Beetroot-cured salmon with orange salad and spiced yogurt

Serves 2-4

— 2 raw beetroot, peeled — zest and juice of 1 lemon — 1 bunch of dill, roughly chopped

— 100g dark-brown sugar — 80g sea salt

— 40ml elderflower gin or normal gin

— 400g salmon fillet, skin off and deboned

For the orange and asparagus salad

— 100ml cider vinegar — 50g caster sugar, plus a pinch

— 1 star anise

— 1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed

— 1 large orange

— 2 tbsp olive oil — light salad leaves such as watercress, baby gem or chard

For the spiced yogurt

— 100ml Greek-style yogurt

— ½ tsp ground cumin

— ½ tsp ground coriander

— ½ tsp smoked paprika

— salt and lemon juice to taste Blend the beetroot to a purée. Add the lemon zest and juice, dill, sugar, salt and gin.

Lay a large sheet of cling film on a flat surface. Spread out half the beetroot mix in the middle of the cling film to roughly the size of the salmon. Place the salmon fillet on top, then spread the rest of the beetroot over the fish. Wrap up tight with the cling film so that it looks like a parcel. Place in the fridge. After 24 hours, turn the salmon over. This ensures a consistent cure.

After a further 24 hours, remove the salmon from the cling film and wash off the cure. The salmon should feel firm and will have taken on a deep purple colour from the beetroot. Thinly slice the salmon when you are ready to serve.

Meanwhile, pickle the asparagus – mix the vinegar with the sugar (reserving a pinch), star anise and a pinch of salt until the sugar has dissolved, and pour over the asparagus. Allow to pickle for a day, then remove the asparagus from the liquor. You can keep the liquid to pickle other vegetables; it will be good for about a month.

For the salad, segment the orange and mix any juice that gathers on your board with two tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of sugar. Use this to dress the leaves.

Mix together the yogurt and spices and season with salt and lemon juice to taste.

Serve the sliced salmon with a handful of dressed leaves, the orange segments, asparagus and yogurt.