Recipe: Alex Webb’s Christmas Citrus & Dill Cured Salmon
Patron Chef of Orion in Wimbledon Village, Alex Webb, brings us a delightfully festive cured salmon recipe – try it out now and perfect it for Christmas day!
Serves 4
Ingredients:
For the salmon:
- 500g fresh salmon fillet, skin removed
- 800g Maldon salt
- 200g caster sugar
- Zest of 2 lemons
- Zest of 2 limes
- Zest of 2 oranges (reserve the fruit for the salad)
- Zest of 2 grapefruits
- 1 bunch fresh dill
For the cranberry gel
- 150–200g fresh cranberries, or good-quality cranberry jelly
- A splash of water, if needed
For the fennel and orange salad
- 1 fennel bulb
- 2 oranges, segmented (use the oranges zested for the cure where possible)
- 2 tbsp good-quality olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- A few fresh dill leaves, to garnish
Method:
1. Cure the salmon – Mix the Maldon salt, sugar, citrus zests and roughly chopped dill together. Spread a layer of the cure in a non-reactive tray, lay the salmon on top, then cover completely with the remaining cure. Cover and refrigerate for at least 7 hours, ideally overnight.
2. Rinse and slice – Remove the salmon from the cure and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to remove the salt, sugar, zest and dill. Pat completely dry with kitchen paper. Using a very sharp knife, slice thinly across the fillet. Allow 3-4 slices per person.
3. Make the cranberry gel – For a quick version, blend cranberry jelly until smooth, adding a tiny splash of water if needed, then pass through a fine sieve. If using fresh cranberries, simmer them with a splash of water until they burst and soften; blend until smooth and pass through a fine sieve. Cool, then transfer to a small piping bag or squeeze bottle.
4. Prepare the fennel salad – Slice the fennel as finely as possible on a mandoline, or use a very sharp knife. Immediately place the slices in a bowl of iced water for 10–15 minutes to make them crisp and encourage them to curl. Drain and dry well.
5. Segment the oranges – Cut away the peel and all the white pith. Carefully slice between the membranes to release neat orange segments, catching any juice for another use.
6. Dress and plate – Toss the fennel and orange segments gently with the olive oil, a little salt and freshly ground black pepper. Arrange the salmon slices on each plate, place the fennel salad alongside, and pipe small dots of cranberry gel around the plate. Finish with a few fresh dill leaves and serve immediately.
Alex’s tip
For the cleanest slices, chill the cured salmon well before carving and use a long, very sharp knife. Keep the fennel in iced water until just before serving, then dry it thoroughly so the salad stays light and crisp.
