Photography credit: Steve Lee
All recipes by Rachel Green
SERVES 8
INGREDIENTS
Quick Gin Cured Pink Peppercorn Alaska Keta Salmon Gravadlax, Pickled Cucumber and Horseradish Crème Fraîche
- 3 1/2 tbsp gin
- 1 tbsp pink peppercorns
- 3 tbsp sea salt flakes
- 1 tbsp dark soft brown sugar
- Zest of 1 small orange
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Small bunch of dill, roughly chopped
- 2 x 5 oz Alaska Keta salmon fillets, pin-boned, skin on
- 2 tbsp hot horseradish sauce
- 1 cup crème fraîche
Pickled cucumber to serve
- 1 cucumber
- 3 tbsp caster sugar
- 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- A handful of fresh dill, chopped
Pickled Red Onion
- 3/4 cup cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp golden caster sugar
- 1 tbsp sea salt flakes
- 3 black peppercorns
- 3 coriander seeds
- 2 small red onions, sliced
Alaska Salmon Skin Crisps with Togarashi
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 2 tsp togarashi (or chili pepper)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 sides Alaska sockeye salmon fillet skin, scraped of any flesh and scales
- Vegetable or olive oil for greasing
Smoked Alaska Sockeye Salmon and Fresh Salmon Rillettes
- 3/4 cup white wine
- 1 shallot, sliced
- 2 tbsp lemon juice, plus a squeeze
- Small bunch parsley, stalks and leaves separated
- 8 black peppercorns
- 3/4 cup water
- 250g Alaska sockeye salmon fillet
- 9 oz smoked Alaska sockeye salmon, cut into small shreds
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
- 1 tbsp chopped chives
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Chicory leaves, to serve
- Caper and horseradish crème fraiche, to serve (see below)
Caper and horseradish crème fraiche to serve
- 1 cup crème fraîche
- 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley, chives and capers
- 1 tbsp horseradish
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Lemon juice, to taste
Alaska Salmon Caviar Mayonnaise, Melba Toast
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, strained
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- 3 1/2 oz jar Alaska keta salmon roe
- 4 tsp water
- A pinch of freshly ground white pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
DIRECTIONS
Quick Gin Cured Pink Peppercorn Alaska Keta Salmon Gravadlax, Pickled Cucumber and Horseradish Crème Fraîche
- To make the pickled cucumber, thinly slice the cucumber on a mandolin and mix with the sugar, vinegar, coriander seeds, peppercorns and dill.
- In an oblong dish, mix together the gin, peppercorns, salt, sugar, orange and lemon zest and dill. Place the Keta salmon fillets into the mixture and baste well. Cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for around 4 hours.
- Mix together the horseradish sauce and crème fraîche.
- When ready to serve, take the salmon fillets out of the marinade and scrape off any remaining salt flakes. Skin the fillets and then slice them.
- Serve the gravadlax with the horseradish crème fraîche and some pickled cucumber.
Pickled Red Onion
- To pickle the onions, put all the ingredients apart from the onions into a saucepan and bring to simmering point. Simmer for 1 minute until the sugar and salt have dissolved, add the red onions and remove from the heat. Allow to cool.
- Pack the onion slices into a sterilized jar, pour over the warm vinegar mixture and seal. Cool then chill and allow to pickle for 4 hours.
Alaska Salmon Skin Crisps with Togarashi
- Preheat the oven to 275°F.
- Put the soy sauce, water, sugar and togarashi into a small pan and bring to the boil, stirring from time to time. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Leave to one side to cool.
- Put the salmon skins into a dish and pour over the marinade.
- Cover with cling film and pop in the fridge overnight.
- To cook the skins, line a baking sheet with some foil and lightly grease with a little oil. Drain the skins, shaking off any excess marinade, and place them flat on the greased foil. Cook in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until the sugar has caramelised.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool before breaking into pieces.
*To be prepared 12 - 24 hours prior to serving.
Smoked Alaska Sockeye Salmon and Fresh Salmon Rillettes
- Start by making the caper and horseradish crème fraîche. Mix the crème fraîche with the herbs, capers, horseradish, shallot and olive oil and then add some lemon juice to taste.
- For the rillettes, put the white wine, shallot, lemon juice, parsley stalks and peppercorns into a saucepan with the water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Turn the heat down to a very gentle simmer, add the salmon fillet and poach for 4 minutes.
- Let the salmon sit and cool in the liquid. Once cool, lift the salmon out of its poaching liquid, remove the skin and roughly flake the flesh. Mix the salmon flakes with the smoked salmon, a good squeeze of lemon, the melted butter, chives and some pepper. Tip into a bowl, cover and put in the fridge (be sure to bring it back to room temperature to serve).
- Serve the rillettes with some chicory leaves (its bitterness is very good against the richness of the salmon) and the caper and horseradish crème fraîche.
Alaska Salmon Caviar Mayonnaise, Melba Toast
- Combine the lemon juice, garlic, 2 1/2 oz of keta salmon roe, water and pepper in a blender and process until smooth.
- Then, with the motor still running, slowly add the olive oil, drop by drop at first, then in a thin steady stream until completely incorporated and the mixture is thick and blended.
- Transfer to a bowl, cover with the remaining salmon roe and serve with some melba toast.