Cured Salmon With Fennel And Carrot Salad Food

SALMON-FENNEL SALAD

Steps:

• Prepare the salmon: Combine 4 cups water, the sugar, 2 cups salt and the lemon juice in a large saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve. Remove from the heat and let cool, then refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes. Add the salmon; brine in the refrigerator, 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the salmon from the brine and pat dry. Brush with olive oil on both sides. Place in a roasting pan and bake until just opaque, about 14 minutes. Let cool, then flake with a fork.
• Make the dressing: Whisk the lemon juice, vinegar and honey in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Season with salt.
• Combine the arugula, chives, celery leaves, parsley and fennel in a large bowl and toss with the dressing. Divide among plates and top with the salmon.

SALMON WITH FENNEL

Steps:

• Have the fishmonger cut the head and tail off the salmon and butterfly it, removing all the bones. You should have about 7 pounds of salmon.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Saute the onions and fennel in the olive oil for 10 minutes on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Add the thyme leaves, fennel fronds, orange zest, orange juice, salt, and pepper and saute for 5 more minutes, until the onions and fennel are tender. Taste for salt and pepper.
• Lay the salmon, skin side down, on a cutting board and sprinkle both sides generously with salt and pepper. Spread the fennel filling over half of the salmon. Pull the other half up and over the filling, enclosing it. Tie the salmon every 2 inches with kitchen string to secure the stuffing.
• Place a sheet pan lined with parchment paper in the oven for 5 minutes to heat it. Carefully transfer the salmon to the hot sheet pan and bake it for exactly 30 minutes (10 minutes for each 1-inch of thickness). Do not overbake!
• Allow to cool slightly, then remove the strings. To serve, cut into thick slices with a very sharp knife. This salmon is delicious hot or at room temperature.
• Note: If you're making this in advance, be sure to cool the filling before stuffing the salmon. Refrigerate until ready to roast.

SHAVED CARROT AND FENNEL SALAD WITH HONEY VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Shave the carrots into long strips with a vegetable peeler. Place in a large bowl. Thinly slice the fennel and add to the bowl with the carrots. Chop enough fennel fronds to equal 1 tablespoon and add. Add the apricots.
• Whisk together the honey, vinegar and mustard. Add the oil in a slow, steady stream and whisk until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Let stand at least 1 hour to allow the vegetables to soften. Sprinkle with the pine nuts before serving.

GRILLED SALMON WITH CITRUS-FENNEL SALAD AND GRILLED ESCAROLE

Steps:

• Preheat a gas grill to medium-high or prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill.
• Brush both sides of the salmon with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the salmon, skin-side down, for 3 to 4 minutes with the gill lid closed. Open the grill, flip the salmon and cook and additional 3 to 4 minutes for medium doneness.
• Meanwhile, brush the escarole with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. On a slightly cooler area of the grill (medium heat) place the escarole cut-side down, and grill until it begins to char and the leaves have wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, season with a squeeze of lemon juice; reserve.
• In a bowl, toss the fennel, fennel fronds, onions and orange segments together until combined. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice over the salad; season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
• To serve, divide the grilled escarole among 4 plates. Lean a salmon filet on the escarole on each plate and top with the citrus-fennel salad.

QUICK CURED SALMON

Steps:

• Whisk water, salt, and sugar together in a large bowl until sugar and salt are completely dissolved.
• Cut salmon along one side of the center connective tissue to the skin but not through. Turn the knife parallel to the cutting board and cut salmon meat from skin. Repeat for remaining side and discard skin and connective tissue. Cut each fillet into 1/4-inch slices.
• Working in batches of 5, place slices in brine for 3 minutes. Remove cured slices using a slotted spoon to a wire rack and blot gently with paper towels. Arrange salmon in a single layer on a platter, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled, 2 hours to overnight.

PEPPERY FENNEL & CARROT SALAD

Steps:

• Tip the carrots and fennel into a salad bowl. Toast the nuts in a hot frying pan for 3-5 mins until golden, then tip onto a plate. In the same pan, heat the oil and fry the mustard and nigella or black onion seeds, if using, until they begin to pop - about 30 secs. Pour in the lemon or lime juice and mix together to make a dressing. Toss together with the vegetables in the bowl, then sprinkle with nuts to serve.

CITRUS-CURED SALMON GRAVADLAX

Steps:

• Tip all the ingredients for the salt mix into a food processor and whizz until everything is combined and the spices are completely ground.
• Stroke your hand along the salmon fillet to check for any stray bones. If you find any, pull them out with a pair of tweezers or small pliers.
• To skin the salmon fillet, lay the fish skin-side down with the tail end closest to you. Insert your knife at an angle at the tail end and cut through the flesh to the skin. Turn the blade so it's almost flat against the skin, then take hold of the skin with the other hand. Pull and wiggle the skin towards you so as to cut the fillet away. Halfway through removing the skin, hold the knife firmly and flip the fillet over. Gently lift the fillet away from the skin and discard the skin. Trim away the thinner part, plus any fat around the edges, so that the fillet has an even shape.
• Scatter about a third of the salt mix onto a large tray in a line about the size of the salmon fillet. Lay the salmon, skinned-side down, over the salt and pack the rest of the salt on top. Cover with cling film, put another tray on top and weigh it down with a few cans or an empty casserole dish. Leave in the fridge overnight or for at least 10 hrs.
• Under cold running water, wash the salt mix off the salmon fillet, then dry with kitchen paper. Finely chop the dill. Lay the salmon on a board and cover with the dill, pressing it down to pack it onto the salmon.
• If serving as a plated starter, use a sharp carving knife to cut the salmon straight down into fine slices, allowing 6 slices for each plate.
• To make the horseradish cream, whisk together the cream and crème fraîche. Add the horseradish, lemon juice and seasoning, then continue to whisk until thick. Dress the salad leaves in a little olive oil. You are now ready to plate up.
• Arrange a neat pile of baby salad leaves in the centre of each plate. Curl slices of the salmon into bow shapes around the leaves. Continue all the way around the plate in a petal fashion. Use 2 teaspoons to make small quenelles of horseradish cream and spoon each into each bowl.

SALMON WITH FENNEL

Steps:

• Thinly slice both the onion and the fennel bulb, mince garlic, zest and juice the lemon.
• Pour about 1-2 tbs of lemon juice and zest over both sides of the fillet, season both sides with salt & pepper.
• Sauté the fennel, onion, and garlic in olive oil until tender and transparent, season with salt & pepper.
• Let onion and fennel mix cool and spread evenly over the top of the salmon.
• Wrap with tinfoil and bake in oven at 350 degrees for 30-25 minutes.
• Open and eat while hot.
• I serve with cous cous or rice and a salad.

BAKED SALMON WITH FENNEL & TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Trim the fronds from the fennel and set aside. Cut the fennel bulbs in half, then cut each half into 3 wedges. Cook in boiling salted water for 10 mins, then drain well. Chop the fennel fronds roughly, then mix with the parsley and lemon zest.
• Spread the drained fennel over a shallow ovenproof dish, then add the tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil, then bake for 10 mins. Nestle the salmon among the veg, sprinkle with lemon juice, then bake 15 mins more until the fish is just cooked. Scatter over the parsley and serve.