Beet and Gin Cured Salmon Recipe
This Beet and Gin Cured Salmon Recipe includes a salmon fillet marinated in beet and celery juices, gin, and savory herb bitters, then cured with salt, sugar, and fresh herbs. Served with Quick Pickled Cucumber and Shallots, Watercress, and Preserved Lemon Yogurt, this dish is so pretty, and a perfect spring appetizer or brunch recipe!
👩🏻🍳 Tamara Talks – #VirtualBabyShower
Spring symbolizes new life, doesn’t it? Today I’m bringing you a lovely Beet and Gin Cured Salmon Recipe as part of a celebration of new life – a Virtual Baby Shower for our dear friend (and fellow food blogger) who recently welcomed a new baby boy to her family!
Not long ago, I did a savory gin cocktail with Cynar and beet juice, and it occurred to me that the flavors might work well in this cured salmon recipe. Remember… I love to play with my food!
To complement the salmon (and keep it spring fresh), I looked to fresh herbs and a simple preserved lemon yogurt. Serve it on bagels (the traditional way), flatbreads, or rye
📋 Ingredients Notes
Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.
Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.
- salmon fillet
- fresh beet
- celery
- sweet onion
- gin
- savory bitters
- peppercorns
- allspice berries
- juniper berries
- dill seeds
- lemon zest
- coarse sea salt
- sugar
- fresh dill
🔪 Instructions
Cured Salmon Steps
The “Reader’s Digest condensed version” is this:
- Marinate the salmon – Start with a lovely piece of salmon
with no fishy smell. Purée the beet, celery, onion, gin, and bitters, then strain through a fine mesh sieve. Pour into a zip bag. Add your prepared salmon. Marinate overnight, and up to 24 hours. - Cure the salmon – Remove the salmon from the marinade, and pat dry. Smear with the curing ingredients. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for 48 hours, turning every 12 hours or so. Wipe the cure off with a clean cloth, and slice thin to serve!
💭 Tips
Is this cured salmon good leftover? We don’t love leftover fish. Most of the time, I’m cooking for 2. I cured 16 ounces of good salmon fillet. The marinade will easily do twice that much. The cured salmon is good for a couple of days in the refrigerator.
What kind of salmon should I buy? Buy fresh or flash frozen salmon. Know your source. It should be firm and not smell “fishy.”
Do I have to use bitters? I have recently started making my own bitters. However, I’ve used Bittermen’s Scarborough Savory Herbal Bitters and love them! Alternatively, they’re optional, and you can omit!
Easy Moroccan Preserved Lemon Yogurt Sauce with Fresh Herbs with Fresh Herbs is an amazing spread for these Beet and Gin Cured Salmon finger sandwiches! You can substitute plain Greek yogurt, or mix some fresh herbs and lemon zest into it.
What type of base should I use? I sent hubby for dense, square rye bread (you know the type?). He couldn’t find, and brought home standard rye. I used a biscuit cutter to cut rounds, brushed them with butter, and pressed them in my waffle iron. We loved them! Be creative! Of course you can use full-size or mini bagels, crackers, flatbread, etc.
Substitute arugula or micro greens for the watercress if desired.
🍷 Pairing Suggestions
On photo day, I served my Beet and Gin Cured Salmon with rye bread cut in rounds (with a biscuit cutter) that was brushed with butter and pressed in a waffle iron. Multigrain crackers or flatbread, and dense rye is great too!
Accompaniments include my Easy Moroccan Preserved Lemon Yogurt Sauce with Fresh Herbs, Quick Pickled Cucumber and Shallots (recipe in the post), and fresh watercress.
Look to the brunch menu below for ideas for cocktails and more!
💐 #VirtualBabyShower and a Spring Brunch
A food blogger’s life can be a lonely one. I spend 8-12 hours per day with my computer, and at least 8 of those with only my 2 dogs for company! What’s an extrovert to do?
I’ve been a member of a “Food Bloggers Support Group” for about 2 years. It’s an online chat on Facebook Messenger. They’re my friends. My colleagues. My lifeline at times. Love. These. Ladies.
When we found out our friend Meghan at Fox and Briar was expecting her first child, of course we were ecstatic! What are we to do? We live all over the globe…
We, being the foodies and drinkies (is that even a word?) that we are, decided to plan a #virtualbabyshower to honor our friend and (hopefully) send some traffic her way as she and her husband adapt to life as parents.
So, several us (that weren’t overwhelmed by pressing deadlines) have come together to celebrate our friend Meghan, her husband Kansu, and baby Finley Fox Dincer. She’s taking a little time off for family bonding, but you really ought to head over to Fox and Briar to check out her amazing recipes! This curated photo shows a few of my favorites!
Clockwise from top left:
- Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos
- Rose Raspberry Sorbet Mimosas
- Easy Sausage and Cabbage Skillet
- Easter Bird’s Nests Mini Cheesecakes
#VirtualBabyShower Brunch Menu
A collection of lovely spring-inspired recipes perfect for a luncheon or brunch!
Here’s to spring, new life, baby Dincer, and amazing food!
📖 Recipe
Beet and Gin Cured Salmon Recipe
Plan ahead a little, but this Beet and Gi n Cured Salmon is an elegant, healthy, flavorful dish to serve for a spring event. Serve with quick pickled cucumbers and sweet onion, preserved lemon yogurt, watercress, and rye bread, bagels, flatbread, or crackers...
Ingredients
Beet and Gin Cured Salmon Recipe Marinade
- salmon fillet, (see notes)
- 1 medium beet, peeled and cut in chunks
- 1 stalk celery, cut in chunks
- 1/2 medium sweet onion, cut in chunks
- 1/2 cup gin, doesn't have to be "fancy"
- several dashes savory bitters, (see notes)
Beet and Gin Cured Salmon Recipe Cure
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- 2 allspice berries
- 2 juniper berries
- 1/2 teaspoon dill seeds
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 cup coarse sea salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 bunch fresh dill, coarsely chopped
Quick Cucumber and Sweet Onion Pickle
- 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced very thin
- 2 shallots, sliced very thin
- 3/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 5 allspice berries
- 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
To Serve
- watercress
- Easy Moroccan Preserved Lemon Yogurt Sauce with Fresh Herbs, (see notes)
- rye bread (see notes), flatbread, crackers, bagels
Instructions
Beet and Gin Cured Salmon Recipe Marinade
- Prep your salmon fillet by removing any skin, fat, bones. Rinse and wipe dry.
- To a blender or processor, add beet, celery, and onion. Puree until smooth. Press through a fine-mesh sieve.
- Add the juice, gin, and bitters to a 1 gallon zip bag. Add the prepared salmon.
- Zip tight. Place in the refrigerator for approximately 24 hours, turning halfway through.
- Remove from the zip bag. Pat dry.
Beet and Gin Cured Salmon Recipe Cure
- Add peppercorn, allspice and juniper berries, and dill seed in a spice grinder or mortar. Grind or pulverize. It does not need to be fine!
- Add ground spices to lemon zest, salt, sugar, and dill. Mix thoroughly.
- Rub the cure all over the salmon fillet.
- Wrap with plastic wrap tightly. Place on a plate in the refrigerator. Turn ever 12 hours for 2 days.
- Wipe off the cure (don't rinse). Slice thin prior to serving.
Quick Cucumber and Sweet Onion Pickle
- Make the cucumber and shallot pickle up to 2 days in advance. Prep the cucumber and shallots. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, add remaining pickle ingredients. Bring to a boil, and cook until sugar is dissolve (2-3 minutes). Remove from heat, pour into prep bowl, and cool completely.
- Add sliced cucumber and shallots. Pickle 30 minutes to 48 hours. Store in the refrigerator until used.
To Serve
I spread rye bread (or other cracker or bread) with yogurt, top with cured salmon, quick pickle, and water cress.
Notes
We don't love leftover fish. Most of the time, I'm cooking for 2. I cured 16 ounces of good salmon fillet. The marinade will easily do twice that much. The cured salmon is good for a couple of days in the refrigerator.
Buy fresh or flash frozen salmon. Know your source.
I have recently started making my own bitters. However, I've used Bittermen's Scarborough Savory Herbal Bitters and love them! Alternatively, they're optional, and you can omit!
Easy Moroccan Preserved Lemon Yogurt Sauce with Fresh Herbs with Fresh Herbs is an amazing base layer for these Beet and Gin Cured Salmon finger sandwiches!
I sent hubby for dense, square rye bread (you know the type?). He couldn't find, and brought home standard rye. I used a biscuit cutter to cut rounds, brushed them with butter, and pressed them in my waffle iron. We loved them! Be creative!
Substitute arugula or micro greens for the watercress if desired.
Macronutrients are an approximation only from MyFitnessPal.com. The salmon does not absorb all the brine, and there's no way to quantify toppings and base. I did include the cucumber pickle with the salmon.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Amount Per Serving: Calories: 229Total Fat: 11gCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 18g
More Spring Appetizer Recipes
Easy Spanokopita Bites
Traditional Greek flavors of the classic phyllo, spinach, and feta pie in a portable hand-held cup...
Maple Bacon Deviled Eggs
A hint of sweet from the maple syrup, the smokiness of delicious bacon, a bit of heat from sriracha and Fresno chile, and you've got to have some fresh herbs in spring.
Lots of lip-licking going on from me. I cured some salmon recently and I was impressed with the ease of the process and the results. I love all of your additions, especially the savoury bitters. I’ll be surprising my man with this before too long.
You’ve done a great job pulling us all together to create this #virtualbabyshower. Thankyou, Tamara.
I’m so glad to hear you don’t find the process intimidating! It really is pretty straight forward, and not a lot of “active” time. I hope hubby loves it!
And it was my pleasure to coordinate this event! I love working with my blog buddies!
I really wish we could have hosted this baby shower in real life, so that I could have eaten every one of the recipes. Can’t complain, though, since the cured salmon was excellent!
Thank you Dr A! I’m pretty sure you’ll get this one (and all of the others) before too long…
Woman! This is so beautifully creative! Absolutely perfect brunch fare.
Great minds think alike C! We do tend to push that envelope a bit 😉
This Beet and Gin Cured Salmon is perfect for spring, and even better for this Virtual Baby Shower – well, actually, would be even better if it wasn’t virtual so I can enjoy some right this second!!!