Whisky Cured Salmon and Beetroot Salad

Kindly contributed by Chef Mark Heirs

Recipe

Serves 4
Prep Time: 2 days
Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg Side of farmed Scottish salmon (skin-on, scaled, trimmed and pin boned
• 250 ml Malt Whisky
• 300g Soft Light Brown Sugar
• 300g Sea Salt
• 300g Smoked Sea Salt
• 25g Ground White Pepper
• 25g Dried Lime Powder (use lime zest if you can’t find dried lime)
• 4 Large Cooked Beetroot (cut into small cubes)

• Beetroot Dressing
  • 50 ml Rapeseed Oil
  • 15 ml Red Wine Vinegar
  • 2 Shallots (finely diced)
  • 2 teaspoons caster sugar
  • 10g Fresh dill (finely chopped)
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ½ Orange (juice and zest)

• To dress:
  
  • 50 g Crowdie Cheese
    
    

Method

1. Mix the salt, sugar, pepper and lime powder in a bowl. Roll out a large piece of cling film, rub the whisky all over the side of salmon and place on the cling film, cover the fish with the salt/ sugar mixture and wrap tightly in the cling film. Place on a tray and refrigerate for 48 hours.
2. Unwrap the salmon, lightly wash in cold water and dab dry. Wrap very tightly in fresh cling film and chill until ready to use.
3. For the beetroot salad, the easiest way is to pour all of the Ingredients in a clean jam jar replace the lid and give a really good shake until all of the ingredient are well mixed.
4. Spoon 4 or 5 dessert spoonful’s of this dressing over the diced beetroot, the add the beetroot to a warm frying pan, stir continually for 2-3mins. We are not trying to cook the beetroot just get some heat into it. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
5. To assemble the dish arrange 4 thick slices of the cured salmon on the base of your serving plate. Place a large spoonful of the warm beetroot salad at the base of the salmon.
6. Then garnish with a few small spoonful’s of the cold crowdie for a contrast in texture.

Kindly supplied by Marine Harvest Scotland