Rachel Davies
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
A side of salmon, skin on, scaled and pin-boned (ask your fishmonger to do this for you), about 800g
100g demerara sugar
175g coarse sea salt
10 g pink peppercorns
4 tablespoons vodka
Zest of 2 lemons
Zest of 1 orange
600g raw beetroot
Method
Check the salmon for any remaining bones, and remove any with (kitchen!) tweezers.
Lay the salmon skin-side down in a large dish.
Put the demerara sugar, salt, vodka, lemon and orange zest in a mixing bowl. Grind the peppercorns and add to the mixture.
Peel and grate the beetroots, then stir into the other ingredients. You can use a magimix if you have one, and you might want to wear gloves for this.
Spread the mixture over the fish and rub in well with your hands. Place a piece of clingfilm over the fish and place a chopping board or tray on top, weighed down with cans. Refrigerate for between 48 hours and four days.
Pour off the liquid from the marinade. Remove the cling film and rinse off the marinade.
Pat the fish dry, and at this point you can freeze the gravadlax or it will keep wrapped in the fridge for two weeks.
Slice the fish thinly across the grain to serve, and serve with rye bread and capers, or a gravadlax sauce.
Rachel Davies
With a degree in Theology and no culinary experience, Rachel Davies acquired her passion for cooking while on Voluntary Service Overseas in Zambia. After graduating in Cuisine and Patisserie from Le Cordon Bleu, Rachel went on to work with some of London’s most inspiring chefs at Galvin Bistro de Luxe in Baker Street, and Lanka Patisserie in Primrose Hill. In June 2010 she started her blog Rachel’s Kitchen as a way to share her passion for food. She was voted runner up ‘Best Cookery School Tutor’ in the UK Cookery School of the Year Award 2012, and was a finalist ‘Best Young Rising Star in the Cookery School Awards 2012. http://www.rachels-kitchen.com/blog/
Chocolate and Avocado Mousse
David Mendes
For the Mousse
170gr milk chocolate
170gr dark chocolate
187gr whipping cream
187gr milk
5 egg yolks
40gr caster sugar
330gr whipping cream
Method
1)In a small saucepan bring milk, cream and 20gr of the sugar almost to a boil.
2) Melt the chocolates in the microwave until there’s no more lumps.
3) Mix the rest of the sugar with the egg yolks and mix in a 1/3 of the hot liquid. Poor the yolks mixture back into the hot liquid and cook on low heat while mixing constantly using a rubber spatula. Continue cooking until the mixture thickens and leaves a clear trail on the back of a wooden spoon.
4) Once the custard is ready take it off the heat. Incorporate the hot custard (a 1/3 at the time) into the melted chocolate using a hand whisk.
5) Allow the mixture to cool almost to room temperature. Whip the 330gr cream to soft peaks (texture of thick yoghurt). Fold the whipped cream a 1/3 at a time.
6) Cover a ring from one side using a cling film and pour the mousse all the way to the top and place in the freezer to set.
Avocado Salsa
Peal an avocado, cut to cubes, season with orange juice, sea salt and a bit of cumin.
Coconut Tuile Biscuit
1 egg white
30gr caster sugar
10gr butter
30 desiccated coconut
10gr plain flour
1) Preheat the oven to 165c.
2) In a mixing bowl mix the butter and sugar until they are combined.
3) Add the egg white and mix to a smooth paste texture.
4) Mix the desiccated coconut and flour together and add to the mixture. Mix to a smooth paste.
5) Spread the mixture on a baking parchment or a silicon mat and bake to a golden brown colour.
David Mendes
David Mendes is the founder of Baking Dreams Together, a professional consulting service for restaurants, hotels, bakeries and caterers and a provider of baking classes, dessert classes and chocolate workshops. David is a graduate of the Tadmor Culinary Institute in Israel and a VALRHONA Chocolate chef training course in the South of France. He has worked as a Chef Patissier in top restaurants in Tel Aviv and London. For more information: http://www.bakingdreamstogether.com/index.php/about
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