Fresh Atlantic Salmon cured in salt and sugar. Served on a nice crusty bread it makes a classy appetiser for a larger meal or a light lunch snack.
Chef's notes
The Brandy or Cognac can be substituted with Scotch Whisky or even Bourbon if you want to alter the flavour a little.
You can use Ocean Trout instead of the Salmon if necessary.
The cured fish is of course GLUTEN FREE, but the use of wheat based bread will make the dish no longer gluten free. Choose a crusty gluten free bread as a substitute if you need to.
I like to drizzle a little citrus infused olive oil over the fish and dill before serving as a little treat.
Steps
1
Cure the fish.
Ingredients
500 grams caster sugar.
500 grams rock salt.
1 bunch fresh Dill leaves.
60-80 ml Brandy or Cognac.
2 x 100gram fresh tail fillets of Atlantic Salmon with the skin on.
In a large bowl combine the salt and the sugar. Mix well.
Finely chop the Dill and add to the bowl. Mix in well.
Add the Alcohol and mix all the ingredients together.
Find a suitably sized plastic or non reactive material container. Place a layer of the salt mixture to cover the bottom of the container.
Remove any pin bones that may be present in the fish fillets.
Put the fish fillets, skin side down, onto the salt layer. Add the rest of the salt mixture to fully cover the fish.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours to cure.
2
Final preparation and serving.
Ingredients
Salt cured fish from above step.
Half a bunch of fresh Dill leaves.
Crusty bread or rice crackers.
20ml Extra virgin olive oil.
Optional, wedges of fresh lime for serving.
Remove the fish from the salt mixture. By now the mix will have partially liquified.
Use clean towelling to remove most of the salt cure from the fish.
Remove the skin from the fish.
Carefully remove the blood line from the fillets if there is one present.
The fish may now be sliced very thinly crosswise or cut up into 5mm dice.
Finely chop the Dill foliage.
Lightly oil the top of some crusty bread with the olive oil.
Place enough of the salmon onto the bread to cover the top and sprinkle a little of the Dill over it.
A little fresh lime juice can be squeezed over before serving to add a little zest to the dish.
