Method

For the saffron spiced salmon

1. Place the saffron and milk in a small saucepan and gently warm.  Remove from the heat and set aside to allow the saffron to steep (approx 15 mins).
2. Prepare the salmon by carefully removing the skin and trimming any excess fat and sinew. Check for bones. Set the skin aside for the crackling.
3. Mix the yogurt with the grated garlic, ginger, sugar, lemon juice, chile powder, garam masala and ground coriander in a bowl large enough to hold the salmon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the fish and toss very gently to coat. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and let everything marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Return the salmon to room temperature before cooking.
4. Shake off any excess marinade and place the salmon on an oiled baking tray. Place under a hot grill for 6 – 8 mins depending on how well you like it cooked. I like my salmon to still be nice and pink in the centre.
5. Leave to stand for 10 mins before slicing each fillet into three equal portions.

For the salmon skin crackling:

1. Place the salmon skin, scale side down, and lightly scrape with a knife to remove any excess flesh.
2. Lightly salt the salmon skin on both sides and drizzle over a little grapeseed oil.
3. Lay the skin on a baking sheet and place under a medium grill. Cook for 4 mins on each side until golden and crispy.
4. Carefully remove from the baking sheet and place on a paper towel. Season with more salt (to taste) and a little ground chilli if you like your spice!
5. Leave to cool; it will be slightly soggy whilst hot but  will become gloriously crispy after about 5 mins.
6. Cut into three equal portions to sit on top of your salmon.

For the curry oil:

1. Heat all the ingredients in a small saucepan until it starts to come to the boil, remove from the heat and leave to infuse for a couple of hours. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl until you are ready to serve.

For the cucumber emulsion:

1. You first need cucumber juice; roughly chop half a cucumber and place in a small hand held blender (alternatively you could use a stick blender). Mix to a pulp and strain through a fine sieve so you are left with only the juice.
2. Place the juice with the egg yolk and vinegar in a hand held blender and begin to mix. Gradually begin adding the oil in a gentle stream, much like you would when making a mayonnaise, until emulsified. The mix should thicken slightly and become beautifully glossy. Season to taste.

For the cucumber pickle:

1. Take half a cucumber and a vegetable peeler, peel off long strips. Discard the first layer or two which will just be skin until you’ve come to the white flesh. Keep peeling off strips turning the cucumber over and repeating on the other side until you reach the seeds in the middle.
2. Add the strips to a bowl with the rice vinegar, sugar and coriander seeds, which you should lightly crush in a pestle and mortar.
3. Leave to steep for an hour or so, or longer, depending on how intense you want the pickle flavour to come through.

For the mint yogurt:

1. Using a hand held blender, blend half the yogurt with the mint, cumin and cayenne pepper. This way the flavours of the mint are incorporated fully and the texture of the mix loosens.
2. Place this mixture into a bowl and add the remaining yogurt and incorporate. Season to taste.
3. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

For the salad:

1. Finely slice the radishes into rounds. Cut the apple into fine slices and then into matchsticks. Pick the leaves from a couple of sprigs of coriander.
2. Season the salad with a squeeze of lemon juice and salt.

To plate:

1. See photo below: I like to add a sweep of the emulsion on to the plate first and then drizzle over some of the yogurt dressing.
2. The three salmon chunks are then laid on top, be sure to leave space in between for the salad and cucumber pickle.
3. Next assemble the salad and cucumber pickle around the salmon and place a square of crispy salmon skin on top of each piece of fish.
4. Finely drizzle the curry oil in and around the plate.

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