Recipe: Oolong Tea-Cured Salmon · A Table Called Home

Oolong Tea-Cured Salmon Recipe

I love cooking with tea. Its infusion of flavors can transform the simplest of dishes into something unique and special. In this recipe, I've chosen to work with Oolong tea, but don't hesitate to experiment with other teas like jasmine or Earl Grey.

When I am home in New Zealand, as the salmon is so damn good, I try to make a batch of cured salmon weekly. As the cost of salmon continues to rise, this recipe offers an excellent solution to make the fish go a little further. Plus, I love. make-ahead dishes that only need to be served once guests arrive.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup salt (Himalayan pink rock salt, kosher or other large-grained salt)
2 tablespoons Oolong tea
½ kg (approx 1 lb) skinless salmon fillet

Instructions:

In a small bowl, blend the Oolong tea, salt, and sugar to create your curing mixture.
Prepare a large piece of plastic wrap. Place half of the curing mixture in the center of the plastic wrap.
Lay the skinless salmon piece on top of the curing mixture. Generously coat the salmon with the remaining half of the curing mixture, ensuring even coverage.
Carefully wrap the salmon in plastic wrap, similar to wrapping a present. Ensure it's securely wrapped.
Place the wrapped salmon in a Tupperware container, and add some weight on top. Canned vegetables work well for this purpose.
Refrigerate your salmon creation for 10-12 hours. This curing period is essential for infusing the salmon with the tea's aromatic flavors.
After the curing period, remove the salmon from the refrigerator. Rinse it under cold water. Pat the salmon dry.
Lay the cured salmon on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, slice it diagonally off the skin into elegant pieces.

The sliced salmon keeps well for about a week in the refrigerator, but something this good usually doesn’t last that long! 🤤

I served it here with slivers of lemon rind and a dollop of beetroot cream.