JACQUES ERASMUS’S FESTIVE BLACKENED SALMON WITH SPICED GLAZE AND CRUNCHY SHAVED VEGETABLES
Serves 6 to 8
A LITTLE EFFORT
Preparation: 1 hour
Cooking: 30 minutes
For the glaze:
light brown sugar 230 g
dark soya sauce 1
cup water 1
cup orange juice ¾
cup dry white wine ¾
cup rice vinegar ¾
cup honey ½
cup fresh ginger 75 g, crushed
ground allspice 1t
coriander seeds 1 t,
crushed Szechuan pepper 1 t,
crushed medium red chilli 1
spring onions 3, roughly
chopped garlic 6 cloves, bruised
orange 1, thickly sliced
green apple 1, quartered
beetroot 2 daikon radish 1 x 10 cm piece red garden radishes 6 salmon side 1, boned and skin on canola oil 1T fresh ginger 1 x 4 cm piece, finely chopped citrus wedges, for serving 1 To make the glaze, place all the ingredients into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook over a medium heat until reduced by twothirds to make about 1 cup. Strain and set aside.
2 For the salmon, peel and shave the beetroot and daikon very finely using a mandolin slicer to make long, thin matchsticks. Slice the radish into thin rounds. Place in iced water to crisp for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
3 Preheat the oven to 200°C. Rub the top of the salmon with 2 T glaze. Heat a large pan into which the salmon will fit until very hot and add the oil. Place the salmon, skin side up, into the hot pan and cook for 2–3 minutes until well caramelised and blackened. Turn over and cook on the skin side for 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet and finish in the oven for 15 minutes until just done, but still pink in the centre.
4 Remove from the oven and place the fish onto a large serving platter. Generously spoon over more of the glaze and top with the crisp shaved vegetables, ginger and citrus wedges. Serve immediately.
Cook’s note: The glaze can be stored in the fridge for several months and is delicious as a dip for vegetable rolls, stir-fries and as a Asian BBQ basting. The vegetables can be made a day in advance and kept in the fridge. DAIRY-FREE
WINE: Iona Ten Barrel
Chardonnay 2018