Scottish Kitchen

Chef Craig Russell makes delicious Gin & Lemon Smoked Scottish Salmon

MY parents originate from two countries thousands of miles apart, so it’s fair to say I have experienced my fair share of different cuisines in our dinners over the years!

My mother, who was born and raised in Brazil, always encouraged me to try different foods and absorb different cultures. I was lucky enough to be able to do this throughout my childhood, living in a number of countries including Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago and Germany.

However, when I returned to my father’s hometown of Aberdeen, I fell in love with local Scottish ingredients. You can’t mask the quality of produce that we have on our doorstep and where better to start than with Scottish salmon.

The idea behind my smoked salmon dish is to combine this outstanding Scottish ingredient with all things gin – hence the cucumber and lemon, with pink peppercorn and fennel botanicals.

At The Spiritualist Aberdeen, we take great pride in building a reputation for great products and great customer service. I like to create imaginative dishes which use innovative flavour and ingredient combinations to tell a story.

This simple yet delicious dish allows the ingredients to speak for themselves and is perfect for dinner parties or for impressing family and friends. It is inexpensive and easy to make and, best of all, can be made two to three days in advance to enhance the flavours and allow you more time to entertain your guests!

The Spiritualist recommends pairing this dish with their fruity Pink Grapefruit Gin Fizz cocktail. Find the recipe at scotsmagazine.com/recipes