Beetroot and gin-cured salmon

Method

• step 1

  To make the cure, grate the beetroot, tip into a sieve and drain most of the liquid from it. Tip into a food processor’s bowl and add the remaining cure ingredients. Whizz until you have a paste.

  

• step 2

  Put 2 large sheets of clingfilm into a large baking tray that fits the salmon. Lay the salmon into the tray skin-side down.

  

• step 3

  Spread the cure over the fish, covering all the flesh, sides included. Wrap up tightly in the clingfilm.

  

  

• step 4

  Put another baking tray on top and weight it down with tins. Put in the fridge for 24 hours.

  

• step 5

  To make the cucumber pickle, heat the vinegar, sugar, coriander seeds, peppercorns and bay leaf in a small pan until simmering, and the sugar has dissolved. Leave to cool to room temperature. Once cooled add 50ml water and a pinch of salt. Finely slice the cucumber with a sharp knife or use a mandoline. Add to the cooled pickle liquid and leave for an hour or overnight in the fridge.

  

• step 6

  The day after, remove the clingflim from the salmon and scrape most of the cure off.

  

• step 7

  Rinse any remaining cure from the salmon under cold water, and pat dry with kitchen paper.

  

• step 8

  Thinly slice the salmon with a sharp knife, starting from the tail end at a low angle to remove the salmon from the skin in thin slices. Mix the dill into the pickle to serve.