I have created these recipes as I was curious as to what would happen if I used gin and whisky to cure my own fish. I picked sea bass and salmon to see what would happen with different types of fish. Here is what happened.
Whisky cured salmon
Ingredients:
500 g salmon fillet, skin on
3/4 cup salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
Small pinch of dried cinnamon
1/2 lime rind
2 pinches fresh fennel seeds or 1 pinch dried fennel seeds
3 tbsp whisky (I used Bunnahabhain, but use what you have)
Method:
Mix the dry ingredients together and set aside.
Get a Tupperware box ready. You want one that would fit the fish in snugly. Get a length of foil ready and line the bottom of the Tupperware box with part of the foil. Let the rest hang out of the box ready to fold over the fish later.
Put half of the dry mixture at the bottom of the foil sitting inside the Tupperware box. Place the salmon skin side down over the salt mixture. Pour over the whisky on top of the salmon. Top with the rest of the salt mixture and ensure the flesh is fully covered. Fold over the left over foil tightly around the fish. Place inside the box and cover with the lid. Place in the fridge for 24 hours. After this time, take the fish out of the fridge. There should be some liquid at the bottom of the box. Pour this away, then turn the fish and place flesh side down in the box. Cover with the lid and place back in the fridge for another 24 hours.
Take out of the fridge, remove the foil and wash out the salt mixture. Dry the fish with some paper towels. The outside of the fish should feel firm and dry with the inside being softer and juicier. Place on a chopping board and use a sharp knife to slice into thin strips. If the fillet had skin, go right down to it with the knife and slide the knife under the flesh and out for each slice. Get rid of the skin. Place the slices into a new piece of foil and cover tightly ready for use as you will smoked salmon.
Gin cured sea bream
2 sea bream, filleted
3/4 cup salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp fresh lavender flowers
1 TSP juniper berries crushed
Rind of one grapefruit
4 tbsp gin (I used Half Hitch Gin)
Method:
I ended up buying 2 whole sea bream and filleted them myself. You can do this yourself easily too by removing the head, then sliding your knife along the spine to remove the majority of the bones and be left with 2 fillets.
Mix the dry ingredients together and set aside. Line a Tupperware box with foil again as per above. Put 1/3 of the salt mixture at the bottom of the foil. Place two of the fillets skins side down on it. Pour 2 tbsp gin over the fillets, followed by another 1/3 of the salt mixture, ensuring the flesh is covered fully. Place he other 2 fillets skin side down over the other fillets. Pour the last 2 tbsp gin over them and top with the leftover salt mixture, ensuring the fish is fully covered. Cover tightly with the foil, close the Tupperware box and place in the fridge for 24 hours.
After this time, take the fish out of the fridge. There should be some liquid at the bottom of the box. Pour this away, then turn the fish and place flesh side down in the box. Cover with the lid and place back in the fridge for another 24 hours.
Take out of the fridge, remove the foil and wash out the salt mixture. Dry the fish with some paper towels. Use a sharp knife to cut the flesh away from the skin. As the fillets are a lot thinner than salmon fillets, the flesh should feel dry and firm all the way through. Serve with bread and a gin and lime juice sauce (2 tbsp gin and the juice of 1 lime).
Whisky cured salmon salad (serves 2)
Ingredients:
Half a bag of mixed leaves salad
Large handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup beremeal berries, boiled in 1 1/4 cups water until cooked through with some bite to them (the water should be fully absorbed)
1 roasted pepper, home made or from a jar
8 slices whisky cured salmon
1 portion whisky dressing, see bellow
Ingredients for whisky dressing (enough for 1 salad for 2):
2 tbsp whisky, preferably the same as you used to make the salmon
2-3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp honey
1 tsp grainy mustard
1 tsp red wine vinegar
Method:
Mix the ingredients for the dressing until combined well. Set aside.
Place all the ingredients, apart from the salmon, into a mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over and mix together. Divide between two individual bowls and top with the salmon, 4 slices per person. Serve.
Suggestions:
Looking for other ways to use your cured fish? How about hummus, cured fish and leaves bagels?
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