HOT SMOKED ŌRA KING SALMON WITH AVOCADO BEARNAISE

SERVES 4

Mark Mcallister (pictured) created this super summery recipe for Cuisine. Make it well in advance to make meal time easy. We have plated the salad here, but it is also great on a large platter in the middle of the table for all to share. Make a double batch of sauce and keep it in the fridge for later – it’s a great alternative to mayo or aioli.

FOR THE HOT SMOKED SALMON 700-800g piece of salmon (Regal brand Double Manuka hot-smoked salmon will work well too)

3 tablespoons floral honey 2 teaspoons flaky sea salt Brush the salmon with warmed honey and sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt. Leave to cure for 30 minutes at room temperature. Smoke in a smoker of your choice and over wood chips of your choice for 10 to 15 minutes or until cooked through.

FOR THE AVOCADO BEARNAISE

1 large ripe avocado, chopped

roughly juice of one lemon

1 tablespoon good-quality

white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil boiling water, to adjust consistency handful chopped tarragon handful chopped chervil

Put the avocado, lemon juice, vinegar and olive oil in a blender and blend until very smooth. Drizzle in the hot water until it’s the same consistency as a mayonnaise. Add the chopped herbs, mix and season.

FOR THE SALAD

600g cooked jersey benne potatoes, halved and barbecued cut-side down until nutty brown

1 bunch red radishes, cut into wedges and barbecued until starting to brown 300g green beans, trimmed,

blanched and cut in half

2 cobs corn, blanched and

then barbecued until scorched 1 carrot, washed and cut with

a peeler in fine ribbons

2 cups wild rocket or watercress 2 cups picked fresh summer herbs (I used parsley, fennel, tarragon and chervil)

2 tablespoons olive oil juice of a lemon sea salt to taste

½ cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Cut the corn kernels from the cob and combine in a large bowl with all the other salad vegetables and herbs, except the pumpkin seeds.

Toss and dress very lightly with a few drops of olive oil and a good squeeze of lemon and season.

Assemble the salad making sure each plate gets a good mix of the different ingredients, and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds.

Break the salmon into chunks and put onto the salad, top with a dollop of the avocado bearnaise.