Millcroft Inn & Spa’s Confit Salmon with Chorizo, Strawberries & Watermelon

Immerse yourself in the essence of summer with our Confit Salmon, prepared with Chorizo, strawberries, watermelon, and fennel. A culinary masterpiece crafted by Executive Chef Nicholas Petitjean. The combination may seem unconventional, but the zest and sweetness of strawberries, coupled with the refreshing taste of watermelon, perfectly complements the richness of salmon, creating a harmonious explosion of flavors. 

Confit Salmon with Chorizo, Strawberries, Watermelon, and Fennel

Serves 4 people

Ingredients for Chorizo:

1 1/3 lb Cooking chorizo, skins removed
1 ½ lb Grapeseed oil
1/3 oz Apple cider vinegar
1/8 oz Salt

Ingredients for Fennel:

1 Fennel
1 1/16 pint Water
1 3/4 oz Salt

Ingredients for Salmon:

16 oz Salmon fillet, ideally cut from the center, skinned
½ oz Caster sugar
½ oz Table salt
½ Lemon, zested
1/8 oz Dill, chopped
1 pinch Freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients for Salmon Stock:

3 1/3 lb Salmon bones and carcass (ask your fishmonger)
2 1/8 oz Grapeseed oil
3 oz Carrots, cut into 2 cm dice
2 1/8 oz Celery, cut into 2 cm dice
10 2/3 oz White wine, reduced by half
1 2/3 lb Fish stock, best quality
Salt

Ingredients for Wild Rice: 

1 3/4 oz Wild rice
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Ingredients for Watermelon:

1 1/8 lb Watermelon, rind removed and sliced into 1cm-thick strips
Icing sugar, for dusting

To Garnish:

6 Strawberries, sliced
6 Breakfast radishes, finely sliced and kept in iced water
3/4 oz Chorizo, diced and fried until crisp
1 Handful of edible flowers, such as fennel, marigolds and apple blossom
½ Lemon, juiced

Method:

1. The day before you plan to serve this meal, make the chorizo oil. Place the skinned chorizo in a large saucepan and add 20 g of the grapeseed oil. Fry gently until the chorizo releases its oil and starts to lightly colour, then pour in the rest of the oil and bring to 65°C. Remove from the heat, cover and leave to infuse overnight.
2. The next day, strain the chorizo oil. Place the vinegar and salt in a bowl and gradually whisk in 100 g of the chorizo oil to create a dressing (reserve the rest of the oil to cook the salmon). Set aside.
3. For the fennel, remove the first few outer layers and set aside to use in the stock (you will need 60 g of fennel trimmings for the stock in total). Cut the green fronds off the fennel and set aside. Very finely slice the remaining fennel with a mandolin or a very sharp knife, then finely chop the fennel fronds and mix both together.
4. Place the water and salt in a saucepan and gently heat to 70°C until the salt dissolves. Place the sliced fennel and fronds into the brine, remove from the heat and leave to cool. Place in the fridge for 2 hours.
5. For the salmon, mix the sugar, salt, lemon zest, dill and pepper together and rub all over the salmon fillet. Cover and leave to cure in the fridge for 30 minutes.
6. Once the salmon has been curing for 30 minutes, wash off the cure and then cut into 4 equal portions. Set aside.
7. Clean the salmon bones and carcasses to make sure there isn’t any flesh left, then give everything a good wash, removing the gills or eyes if needed. Dry thoroughly, then set aside.
8. Place a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add a quarter of the oil. Add the carrot, 60 g of the reserved fennel trimmings and the celery, and fry without colouring for 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables and set aside, then place the pan back over the heat. Add the rest of the oil and fry the salmon carcasses until golden, then drain and set aside.
9. Place the vegetables and salmon carcasses into a large stockpot along with the wine and fish stock. Bring to a simmer, then cook for 45 minutes, ensuring it doesn’t boil. Remove from the heat and leave to rest for 10 minutes, then pass through a muslin cloth into a clean saucepan, leaving you with a clear liquid.
10. Gently reduce the stock slightly until you’re happy with the flavour – if it goes cloudy you can whisk in a little beaten egg white. Season to taste and then set aside to reheat later.
11. To make the puffed rice, pour a generous amount of oil in a deep pan and heat to 200°C. Add the rice and cook for around 1 minute until the grains puff up, then drain and season lightly. Keep in an airtight container until ready to use.
12. Dust the watermelon slices in the icing sugar. If you have a vacuum sealer, seal the slices in a vacuum bag to compress them. If not, wrap in cling film and set aside for 30 minutes to macerate.
13. You now have all the elements ready to finish the dish. Place the remaining reserved chorizo oil in a large saucepan and warm to 80°C, then lower the cured salmon portions into it and gently cook for 18 minutes (although the thickness of the salmon may mean you need slightly less or more time). You will know when the salmon is cooked as it will gradually turn a light pink opaque colour.
14. While the salmon cooks, gently reheat the stock. Cut the watermelon into 1 cm cubes and drain the fennel from the brine. Combine the two together, along with the fried chorizo. Dress with the chorizo dressing and divide between 4 bowls.
15. Drain the cooked salmon and place a fillet on top of each bowl. Pour the salmon stock into the base of each bowl, then drizzle some of the leftover chorizo oil into the liquid.
16. Arrange the slices of radish and strawberry on top of the dish, then scatter some puffed rice over the top. Finish with the edible flowers, season with a little salt and lemon juice and serve.