Beetroot-cured Salmon on a Giant Buckwheat Blini

For the salmon

2 skin-on salmon fillets (about 675g/1 ½ lb in total)

100g / 3 ½ oz caster sugar

3 tbsp grated horseradish from a jar

2medium raw beetroot (about 250g/9oz), coarsely grated (no need to peel)

70g / 2 ½ oz sea salt flakes

½  bunch dill, chopped

For the blinis

100g / 3 ½ oz buckwheat flour

100g / 3 ½ oz self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

225ml / 8fl oz milk

2 large eggs, separated

25g / 1oz butter, melted, plus extra for cooking

drizzle of oil, for cooking

Horseradish cream

125g / 4oz cream cheese

2 tbsp crème fraiche

2 tbsp creamed horseradish

Juice ½ lemon

2 tbsp dill chopped

To garnish

Small dice of chopped cooked beetroot

Micro herbs or baby rocket leaves

Few extra fronds of dill

Lay the salmon fillets, skin side down, on a board and brush your hand along it. If you feel any little pin bones pinch them out with your fingers or tweezers. In a bowl, mix all of the other ingredients for the salmon together to make the cure.

 

Stretch two large sheets of cling film over a work surface and spoon over some of the cure. Lay one of the fillets, skin side down, on the cure, then pack over most of the cure, and sandwich with the remaining fillet, skin side up. Top with the last of the cure and wrap both fillets together tightly with lots of cling film. Place in a container with side,  put a smaller lid on top and weigh it down with a couple of tins. Leave in the fridge for at least three days or up to a week. Don’t be alarmed by the amount of liquid that leaks out, this is normal. Once a day, pour away the liquid, turn the salmon and re-apply the weights.

 

To make up the blini batter, put the flours, baking powder, ½ tsp salt, the milk, egg yolks and melted butter in a bowl and whisk until smooth. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. Stir a good spoonful of the whisked whites into the batter to loosen the mixture, then add the remaining egg whites and carefully fold everything together with a big metal spoon.

Heat a small knob of butter and a drizzle of oil in a large frying pan, roughly 23cm wide across the base. Pour a third of the blini mixture in the pan, using your spoon to encourage the batter towards the edge of the pan. Leave to cook for a few mins, until the blini starts to set around the edges and the underside is golden brown. Slide onto a plate, then carefully flip back into the pan and cook for a further 1-2 mins until golden. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Leave the blinis to cool on a wire rack, then place on a plate, separated by a layer of baking parchment and covered with cling film. The blinis will keep like this for 24 hrs.

To serve, unwrap the salmon from the clingfilm and brush off the marinade.  With a sharp knife, slice the salmon into thin slivers.  Make the horseradish cream by combining the ingredients together with a little salt and pepper.

Warm the blinis on a baking tray in a medium oven 170c/fan150/gas 4 for 5-6 minutes. Place a blini on a large board or plate and arrange the salmon pieces on top.  Spoon small dollops of the horseradish mixture over the top and scatter with beetroot dice.  Finish with the micro herbs or rocket leaves.

 

To get ahead: the salmon, once cured can be kept in the fridge for up to a week and then use like you would smoked salmon.  The blinis will keep wrapped for up to 24 hours.

The horseradish cream will keep for 2 days in the fridge

To freeze: wrap well and freeze for up to 1 month