube at a time, butter will start to thicken.
Season with salt, pepper and lemon.
Serve over the poached salmon and garnish with parsley.
Notes
**Make sure your butter for the sauce is cold. This will ensure that it doesn’t break during the cooking process.
A note on the provided nutrition information
The nutrition information provided has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator and is not a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Nutrition
Calories: 370kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 1360mg | Potassium: 1124mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 498IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 2mg
EatSomethingSexy.com contributor Diane Brown is the author of The Seduction Cookbook: Culinary Creations For Lovers
This article was written in 2016 and most recently updated in 2025 with a new introduction, clarification of recipe instructions and added nutrition information.
Amy is considered a leading authority on aphrodisiacs. Her work in aphrodisiacs is quoted in publications including National Geographic, The New York Times, Epicurious, Wine Enthusiast, Health and Playboy magazines. She speaks internationally on aphrodisiac foods and has brought her knowledge of aphrodisiac history and science to national television shows including The Today Show and CBS Early Show. She is a frequent guest on relationship and lifestyle radio and podcast shows and has been interviewed by BBC and NPR radio, Cosmopolitan radio and popular podcasts including My Dad Wrote a Porno.
Amy is also a freelance food, wine and health researcher and writer as well as a wine competition judge. Her work has appeared in publications ranging from Variety to The Daily Meal. She is an MSN content provider. And she is also a former wine editor for Gayot.com and wine & spirits editor of Las Vegas magazine.
Fun fact: Amy was the creator of the first ever comprehensive food and wine apps, Amy Reiley’s Pocket Gourmet and Amy Reiley’s Pocket Vineyard for Palm.
www.eatsomethingsexy.com (Article Sourced Website)
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