Citrus marinated salmon

I'm a big fan of creamy, fatty, raw salmon flesh. When we go for sushi, it feels like Christmas in my heart. So when I first learned about marinating fresh salmon and thus extending its very limited life span, I couldn't wait to try it out. The original recipe only used salt, but I find the addition of spices a happy development.

Citrus marinated salmon
1 sushi-quality salmon filet
1/2 cup coarse sea salt
zest from 1 lemon & 1 lime & 1 orange
freshly ground black pepper
a few sprigs of fresh thyme 
6 hours 

1. Make sure your salmon has been frozen. You could catch (it's very raaaare!) a nasty tapeworm and then you'll ruin everybody's appetite for raw fish. Frost kills the parasite and its eggs so you should be safe.

2. Pat dry the filet. Grab a recipient that matches the size of the fish.

3. Mix the salt, zest, pepper & the thyme leaves.

4. Pour 1/3 of the salt mixture in the dish. Place the salmon on top and cover it with the rest. Press so the salts sticks on the sides as well.

5. Place the recipient in the refrigerator and wait for 6 long, excruciating hours.

6. Brush the salt off the salmon and discard. Wash the filet in running cold water for 1-2 minutes.

7. Enjoy with sushi rice, in a salad or on a lavish canapé. 

Sometimes my excitement about this is so monumental, my brain comes to a halt. Then I forget to wash the salmon in time and it becomes overly salty. No amount of washing afterwards will fix this - don't make the same mistake!

You should be able to keep the leftovers for a few days but don't overdo it.

 

This recipe makes a quantity of pure goodness.

Chorizo & smoked almonds cake

When people ask why I stopped posting I always tell them that we moved and we are still fixing/arranging/changing things in the new house. Though for a period it was true (the stuff you desperately need is always at the bottom of the last box - like your favorite knife) almost a month has passed since we've settled and know in which drawer most things are.

But I'm never short of new excuses: good recipes need time in the making. Sometimes they need 3 times, sometimes 7. Like this cake.

I first read about it on David Lebovitz's blog who adapted a recipe from Chocolate & Zucchini by Clotilde Dusoulier. I suspect many people already have a version of their own of this cake so here's my take on it. Instead of pistachios I used smoked almonds which add a deep, earthier flavour, and I added juicy chunks of spinach (nettles would work amazingly too). There are many variations still to be tried, like replacing sesame with poppy seeds or chorizo with prosciutto or adding cheese or olives and what not!


Chorizo & smoked almonds cake
1 1/4 cup flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 cup plain yogurt
3 eggs
1 tbsp olive oil
100g spicy chorizo
50g dried tomatoes in oil
100g smoked almonds
2 handfuls fresh spinach or 1 cooked
2 tbsp sesame seeds

Preheat your oven at 180 degrees.

Mix flour, baking powder, salt and chili powder.

In another bowl beat the eggs, then add the yogurt and olive oil.

Fold the dry flour mixture into the eggs without overmixing.

Now dice the chorizo and tomatoes. If using fresh spinach, throw it for a minute in boiling water until it softens. Squeeze the excess water.

Gently incorporate the chorizo, tomatoes, spinach and smoked almonds into your dough.

Butter a cake tray. Scatter half of the sesame seeds in the tray, making sure you put some on the edges as well.

Pour the dough, level it and cover with the rest of sesame seeds.

Bake for 40 minutes, until golden but still moist.

You can keep the cake in a plastic bag for a few days but it won't last for so long, I'm sure.


This recipe makes 0.75kilos of pure goodness.

Black & white anchovy crackers

I like my food coloured and black must be the colour I fancy most. I've been fantasing about black pasta, black bread, even a black cake! The only ingredient missing from my cupboard was nero di seppia (squid ink).

I went through hell trying to find some in Brussels and finally brought a large supply from Italy. It would be a pity to give up baking these tasty crackers so do your best and ask in Italian restaurants or deli shops if they can provide you with some of the rare stuff.


Black & white anchovy crackers (~ 60 pieces)
120g all purpose flour

120g diced cold butter

70g grated parmesan

10 anchovy fillets in oil

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped black olives

1 teaspoon squid ink

zest from one lemon

a little flour to dust

a little oil

Using a food processor mix the flour, butter, parmesan and finely cut anchovies until you obtain a smooth dough. Though you can do this by hand, it's important for the dough to remain cold if you want fluffy crackers in the end. If people often tell you have cold hands, don't worry about this and go ahead.

It's now time to divide the dough in two. You can leave half of it in the food processor bowl. Tip in the chopped black olives and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Mix. Now form the dough into a ball, cover with cling film and rest in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Take the other half of dough, place it in the food processor and mix with the squid ink, lemon zest and rest of black pepper. Cover and place in the fridge.

While you wait, preheat your oven at 200˚C.

Dust your work surface with flour and roll the dough to a 1cm thickness. Using a small cookie cutter or a small glass, cut your crackers. Form the leftovers into a ball and reuse until you finish the dough.

Place your crackers on oiled baking trays and bake for 6 minutes or until golden. Obviously the black crackers will never turn golden, so the trick is to mix the crackers and observe the right color on the white ones.

This recipe makes 0.1kilos/person of pure goodness.