Servings: 6
Ease of Preparation: Medium
This recipe is part of the One BIG Recipe: Salmon and Duck Dinner
CITRUS SALMON WITH SEASONED BASMATI
Ingredients:
Dehydrated Citrus Garnish:
- 1 orange
- 1 lime
- 1 lemon
- Vegetable oil, for brushing on the racks
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) salt
Cured Salmon:
- 1 orange
- 1 lime
- 1 lemon
- 1 blood orange
- 1 grapefruit
- 2-pound (900 g) side Pacific Salmon
- ¼ cup (60 ml) sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) salt
Citrus Butter:
- 1 stick (4-ounce/113 g) butter, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) chopped parsley
- Reserved mixed zest
Basmati Rice:
- 2 cups (470 ml) basmati rice
- 3 cups (710 ml) water
- Salt
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) rice vinegar
- ½ cup (120 ml) chopped dried cranberries
Method:
For the Dehydrated Citrus Garnish:
Preheat oven 200 F (95 C).
Use a very sharp knife to slice one orange, one lime, and one lemon into very thin slices. Discard top and bottom.
Prepare 2 trays fitted with 2 racks, brush lightly with vegetable oil.
Lay neat slices of citrus in an even layer across the racks, making sure there is a good mix of colours, and that all the slices are quite thin, even, and seedless.
Sprinkle sugar and salt over the citrus slices
Transfer the trays to the oven and set a timer for two hours and 45 minutes.
Dry for at least 2 ½ hours, until very dry and crisp. Reserve at room temperature for plating.
For the Cured Salmon:
Using a rasp, zest one orange, blood orange, grapefruit, lime, and lemon. Combine and reserve zest (should yield about ¼ cup/60 ml) for citrus butter.
Cut the zested fruit in half. Squeeze the mixed juices into a container, using a strainer to catch the seeds.
Place a full side of salmon (2-pound/907 g) flesh side up onto a tray with a lip, a baking dish, or a roasting pan – something that is large enough for the fish to lay flat.
Check for any pin bones or sharp fins your fishmonger may have missed and remove them.
Pour over mixed citrus juice.
In a small bowl, make a dry cure by combining ¼ cup (60 ml) salt, and ¼ cup (60 ml) sugar.
Spread the dry cure over evenly, pressing into the flesh.
Flip the fish fillet over so the cure mixture is lying in the juice and the skin is up.
Refrigerate for 2 hours.
After 2 hours, remove the Salmon from the cure, rinse and pat dry. Return to the refrigerator until needed.
For the Citrus Butter:
Transfer 1 stick of the room temperature butter to a mixing bowl.
Add the reserved mixed citrus zest, parsley, and chopped garlic to the butter and fold ingredients together with a rubber spatula.
Scrape the butter into a small container and set aside at room temperature until needed.
For the Basmati Rice:
Rinse the basmati rice in a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear. Transfer rinsed rice to medium saucepan. Add 3 cups (710 ml) water, season with salt.
Bring the rice to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat to medium low, cover, and steam for 12 minutes.
When ready, cut heat and leave covered for five minutes. Keep warm.
For the Salmon:
Heat vegetable oil in a very large (12-14 inches/30-36 cm) non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
Add the Salmon, top side down and sear 1 minute, until starting to colour. Flip and add the prepared citrus butter.
Constantly baste and cook the salmon fillet: tilt the pan and use a large spoon to continuously coat the top of the fish with the hot citrus butter as it pools in the pan, keep repeating for 7-8 minutes until the salmon is finished cooking, about medium.
To Serve:
Finish the rice: transfer the cooked rice to a large bowl, add avocado oil, rice vinegar, dried cranberries, and reserved chopped parsley.
Toss to combine, transfer to a serving dish.
Use the large spatula to transfer the fish to a (separate) large serving platter. Spoon the butter from the pan over the salmon.
Break shards of the dried citrus over the fish.
Serve Immediately.