Party perfection.
Yes, that season is almost upon us. It’ll soon be time to get out the cocktail sticks and spear all manner of pastry goods, deep fry little parcels of deliciousness and make merry with cocktails, fizz and mulled wine.
Salmon is a traditional dish to serve at such a bash, but to give it a more modern twist why not try curing your own salmon at home? It’s actually really easy and low involvement — more a case of sling it all in and leave for two days then come back and et voila!
And while this salmon may look rather refined, serving it with wholemeal bread and butter and you and your guests will be in a very happy place indeed.
For 4 to 8 people
- 1 skinless and boneless side of salmon
- 250g peeled and grated beetroot
- 85g sea salt
- 85g caster sugar
- Juice of 2 oranges
- Zest of 1 orange
- 50ml vodka
- 1 handful of fresh dill, including stalks, finely chopped
- A generous grind black pepper
To serve
- Fresh lemon
- Watercress
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Greek yogurt
- Black pepper
Method
- On a plate that’s big enough to fit the fish (or better still, a Tupperware box), lay several sheets of cling film.
- In a bowl, combine the beetroot, salt, sugar, pepper, vodka, dill, orange and zest and mix thoroughly, place half of it on the cling film and then lay the fish over the top, pressing it down, top the fish with the remaining mixture — so the fish is totally surrounded, wrap tightly in the cling film and press together so the salmon is tight inside and completely encased. Place in the fridge for between 24 and 48 hours.
- When you’re ready to serve, remove from the fridge and brush off the cure and pat the salmon down with some kitchen paper, slice very finely using a really sharp knife, and serve.
This is one of six recipes I created for Superfood, The Essential Guide — available in shops now.