WHISKY-CURED SALMON WITH PICKLED BEETROOT, CUCUMBER, SHALLOTS AND CUCUMBER KETCHUP
Ingredients
- 25g/1oz caster sugar
- 25g/1oz fine salt
- 1 vanilla pod
- seeds scraped out
- 2 tbsp whisky
- 1 x 500g/1lb 2oz side of salmon
- skin on
- pin bones removed
- ½ bunch baby heritage beetroots
- cleaned
- small stalk left on
- 200ml/7fl oz white wine vinegar
- 75g/2½oz caster sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
- 2 banana shallots
- thinly sliced
- ½ cucumber
- thinly sliced
- 2cm/1in piece root ginger
- peeled and sliced
- 100ml/3½fl oz white wine vinegar
- 2 tsp caster sugar
- 2 cucumbers
- roughly chopped
- 1 tsp xantham gum
- 2 tbsp mustard cress
- 2 tbsp coriander cress
Directions
- For the whisky cured salmon
- put the sugar
- salt
- vanilla seeds and whisky in a large bowl and mix together. Sprinkle some of the mixture on the bottom of a non-reactive baking tray and lay the salmon on top
- skin-side down.
- Cover the salmon with the rest of the curing mixture and cover with cling film. Place in the fridge for 4-6 hours
- or overnight.
- For the pickled beetroot
- cucumber and shallots
- put the baby beetroot in a large saucepan of boiling water and cook for 15-20 minutes. Drain and leave until cool enough to handle. Peel carefully and cut in half.
- For the pickled shallots
- heat the white wine vinegar
- sugar
- salt and peppercorns in a pan over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Put the shallots
- cucumber
- beetroot and ginger in a bowl and pour over the hot vinegar mixture. Mix together to coat then set aside to pickle for at least an hour
- but preferably 24 hours.
- For the cucumber ketchup
- place the vinegar and sugar in a saucepan and heat until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly before pouring it into a large food processor with the cucumber. Blend until smooth. With the processor still running
- add the xantham gum until well-combined and thickened. Season with salt and set aside.
- To serve
- slice the salmon into thin strips. Spread the cucumber ketchup on a serving plate and add the salmon. Garnish with the pickled vegetables and cresses.
