Tea-Smoked Oysters and Salmon with watercress salad

Tea-Smoked Oysters and Salmon with watercress salad

Serves: 6
Preparation: 5 minutes
Cooking: 5 – 10 minutes

Ingredients

Smoking mixture
1 tablespoon black tea leaves
1 tablespoon herbal tea (eg. an earthy, spicy herbal tea such as cardamom & cinnamon)
2 tablespoons dried orange peel
4 tablespoons jasmine rice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 star anise

12 oysters on the shell
600g salmon, cut into six pieces and pin-boned
300g watercress, leaves picked
Lemon wedges, to serve (optional)

Cider vinaigrette
2 tbsp (40ml) extra virgin olive oil
3 tsp cup (15ml) cider vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, crushed
Salt and pepper

Method

1. Line a wok or stir-fry pan with two thicknesses of foil. Place smoking mixture on top and place over high heat. Cover and when it starts to smoke place a rack and salmon on top.
2. Cover tightly again, reduce heat to low and allow to smoke for 4 minutes. Remove lid quickly and add oysters. Cover quickly again and smoke for 2 more minutes. The salmon should be hot, cooked at the edges but pleasantly pink inside.
3. Meanwhile, place cider vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until combined.  Or shake in a jar.
4. To serve, toss watercress leaves with cider vinaigrette and distribute amongst serving plates.  Top each with two oysters, one piece of salmon and a lemon wedge if desired.

Recipe from Episode 8 of Lyndey Milan’s Taste of Ireland TV series