Is serving a whole salmon for a buffet a bit out dated?

[Tangyfan]

We've got family coming for a pre Christmas get together. We're doing a buffet and I'm pescetarian so thought I would do salmon, probably served cold. It reminds me of family occasions from the 80s though and wondered if there was an alternative or just crack on?

It’s absolutely delicious. I thought the reason that it’s less popular is more to do with it being prohibitively expensive.
Go for it and please include a potato salad.

Love a bit of salmon on a buffet!
In the past I’ve done a mixed fish platter, with salmon, mackerel, prawns, mussels and crab which went very well on a buffet table. (With lemon slices and Rose Marie sauce in dishes.)

I think that would be lovely. With a hollandaise sauce maybe.

As a caterer I get asked for this all the time. Its certainly not dated

It's absolutely delicious. I love it.

May be relevant - I am a grizzly bear.

I work in catering. We had a whole salmon requested a few weeks ago for a wedding buffet. Very 80s but went down a treat!

Sounds amazing

I always do one for an Xmas buffet and it always goes down well. Some supermarkets have offers a bit nearer Christmas too

Who cares? (Obviously you do🤭) It's popular for a reason!

Not all, I would love that.

Go for it! Sounds great - also think it’s probably only done less now because of the cost. I’d love it. Make sure to have a variety of different sauces, with different citruses and herbs. A bergamot hollandaise is lovely.

I don't know how a fish can date 😂

If you want trendy food, though, maybe do something a bit different with it? Soy honey glaze? Cubed and fried with sesame and seaweed? Sliced and pickled?

Personally I'd go with different fish served different ways: pate, pickles, poached, in a salad, baked, smoked etc and do all the trimmings with crackers and nuts and grapes and fruit pastes and chutneys. And a cheeseboard too!

Sounds delicious.

We had hosted a catered bbq a couple of years ago (DH and a few friends ‘won’ it at a charity auction) and it was one of the mains. I managed to get the last tiny piece as it was demolished! I still think about it…..

🤣🐻.
Salmon is perfect for a buffet !

I know a number of people who have worked in the salmon farming industry. None of them would even feed it to their dogs these days.

https://wildfish.org/latest-news/certification-of-farmed-salmon/

https://dalevince.com/knowledge/environmental-impacts-of-salmon-farming-what-you-need-to-know/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22915126728&gbraid=0AAAAA9YL9BpLUY7-BfBk22NeM5kKJbYbr&gclid=CjwKCAiA_dDIBhB6EiwAvzc1cNsOFTNudlERjHo0NDLo3QcYNOBQB8yStVgFahJ61i0cPFPx-pLqgRoCmBoQAvD_BwE

Oh thanks...we are having salmon for supper tonight 🤢

Sounds delicious - especially with a tasty glaze/marinade, such as Asian (I mix soy sauce, fish sauce, hoisin sauce, chilli sauce, rice wine vinegar, lemon juice, dark sugar, ginger, garlic).

if you are worried about farmed salmon, get wild….. though a bit pricey…

Personally I'm not keen in the winter, I've seen this at a summer wedding buffet but I'd rather have something hot for Christmas.

What about a salmon coulibiac?

I'd consider it kinda retro yeah. But a real showpiece and lovely if not overcooked. I guess I'd worry there could be several people not fond of cold cooked salmon and I'm not sure what to do with leftovers except maybe fishcakes?

But if you know most of your friends like salmon then I'd go for it.

Just put the whole thing on my plate and be done with it.

You could make it a bit more modern by doing an Asian glaze or a sriracha mayo to go with it but yes I’d be thrilled to see that on a buffet

God no!!!!!. Save us from everything being covered in some kind of glaze. A beautiful piece of salmon just as it is, perfect. Maybe a little hollandaise on the side.

Wild salmon is now endangered in the UK and illegal to buy/sell. Best bet is organic farmed.

To answer your Q OP, I love poached salmon and think it's dated in a good way, like a really good prawn cocktail or steak diane or profiteroles.