If your 2023 New Year’s Resolution is to elevate your culinary skills - I’ve got the ultimate recipe for you: Citrus and Native-herb Cured Salmon and Honey Halloumi Fries!
Infused with some Zea Gourmet heroes, this recipe will not only delight the taste buds, but also help you further develop your culinary expertise and add some new skills to your arsenal.
With the texture combination of the crunch from the fries, with the smoothness of the salmon - this is one dish that is sure to impress!
The best part about this recipe is that it is super versatile with how it can be presented to your guests.
To dress it up as a main dish for each guest, serve a handful of the halloumi fries on each plate and carve out slices of salmon to distribute to each guest, at the table for a nice little touch.
Alternatively, serve both dishes as canapes and roll up each salmon slice into the perfect bite-sized piece and use toothpicks with the halloumi fries for convenience.
Just a reminder though, halloumi cheeses can contain rennet which is an animal product, so be sure to check your halloumi if you plan to serve it to a vegetarian. This recipe is a personal favourite of mine, as while it may sound extravagant and complex - it actually is a truly simple and easy dish. Therefore, this makes for the perfect dish to whip out and impress!
Citrus & Native-herb Cured Salmon
Ingredients:
1 cup of rock/course sea salt
45g of Native Blend Pink Lake Salt
½ cup of raw sugar
25g Tasmanian Native Pepper Medley
1 lemon zest
1 orange zest
1 lime zest
1 side of boneless Tasmanian Salmon (~1.5kg)
Method:
- Combine all ingredients except for the salmon into a bowl and mix well. This will be your cure mix.
- Find a large baking tray that will fit the side of salmon lengthways. If you don’t have one, you can simply cut the salmon in half and use a smaller, shorter tray. Line the tray with baking paper.
- Empty half of the cure mix onto the tray and spread it out evenly. If your tray is bigger than the salmon you only need to cover enough so that the salmon is fully resting on it.
- Place the salmon skin down on the cure mix and cover the top side of the salmon with the remaining cure mix.
- Cover the salmon with another sheet of baking paper. If you can, place something heavy on top of the fish to press it down and create a more compacted cure which will help push the moisture out. Place the tray in the fridge.
- After 10-12 hours, try and flip the fish over - just be sure to cover it with the cure before putting it back into the fridge. This step isn’t 100% necessary, it just helps keep an even cure throughout the flesh.
- Rinse the fish off under cold water and pat dry. Place the fish skin-side down on a clean cutting board, find your sharpest knife and begin slicing the salmon. Be sure to wipe your knife with a moist towel between slices for cleaner cuts.
Once the salmon is sliced up, cover it and store it in the fridge. It should last up to 4-5 days refrigerated.
Honey Halloumi Fries
Ingredients:
2 x 250g halloumi
2 tablespoons of Kunzea Honey
75g sesame seeds
50g flour
700ml vegetable oil (for frying)
1 small bunch of flat leaf parsley finely shopped
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
Method:
- Place a large deep frypan on the stove on medium-low heat and add your oil. You want the oil to be roughly 3cm deep so the halloumi is submerged when placed in the pan.
- Cut the halloumi into finger sized pieces. A great tip to do this is to cut the 250g block into half, then cut each of these halves into 6 pieces.
- Place the flour and sesame seeds into separate shallow bowls. Roll each finger in the sesame seeds, press down on them to help them stick. Then dip them into the flour for a light coating and place them on the side ready to fry.
- Now bring the oil up to a medium-high heat. A great way to check to see if your oil is hot enough is to put a pinch of salt in the pan and if it bubbles slightly - it’s ready. If it does nothing, wait a little longer.
- Fry each finger for about a minute or until they are golden brown. Some sesame seeds may fall off the halloumi at this point, if it’s safe to do so you can gently remove these with a spoon, but be careful, hot oil can be dangerous if not cautious.
- After the halloumi is cooked, scoop them out and place them on a baking sheet or tray to drain.
- Serve on a platter or individual plate, sprinkle with parsley, paprika and a drizzle of Kunzea Honey and they’re ready to eat. You can always serve with toothpicks and a ramekin of aioli to really impress.
And there you have it. An easy, but impressive dish.
Enjoy!
ABOUT THE COOK - HAMISH BRASS
A culinary professional with almost 10 years experience in well-established cafes and restaurants throughout Australia, Hamish has worked in many different cuisines including Italian, modern Australian & cellar door fine dining. Hamish enjoys getting creative with his family-friendly food and developing dishes that are fun, healthy and full of flavour.
