Treacle-cured salmon

Serves 6-8

I had this dish in Lancashire at Nigel Howarth's Northcote Manor food festival earlier in the year. I thought the name sounded good and when the fish arrived the slices had an amazing black edge where the treacle had been pasted on. Slice it at the table for a great party piece.

I had this dish in Lancashire at Nigel Howarth's Northcote Manor food festival earlier in the year. I thought the name sounded good and when the fish arrived the slices had an amazing black edge where the treacle had been pasted on. Slice it at the table for a great party piece.

1 salmon fillet, 750g-1kg, skin on, boned and trimmed, from a fishmonger or good supermarket counter
1tsp fennel seeds
Grated zest of 1 lemon
50g sea salt
1tbsp English mustard
80g black treacle, melted over simmering water
2tsp coarsely ground black pepper
Put the salmon fillet, skin side down on a sheet of clingfilm. Mix the fennel seeds, lemon zest, salt, mustard, pepper and treacle together and spread evenly over the flesh of the salmon fillet, not the skin. Wrap well in more clingfilm, place on a tray (skin side down) and leave at room temperature for 1 hour. Refrigerate for 48 hours.

Remove the clingfilm and scrape away any excess liquid and marinade and pat the salmon dry with kitchen paper. Slice at a 45º angle into 1/3 cm slices and serve with pickled cucumber, pickled samphire (when in season) or another pickle, such as piccalilli.