Sous Vide Beetroot Salmon, Pistachio Matcha Cream, Beetroot and Potato Cake

You have to experiment! This is the mantra that keeps things moving when I cook. Today, this has progressed to Salmon. The arrangement is a beetroot, brussel sprout, ginger and potato cake. The green paste is pistachio, matcha, cream cheese, olive oil and lime. Finally, the salmon is a lightly gingered and beetroot cured salmon, sous vide at 45 C . At that temperature, it was the most moist, tender piece of salmon I've ever had. If your oven goes that low, I highly recommend the method. The overall combo is a rich, dynamic combo. You won't need much to get that flavour satisfaction.

Ingredients (for 4)

- 600g Salmon Fillets, deboned, skin on

- 2 fresh Beetroot, 1 peeled juilienned, one peeled and finely sliced

- 4 Teaspoons grated ginger

- 200g raw pistachios

- 1/4 cup lime juice

- 50g Cream Cheese

- 1 Kg Potatoes, washed and chopped for boiling

- 10 Brussel Sprouts, juilienned

- 3 Eggs

- Olive oil

- Salt

- Pepper

- Orange (optional)

Method

Depending on your method: Preheat either your oven or your sous vide bath to 45 C. Peel and finely slice one of the beetroot. Brush a teaspoon of ginger directly onto the salmon flesh. In a ziplock/vacuum sealed bag, or in cling film, place the beetroot on the fleshy side of the salmon, wrap/seal tightly. If in the oven, wrap in tinfoil, and transfer to the oven, or clip to the side of the pot in the water bath. This will stay for the duration of the cook.

In a pot, boil the chopped potatoes from cold until tender and ready to mash. Drain, mash, and add ginger, brussel sprouts, juilienned beetroot, and a couple of decent lugs of olive oil. Wait for it to cool so you can hold a finger in it, then add the eggs. Mix them in thoroughly. The mixture should turn bright red.

In a food processor add the pistachios and lime juice. Process on high until it becomes fine, then add the cream cheese and blend further until it's a paste. Slowly pour olive oil in until it loosens up a bit, add a pinch of salt and a touch of pepper, and you're done. Set it aside.

Form the potato dough into fritters, cakes, balls... whatever you feel like really. It a well oiled pan on a medium heat, brown each side. Then lower the heat, and cook slowly for about ten minutes each side- It's mostly already cooked - you're just trying to firm up the egg inside!

Once that's done you're pretty much there. Remove the salmon from the oven. Smear some of the pistachio paste across the plate - you won't need much - this stuff is pretty punchy.

If you want, you can crisp up the salmon skin in a screaming hot frying pan. Serve each with a round or two of potato cake.

Would go nicely with a simple rocket salad, maybe with some orange and red wine vinegar. Experiment!

Enjoy!