Starter : Beetroot Cured Salmon with Horseradish Sour Cream

Hi everyone, Christmas is getting close, where are you going to have your favourite Chirstmas Dinner? Posh Restaurant? Friend's House Party? for me, a wholesome home-made Chirstmas Dinner is unbeatable. The following dish that I have served on my birthday dinner as a starter also fit well in Christmas. The dark red beetroot taints the edge of salmon slice in red and leaves the middle orange pink. Horseradish gives it an extra dimension on the fish, you definietly can 'Taste the Difference'. With horseradish cream and Irish soda bread, this dish is the perfect starter for a lot more to come.

For the Salmon:

2 skin-on salmon fillets (about 1.3kg/3lb in total)

200g caster sugar

140g sea salt flakes

85g grated horseradish from a jar

3 medium raw beetroot (about 250g/9oz), coarsely grated (no need to peel)

1 bunch dill , chopped

For the Sour Cream:

200ml tub sour cream

juice 1 lemon

2 tbsp grated horseradish from the jar

handful dill fronds, roughly chopped

Soda Bread (I chose Paul Rankin’s) for serving

1. Lay the salmon fillets, skin side down, on a board and brush your hand along it. If you feel any little pin bones pinch them out with your fingers or tweezers. In a bowl, mix all of the other ingredients for the salmon together to make the cure.

2. Stretch two large sheets of cling film over a work surface and spoon over some of the cure. Lay one of the fillets, skin side down, on the cure, then pack over most of the cure, and sandwich with the remaining fillet, skin side up. Top with the last of the cure and wrap both fillets together tightly with lots of cling film. Place in a container with sides, like a large roasting tray, put a smaller tray on top and weigh it down with a couple of tins. Leave in the fridge for at least three days or up to a week. Don't be alarmed by the amount of liquid that leaks out, this is normal. Once a day, pour away the liquid, turn the salmon and re-apply the weights.

3. To serve, unwrap the salmon from the cling film and brush off the marinade. Slice the salmon into thin slivers. Make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients together with some salt and pepper, and pour them into small ramekins, one for each guest. Serve each guest with a few slices of salmon, few slices of soda bread and the dressing at the side. Once made the salmon will sit happily in the fridge for up to a week and can be used just like smoked salmon.