GIN AND JUNIPER CURED SALMON

Curing your own salmon couldn’t be simpler, particularly with British Herb Kitchen’s Juniper and Lemon Verbena salt. We have been gathering Juniper berries in the Highlands and harvesting bay in Cambridgeshire, for our Christmas boxes but you will be able to make your own cure if don’t have one of our boxes. Sliced carpaccio-style, this Gin and Juniper cured salmon could be served on thinly sliced rye bread for a festive canapé or in place of smoked salmon as a Christmas Day starter.
SERVES: 6  PREP TIME: 15 minutes  COOK (CURE) TIME: 36 hours

INGREDIENTS

500g salmon fillet, thick cut

50g of British Herb Kitchen Juniper and Lemon Verbena Salt

(OR 8 juniper berries, crushed + 1 tbsp dried lemon verbena + 40g sea salt)

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp caster sugar

40ml gin

METHOD

Take a nice, thick, centre piece of salmon fillet, remove the skin and pat dry. Take 50g of British Herb Kitchen Juniper and Lemon Verbena Salt. Or, using a pestle and mortar, gently crush the juniper berries, lemon verbena (if you don’t have lemon verbena use double quantities of lemon zest) and sea salt to combine. Add the lemon zest and sugar and mix in. Combine with the gin to make a salty paste and smear it all over the fish.

Wrap the fish tightly in clingfilm or similar, weigh it down with a weight or some tins from the larder and place it in the fridge to cure. After about 36 hours take it out of the fridge, wash off the salt mixture and pat dry. Using a very sharp knife, slice crossways into very thin, carpaccio-style slices and serve with thinly sliced rye bread.

All British Herb Kitchen recipes