Earl Grey Tea Salt-Cured New Zealand Salmon

A delicate smoked salmon infused with Earl Grey tea, and complemented by Preserved Lemon Beurre Blanc & Black Mission Fig Relish.

Ingredients:

For the Black Mission Fig Relish

• 1/2 cup onion, minced
• 3 cups black mission fig, stem removed, cut in quarters
• 1/4 cup organic apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses
• 1/2cup Thai basil, roughly  chopped
• 1 tbsp Earl Grey tea
• 1 tsp Cayenne Powder
• Pinch Star Anise

For the Preserved Lemon Beurre Blanc

• 3/4 cup shallots, sliced
• 1/2bottle white wine
• 1 lb Butter
• 1/2 cup chives, minced
• 1/4cup preserved lemon

For the Earl Grey Tea Salmon

• 10 lbs. New Zealand salmon fillet
• 1/2 cup Earl Grey tea
• 5 cups sugar
• 5 cups Kosher salt

How to Prepare:

The Fig Relish

1. Combine all ingredients and set aside.

The Earl Grey Tea Salmon

1. Clean any pin bones from salmon, press dry and lay in pan.
2. Mix kosher salt, sugar & earl grey tea together.
3. Cover salmon completely with sugar/salt mix and cover with plastic wrap – place in fridge for no more than 24 hours.
4. Once salmon is removed from fridge, wash off the salt/sugar mixture, pat dry with towel and choose your method of cooking or serve as a quick gravlax.

The Preserved Lemon Beurre Blanc

1. Add wine and shallots to large saucepan. Bring to simmer and reduce volume by half then turn down heat to low-medium.
2. Add butter, constantly stirring or whisking until butter melts. Do not let the sauce reach a simmer! It will break if it gets too hot. Juggle the pan off and on the heat to keep it hot enough for the butter to melt and incorporate.
3. Add chives and preserved lemon, and add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Remove sauce from the burner, but keep warm by leaving sauce in a warm but not hot place such as the back of the stove. It is now ready and waiting to be served.

Note: If serving salmon as gravlax, accompany with fig relish, lemon beurre blanc and toast points, crackers or bread of choice. If you opt to cook the salmon, top with relish upon serving and place the beurre blanco on the side.

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