Ingredients

For marinade
1kg salmon
500g sea salt
350g muscovado sugar
250g beetroot, cooked
1tbsp fennel seeds
Malt whisky
Thyme and dill

For potato salad
350g potatoes, cut into cubes
100g mayonnaise
1tbsp parsley, chopped
For beetroot compote
300g beetroot, cut into small cubes
150g caster sugar
50ml wine vinegar

For pea gazpacho puree
300g peas
1 onion, chopped
Knob of butter
Fish roe for garnish
Vegetable stock
Milk

Method

To marinate the salmon

Combine the beetroot, salt and sugar in a processor.

In a dish, pour some of the mixture over the salmon and sprinkle the fennel seeds and herbs. Pour some malt whisky and cover the salmon with the remaining mixture. You could also add coriander seeds and dill to add a subtle dimension to the curing.

Refrigerate for 24 hours. After that, turn over and leave for another 24 hours.

(After 24 hours, the flavours are absorbed, yet leaving it for another 12 to 24 hours softens the salmon remarkably.)

For the potato salad

In a bowl place the cooked cubes of potato, add the mayonnaise and parsley and mix together.

For the beetroot compote

In a pot place the beetroot, sugar, vinegar and cover the mixture with water.
Place the pot on a stove and cook until the beetroot is ready. Refrigerate until needed.

For the pea gazpacho puree

Soften the onion in a knob of butter, add the stock and milk and bring to the boil. Add the peas. Use a liquidiser to blend the soup until smooth. Leave to cool in fridge for 10 minutes.

Once the salmon is marinated, wash well under cold running water. Slice off the end bits to try it out. If you think it is too salty, wash again under cold water.

You can also glace the salmon fillet with honey and mustard and sprinkle some malt whisky.

Slice the salmon at the side at an angle creating more surface area per slice. This should be about 3mm thick.

Mario Schembri is an Executive chef and general manager, Ta’ Frenċ Restaurant, Xagħra, Gozo.