Ingredients

• 1kg/2lb 2oz salmon fillet
• trimmed
• skin scored with a sharp knife
• cut into four equal-sized fillets
• 110g/4oz good quality sea salt flakes
• 110g/4oz fine sea salt
• 200g/7oz caster sugar
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 lemon
• zest and juice
• ½ orange
• zest and juice
• 200ml/7fl oz water
• small bunch dill
• chopped
• 2 free-range egg yolks
• 3 free-range egg whites
• 50g/2oz English mustard
• 50g/2oz wasabi paste
• 75ml/3fl oz white balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 110ml/4fl oz olive oil
• 110ml/4fl oz grapeseed oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 200g/7oz dill
• roughly chopped
• 110ml/4fl oz vegetable oil
• 110ml/4fl oz olive oil
• 2 cucumbers
• peeled
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 50ml/2fl oz sparkling water
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 75g/3oz Charlotte potatoes
• cooked
• drained
• cut into 1cm/½in cubes
• 4-5 tbsp ready-made lemon vinaigrette
• 2 medium-sized
• ready-made focaccia
• cut into 30 1cm x 2.5cm/½in x 1in cubes
• 50g/2oz caster sugar
• 1 lemon
• zest and juice
• 40g/1½oz pickled ginger
• 40g/1½oz fennel
• very finely sliced
• set aside in a bowl of iced water
• 10g/½oz wasabi-flavoured fish roe (available from specialist Japanese suppliers)
• small bunch dill
• chopped
• 1 x 20g/¾oz punnet shiso cress (available from specialist suppliers and online)
• 1 x 20g/¾oz punnet tahoon cress (available from specialist suppliers and online)

Directions

• For the cured salmon
• place the salmon fillets into a large
• deep dish. In a bowl
• mix together all of the remaining cured salmon ingredients until well combined.
• Place the salmon fillets into a large deep dish and pour the curing mixture all over it.
• Place a second
• slightly smaller dish on top of the salmon fillets and place a heavy object
• such as a bag of sugar
• into the second dish to flatten the salmon fillets.
• Cover the dish with cling film
• then transfer the dish with the salmon fillets to the fridge and leave to cure for 1-2 days
• turning the salmon fillets twice a day (about eight hours apart).
• When the salmon fillets have cured
• rinse away the curing liquid and pat the salmon fillets dry using kitchen paper. Carve the salmon fillets into thin slices
• then chill in the fridge
• covered
• until needed.
• For the wasabi dressing
• blend the egg yolks
• egg whites
• English mustard
• wasabi paste
• white balsamic vinegar
• rice wine vinegar and caster sugar to a purée in a food processor.
• With the motor still running
• gradually add the olive oil and grapeseed oil to the purée
• one after the other
• in a thin stream
• until the dressing mixture thickens. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper
• then set aside.
• For the dill oil
• blend the dill oil ingredients in a clean food processor to a very fine purée. Set aside.
• For the salad
• using a melon baller
• carve 20 balls from the peeled cucmbers.
• Place the cucumber balls into a bowl and drizzle over two tablespoons of the olive oil and all of the sparkling water. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Cover the bowl and microwave on full power for one minute. Drain the liquid from the bowl.
• Add the cooked potato cubes to the drained cucumber balls
• then pour over a little of the lemon vinaigrette and mix well to coat the cooked vegetables.
• Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the focaccia cubes and fry for 1-2 minutes on all sides
• or until they become crisp and golden-brown croûtons.
• Heat the caster sugar in a separate
• non-reactive pan over a low to medium heat. When the sugar has melted and caramelised
• add the focaccia croûtons and stir well to coat them in the melted sugar.
• Add the lemon zest
• lemon juice and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and stir to coat the croûtons.
• To serve
• drain the fennel slices and pat dry with kitchen paper. Brush four serving plates with the wasabi dressing
• then sprinkle over the pickled ginger and drained fennel slices and dot with the wasabi fish roe. Divide the salad equally among the plates and top with a serving of cured salmon slices. Sprinkle over the croûtons
• chopped dill
• shiso cress and tahoon cress. Drizzle the dill oil around the edge of the plate.