Salmon, pumpernickel, beetroot and mouli pickles

Preparation method

1. For the cured salmon, mix the lemon zest, orange zest, lime zest, sea salt and sugar together and smear the mixture all over the salmon.

2. Vac pack and leave to cure for at least four hours or until firm. (Alternatively you can wrap the salmon tightly in clingfilm and leave it to cure for at least eight hours if you don’t have a vac pack machine.)

3. Remove, lightly wash off the marinade and dry with a jay cloth.

4. Slice the salmon into neat even-sized cubes to serve.

5. For the salmon parfait, cure the salmon in the lemon juice with a pinch of salt in a shallow dish for five minutes.

6. Add the remaining ingredients, place into a food processor and blend until very smooth and pass through a fine sieve. Place into the fridge to cool. The mixture needs to be firm enough to make into quenelles.

7. For the beetroot purée, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

8. Wrap each beetroot in foil with one teaspoon white wine vinegar, one teaspoon olive oil and some salt. Roast in the preheated oven until tender. Remove, peel and chop.

9. Bring the caster sugar, port and apple juice to the boil in a large pan.

10. Add the chopped beetroot and heat the liquid to reduce it to a glossy texture.

11. Place into a food processor and blend until completely smooth, pass through a fine sieve and place in a squeezy bottle to serve.

12. For the pickled beetroot, cut even-sized cylinders out of the beetroots with a 3.5cm/1½in cutter. Slice the beetroot cylinders into very thin disks on a mandoline. Place the slices in a heatproof dish.

13. In a pan, bring the red wine vinegar, sugar and 150ml/5fl oz water to the boil and pour it over the beetroot.

14. Cover and leave to cool completely.

15. For the pickled mouli, cut even sized cylinders out of the mouli with a 4-5cm/1½-2in cutter. Slice these into very thin disks on a mandoline. Place the slices in a heatproof dish.

16. In a pan, bring the white wine vinegar, sugar and 150ml/5fl oz water to the boil and pour it over the mouli. Cover and leave to cool completely.

17. For the salmon rillettes, hang the crème fraîche in a Muslin cloth suspended over a bowl and leave to allow all of the excess liquid to drain through. Keep the thickened crème fraîche and discard the water.

18. Place the peppercorns, carrot, onion, bay leaf and parsley in a large stock pot filled with water and bring to the boil.

19. Remove from the heat, add the salmon fillet and leave to cool completely.

20. Remove the salmon from the water and squeeze in a jay cloth until dry.

21. Flake the salmon and mix with the chopped chives, crème fraîche, horseradish, lemon juice and cayenne pepper to taste and place in the fridge until needed.

22. For the pumpernickel crisps, preheat the oven to 140C/275F/Gas 1. Very finely slice the pumpernickel bread and cut it into four even-sized rectangles. Lay the rectangles between two baking trays lined with silicone mats and bake until crisp.

23. To serve, place three slices of pickled mouli in the centre of each plate, followed by three slices of pickled beetroot. Using a 3cm/1½in chefs’ ring place the salmon rillettes in the centre of the plate on top of the pickled vegetables. Place a quenelle of salmon parfait on the rillettes topped with a pumpernickel crisp. Scatter around the plate cubes of the cured salmon and dots of beetroot purée.

24. Garnish with baby watercress and fennel cress.

Over 2 hours preparation time

Over 2 hours cooking time

Serves 4