Sake-poached salmon with pickled cucumbers and yuzu-wasabi jelly

SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 30 MINS // COOK 50 MINS (PLUS CURING, RESTING) Once considered the epitome of dinner party sophistication, here we add a Japanese twist to poached salmon. Pictured p118

1 tbsp finely grated lime rind 1 tsp wasabi paste 55 gm (¼ cup) caster sugar, plus 2 tbsp extra 1.2 kg side salmon, skinless, pin-boned 80 ml (⅓ cup) rice wine vinegar 1 tbsp each dashi powder and lime juice 2 telegraph cucumbers 1 small daikon (150gm), peeled Sesame oil, for brushing, drizzling Micro dill, salmon roe and soy sauce, to serve

JELLY

1 Lebanese cucumber (80gm), chopped 1 spring onion, chopped

2 tbsp each yuzu juice, mirin and sake ½ tsp wasabi paste 2½ titanium-strength gelatine leaves, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes POACHING LIQUID

500 ml (2 cups) sake

300 ml mirin

60 ml (¼ cup) rice wine vinegar

10 cm piece kombu, rinsed

1.5 litres fish stock

4 spring onions, cut into 4cm lengths 50 gm ginger, thinly sliced

1 tbsp white peppercorns 1 For jelly, combine cucumber, spring onion, yuzu juice, mirin, sake, wasabi and 60ml water in a blender and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve. Season with salt. Place 60ml cucumber liquid in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer (1 minute). Remove from heat, squeeze liquid from gelatine and add to pan; stir to combine, add remaining cucumber liquid and mix. Pour into a 10cm-square plastic container, cover, and refrigerate until set (3-4 hours) or overnight. When ready to serve, cut into 1cm pieces.

2 Combine lime rind, wasabi and sugar in a small bowl. Season with pepper and 1 tbsp flaked salt. Rub over salmon and refrigerate for 2 hours to lightly cure.

3 Meanwhile for poaching liquid, combine ingredients in a large wide, deep saucepan big enough to fit salmon. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cook until poaching liquid has infused with flavour (10 minutes).

4 Lightly rinse cure off salmon. Return poaching liquid to a rapid boil, then carefully lower fish into liquid. Turn off heat, cover with a lid or foil and leave for 40 minutes (residual heat will continue to cook salmon).

5 For pickled cucumber, combine rice wine vinegar, dashi powder, 1 tbsp extra sugar, 1 tbsp sea salt and lime juice in a bowl and whisk to dissolve the sugar. Peel cucumber and daikon into thin ribbons, add to pickling liquid then gently toss to combine. Set aside, refrigerated, to pickle (10 minutes).

6 To serve, carefully remove salmon from poaching liquid and place on a platter. Brush with a little sesame oil. Remove cucumber and daikon from pickling liquid and arrange on top of salmon. Scatter with jelly, dill and salmon roe. Serve drizzled with pickling liquid, sesame oil and soy sauce.

Note Use a fish kettle to poach the fish or a large flame-proof roasting dish. To help lift salmon up after poaching, place it on a small wire rack before lowering into poaching liquid.