Salmon cured in Beetroot and Gin

I have an awful habit of purchasing without a plan. That said, when I bought this side of salmon from the fishmonger because it looked so lovely, it worked to my advantage as I had to think on my feet for what to do with it. I had already made dinner plans out and certainly wasn't having enough people round to cook for. So, with my boyfriend and his mate throwing a BBQ on the weekend for about 30 people I decided to cure it so it would keep. 

It's a bloody messy job and you're best off doing it with gloves on. There's a reason my photos look so staged, and jumpy because I had to keep washing my hands! 

So for a side of salmon -

1. Put it skin side down in a tray (that will fit in your fridge) and pack sea salt all over the flesh. Pack it down quite firmly making sure it covers the whole side. 
2. Sprinkle Demerera sugar over the salt and push this down too.
3. Sprinkle freshly grated horseradish over the sugar (you could also use grated from a jar as long as it isn't a 'sauce')
4. Peel and grate 2 large raw beetroot on a cheese grater and carefully pack on top.
5. Now, using vodka or gin, drizzle over the beetroot.
6. Lastly chop fresh dill and zest a lemon or two over the salmon.
7. Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate with a baking tray on the top and a few heavy cans to weight it. 
8. Leave for 2 days before holding the salmon up, draining it and scraping off the dressings. Pat the salmon clean with kitchen paper and lay down on a board to cut the skin off. Make sure you have a long, thin and very sharp knife for this. 
9. Slice the salmon up and layer on a plate. You can leave this covered in your fridge for up to two weeks but we ate ours straight away. I toasted rye bread, topped with sour cream mixed with grainy mustard, lemon zest & dill. Layer the salmon on top and squeeze lemon juice and grind fresh pepper on the top. It was delicious.

Two days later...