Beetroot and gin cured salmon
This week we are getting a little festive with christmas just aroud the corner. We have some incredibly fresh beetroots from our growers in Eltham Valley in this box this week so we decided to add in one of our xmas favourites. Although a little time consuming, the wait is worth every bite! Merry Christmas.
Ingredients
- CURED SALMON – BASE:
- 1kg single piece of fresh salmon , skin on
- 400g beetroot raw, peeled and diced in 1cm
- 1 cup salt , cooking/kosher salt (NOT iodised and NOT table salt
- 2/3 cup white sugar
- GIN CURE FLAVOURING
- 4 tsp black peppercorns , whole
- 4 tsp juniper berries , whole
- 4 tsp coriander seeds , whole
- 5 1/2 tbsp gin
Preparation
Make beetroot cure: Place the beetroot, sugar, salt plus the gin cure ingredients in a food processor. Blitz until pureed like a smoothie – scraping down the sides as needed.
Line container: Use a container into which the salmon fits snugly, but flat. Line with two large pieces of cling wrap, overlapping one horizontally and one vertically, like a cross (so it will wrap salmon completely).
Place salmon in beetroot: Spread beetroot mixture on the cling wrap inside the container. Lay salmon on top, flesh side down. Press down lightly but not too firm – flesh should be fully in contact with beetroot, not base of container.
48-hour cure: Wrap up securely with the cling wrap, cover with lid (or seal container with more cling wrap). Refrigerate 48 hours (do not turn).
Rinse: Unwrap salmon, rinse off beetroot mixture, then pat dry.
Recommended – rest overnight: If time permits, place washed and dried salmon in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight. This allows the salt to redistribute more evenly throughout the salmon. Serve with fresh dark rye or sourdough, horseradish cream and quick cucumber pickle. Enjoy.