Month: December 2009

Here is re-post of the vodka cured salmon recipe because it is so easy to make and delicious that I figured might be nice to make for the holidays.  If you have any questions, as always, please don’t hesitate to comment on this post and I will answer you.

My sister Kate Lufkin and I had a tour which took us through the entire process from the raw ingredients to how they do the small batch bottling by hand.   When the tour was over Kate made some excellent cocktails and I made the recipe below–Vodka cured salmon with lemon mustard sauce.  I hope you enjoy it!

You can easily increase the amount of salmon by two or three times to feed a large crowd and if well wrapped, this cured fish keeps for weeks under refrigeration.  The sauce is excellent with all kinds of fish and shellfish and also works well with chicken or a sandwich spread so make lots!

Beauport Vodka Cured Salmon with Mustard Lemon Sauce

¾ pound skin on salmon fillet

1 lemon, zested and juiced
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
¼ cup chopped fresh dill
¼ cup Beauport Vodka

Rinse and pat dry salmon.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine lemon zest, one tablespoon lemon juice, salt, sugar chopped dill and vodka.  Stir to combine.

On a flat plate, layer 3 sheets of plastic wrap overlapping each other.  Place salmon, skin side down on the middle of the wrap.  Pour mixture on top of salmon flesh and tightly wrap.  Use more plastic wrap around salmon if necessary to keep liquid in.  Place on a flat plate and balance another plate on top of salmon and weight plate with something heavy, like a pound of butter for example.

Store salmon in fridge overnight or for at least 18 hours.  When ready to serve, remove wrap and rinse off dill mixture.  Pat salmon dry and thinly slice with the grain of the fish.  Serve on crostini, thinly sliced bread or with eggs (excellent!) and bagels, topping with the lemon mustard sauce  (recipe follows) as desired.

Mustard Lemon Sauce

¼ cup horseradish mustard (or any flavor you like)
¼ cup good mayonnaise
2 teaspoons shallot, finely chopped
1 tablespoons lemon juice (or more to taste)
Salt & pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Inspired Cooking airs on Cape Ann TV on Tuesday nights at 8:30, Friday afternoons at 4:30 and Sundays at 11:30 AM.  I hope you will tune in!