Peppery Cured Salmon

I love salmon. LOVE it. It's one of my favorite things of all time. And smoked & cured salmon - I think I hear Angels calling!!!  I don't know why I've never made it myself - it's probably just never occurred to me that it's something you can easily do yourself.... But boy is it ever! This recipe is based on Fiona Hoskin's recipe from 'Devil of a Cookbook' if you don't have this cookbook I highly recommend you invest in it - it's fantastic. Fiona's original recipe is for 'Anise-scented cured salmon' - as soon as I read 'Anise' I though - I bet this would go beautifully with Szechuan pepper. One of my dearest friends Amy taught me to make this beautiful Chinese chicken dish which uses both Star Anise & Szechuan pepper and I love it - So I changed it a little bit. I hope you enjoy - we certainly did x

Peppery cured salmon

Ingredients

3 whole star anise

2 teaspoons black pepper

2 teaspoons Szechuan pepper

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

250grams rapadura sugar

250grams pink Himalayan rock salt 

a pinch of dried thyme

1 fillet of fresh Tasmanian salmon

Method

1.) Remove the pin bones from the salmon - just run your finger along the salmon to find the strip of bones and pull them out with a pair of tweezers (I bought a new pair specifically for this you can pick then up cheap enough at the supermarket).

2.) places all spices into your thermomix bowl and mill 30 secs | Spd 9

3.) add salt and mill 3 secs | Spd 9

4.) add sugar and thyme and mix 10 secs | Spd 5 

Depending on the size of your fillet of salmon, you may want to divide this mixture in half as this quantity will cure a whole side of salmon. I cured a piece approx 600/700gms with half of the mixture.

5. Evenly coat both sides if the salmon with the mixture patting it down firmly and put it in a Pyrex type dish with glad wrap on in the fridge over night. I did mine mid afternoon & left overnight. In the morning, turn the fish over and leave it until the afternoon evening 6-10ish hours. Time will vary depending on the size & thickness of your piece of fish. Wash the fish under the tap and then pat dry with a paper towel. Slice very thinly and enjoy! 

If you don't have a thermomix you can use a food processor or mortar & pestle using the above recipe as a guide.