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cranberry & orange cured salmon
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Cranberry & Orange Cured Salmon

Homemade cranberry & orange cured salmon, served with sour cream scones & a dill cream cheese. A super simple Christmas starter!
Prep Time1 hour
Curing Time2 days 12 hours
Total Time2 days 13 hours
Course: Appetizer, Starter
Cuisine: Nordic
Servings: 8 People
Author: Ben Racey

Equipment

  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Jug Blender
  • Large Container
  • Baking Tray
  • Stand Mixer
  • Cooling Rack

Ingredients

Cured Salmon

  • 200 g Fresh Cranberries
  • 150 g Cranberry Juice
  • 500 g Piece Of Salmon Fillet Skin On, Bones Removed - See Notes
  • 125 g Maldon Sea Salt
  • 125 g Light Brown Sugar
  • 20 g Sherry
  • 2 Oranges, Zested
  • 1 tbsp Finely Chopped Dill

Sour Cream Scones

  • 250 g Plain Flour
  • 2 tsp Baking Powder
  • ¼ tsp Bicarbonate Of Soda
  • ½ tsp Table Salt
  • 120 g Unsalted Butter Chilled & Diced
  • 150 ml Sour Cream Cold
  • 1 Large Egg
  • 1 tbsp Milk To Brush On Top Of Scones
  • 1 tsp Sesame Seeds White, Black Or A Mix Of Both

Dill Cream Cheese

  • 165 g Cream Cheese
  • 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 2 tsp Finely Chopped Dill

To Serve

  • Capers Drained
  • Rapeseed Or Olive Oil
  • Lemon Wedges

Instructions

Cured Salmon

  • Place the fresh cranberries & cranberry juice into a saucepan then cook over a low heat until soft. This will take roughly 5-10 minutes.
  • Let the cranberries cool slightly then blitz in a jug blender until smooth. Leave to cool completely then transfer to a large mixing bowl.
  • Add the salt, sugar, sherry, orange zest & dill into the bowl then mix to combine.
  • Next, tip half the cure into a large container (see notes) then place the salmon in, flesh side down.
    Make sure all of the salmon flesh is coming in to contact with the cure.
  • Tip over the rest of the cure, making sure to cover the salmon completely then cover the container with clingfilm & leave in the fridge for 24 hours.
  • The next day, take the salmon out of the fridge & flip it over so that it's now sitting skin side down in the container.
  • Make sure that the salmon is still completely covered in cure then cover the container with clingfilm & refrigerate for another 24 hours.
  • The next day, take the salmon out of the cure & rinse under cold water. Pat dry with kitchen roll/paper towel then place the salmon into an airtight container & refrigerate overnight before slicing*.
    *An overnight chill helps distribute the cure through the salmon although it can be eaten straight away.

Sour Cream Scones

  • Preheat an oven to 200°c/180°c fan (392°f/356°f).
  • Line a baking tray with parchment paper then set aside.
  • Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda & salt into a large mixing bowl then add in the diced butter.
  • Using your hands, rub the butter into the flour until the mix resembles breadcrumbs but with some large pieces still visible.
  • Next, crack the egg into a separate bowl then add in the sour cream. Beat together with a fork then add into the flour.
  • Mix into a rough dough with a spatula or your hands then tip out onto a lightly floured work surface.
  • Shape the dough into a ball then press down with your hands to make a 20cm wide circle.
  • Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 8 triangles, place them onto the lined baking tray then chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
  • Brush the top of each scone with milk then sprinkle over the sesame seeds.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 16-18 minutes, until a deep, golden brown then transfer to a cooling rack & leave to cool completely.

Dill Cream Cheese

  • Place the cream cheese & lemon juice into the bowl of a stand mixer.
  • Using the paddle attachment, mix until smooth then add in the chopped dill, salt & pepper then stir to combine.
  • Transfer to a bowl & store in the fridge until needed.

Slicing The Salmon

  • Using a sharp knife, cut the salmon at an angle into thin slices.
    When slicing the salmon, cut down to the skin (but not through it) then turn your knife slightly to cut the slice off the skin. If there's any brown fat on the bottom of your salmon slices, trim this off.

To Serve

  • Arrange slices of salmon onto plates, sprinkle over a few capers then drizzle over some rapeseed/olive oil. Add a spoonful of dill cream cheese, a lemon wedge & a scone to each plate then serve.

Notes

1. Salmon - For this recipe, you'll need a 500 gram piece of salmon, preferably taken from the centre of the fillet where the shape will be more even. The skin should be kept on but any bones should be removed with tweezers.
2. Sherry - If you haven't got any sherry, you could use vodka instead. Alternatively, leave it out completely for an alcohol free version.
3. Container For Curing - The container that you use to cure the salmon in should just be big enough for it to fit in. Using too big a container means that the salmon won't come into contact with enough cure. I used a large pyrex dish when making this recipe.
4. Storage - Once removed from the cure, the salmon should be eaten within 3 days. Once baked, the scones will keep for 3 days when kept in an airtight container and the cream cheese will keep for 3 days in the fridge.
5. Cooking Scones In An Aga - To cook the scones in an Aga, place them in the roasting oven, on the bottom set of runners & cook for 16-18 minutes.
6. Capers - Before using, capers should be drained from the brine/vinegar they are stored in.