Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1kg/ 2 lb single piece of fresh salmon
  • 400g/ 14 oz beetroot/beet ((raw), peeled and diced in 1cm / 0.5" cubes (500g/1 lb weight pre-peeling))
  • 1 cup salt (, cooking/kosher salt (NOT iodised and NOT table salt, Note 2))
  • 2/3 cup white sugar
  • 4 tsp caraway seeds (, whole)
  • 4 tsp white peppercorn (, whole)
  • 4 tsp coriander seeds (, whole)
  • 5 1/2 tbsp vodka ((OK to omit, Note 5))
  • 4 tsp black peppercorns (, whole)
  • 4 tsp juniper berries (, whole)
  • 4 tsp coriander seeds (, whole)
  • 5 1/2 tbsp gin ((OK to omit, Note 5))
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 3 tbsp horseradish (fresh), finely grated ((Note 6))
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tsp chopped dill
  • 2 cucumbers ((Lebanese not the long English/Telegraph ones))
  • 2 tbsp red or white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp dill (, roughly chopped)
  • Dark rye bread (, thinly sliced 3mm / ⅛ " (or crackers or other thinly sliced bread))
  • 1/3 cup capers ((some for garnish, some for assembling bites))
  • 1/4 cup oil ((vegetable, canola))
  • Fresh dill sprigs and lemon wedges or slices

Instruction

  • Make beetroot cure: Place the beetroot, sugar, salt plus the gin cure OR vodka cure ingredients in a food processor. Blitz until pureed like a smoothie – about 15 seconds on high, scraping down the sides as needed.
  • Line container: Use a container into which the salmon fits snugly, but flat (Note 3). Line with two large pieces of cling wrap, overlapping one horizontally and one vertically, like a cross (so it will wrap salmon completely).
  • Place salmon in beetroot: Spread beetroot mixture on the cling wrap inside the container. Lay salmon on top, flesh side down. Press down lightly but not too firm – flesh should be fully in contact with beetroot, not base of container.
  • 48-hour cure: Wrap up securely with the cling wrap, cover with lid (or seal container with more cling wrap). Refrigerate 48 hours (do not turn).
  • Rinse: Unwrap salmon, rinse off beetroot mixture, then pat dry.
  • Recommended – rest overnight: If time permits, place washed and dried salmon in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight. This allows the salt to redistribute more evenly throughout the salmon. (Note 4)