BEETROOT, CORIANDER SEED AND ORANGE-CURED SALMON WITH APPLE AND CELERIAC SALAD
10
Ingredients
  • in Salmon was a luxury when I was growing up but nowadays it has become almost commonplaceso here’s a recipe to put the excitement back into it. The outside of the salmon takes on the deep red of the beetroot and looks stunning once it is sliced. The apple and celeriac salad is based on the classic French salad, remoulade, but I’ve added the matchsticks of apple to counter the sharpness of the lemon. Put the salmon and salad together and it’s a match madeheaven.
Instructions
  1. 800g middle piece of salmon side, scaled but skin on
  2. Rye bread, toasted, to serve
FOR THE CURE
  1. 2 tbsp coriander seeds
  2. 250g raw beetroot, peeled and grated
  3. Zest of 2 oranges
  4. 100g fine sea salt
  5. 100g caster sugar
  6. Freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE APPLE AND CELERIAC SALAD
  1. Juice of 1 lemon
  2. 1 large, firm celeriac, peeled
  3. 2–3 Granny Smith apples (depending on size), quartered and cored
  4. 300ml sour cream
  5. 2 tbsp good-quality mayonnaise
  6. Small bunch of parsley, leaves only, finely chopped
  7. Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  8. 2 tbsp poppy seeds, to garnish
Recipe Notes

Take a baking dish or roasting tray large enough to fit the salmon and line it with cling film. Trim the sides of the salmon if necessary to neaten the edges, then place in the dish, skin side down.
To make the cure, break up the coriander seeds using a mortar and pestle. Place in a bowl with the beetroot, orange zest, fine sea salt, sugar and a couple of twists of black pepper and mix well.
Spread the cure mixture over the salmon, making sure the flesh is completely covered. Cover with a sheet of cling film and sit another dish or tray directly on top of that. Weigh this down with some tins or a heavy pan and leave in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight.
Meanwhile, make the salad. Put the lemon juice into a large bowl. Slice the celeriac and apple into matchsticks, and toss immediately in the lemon juice to prevent them from going brown.
In a separate bowl, mix together the sour cream, mayonnaise and parsley. Season with salt and pepper, then add to the celeriac and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
Once ready to serve, remove the salmon from the cure, wiping off any excess. Place the fish on a chopping board, skin side down, and thinly slice the flesh at an angle into pieces about 1–2mm thick, flicking your knife when you reach the skin to slice the flesh away from it. Transfer the salmon pieces to a plate.
Garnish the apple and celeriac salad with the poppy seeds and serve alongside the sliced salmon with some toasted rye bread.