Beet And Horseradish Cured Salmon Recipes

BEET- AND HORSERADISH-CURED SALMON

Steps:

• If using fresh horseradish, peel, cut into chunks and process in a food processor, using the steel blade. Do not grate it by hand; the fumes will be overpowering. Drape the food processor with a damp towel and carefully crack the lid, under the towel, to absorb the fumes.
• Remove pin bones from salmon and set aside. In a large stainless steel or glass bowl, combine horseradish and remaining ingredients, wearing gloves to avoid turning your hands purple.
• Choose a nonreactive pan that is just large enough to hold the salmon fillet or line a pan with plastic wrap. Drizzle a little of the beet mixture on pan and place the salmon, skin-side down, on top. Cover the flesh with remaining beet mixture, making it thinner on tail and belly section and thicker everywhere else.
• Cover with plastic wrap, place another pan on top, and weight with cans. Cure in refrigerator for 3 days.
• Gently scrape off beet mixture and discard. Cut salmon in thin slices and serve. Whole fillet, well wrapped in plastic, will last 1 week refrigerated.

BEET-CURED SALMON GRAVLAX

Steps:

• Stir kosher salt, sugar, and cayenne together in a bowl.
• Line a dish with cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel. Sprinkle 1/3 of the salt-sugar mixture over the bottom. Place salmon skin side-down in the dish. Grate beet over the salmon and spread evenly to cover. Sprinkle the remaining salt-sugar mixture on top, varying the amount according to the thickness of each section.
• Fold cheesecloth over the salmon and cover the top with plastic wrap. Wrap a brick in aluminum foil and place on top of the salmon. Let cure in the refrigerator until salmon is firm to the touch and translucent when sliced, about 36 hours. You can carefully unwrap, and poke to test, and then rewrap, and let cure longer if need be.
• Transfer salmon to a paper towel-lined plate. Scrape off the grated beet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, about 18 hours more. Slice salmon thinly at a 45-degree angle, gliding knife back and forth and turning it up and away from the skin.

DAZZLING BEETROOT-CURED SALMON

Steps:

• Lay the salmon fillets, skin side down, on a board and brush your hand along it. If you feel any little pin bones pinch them out with your fingers or tweezers. In a bowl, mix all of the other ingredients for the salmon together to make the cure.
• Stretch two large sheets of cling film over a work surface and spoon over some of the cure. Lay one of the fillets, skin side down, on the cure, then pack over most of the cure, and sandwich with the remaining fillet, skin side up. Top with the last of the cure and wrap both fillets together tightly with lots of cling film. Place in a container with sides, like a large roasting tray, put a smaller tray on top and weigh it down with a couple of tins. Leave in the fridge for at least three days or up to a week. Don't be alarmed by the amount of liquid that leaks out, this is normal. Once a day, pour away the liquid, turn the salmon and re-apply the weights.
• To serve, unwrap the salmon from the cling film and brush off the marinade. Slice the salmon into thin slivers. Make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients together with some salt and pepper. Toss all the salad ingredients together and serve each guest with a few slices of salmon, a handful of salad and drizzle with the dressing. Once made the salmon will sit happily in the fridge for up to a week and can be used just like smoked salmon.

GRAVADLAX

Steps:

• Peel and trim the beets and place in a food processor with the salt, sugar, vodka and dill.
• Finely grate in the lemon zest, add the horseradish, finely grating it if fresh, then blitz until combined.
• Rub a little mixture on to the salmon skin, then place the salmon on a large tray, skin side down, and pat the remaining mixture all over it so that the flesh is completely covered.
• Cover the tray tightly with clingfilm. Pop a weight on top to help pack everything down evenly, then put the whole thing into the fridge for 36 hours. Please use your instincts here - if you have a particularly chunky side of salmon you may want to leave it for up to 48 hours to allow for proper penetration.
• Once cured, unwrap the fish, then, holding the fillet in place, pour the juices down the sink and rub away all the salty topping (it's messy, so you might want to wear gloves).
• Pat the fillet dry with kitchen paper, then tightly wrap in clingfilm (sometimes I like to cover the salmon with freshly picked dill before wrapping, for bonus flavour). Put back into the fridge until needed, where it will keep happily for up to 2 weeks.
• To serve, use a long sharp knife to slice the salmon thinly at an angle and, as the knife touches the skin each time, kink it off, lifting away the salmon.
• Arrange the slices on a board or platter as you go. Delicious with a simple salad and good wholemeal sourdough, as part of a seafood platter, served up at a party or even as part of a festive brekkie spread.

BEET-CURED LOX

Steps:

• Grate beets and horseradish and mix together. Mix salt and sugar then spread generously on salmon filet. Spread beet and horseradish mixture on top of that. Scatter dill sprigs over the top, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cured, about 3 days.
• When salmon feels firm, after about 3 days, remove toppings and discard. Gently rinse filet of remaining salt and sugar and pat dry. Slice very thinly to serve.

BEET-AND-DILL-ROASTED WILD SALMON

Steps:

• Combine beet, dill, horseradish, zest, and 2 tablespoons oil in a bowl. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Season both sides of salmon generously with salt and pepper; transfer to sheet. Spread beet mixture on top. Let stand 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss potatoes with remaining 2 tablespoons oil; season generously with salt and pepper. Shingle potatoes in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, in a single layer. Bake until tender, about 35 minutes; remove from oven.
• Remove beet mixture from top of salmon with a spoon; spread over center of potatoes. Top beet mixture with fish (you may need to tuck part of tail end under fish to fit in pan), drizzle with oil, and bake until salmon is medium-rare, 10 to 12 minutes. Squeeze with lemon, garnish with dill fronds, and serve.