Citrus-cured salmon with lemon labne and cauliflower salad
Citrus-cured salmon with lemon labne and cauliflower salad
The best-quality fish needs no cooking at all, although we like to add a little extra flavour to it, in this case with a light citrus cure. Skip this step if you prefer, and simply serve it raw and thinly sliced. Start this recipe a day ahead to drain the yoghurt and soak the grains.
Prep time 30 mins (plus curing, draining, soaking)
Serves 4
500 gm Greek yoghurt
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon, juice of 2, plus extra lemon halves to serve
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
80 gm cracked freekeh, soaked overnight in plenty of cold water, drained
70 ml mild-flavoured extra-virgin olive oil 1 tbsp unfiltered cider vinegar, or to taste 200 gm cauliflower, thinly sliced
1 salad onion, thinly sliced
2/ cup torn mint
3
2/ cup torn flat-leaf parsley
3
60 gm mixed sprouts
Coriander cress (optional), to serve
Citrus-cured salmon
1½ tsp coriander seeds
1½ tsp fennel seeds
1½ tsp cumin seeds
1½ tsp white peppercorns
¾ tsp dried chilli flakes
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon and 1 lime Finely grated rind of ½ ruby grapefruit 40 gm sea salt flakes
25 gm coconut sugar
800 gm side of salmon, skin on, pin-boned
1 To make labne, combine yoghurt, rind, half the juice and half the garlic in a bowl, and season to taste, then spoon into a sieve lined with muslin. Place over a bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight to drain. Transfer to an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 5 days.
2 For cured salmon, coarsely grind whole spices with a mortar and pestle, then stir in chilli flakes and rinds. Reserve a third of the mixture, and add sea salt flakes and coconut sugar to the remainder and mix well. Overlap edges of two long sheets of plastic wrap on a work surface and scatter half the salted mixture in the centre in the size and shape of the salmon. Place salmon skin-side down on top, then evenly scatter with remaining salted mixture. Pat into flesh, then enclose fish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 5-6 hours to lightly cure. Wipe off excess curing mixture from salmon, then wrap in fresh plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
3 Combine remaining lemon juice and garlic in a bowl, stand for 2 minutes to soften, then add olive oil and vinegar, and season to taste. Add cauliflower and onion, massage lightly to coat and soften slightly and stand for 10 minutes for flavours to absorb. Add herbs and sprouts, toss to combine and check seasoning.
4 Spread labne on a plate, top with salad and scatter with cress. Scatter salmon with reserved spice mix and serve with salad and lemon halves.>
The best-quality fish needs no cooking at all, but a light cure with lemon and lime adds welcome citrus zing.
Pistachio and kale dip
This ultra-green dip is an excellent snack packed with flavour and goodness. Serve it with any kind of cracker (see our recipe for seed crackers online) or crunchy crudités – asparagus spears work beautifully, as do cucumber, radish and sweet baby beans.
Prep time 15 mins (plus soaking, dehydrating)
Serves 4-6 (pictured p81)
150 gm coarsely chopped kale leaves
(from about 1 bunch)
¾ cup (firmly packed) mint
¾ cup (firmly packed) flat-leaf parsley
120 gm pistachio nuts
100 gm pepitas
Finely grated rind and juice of ½ orange and 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
250 ml (1 cup) olive oil
1 Process kale, herbs, pistachio nuts, pepitas, rinds and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Add oil and juices, season to taste, process until smooth, then adjust seasoning to taste. Dip will keep refrigerated for up to a week. Serve with crackers or crudités.
Chilled tomato soup
Full-flavoured summer tomatoes at their peak make this the perfect raw soup – we’ve added a little richness to the equation with just enough avocado to give a silky texture, but not enough to overpower the clean flavour of the tomatoes. As with any chilled soup, be sure to season this generously – the flavour is dulled when the soup is chilled.
Prep time 10 mins (plus chilling)
Serves 4
8 large ripe tomatoes, diced
½ red capsicum, seeded and diced 1 long red chilli, thickly sliced
Juice of 1 lime, or to taste
¼ cup basil, plus extra leaves to serve ¼ cup oregano
½ avocado, diced
½ Spanish onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
200 gm mixed cherry tomatoes, halved or sliced
Dried chilli flakes, to serve
1 Blend large tomatoes, capsicum, chilli and lime juice in a blender until very smooth. Add herbs, avocado, onion and garlic, season generously to taste and blend until smooth. Add oil, blend to combine, check seasoning and adjust with extra lime juice if necessary, then refrigerate to chill thoroughly (2-3 hours).
2 To serve, divide soup among chilled bowls, scatter with cherry tomatoes, basil and chilli flakes, and drizzle with extra olive oil.
Coconut-macadamia-lime tart with mango
This is the ultimate do-ahead, no-guilt sweet treat, full of tropical flavours and perfect for summer. We’ve opted for mango, but papaya, banana, passionfruit or pineapple would also make great partners. The tart will keep in the freezer for up to two weeks – just take it out about half an hour before you serve it.
Prep time 20 minutes (plus freezing)
Serves 8 (pictured p76)
200 gm macadamia nuts, soaked in cold water for 20 minutes, drained
250 ml (1 cup) coconut cream
60 gm coconut oil, melted
50 ml coconut syrup or honey, plus extra for drizzling (optional)
1 tsp vanilla bean extract
Finely grated rind of 1 lime, plus extra to serve
2 mangoes, thickly sliced
Coconut flakes and lime wedges, to serve
Coconut base
160 gm fresh dates, pitted and coarsely chopped
120 gm coconut flakes
100 gm macadamia nuts
1 tbsp coconut cream
1 For coconut base, process ingredients and a good pinch of sea salt flakes in a food processor to coarse crumbs, then press into the base of a 21cm-diameter springform cake tin and freeze while you make the filling.
2 Process macadamia nuts and 2 tbsp coconut cream in a food processor until nuts are very finely chopped, scrape down sides, add another 2 tbsp coconut cream and process until very smooth. Add coconut oil, coconut syrup, vanilla, lime rind, remaining coconut cream and a pinch of sea salt, process until very smooth, then pour onto base, smooth top and freeze until firm
(4-6 hours). Tart will keep frozen for up to
2 weeks; remove from freezer 30 minutes before serving.
3 Remove tart from tin and top with sliced mango, and scatter with extra lime rind and coconut flakes. Cut into wedges with a hot, wet knife, drizzle with a little extra coconut syrup and serve with lime wedges.