Go ‘beyond the blini’ with John Ross Jr’s favourite 2018 Pancake Day smoked salmon recipe
It’s Pancake Day, and for that very reason those who buy smoked salmon owe it to themselves to go ‘beyond the blini’ and go the whole hog.
Let’s face it, there are 364 days to enjoy smoked salmon blinis – and they’ve become so ubiquitous that it’s sometimes hard to appreciate them. There’s only one Pancake Day.
For the purposes of this very short blog we’re going to focus on the blini’s big brother – the standard, toss-able and large pancake. And what better way to do this than to offer you our favourite smoked salmon pancake recipe for 2018.
The good news about this savoury pancake recipe is that it is:
a) Traditional pancake size
b) Substantial enough to have for tonight’s dinner
c) A WeightWatchers recipe, so healthy and tasty in equal measure
Have pancake-making fun tonight. We will be.
Avocado, Rocket and Smoked Salmon Pancakes
This recipe serves four, so if you’re only making for two you can either halve the contents or use the remaining mixture for tomorrow’s breakfast.
Ingredients
200g John Ross Jr smoked salmon (you can find this pack in Waitrose)
110g plain white flour
A pinch of salt
One egg
275ml skimmed milk
5 spays of cooking oil spray
1 avocado, sliced
A handful of rocket
4 tbsp fat free natural fromage frais
1 tbsp dill, chopped
Pinch of black pepper
1 lemon (quartered)
Method
Select a mixing bowl and sift the flour into it before adding the milk and egg and beating with a whisk until smooth.
Grab a large non-stick frying pan, spray with oil, and place on the heat. When hot, add the batter mixture and thinly cover the pan. Cook until it has set and then flip – or toss – over to cook the other side. Once you’ve made four (or two) keep warm and then place on warm plates ready to serve.
Share the smoked salmon out. If you are only making two then 100g of Scottish smoked salmon each is even better! Share the avocado amongst the pancakes and then add the rocket.
Add one tablespoon of fromage frais on top and sprinkle each dollop with dill. Finally, sprinkle the pepper all over each pancake and serve with the lemon on the side.
Share your favourite pancake recipes with us via our Facebook page or via Twitter (@JRJsmokedsalmon).
Whisky Smoked Salmon: the perfect Burns Night smoked salmon
In keeping with our tradition of providing you with Burns Night recipes, we thought for 2018 it would be nice to offer a) a Burns Night starter recipe, and b) a post Burns Night brunch recipe, which is perfect for the morning after – particularly if you’ve over indulged.
Both include our Whisky Smoked Salmon, which is perfectly apt for Burns Night.
Don’t forget to enter our Facebook competition for a chance to win a 454g pack of our Whisky Smoked Salmon, which runs for today (23rd January) only. For details of how to enter visit our Facebook page.
More importantly, if you’re looking to buy smoked salmon or buy fresh salmon in time for Burns Night, make sure you order by close of play today.
For starter: Potted Whisky Smoked Salmon
Serves 4
Ingredients
300g John Ross Jr fresh salmon fillets (you can buy a whole fillet and freeze the rest for another time)
Cook the fresh salmon in tin foil containing half of the butter and half of one lemon until deliciously flaky.
Once cooked, remove the lemon, tip the juices into a bowl and add the cooked salmon, the sour cream and the zest of the other lemon half. Mix up before adding the smoked salmon and then mix again. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Divide the mixture between individual jars. Take the remaining lemon and cut small slices of lemon, one to go on the top of each jar. Melt the remaining butter in a pan with the peppercorns and leave to cool – but before it’s solidified, pour it over each jar and leave to really cool in a fridge until cold.
When ready to eat, serve with the melba toasts and the salad.
For brunch: Aberdeen Potato Scones with John Ross Jr’s Scottish Whisky Smoked Salmon
This is one of Jamie’s – but with an Aberdeen twist.
Serves 2
Ingredients
100g John Ross Jr Whisky Smoked Salmon
250g floury potatoes with skins on
Sea salt
Ground pepper
50g plain flour
1/2 a small bunch fresh chives , finely sliced
1 knob of butter
¼ level teaspoon baking powder
Olive oil
3 medium sixed eggs
A pinch of watercress
Extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon cut into wedges
Method
Slice the potatoes into 2.5cm chunks before cooking until tender. Leave to cool and then return to pan, add the plain flour and mash them up really well.
Add the chives, butter and baking powder and mash once more. Season to taste and divide the mixture into two balls with your hands before dusting with flour.
Take a pan large enough to cook the two balls, add olive oil and when hot, place the balls in to cook, patting them down until flat and equal in depth. Turn every few minutes until cooked through and golden brown in colour.
Beat the eggs and when the scones are cooked place each one on a plate. Put the pan straight back on the heat, add some more oil and pour in the egg mixture. Use a spatula to keep moving the egg mixture around so that you get a scrambled egg with a lovely texture.
When cooked, layer on each scone before adding a piece of Whisky Smoked Salmon on top. Garnish with any leftover chives you may have.
Drizzle over a little extra virgin olive oil and serve with wedges of lemon.
We hope you enjoy your Burns Night celebrations and hope the morning after isn’t too painful. Please share any of your dishes – pictures and recipes – with us via our Facebook page.
Of course we’re not referring to food that’s past it’s best, but excess Christmas food that’s now lost its festive appeal and, let’s be honest, might benefit from having a new and non-festive take on it.
Most of us have leftovers still in the fridge from the Christmas and New Year celebrations – and that often includes smoked salmon, too.
So, to see in the New Year here are two top leftover smoked salmon recipes to give you inspiration for tonight’s dinner (and, depending on how much is left in your fridge, tomorrow’s dinner, too).
The best bit is that you don’t even have to buy smoked salmon to enjoy these easy recipes!
Smoked salmon and potato rosti with poached eggs
We came across this lovely recipe in The Herald and couldn’t resist giving it a John Ross Jr twist and sharing it with you.
Serves 2
John Ross Jr smoked salmon (as much or as little as you’d like)
1 egg (whisked)
1 tablespoon plain flour
10g melted butter
1 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoons of crème fraîche (you may even have this leftover in the fridge, too)
2 potatoes, peeled and grated
Lettuce or any leftover salad
Fresh dill
2 eggs
Salt and pepper for seasoning
Method
Lose as much moisture from the potatoes as possible by squeezing the grated potato in a colander. Then transfer to a large bowl, add the whisked egg, flour and seasoning. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and add in the butter. Use a cooking ring to form the rosti and place a dollop of the potato mixture inside it before compacting it with a spoon. Repeat once more until you have two rostis. Cook each one for 10-12 minutes until crisp and golden before transferring to a plate.
Poach both eggs in a pan of hot boiling water and whilst they’re poaching, mix the chopped dill and crème fraîche.
When done, top each rosti with the lettuce or salad, smoked salmon, poached egg and a spoonful of the crème fraîche and dill mixture – and enjoy.
Smoked salmon and avocado
Wasting avocados is almost as sacrilegious as wasting smoked salmon.
With this simple and delicious smoked salmon recipe you don’t have to do either – and it’s really healthy, too. Perfect for that obligatory New Year health kick.
Serves 2
As much or as little John Ross Jr smoked salmon as you can muster
1 avocado
Lemon juice
Olive oil
Salt and cracked black pepper
Slice the smoked salmon into little medallions. Season with olive oil, black pepper, salt and the lemon juice. Toss together in a bowl and leave to the side.
Halve the avocado and scoop out the flesh with a spoon, making sure to keep the shape intact. Then slice into strips and also season with salt, pepper, oil and lemon juice.
Arrange the salmon and avocado in a cocktail glass and garnish with salad.
Have you made any interesting and delicious smoked salmon dishes using Christmas leftovers? If you have, then why not share them with us on our Facebook page. The person who shares the most innovative dish will win a 200g pack of our Classic Smoked Salmon
Smoked salmon cupcake, anyone? Smoked salmon doesn’t always have to be enjoyed as a savoury dish
As you know, the John Ross Jr team likes to focus on some of the UK’s many national awareness days and, wherever possible, provide its own take on them.
In the past we’ve covered National BBQ Week, National Fish and Chip Week and, arguably the most natural fit, National Sandwich Week.
So when we found out that it’s National Cupcake Week this week (19 – 25 September) we couldn’t resist the temptation to explore the unlikely connection between cupcakes and smoked salmon – and it didn’t take long to find one.
Before we reveal it, National Cupcake Week was launched to promote the rapidly growing popularity of cupcakes in order to help British bakers boost sales. It also exists alongside the National Cupcake Championships, which are now in their eighth year.
Whether or not these recipes are competition winners, we’ll let you decide, but we couldn’t let a smoked salmon cupcake recipe pass us (or you) by.
Dill and lemon cupcakes with smoked salmon icing
Our first impression was probably the same as yours when we first came across this in The Telegraph, which was ‘smoked salmon icing!?’ However it’s important that we make it clear that this is a savoury recipe – and a delicious one at that.
Fresh dill (save some from the two bunches) for garnish
Method
Heat an oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Take two 12-hole muffin tins and line them with cases.
In a mixing bowl, mix the flour and all the other cupcake ingredients until combined. Divide the mixture, fill each case and bake for 30 minutes (or until you know they’re done). Place on a wire rack to cool.
Whilst they’re cooling, mix (in – or with – a food processor) the smoked salmon, crème fraîche and black pepper until a smooth consistency. Spoon into a piping bag with a suitably sized nozzle and pipe the mixture onto the cooled cake in any design or shape you like.
Then garnish each cake with a sprig of dill and a thin smoked salmon slice.
Lemon Rosemary Smoked Salmon Cupcake
With this Food Network smoked salmon recipe we’re becoming a little more adventurous in as much as it’s a sweet dish. Still, pushing the boundaries didn’t do Heston Blumenthal any harm.
Serving: 30 cupcakes
Ingredients
(For the cake)
325g all purpose flour
2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary leaves, ground, plus more for garnish
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon of salt
250g caster sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk mixed with 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Heat an oven to 180 degrees Celsius and find enough muffin pans to bake 30 cakes.
In a mixing bowl, mix the flour, rosemary, baking powder and salt, and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the sugar and eggs until fully blended. Add the oil and vanilla and beat for a minute. Gradually add the flour mixture, the buttermilk and the lemon mixture. Divide the batter amongst the cups, lining each one ¾ full. Bake for around 20 minutes or until cooked then place on a wire rack to cool.
To make the filling, whip the mascarpone and then add the lemon juice and zest. Mix in the smoked salmon. Place in a piping bag and refrigerate until you’re ready to pipe.
Now for the frosting. Whip together the cream cheese, cream and stock until light and fluffy. Add a handful of chives and place into a separate piping bag.
Once the cupcakes have cooled, pull out the centres with a cupcake corer and fill with the smoked salmon mixture. Then pipe the frosting onto the cupcake and garnish with the lemon zest, the rosemary pieces and a slice of rolled smoked salmon.
We’d love to know your thoughts on this one – or even if you’ve been adventurous enough to make it. Let us know via our Facebook Pageor via @JRJsmokedsalmon on Twitter.
John Ross Jr celebrates oysters – not smoked salmon – as part of the 2016 Whitstable Oyster Festival.
No, it can’t.
Of course smoked salmon is very dear to our hearts as you would expect, however sometimes it’s nice to put someone (or something) else in the spotlight and for this week, we’ve chosen oysters.
Why oysters? Two reasons. First of all, they’re delicious and, like smoked salmon, are often aligned with all things luxury when it comes to fish and seafood. Secondly, it’s the Whitstable Oyster Festival up until 31 July.
From oyster trails and quizzes through to food fairs and oyster eating challenges, there isn’t a celebration quite like this anywhere else in the UK.
The festival celebrates its 32nd year in 2016 and aside from oysters you can expect to find a wide selection of entertainment ranging from live music and comedy through to art and film.
Even if live music and some of the freshest seafood isn’t what you’re looking for, then simply enjoy Whitstable’s laid back atmosphere and traditionally British feel, which never fails to disappoint.
When it comes to food, if you’re looking for more than oysters (and by that we mean fresh fish) then visit the Fishermen’s Feast, where you can buy the freshest fish Whitstable Bay has to offer. And if you’d prefer the confines of a restaurant, then Wheelers Oyster Bar, which also happens to serve John Ross Jr smoked salmon, is hugely popular.
Over 80,000 people are expected to descend on what we believe is one of Kent’s finest destinations so be prepared for a busy week. And make sure you have an appetite, too.
Finally, if a blog post on oysters alone was too much for our core readers, then here’s an oyster AND smoked salmon recipe to redress the balance.
Will you be going to the 2016 Whitstable Oyster Festival? If so, share your pictures via our Facebook page or via Twitter.
Summer salads: tasty, healthy and ideal for that perfect picnic
It’s summer! Well, at least it should be.
Despite the driving rain the John Ross Jr team remains positive about what July holds weather-wise. So, in anticipation that the clouds are going to part and the sun is going to shine, we thought we’d equip you with some easy-to-prepare summer salad recipes to enjoy as part of your picnic (we can but hope).
For the first recipe, we couldn’t resist a little nod to the UK’s most celebrated tennis event: Wimbledon.
After tennis (and arguably rain), Wimbledon is associated with strawberries and cream, so here’s a strawberry-themed salad which is tasty, healthy and filled with the spirit of summer.
1 bulb of fennel (trimmed, cored and sliced into fine strips)
50g rocket
50g spinach
100g strawberries (halved)
50g raspberries
50g blueberries
A handful of pine nuts
A sprinkling of pomegranate seeds
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons of wholegrain mustard
1 teaspoon of honey (runny)
Fresh, crusty to bread to serve (optional)
Method
In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, white wine vinegar, mustard and honey.
Place the smoked salmon, fennel, leaves and fruit (except the pomegranate seeds) in a separate bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and gently toss so that everything is covered.
Sprinkle cracked black pepper over the top (to taste) and finish with a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds and pine nuts. Serve with the fresh bread.
Hot smoked salmon and grapefruit salad
Serves 4
The BBC Goodfood site is a rich melting pot of delicious recipes and this summer salad we came across proves it. We’ve made it our own, of course, but this balances the smoky flavours of the salmon with the sharp, tangy tones of the grapefruit.
Peel the grapefruits and split the segments into individual pieces.
Make the dressing by combining the oil, mustard, honey and any grapefruit juice that you can get from any otherwise wasted fruit, such as that stuck to the skin. Season the dressing to taste.
Toss the grapefruit, fennel, onion, watercress, rocket and half the dressing. Arrange on a serving dish, flake over the hot smoked salmon and then sprinkle the remaining dressing and the crushed fennel seeds on top. Serve and enjoy. Share your favourite summer salad recipes with us via our Facebook Page or Twitter using @JRJsmokedsalmon.
There’s more to smoked salmon canapes than blinis. Here are two innovative recipe ideas that are guaranteed to get your guests talking.
If you’re a regular John Ross Jr blog reader then you’ll know that we like to provide smoked salmon recipes that can easily be made at home, many of which come from our team here at John Ross Jr.
However sometimes we stumble across recipes that we simply have to share as they either a) look incredibly tasty or b) use smoked salmon in an innovative way that most people (including us) wouldn’t necessarily have thought would work.
These two interesting smoked salmon recipes fall under both categories, and with the summer party season just around the corner they make a perfect canapé selection.
Lemon and Pepper Macaroons with Smoked Salmon
(By Eric Lanlard)
Whilst we haven’t tasted this dish, anyone with the imagination to dream up a smoked salmon macaroon recipe deserves a place on our blog – and this recipe genuinely looks fascinating.
Serves 18-20
Ingredients
300g John Ross Jr Traditional Smoked Salmon (you can either purchase our 454g pack or a 200g and 100g pack), sliced
300g cream cheese
100g caster sugar
3 x egg whites
100g icing sugar
100g ground almonds
Generous pinch of cracked black pepper (half for when making, half for sprinkling at the end)
1 teaspoon lemon extract
A few drops of yellow food colouring
A small handful of dill
18 – 20 white grapefruit segments
Method
Line two baking trays with backing paper.
Blend the ground almonds and icing sugar in a food processor until finely ground before sifting into a bowl, making a fine powder.
Then, in a large bowl, whisk the egg whites until they can make soft peaks before adding the sugar and whisking until the mixture is stiff and glossy. Fold the mixture, using a spatula, with the almond powder, half of the black pepper, lemon extract and food colouring. Once the mixture is smooth and shiny, it’s ready.
Spoon the mixture into a piping bag with a 1cm piping nozzle then, on to the baking trays, pipe discs of about 4cm in size onto the pre-prepared baking sheets. Leave to stand for 10-30 minutes until the tops begin to dry and preheat your oven to 150 degrees Celsius.
Bake in oven for 10 minutes. Then take out and transfer the discs to a cooling tray.
For the filling, mix the cream cheese until soft. Then, you can pipe the mixture onto the macaroons or carefully place on top using a spoon. Top with a piece of sliced smoke salmon, a piece of grapefruit and a small piece of dill. Add more cream cheese to the top half of the macaroon and either place on top or at an angle.
Repeat until all have been made, sprinkle the tops with the remaining half of pepper and serve.
Smoked salmon crisps
(As featured on Food & Wine online)
If you love smoked salmon (and if you’re reading this then there’s probably a good chance) and crisps, then this recipe is likely to send you into foodie frenzy.
Again, perfect for entertaining and guaranteed to get your guests talking.
Serving: three-dozen crisps
Ingredients
120g John Ross Jr Traditional Smoked Salmon (we’d recommend buying the 200g pack and have 80g left over for breakfast), finely chopped
5 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons sugar
5 teaspoon salt
1 large egg white (chilled)
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
5 teaspoons finely chopped shallot
5 teaspoons finely chopped chives (plus a bit extra for garnish)
¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest
½ cup crème fraîche
Ground white pepper
Method
Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius. Line two baking trays with backing paper.
In a bowl whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Add egg white and continuing whisking until smooth. Add butter and whisk to a creamy texture.
Spoon teaspoons of the mixture onto the tray, keeping three inches between each dollop. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and spread out each mixture to approx. 2cm in size and bake for around eight minutes. Once cooked, take out and leave to cool.
In another bowl combine the salmon with the shallot chives, zest and a pinch of pepper. Spoon onto each of the cool crisps, top with a dollop of crème fraîche and some chives then serve.
Do you have any innovative smoked salmon recipes that you’d like to share with us? Let us know via our Facebook Page or @JRJsmokedsalmon and we’ll publish them on our blog, crediting the recipe’s creator.
British Sandwich Week – the perfect opportunity to celebrate the much-loved sandwich
It’s that time of the year when all that is good about that traditional, tasty and typically easy to prepare lunchtime meal – the sandwich – is celebrated nationwide.
Yes, British Sandwich Week 2016 (8 – 14 May) is almost upon us, which means that the iconic sandwich (sarnie, sanger or, if you’re Scottish, ‘piece’) is to be given a week-long acknowledgement.
Let’s face it, everyone loves a sandwich. And with so many types of fabulous fillings and lovingly baked breads available to concoct that perfect blend of flavours, it really has to be one of the most universal (and universally loved) meals.
In fact, the British Sandwich Week website claims that the British alone consumer a whopping 11.5 billion sandwiches each year – that’s almost twice the global population. Not only that but over 3,500,000,000 sandwiches were purchased from retail outlets for a total of £7,850,000,000!
Now, everyone at John Ross Jr loves a sandwich but when there are so many fantastic ingredients readily available from artisan producers to make your own sandwich – and to the highest quality, too – why pay double the price for half the flavour?
To make it easier for you we’ve listed our top three interesting smoked salmon sandwich ideas so that you can spend less money on buying ready-made sandwiches – and more money on the best quality ingredients (and yes, that includes John Ross Jr smoked salmon).
Smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwich
This is pretty much the entry-level smoked salmon sandwich. Everyone knows that smoked salmon and cream cheese is a winning combination. However to not include it here would be the equivalent of excluding the bacon sandwich from a top 10 list of the UK’s favourite sandwiches.
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 heaped tablespoons of cream cheese (one for each sandwich)
4 slices of the highest quality bread (fresh granary would be our choice)
Spread the cream cheese over one slice of bread for each sandwich. Sprinkle the capers on top, before adding a layer of smoked salmon. Then add a twist of fresh lemon and a sprinkle of black pepper. Add the remaining slice of bread on top. Slice and serve.
Smoked salmon and goat’s cheese sandwich
Two big flavours in one sandwich. What more could you ask for?
4 slices of fresh bread (again, granary would be our preferred option)
Cracked black pepper
Small handful of chopped dill
Method
Mix the cheese with the yoghurt in a bowl. Spread one slice of each sandwich with the mixture. Layer on the smoked salmon and then top with a layer of cucumbers. Give each sandwich a twist of lemon and a sprinkle of pepper. Slice the sandwich in two and serve.
Smoked salmon, asparagus and poached egg sandwich
Serves 2
Ingredients
4 slices of bread
1 bunch green asparagus
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 eggs
4 tablespoons of feta cheese
100g smoked salmon
Method
Poach the eggs (approx. 3 minutes) and boil the asparagus (approx. 3 minutes). Whilst they’re boiling, toast the bread and crumble the feta cheese. When all the ingredients are ready, layer the bread with smoked salmon, and then place a few pieces of asparagus on each slice. Crumble the topping with feta cheese, making sure it falls between the gaps, and then top with the egg. If you’re feeling brave place the remaining half of the sandwich on top and eat as you would a normal sandwich – but beware, it could get messy. If not, eat with a knife and fork and keep the second slice on the side, using it to clean up that lovely poached egg yolk.
Do you slice your sandwiches into triangles or rectangles? Let us know via our Facebook Page or @JRJsmokedsalmon.
Smoked salmon omlettes: easy to make, healthy and really tasty.
Kale, the vitamin-rich and supremely healthy vegetable, has been featuring quite heavily in conversations of late, which is why a smoked salmon and kale soufflé omelette recipe that we recently discovered online caught our eye.
And inadvertently, it became the inspiration for this blog.
No, not a blog on kale, but a blog on our favourite three smoked salmon omelette recipes as selected by three member of the John Ross Jr team.
And whilst smoked salmon, in our opinion, is best served uncooked, there’s no denying that its inclusion as an ingredient in a hot dish can, well, make the dish. And omelettes are no exception.
So, first up, is the smoked salmon and cream cheese omelette, which proves that you can take the cream cheese and smoked salmon out of the sandwich, but you can’t take it out of the hearts and minds of foodies who absolutely love this traditional combination.
Smoked salmon and cream cheese omelette
Serves 2
Whether it’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner, this omelette is a smoked salmon winner.
Use two egg whites and beat them until foamy and airy. Then crack the third egg and, using both the egg and the yolk, mix with the remaining two yolks. Fold in the whites of the two eggs. Once mixed, pour the mixture into a hot (and buttered) pan and cook until your preferred texture.
Take off the heat, place on a plate and spoon on the cream cheese before layering on the smoked salmon on one half of the omelette. Sprinkle the chives on top before folding and serving.
Smoked salmon and courgette omelette
Serves 2
You can always rely on Delicious magazine to provide tasty and easy to make recipes. We’ve taken theirs and made it our own using our Tea Smoked Salmon with Lapsang Souchong Tea.
Beat the eggs together and add 75 per cent of the chopped chives. Heat a pan and add the butter before pouring in the egg mixture, ensuring that it’s evenly spread. After a couple of minutes add the courgette. When it’s starting to set add the Tea Smoked Salmon pieces. When it’s to your preferred texture, fold and place on a plate to serve. Repeat the process with the remaining mixture/ingredients. When both are ready, use the remaining chives to garnish each plate.
Smoked salmon and goats cheese omelette
Serves 2
This is a case of saving the best until last – and this omelette really is a cut above.
40g British goat’s cheese (crumbled or chopped into small pieces)
Mix the eggs in a bowl. Add the parsley to the mixture. Pour in the mixture to a large pan and leave to cook. When setting, add the cheese and just before it’s cooked to your preferred texture add the smoked salmon slices on one half of the omelette. Then fold, take out of the pan, cut into two and place each half on a separate plate.
We love omelettes. Do you? If so, share your favourite recipe with us via our Facebook Pageor Tweet them to @JRJsmokedsalmon.
As easy as 1, 2, 3: John Ross Jr demonstrates how easy it is to make sushi at home with these three recipes
We recently reviewed our blogs and not only were we genuinely surprised by the amount we’ve posted over the last couple of years, but also by the fact that there was something missing; something so obvious that we feel as though we’ve let fellow lovers of smoked salmon down.
We’ve covered Christmas parties, we’ve made countless references to entertaining (at lunch, dinner and even breakfast!) however there has been no reference made to what is one of our favourite dishes – and its relationship to smoked salmon… sushi (except for our Halloween blog, but that doesn’t count).
Yes, sushi (or Japanese dining) has become a firm favourite amongst the western world and as one of the key ingredients is, more often than not, smoked salmon, it’s probably about time that we gave it some real attention.
So, here are three of our favourite smoked salmon sushi recipes. And whether you’re entertaining or simply want a night in enjoying a taste of the orient, we’re confident that you’re going to like these easy to make and tasty dishes.
Easy smoked salmon sushi
This really couldn’t be any easier. And whilst it only consists of rice and smoked salmon, it’s perfect for large parties where you have lots to make – but little time.
Serves 12 (32 pieces)
600g sushi rice
8 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons caster sugar
400g John Ross Jr smoked salmon (we recommend you buy our 454g pack)
Method
Bring the rice to the boil and cook for around 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and place a lid over the pan and leave for around 15 minutes. Heat the rice wine vinegar with the sugar and a pinch of salt. Once dissolved, drain the rice and place it in a bowl before adding the vinegar solution. Once cool, place the rice in a large – and shallow – tin (such as a roasting tin) and mould it so that the rice is level and covers the space of the tin. Use two if required. Note: the rice will be very sticky.
Then take the John Ross Jr smoked salmon and lay it on top so that all the rice is covered.
Then, when ready to serve (or before if you want to get everything ready in advance), simply take a sharp knife and cut the rice/smoked salmon combination into approximately 32 rectangles.
Arrange on a dish, serve and enjoy.
Smoked salmon and avocado sushi
This one is still simple – but more fun – to prepare. And given how it has more ingredients it’s a much more interesting dish, too.
Prepare the rice using the same method as the previous recipe.
Whilst the rice is cooking slice the avocado and lie out the four sheets of seaweed on a plate or board. Once the rice is cool, divide it across the four sheets. Divide the smoked salmon and lay it over the rice and then do the same with the chives. Lastly, lay the avocado in the centre before taking one edge of the seaweed and roll it up. If you’re serving immediately then cut into sections big enough to allow you to get 32 pieces. If you’re waiting until later, then simply wrap in Clingfilm without cutting it and place in the fridge.
Smoked salmon sushi roll
Slightly more advanced, in as much as we’re now rolling the roll in seaweed AND smoked salmon. But when it comes to presentation then this dish is guaranteed to impress.
300g sushi rice
6 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
6 sheets of seaweed
1 avocado (sliced)
1 cucumber (sliced into thin strips)
400g John Ross Jr smoked salmon (we recommend you buy our 454g pack)
2-3 tablespoons wasabi
Method
Again, cook the rice as previously instructed.
Then lay a sheet of seaweed on a plate, board or sushi mat before placing some of the rice onto the sheet and spreading (as delicately as you can) so that the rice covers the seaweed.
Then place the salmon, avocado and cucumber on top of the rice, lift the edge and roll it tight. Now you have a roll similar to our second recipe. Now you need to create that standout factor, which you do by laying out the remaining smoked salmon slices side by side so that the entire space is as wide as the length of the roll. Then, place the sushi roll on the layers of smoked salmon and roll it once more, being careful to keep the smoked salmon slices in line so that they all roll at the same time.
Slice into pieces and serve.
What’s your favourite sushi dish? And do you have any recipes you’d like to share with us? If so, share them with us via our Facebook Pageor Tweet them to @JRJsmokedsalmon.
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