GRAVLAX (CURED SALMON)
15 servings
This traditional Swedish method of curing salmon is easy to do at home. The fish must be impeccably fresh. Gravlax keeps well, covered and refrigerated, for several days. Please read About Smoked and Preserved Fish. As with raw fish and Ceviche, use only previously frozen (or “sushi-grade”) salmon, as salt-curing alone does not kill parasites. If you wish to cure freshly caught salmon, hot-smoke it instead (see below).
Leaving the skin on, cut into 2 large fillets:
- One 4- to 5- pound whole salmon, gutted and cleaned
With a sharp knife, score the skin every inch or so, cutting into the flesh as little as possible. Mix together in a medium bowl:
- 2 cups Diamond kosher salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- (1 tablespoon ground fennel)
- (1 tablespoon ground coriander)
- (Zest of 2 lemons, removed with a vegetable peeler and cut into thin strips)
- (Zest of 2 limes, removed with a vegetable peeler and cut into thin strips)
Rub the fillets all over with this mixture. Place one of the fillets flesh side up and lay over the flesh:
- 2 cups coarsely chopped dill, including stems
- (2 medium beets, shredded)
If desired, sprinkle with:
- (2 tablespoons aquavit or plain or lemon-flavored vodka)
Lay the other fillet flesh side down on top of the dill-covered fillet. Sprinkle the outside with the remaining sugar mixture and wrap as tightly as possible in several layers of plastic wrap. Place on a platter or baking sheet, cover with a cutting board or second baking sheet, and weight with 4 pounds of cans or other weights. Refrigerate for 3 days. Once a day, remove the weights, flip the salmon packet over, and place the weights back on. The gravlax is done when the flesh is opaque. Remove the salmon from its wrappings and rinse off any remaining cure. Pat dry. Slice thinly.