Serves 6
Ingredients for salmon
· 100 g table salt
· 100 g caster sugar
· 2 teaspoon grated lime zest
· 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
· 1 teaspoon pink peppercorns
· 1 teaspoon juniper berries
· 1 small bunch of dill
· 200 ml gin
· 4 salmon fillets, de-skinned and pin-boned
Ingredients of quick pickled cucumber
· 1 large cucumber, medium sized
· 1 tsp sea salt
· 1 tsp sugar
· 120 ml white wine vinegar
· Ice cubes
· ½ tsp coriander seeds
Ingredients for tonic sorbet
· 400 g sugar
· 400 ml water
· Zest and juice 2 limes
· 400 ml tonic water
For the gin cured salmon
You will want to start this recipe at least 24 hours in advance
In a small bowl – combine, salt, sugar, zest, chopped dill, gin and lightly crushed juniper berries, black and pink peppercorns
Place half the mixture in a flat-bottomed dish and add the fish
Cover with the remaining mixture, cling and place in fridge to chill overnight
After 12 hours turn the fish and make sure its fully covered in the gin mixture
Place back in the fridge to cure for another 12 hours
Remove the salmon from the dish and rinse, pat dry with a paper towel
For the tonic sorbet
At the same time you’re getting your salmon cured; in a saucepan, combine your water and sugar, heat until the sugar has dissolved
Take off the heat and add the lime zest and juice
Allow this to cool then add the tonic water
Pour the liquid into the bowl of your ice cream machine, following machine’s directions
Alternatively place the mixture into a container that can go into your freezer
Freeze, stir the mixture every couple of hours
Once it’s fully frozen, place in a food processor and blitz until smooth and re freeze
Alternatively make in an ice-cream maker – follow your machine instructions.
For the fresh pickled cucumber
Lightly peel the cucumber so there is still a small amount of dark green peel
Slice the cucumber in half and using a teaspoon remove the seeds
Cut the cucumber into small cubes or use a mandolin or potato peeler to create thin ribbons of cucumber
In a bowl, combine the sugar, salt, vinegar and coriander seeds, mix until the sugar has dissolved
Place the cubes or ribbons into the vinegar mixture; make sure all is covered
Add 4/5 ice cubes to make sure the cucumber stays fresh
Leave to stand for @ 30 minutes, stirring occasionally
Pour off the excess liquid
To serve
Either cut the salmon into large cubes or thinly slice lengthways and arrange on plates
Place tonic sorbet in a small shot glass or chinese spoon (this melts very quickly so leave this step until last minute)
Scatter with cucumber and if you can get your hands on some pea shoots and borage flowers, use to decorate
Drizzle with rapeseed oil and serve with sourdough
It can also be served with a beetroot puree.
This could also be served as a canapé
Cut cucumber into @ 2 cm circles
Using a small pastry cutter, remove the peel from the cucumber to make a small cup
Remove half the seeds from the centre with a teaspoon
Cut the cured salmon into small cubes and place in hole of the cucumber cup
Grate some fresh lime zest and ground pepper on top to serve