Beetroot-cured salmon with root vege slaw
Prep + cook time: 1 hour + chilling (start 1 day ahead)
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 large beetroot, coarsely grated
1 cup unrefined sugar
½ cup rock salt
2 teaspoons coriander seeds, toasted, crushed
600g skinless, boneless salmon fillet
toasted sourdough, to serve (optional)
Pickled beetroot
1 large beetroot
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon sea salt flakes
Root vege slaw
1/3 cup natural yoghurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons store-bought horseradish
1 carrot, cut into long, thin strips
½ small celeriac, cut into long, thin strips
1 parsnip, cut into long, thin strips
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced, fronds reserved
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Step-by-step method
Create beetroot salt cure
Coarsely grate beetroot and combine it with the sugar, salt and coriander seeds in a bowl. This will be the cure for the salmon fillet.
Wrap the salmon fillet
Line a large dish with two layers of plastic wrap, overlapping slightly, and extending over the sides enough to enclose salmon. Spread half the beetroot mixture in the base of the dish. Place salmon on beetroot mixture; top with remaining mixture. Wrap tightly and refrigerate overnight.
Make the pickle
For the Pickled beetroot, boil, steam or microwave beetroot until just tender; cool. Cut beetroot into matchsticks; combine with vinegar, sugar and sea salt flakes in a small bowl and stand for 1 hour.
Prepare the slaw
For the Root vege slaw, combine yoghurt, lemon juice and horseradish in a bowl. Add carrot, celeriac, parsnip, fennel and fennel fronds; toss gently to combine. Season to taste.
Remove salmon from cure
Take dish with salmon fillet out of the fridge. Unwrap cured salmon and scrape clean of beetroot salt mixture with a spoon. Take care with beetroot, as it will stain. Lift salmon onto a piece of baking paper; discard beetroot salt cure.
Slice and serve
Thinly slice cured salmon fillet with a sharp knife and serve with Pickled beetroot and the Root vege slaw.
