Indy Power: Tickled pink! Impress your Christmas guests with this salmon starter

BEETROOT SALMN GRAVADLAX

This is such a gorgeous starter for entertaining around Christmas time. The cure is full of flavour and dyes the salmon a gorgeous deep pink thanks to the beautiful beetroot. Curing your own fish can seem a little daunting so I've kept this all really simple - it's very easy and so worth it.

Serves 10. Gluten-free, dairy-free and paleo-friendly

Ingredients

1kg side sushi grade salmon

1 large beetroot

Zest 1 lemon

20g dill

140g sea salt

75g coconut sugar

Method

Grate the beetroot, zest the lemon and finely chop the dill. Add them to a bowl with the salt and coconut sugar and mix well.

Place two large sheets of cling film on top of each other on a large baking tray. Lay the salmon on to it, skin side down. Coat the salmon in the cure mixture generously.

Tightly wrap the salmon in two layers of cling film.

Place the tray in the fridge with something heavy on top - I use tins of beans. Refrigerate for 48-72 hours, flipping the salmon every 24 hours.

Remove the cling film and rinse the salmon with cold water. Remove the skin and then place it on a large board. Slice and serve.

INDY LOVES…

…prepping for entertaining. There’s nothing worse than scrambling around in the kitchen rather than enjoying time with your guests. Before having people over, I always aim to have at least half of the food ready to serve the day before and the rest fully prepared so that I can just assemble or pop in the oven at the last minute. My top tips: make any sauces, dips or dressings the day before, marinade chicken or meat overnight, have desserts in the fridge ready to serve before guests arrive, make casseroles or bakes the day before and put them in to cook just before guests arrive.

THE POWER OF 3S

I always say that salmon is a super fish. It’s one of my favourite foods and it’s incredible for you. Oily fish like mackerel, sardines and salmon are the best for you because they’re excellent sources of high-quality protein and omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3s are so important for our health — they help reduce systemic inflammation, contribute to healthy brain function, the heart, joints  and general wellbeing. Salmon has been known to boost mood due to its high concentration of omega 3s and its rich vitamin A, vitamin D and selenium content. The omega 3s and antioxidants in salmon make it amazing for your skin. I try to eat at least 2-3 portions of salmon a week.

JUST BEET IT

It’s pretty clear from its vibrant colour that beetroot is packed with antioxidants, but its nutritional benefits don’t stop there. It’s a rich source of fibre making it great for digestion and it also full of folic acid, which aids cell production and repair. Due to its high nitrate levels it’s been known to lower blood pressure and it’s also great for detoxing as it helps to stimulate the liver’s detoxification process.

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