Beetroot-Cured Salmon and Cucumber Jelly

This really does tick all of the flavour boxes when you’re looking for a great, light dish. The salmon is given a sweet and earthy marinade, the horseradish adds a little heat, the cucumber keeps things light and refreshing, while the subtle hint of dry gin gives it a little kick. It’s heaven on a plate.

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Dish Difficulty: Medium

Serves: 6

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Ingredients

For the beetroot cured salmon:

1⁄2 side of salmon2 beetroots5 juniper berries200g caster sugar200g table salt1 shot gin, we use a local gin, Anno, but any London dry gin is fineZest of two lemons

For the horseradish cream:

1 tsp Colman’s horseradish150ml whipping creamSalt and pepper to taste

For the cucumber Jelly (Ingredients 1):

1 cucumberZest of 1 lime1⁄2 bunch of dill

For the cucumber Jelly (Ingredients 2):

50ml white wine vinegar45g caster sugar100ml waterSmall pinch of salt

For the cucumber Jelly (Ingredients 3):

4 gelatine leaves

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Preparation

For the beetroot-cured salmon:

1. Excluding the salmon, blitz all the ingredients in a food processor, place over the cling film and wrap the salmon.

2. Leave for 24 hours.

3. Gently wash and pat dry.

4. Keep cling filmed or in an air tight container until ready to use. When ready to slice discard the end slices as these are likely to be too salty. I prefer to slice the salmon as thinly as possible so it melts in the mouth!

For the horseradish cream:

1. Whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks.

2. Add the horseradish and season to taste.

For the cucumber jelly:

1. Mix ingredients 1 in a food processor.

2. Pass through a muslin cloth and set aside.

3. Bring ingredients 2 to the boil. Add gelatine and leave to cool.

4. Place a terrine mould in a bain marie of ice water. Add ingredients 1.

5. Mix in ingredients 2 with a fork, ensuring everything is mixed well.

6. Store in the fridge immediately and set.