Cured Salmon Salad

This cured salmon salad is deliciously fresh and light. The process of "cooking" the fish by bathing it in lime juice and sherry results in a melt in the mouth texture that marries beautifully with the Asian-style dressing and crisp salad leaves. Besides thoroughly developing the taste, it also results in a soft and tender texture you can't achieve from normal cooking.

Yield: Serves 4
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 0 mins
Difficulty Level: 2/5

Ingredients

• 375 g salmon fillet
• ⅓ cup (75 g) brown sugar, firmly packed
• ¼ cup (70 g) sea salt
• 2 tbsps sweet sherry
• ½ tsp five-spice powder
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 100 g baby Asian greens
• 2 (260 g) Lebanese cucumbers, seeded, sliced thinly

DRESSING

• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tsps water
• 2 tsps sweet sherry
• 2 tsps lime juice
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 fresh small red Thai chilli, chopped finely
• ½ tsp caster sugar

Steps

Remove skin, bones and any fat from fish.

In a medium size bowl, combine sugar, salt, sherry, spice and juice. Add fish; turn to coat in mixture. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight.

To make Asian dressing: combine all ingredients in a screw-top jar. Shake well.

Wash fish; pat dry. Slice fish thinly.

In a large bowl, combine vegetables and dressing. Divide salad among serving plates; top with fish before serving.

Not suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave.

Photo: bauersyndication.com.au