Whiskey cured salmon
Contrary to popular belief, Irish cuisine is so much more than potatoes (not even native to Ireland) and corned beef and cabbage. The cuisine of the Emerald isle is a cornucopia of delectable offerings from both land and sea. So this St. Paddy’s Day, why not try something as exciting, innovative and as truly originally Irish as Bono; a Whiskey Cured Salmon. The recipe will follow a little later today. It’s a simple dish requiring only a fresh slab of salmon, a few ingredients, salt, 12-24 hours to rest in the fridge-oh, and a little Whiskey from the Jar-O!
Whisky cured salmon
Whisky Cured Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
- 1 1/2 tablespoons juniper berries
- 1 1/2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
- 1 1/2 tablespoons grated lime zest
- 1/3 cup coarsely cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup whisky
- 1 (~4-pound) side fresh salmon
Directions:
In a mixing bowl, combine the salt, sugar, dill, juniper berries, zests, cracked black pepper, and whisky. Place the salmon, skin side down, on several large sheets of plastic wrap. Cover the entire salmon with the curing mixture, packing the cure into the salmon. Wrap the salmon completely and tightly in the plastic wrap and place the salmon, skin side down on a half-sheet pan. Place something heavy like a skillet or a filled pot. Refrigerate the salmon for 12-24 hours.
Remove the salmon from the refrigerator and wipe off the curing mixture. Rinse the salmon briefly under cold water, removing the entire cure. Using a sharp knife, slice the salmon from the skin, cutting diagonally and making cuts as paper thin as possible.
