Cauliflower soup with beetroot and gin cured salmon

Posted by petra08 on January 25, 2017 · 8 Comments 

Cauliflower, it is so plentiful at the moment I can’t stop buying it. A friend of mine had a party and asked me to make a starter. It went from 20 people t 30 so I was thinking of what I could make that would be fairly easy to serve up quickly and give the maximum amount of flavor but it needed to also be fairly light as it was a Burns night supper with haggis to follow. Robert Burns was a Scottish poet so anything tartan usually comes out.

The traditional starter would be a cock a leekie soup, but I was asked to give the starter a modern twist. I went for seasonal and went for cauliflower and salmon.

 

I got a whole side of salmon and decided to go for a beetroot and gin cure. I did the salmon at Christmas and I knew I wanted to make it again. The salmon cured for about 36 hours and it does taste even better two days later when the flavors settle. The texture is amazing and the beetroot gives it the wow factor but none of the taste.

I have read several recipes for this but in the end I just wanted the gin as an additional flavor so here is my version.

 

Beetroot and gin cured salmon

preparation time 10 minutes 

cooking time curing for up to 36 hours

serves 15 as a starter or 30-35 with soup

Ingredients

• 1 whole side of salmon
• 1 dl or 1/2 cup demerara sugar
• 1 1/4 dl  or 5/8 cup salt
• 1 dl or 1/2 cup gin
• 1 medium sized beetroot

First check the salmon for any remaining pin bones, or pin bone it if this is not already done.

Peel and grate the beetroot. Mix it with the salt and sugar. Pour the gin over the salmon and add the beetroot mixture.

 

 

Cover the salmon with clingfilm. Place a plate and a heavy weight on top and leave it in the fridge for up to 36 hours.

When the salmon is ready rinse off the cure and pat it dry with kitchen towel. Trim the salmon. The beetroot gives the salmon a lovely, deep color.

 

 

Slice the salmon and place it between grease proof paper and cover with clingfilm until you are using it.

 

 

This is a recipe for six as a starter but could serve four as a main course with bread served on the side.

 

Smooth cauliflower soup

preparation time 10 minutes

cooking time 15-20 minutes

serves 6 as a starter

Ingredients

• 1 medium size head of cauliflower
• 1 dl or 1/2 cup double cream
• a knob of butter (optional but even a little butter goes a long way)
• 1/2 dl or 1/4 cup stock, chicken or vegetable
• salt and white pepper to taste

Cut the cauliflower in to fairly even pieces and stem them soft. Don’t leave any al dente part or the texture of the soup will not be right.

Place the cauliflower in a blender with the cream and butter and blend until you have a airated and very smooth mash like consistency.

Add the mash to a pan, add the stock and heat up. taste with salt and pepper if using.

Garnish with sliced beetroot and gin cured salmon, a few leafs of watercress and wild fennel, there are some wonderful new shoots now that are delicious.

 

 

Dill will work as well if you can’t find fennel.

 

 

If you want a vegetarian version sprinkle a little truffle oil, or fresh truffle if you have and a few toasted seeds for flavor and texture, or just let your imagination run wild and enjoy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Advertisement

Filed under Allotment/Veg, Amuse bouche, Cauliflower, Fish & Seafood, Herbs, Recipe, Salmon, Starter, Watercress · Tagged with beetroot and gin cured salmon, beetroot cured salmon, cauliflower soup, cured salmon