Smokey Ram Vodka, Beetroot & Pink Peppercorn Gravlax - Don't just drink it, eat it too!
Food for occasions can either be really easy and quick or take hours making them impossible to have ready for spur of the moment guests.
You know, those people who think its “Fun” dropping in on you un-invited. Can’t be just me who hates that? No matter how grumpy I am when I open the door, they still keep turning up.
I often work from home, from my office or in my kitchen, so I’m never dressed for company. Make up and lipstick is always a no no, and I’m lucky if I’ve not just put my apron on over my pyjamas. If any one has any tips on how to make them stay away, let me know!
For all the right reasons Smokey Ram Vodka, Beetroot & Pink Peppercorn Gravlax is a dish that can fall into both of these. Easy enough for you to get right first time and pretty enough for your guests to think you’ve been up since dawn waiting for the right tide so you could catch your own salmon.
This is a recipe using some of Yorkshire Dale Distillery Smokey Ram Vodka in the cure. You can see the recipe and the full guest blog on their website if you click the link above.
I wanted to share it with you too, because I know valentine is next week and this is one of those perfect recipes that you can make ahead, in fact if you want to eat it, you’ve no choice but to start preparing it a couple of days in advance.
It’s also a recipe that once cured, you can bring out to impress that special someone in your life for that perfect romantic evening.
If you don’t have anything planned for valentine just make it for yourself. Grab your favourite bottle of wine, some French toast, a binge worthy box set and curl under a blanket to enjoy your own company.
Staying in is the new going out anyway.
That’s what the lovely Mr G told me.
Because Gravlax takes time to work, to absorb the flavours of the cure that’s its been sitting under, and it’s the cure of Smokey Ram Vodka, pink peppercorn and beetroot that gives this gravlax it’s amazing colour and zingy flavour, its perfect to be eaten other times of the day too, morning or evening, its up to you.
Not joking, breakfast with scrambled eggs, salad time with a few roasted garlic croutons.
Try it in the evening with some smooth buttery potatoes and maybe alongside my warm red pepper and almond sprouts you can find further down this page.
Go on, give it a go and let me know how you get on?
Enjoy Your Sweet Life
Everything except the salmon whizzed to a coarse paste
Smokey Ram Vodka, Beetroot & Pink Peppercorn Gravlax
What You Need
Salmon – 1 Filleted side approx. Approximately 2Lb, skin left on and pin bones removed – See Tip Box
Fresh Beetroot – 330gm – See Tip Box
Sea Salt – 6 tablespoons
Zest of 2 oranges
Zest of 1 lime
50 gms Pink peppercorns
Smokey Ram Vodka – Plus extra for washing (no joke) – See Tip Box
50 gms castor Sugar
Foil
Two heavy weights – See Tip Box
Tray large enough for salmon and to go into the fridge
Spreading the mix onto the salmon ready for wrapping
How It’s Done
In a food processor, wiz together all the ingredients except the salmon until you have a course paste – See Tip Box
Lay a double layer of foil in to your chosen tray. Make sure you have a good size overhang of foil so that it can be wrapped around the salmon. Place the side of salmon, skin side down, onto the foil.
Spread the paste onto the flesh of the salmon. Smooth it all over until you’ve a nice even layer.
Wrap the foil around the salmon so that it is airtight.
Place the heavy weights onto the foil and put the whole thing into the fridge.
Leave in the fridge for 24 hours.
Turn the salmon over after the first 12 hours – See Tip Box
After 24 hours, remove it from the fridge and open the foil. Scrape off as much of the beetroot mixture as possible.
Here’s where the washing comes in – You don’t want to eat too much of the cure mixture, so once you’ve scraped as much off as you can, pour a little of the vodka onto kitchen paper and wipe as much of the mixture as you can. – See Tip Box
Slice the salmon thinly at an angle cutting down towards the skin.
Slicing at an angle to the skin . Using a long sharp knife makes it easier
Tip Box
Salmon – Get your fishmonger to take out all the pin bones when you order your salmon. If you do it yourself, use tweezers and double check to make sure you’ve got all the little bones out. Nothing worse than a fish bone in your mouth.
Turning – When you turn the salmon, you will see that oil or beetroot juice have escaped from the foil. This is ok
Beetroot – Use fresh beetroot. Stay away from jars of pickled beetroot. Either buy it raw and cook yourself or buy cooked whole beetroot.
Heavy Weights – I use two or three tins of beans etc to weigh my salmon down. Feel free to use whatever you have
Food Processor – When you’re whizzing the ingredients together, don’t over do it. A thick course paste is what your looking for
Wiping the Salmon – This is just to get as much of the cure off as you can. A little bit of cure is nice to have left on, but remember, there is a lot of salt and pink peppercorn in the mixture..
All laid out. So beautiful to look at. Phew, such hard work.
