Smoked Salmon Starter Recipe with Beetroot

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Smoked salmon, beetroot and sorrel

Name: Smoked salmon, beetroot and sorrel
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: serves 4 as a starter
Ingredients: soured cream 150ml; smoked salmon 240g; sorrel a handful, shredded (optional) or a handful of rocket dressed in lemon juice; red wine vinegar 100ml; olive oil 2 tbsp; baby or small beetroots 500g, tops removed, large beetroots halved or quartered; flat-leaf parsley 6 sprigs; chervil 2 sprigs (optional); dill 4 sprigs; thyme 4 sprigs; bay leaves 2; black peppercorns 4; black garlic 20g; dill a bunch; vegetable oil 150ml

1 hour 30 minutes
serves 4 as a starter
Easy

Jackson Boxer serves this smart starter at his Hebrides-inspired Notting Hill restaurant, Orasay. Here's how to make it at home for your next dinner party

April 12, 2019 at 3:42 pm

At Orasay, Jackson Boxer (chef-patron) buys whole sides of cold smoked salmon from the Secret Smokehouse in east London, portions them into two strips, belly and loin, then cuts into portions and slices – but good quality, pre-sliced smoked salmon will be perfect in its place.

*This recipe is gluten-free according to industry standards

Ingredients

soured cream 150ml
smoked salmon 240g
sorrel a handful, shredded (optional) or a handful of rocket dressed in lemon juice

BABY BEETROOTS

red wine vinegar 100ml
olive oil 2 tbsp
baby or small beetroots 500g, tops removed, large beetroots halved or quartered
flat-leaf parsley 6 sprigs
chervil 2 sprigs (optional)
dill 4 sprigs
thyme 4 sprigs
bay leaves 2
black peppercorns 4
black garlic 20g

DILL OIL

dill a bunch
vegetable oil 150ml

Method

Step 1

To make the beets, put the red wine vinegar, olive oil, 1 tsp of salt and 300ml of water into a pan with the beetroots. Put the parsley, chervil, dill, thyme, bay leaves and peppercorns into a piece of clean muslin and tie to seal, then put into the pan. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 1 hour 30 minutes or until tender. Remove the beetroots onto a plate, squeeze the muslin back into the pan, then tip the cooking liquid into a food processor or small blender with the black garlic and whizz until completely smooth. Tip back into the pan and simmer gently until reduced to a glaze. Remove the skins of the beets by using kitchen paper to gently rub away. Add the beets to the glaze and keep warm.
Step 2

To make the dill oil, blanch the dill for 1 minute in boiling water then refresh in ice-cold water. Squeeze as much water as you can from the dill and put in a blender with a pinch of salt and the vegetable oil. Whizz for 5 minutes until the oil is green. Line a sieve with clean muslin above a bowl, then pour in the oil and leave to strain for 1 hour.
Step 3

To serve, spoon a quenelle of soured cream onto each plate and use a tsp to make in indent in it, then fill this with dill oil. Spoon beetroots and their braising liquid onto the plate, with a portion of smoked salmon topped with sorrel or the dressed rocket, if you like.