Crispy-Skin Hot Honey Salmon with Herbed Yogurt and Cucumber Ribbons

Method

1. Dry-brine the salmon: pat the fillets dry, run the back of a knife firmly along the skin against the grain to squeeze out moisture, then sprinkle the salt evenly on both sides. Set them skin side up on a rack or plate and refrigerate uncovered for 30 min. The salt seasons the flesh all the way through and the cold air dries the skin so it can crackle.

   Add in this stepCentre-cut salmon fillets, skin on and scaled (about 170 g each) 340 gSalt ½ tsp

2. Make the hot honey: put the honey, fresh chili, red pepper flakes and garlic in a 14 cm saucepan and warm over low heat for 4 min, until it bubbles gently at the edge and the garlic smells sweet but has not coloured. Take it off the heat, stir in the vinegar and leave to infuse. Fish out the garlic before serving and keep the chili slices for garnish.

   Add in this stepHoney 3 tbspFresh red chili, thinly sliced 1Red pepper flakes ½ tspGarlic cloves, thinly sliced 1Apple cider vinegar 1½ tsp

   low heat

3. Shave the cucumber lengthwise into long ribbons with a vegetable peeler, stopping when you reach the seeds. Toss with the salt in a colander and leave for 10 min. Meanwhile, mix the yogurt with the lemon zest and juice and some pepper. Pat the ribbons dry with paper towels and toss them with the dill and chives.

   Add in this stepCucumber 300 gSalt ¼ tspGreek yogurt 4 tbspLemon (zest and juice) ½Fresh dill, chopped 2 tbspChives, finely snipped 2 tbspBlack pepper to taste

4. Blot the salmon skin dry once more. Heat the oil in a 24 cm frying pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then lay the fillets in skin side down, away from you. Press each one firmly with a spatula for 30 seconds so the skin stays flat against the pan, then cook without moving for 5 min, until the flesh has turned opaque about three quarters of the way up the sides and the skin releases on its own.

   Add in this stepNeutral oil with a high smoke point 3 tsp

   medium-high heat

5. Flip the fillets, turn down to medium heat and add the butter and thyme. When the butter foams and smells nutty, tilt the pan and spoon it over the salmon continuously for 1 min 30 sec. For a silky, just-pink centre take it off at 50–52°C in the thickest part (it rises a few degrees while resting); for fully cooked fish keep basting until it reaches 63°C.

   Add in this stepUnsalted butter 20 gFresh thyme sprigs 2

   medium heat

6. Rest the salmon skin side up for 2 minutes. Spread the lemon yogurt on plates, pile the cucumber ribbons beside it and set the salmon on top, skin up. Spoon the hot honey over the flesh, not the skin, so the crackling stays crisp, then finish the skin with flaky salt and a few chili slices.

   Add in this stepFlaky sea salt 1 pinch