This fennel-cured salmon with cucumber & lemon crème fraîche is the perfect starter for a summer dinner with friends.
Enjoy with a glass of riesling or pinot gris to get your palate excited for the coming meal
Ingredients
• 220g table salt
• 220g sugar
• 50ml gin
• 1 fennel bulb, chopped
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 x 500g skinless salmon fillet, bloodline removed
• lemon-infused extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• dill sprigs, to garnish
For the pickled cucumber:
• 1 telegraph cucumber, peeled and seeded, flesh diced into 5 mm cubes
• 100ml chardonnay vinegar
• pinch sea salt
For the lemon crème fraîche:
• 125g creme fraiche
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
Method
For the pickled cucumber:
1 Combine the ingredients in a non-metallic bowl.
2 Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for 6 hours, or overnight.
To cure the trout:
1 Blitz the salt, sugar, gin, fennel and lemon zest in a food processor. The mixture will be a little wetter than most dry cures, so don’t be alarmed.
2 Put half the mixture on a plate lined with plastic wrap. Place the fish on top, then cover with the remaining cure mixture.
3 Bring the sides of the plastic up to cover the fish and make a little parcel. Refrigerate for 6 hours.
For the lemon crème fraîche:
1 Whisk together the ingredients until thick. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and set aside.
To serve:
1 Remove the fish from its parcel and wash of f the cure mixture. Pat the fish dry with paper towel. Using a sharp knife, cut the fish into 5 mm slices and arrange on a plate or platter.
2 Drizzle lemon olive oil over the fish, then arrange the cucumber around evenly. Pipe or spoon little dots of lemon crème fraîche whimsically over and around the salmon.
3 Garnish with dill sprigs and serve.
Recipe courtesy of Daniel Wilson, extracted from Huxtabook. Photography by Chris Middleton © Hardie Grant.
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