Salmon Samphire Charred Cucumber Salad Recipes

SALMON, SAMPHIRE & CHARRED CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• Tip the seaweed flakes, chilli, sugar, lime zest and 1 tsp sea salt into a bowl and mix together. Lay the salmon flesh-side up on a tray lined with foil and scatter over the seaweed seasoning. Cover the tray with cling film and chill for 1 hr.
• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 6. Drizzle the salmon with a little olive oil and roast in the oven for 25-30 mins or until just cooked. Remove from the oven and leave to cool at room temperature.
• While the salmon is cooling, heat a heavy frying pan or griddle. Brush the cut side of the cucumber with a little oil, place cut-side down in the pan and sear for 2 mins or until charred. Don't worry if it blackens - the flavour will be great. When the cucumber is ready, remove from the heat and season with a little salt. Slice into chunky wedges and tip into a large salad bowl. Add the chilli, chopped ginger, samphire and sesame oil and toss everything together
• Flake the salmon into big bite-sized pieces and add to the salad bowl along with the leaves. Gently toss the salad, being careful not to break up the salmon too much, then tip out onto a large platter.

CRISPY SALMON WITH CUCUMBER SALAD AND SPICY MAYO

Steps:

• Whisk together the vinegar, lime juice, sesame oil and a large pinch of salt in a large bowl. Thinly slice the cucumbers lengthwise about 1/8-inch thick with a mandoline or vegetable peeler. Add the cucumbers to the bowl with the dressing; add the cilantro and peanuts and toss until evenly coated. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt, if needed. Stir together the mayonnaise and chile-garlic sauce in a small bowl until smooth. Set both aside for serving.
• Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Season the salmon fillets with a large pinch of salt. Place the arrowroot or cornstarch in a medium shallow bowl or baking dish and whisk in the cayenne and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Dredge the salmon fillets until each side is well coated.
• Once the oil is shimmering and hot, carefully add the salmon. Cook until well browned and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
• Give the cucumber salad a toss, then transfer to a serving bowl. Place each salmon fillet on a plate, drizzle with the spicy mayo and serve with the cucumber salad.

SALMON SALAD ON CHARRED FLATBREAD

Steps:

• For the salmon cure: Bring the salt, lime juice, sugar, vinegar, soy, fish sauce and jalapeño to a boil in a small pot over medium-high heat; simmer for 5 minutes. Reserve a splash for the miso glaze, then pour the rest over the salmon and dill stems in a heatproof container and let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes.
• For the miso glaze: Mix together the miso, mustard, olive oil, honey, lime juice and reserved splash of salmon cure, for thinning, in a bowl.
• For the spice and herb coating: Mix the herbs, cumin and berbere together in a bowl. Set aside a little for the salad; put the remainder in a shallow dish.
• Pat the salmon fillets dry with a paper towel. Brush on some of the miso glaze. Roll the salmon in the spice and herb coating. Slice the salmon into thin slices.
• For the salad with miso vinaigrette: Add the tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, salt and reserved spice and herb coating to a bowl. Add the lime juice and remaining miso glaze and toss until evenly coated. Stir in the herbs and chive blossoms.
• Char the bread and lemon wedges in a pan.
• To assemble: Place a large spoonful of salad on a plate, then top with the sliced salmon. Garnish with more chive blossoms. Serve with slices of charred pita and lemon wedges.

SALTY-SWEET SALMON WITH GINGER AND SPICY CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• Make the preserved ginger: The day before, whisk together the fish sauce, rice-wine vinegar and sugar, then add the ginger. Make sure it is covered by the liquid.
• Combine the honey, soy sauce, garlic, ketchup and 1/4 cup water. Marinate the salmon in this for 2 hours, turning after 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, prepare the cucumber salad: Bring the vinegar to a boil. Add the sugar, salt, togarashi and ginger. Return to a boil, then let cool to room temperature. Put the cucumbers in a nonreactive container and cover with the vinegar mixture. Let sit at least one hour before serving.
• Preheat grill to low. Arrange salmon on a hinged grill basket, then cook, basting occasionally with the marinade, over a low flame for 5 minutes per side, or until just flaky. (Or broil, skin side down, 6 inches from the flame for 4 minutes, baste, then turn and broil for 2 minutes.) To serve, use a slotted spoon to place the cucumber salad on each of 4 plates. Lay the salmon next to the salad and serve topped with preserved ginger.

CUCUMBER CUPS WITH DILL CREAM AND SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• Trim ends from cucumbers and cut crosswise into 24 (3/4-inch-thick) rounds. Scoop a 1/2-inch-deep depression from one side of each round with a small melon-baller, forming little cups. Drain cucumbers, cup sides down, on paper towels for 15 minutes.
• Beat cream cheese, chopped dill, lemon zest, lemon juice, and black pepper together in a bowl. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon cheese mixture into each cucumber cup. Top each cup with 1 salmon strip and 1 dill sprig.

SAUTéED SALMON WITH BROWN BUTTER CUCUMBERS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, melt butter over medium high heat and cook until foam subsides and turns deep gold in color, about 3 minutes.
• Season salmon with salt and pepper and add to pan, skin side up. Cook without turning for 3 minutes. Add cucumbers and a pinch of salt to pan around salmon and stir to coat with butter. Continue to cook, stirring cucumbers around in pan, until fish turns deep brown, about 3 minutes longer. Flip fish (move cucumbers to the side to assure fish skin makes contact with pan). Add garlic to cucumbers and stir. Cook fish until done to taste, 2 to 4 minutes longer.
• Transfer salmon to plates. Stir dill and lemon juice into cucumbers in pan and cook for 20 seconds longer. Taste and add more salt, pepper and lemon juice if necessary. Serve cucumbers and butter sauce over fish.