Tea-smoked salmon with wasabi and cucumber remoulade

Ingredients:

Brine

• 5 tbsp of water
• 1 cup sake
• 0.5 cups of sugar
• 0.5 cup salt
• 2 tablespoons of chopped ginger
• 1 tbsp toasted Sichuan peppercorns
• 1 skinless and boneless salmon fillet weighing 2.3-2.7 kg.

Remoulade

• 6 tablespoons Pommery mustard
• 2 tablespoons wasabi paste
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic
• 1/3 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 2/3 cup rapeseed oil (canola)
• 1/3 cup chopped cucumbers, peeled and seeded
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions, green parts only
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• Salt and pepper to taste

Smoking mixture

• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 2 cups long grain rice
• 2 cups of jasmine tea

Preparation:

1. In a medium bowl, combine water, sake, sugar, salt, ginger, and peppercorns. Stir until the salt and sugar dissolve; the liquid should taste like sweet seawater. Place the salmon in a special fish pot. Pour the brine over it, cover, and refrigerate for about 1 hour.
2. Remoulade:
   
   In a food processor, combine the mustard, wasabi paste, garlic, and vinegar. With the processor running, slowly pour in the oil and process until emulsified. Transfer the sauce to a stainless steel bowl. Add the cucumbers, green onions, and cilantro, season with salt and pepper, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. Smoking mixture:
   
   Remove the salmon from the brine and thoroughly clean the pan. Place two inverted ramekins on either side of the pan. Line the inside of the pan with foil up to the edge. The ramekins should be covered with foil. Repeat with the other piece of foil.
4. Add the sugar, rice, and jasmine tea to a foil-lined saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat until the rice mixture begins to smoke. Place the salmon on a rack, lower it into the saucepan, reduce the heat, and smoke the fish, covered, for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and smoke the salmon for another 10 minutes. The fish will be medium-done. Keep it warm in the saucepan.
5. Garnish:
   
   1 medium cucumber, peeled and sliced ​​into thin circles, toast, cheese plate.
6. Innings:
   
   Place thinly sliced ​​cucumbers on a large Chinese-style platter. Place a piece of smoked salmon on top of the cucumbers. Arrange the garnishes around the salmon. Serve the fish with remoulade.