Beetroot and Hendrick’s Gin Cured Salmon
When Mark Hix and I first opened the Hix Oyster and Chop House in Farringdon, London, Mark insisted on smoking our own salmon.
Once he’d perfected the cure he passed the secret recipe on to me, and we were smoking about 20 sides a day to start with! The ‘Hix Cure’ was smoked salmon flavoured with salt and molasses, and smoked over oak and apple wood.
Then, as we opened Oyster & Fish we popped another smoker down there. However 2 restaurants quickly became 3 and then 7!
Once we located inside Selfridges we realised how much of a godsend it was, as we were able to smoke salmon on the roof and then sell it in the food hall of Selfridges itself.
We were now smoking up to 80 sides a day to fulfil demand at all the restaurants, often more!
This my cure in homage of Mark, who is now back and running the Oyster and Fish House in Lyme Regis, Dorset.
1 Side of Salmon, skin off and pin boned 100ml Cup Hendrick's Gin 1kg Beetroot 1 Lebanese Cucumber 120g Himalayan Pink Sea Salt 120g Coconut Sugar Zest of 1 Orange 1tsp Juniper Berries, crushed 1tsp Fennel Seeds, crushed 1tsp Dried Rose Petals, crushed Fennel Fronds from 1 Bulb Fennel Freshly Grated Pepper
If you have a juicer, juice the beetroot and cucumber together and use the juice for another recipe, keep the pulp that remains from the juicing and place in a large bowl.
If you don’t have a juicer just grate the ingredients.
Taking the salmon side, baste it well on both sides with Hendrick's Gin using a pastry brush.
Lay out 2-3 layers of cling film (enough to cover the salmon), and place 1/2 of the beetroot mixture on top.
Spread it out until it's a little larger than your salmon side, and place the salmon on top. Spread the remaining beetroot mixture on top of the salmon to cover.
Wrap the entire salmon fillet in the cling film, ensuring the beetroot mixture is completely covering it on both sides.
Place in a dish in the fridge, with one side propped up slightly to drain faster, and then weigh it all down with a heavy object (some cans work well if you have them to hand).
After 24 hours, check on the salmon by draining off any juices that might have pooled in the bottom of the dish. Leave for another 24 hours then drain again.
After 48 hours, remove the salmon from the fridge and unwrap.
Remove and discard the beetroot mixture from the salmon and wash the whole fillet well with water.
Pat it completely dry and serve, by slicing off pieces at an angle against the grain, with a sharp knife.
I like this with Richard Corrigan’s soda bread, butter and a little lemon.
ingredients
Salmon
Gin
Beetroot
Cucumber
Sea Salt
Coconut Sugar
Orange Zest
Juniper Berries
Fennel Seeds
Fennel Fronds
Pepper