• Lay the salmon fillets, skin side down, on a board and brush your hand along them. If you feel any little pin bones pinch them out with tweezers. In a bowl, mix all of the cure ingredients together.
• Stretch two large sheets of cling film over a work surface and spoon over some of the cure. Lay one of the fillets, skin side down on the cure, then pack over most of the cure and sandwich with the remaining fillet, skin side up. Top with the last of the cure and wrap both fillets together tightly with lots of cling film. Place in a container with sides, such as a large roasting tray. Leave in the fridge for at least 2 days. Don’t be alarmed by the amount of liquid that leaks out, this is normal.
• To serve, unwrap the salmon from the cling film and rinse under cold water to remove the herbs and curing mixture. Pat dry with kitchen towel Slice the salmon into thin slivers. Once cured, the salmon can last in the fridge for up to a week and can be used just like smoked salmon.
• To prepare a festive starter, lay thin slices of beetroot-cured salmon out on a platter or large wooden board, and garnish with candy striped beetroot, blueberries, fennel tops, and crème fraiche. 

Enjoy this with L’Ormarins Brut Rose. The crisp fresh palate creates a perfect balancing point to the richness of the fish. The high Pinot Noir percentage of this Methode Cap Classique delivers delicious notes of cranberry and pomegranate on the nose and palate, which are complemented by the beetroot and blueberry flavours of the dish. Happy holidays!