WOW, talk about easy! I had a craving for Gravlax. I just love it and prefer it over smoked salmon. For my palate, Gravlax is a clean, more pure flavour of this supreme fish. I have tasted a few versions and find that the challenge is determining the right salt/sugar ratio. Well, we found it!! Timing also has a lot to do with the texture. If you are like me, less cured is the way to go...and with a dark rye bread and a wonderful Mustard sauce (a riff of Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa), this dish is really hard to beat and great for entertaining!!
The measurements are important to get the right everything going. This recipe will serve about 8 people as an appetizer.
You will need a 2 lbs filet of salmon, skin on. Get the fatter side if your fishmonger is cutting from a large filet. Adjust the following ratios for smaller piece of fish.
1 cup of Rock salt. No other salt will do. The large "gros sel" ensures that the curing happens without soaking the fish in salt. This is what will indeed ruin your effort.
1 cup of white sugar
1 tbsp of crushed white or black peppercorns
Add ins:
1 cup of freshly chopped dill.
1 raw beet for a fabulous red tint.
Orange and/or lemon zest.
That's it!
Mix the salt, sugar and flavouring in a bowl. Use food processor to crumble the raw beet, then add to mixture. Have a large Pyrex or deep dish handy.
Place 2 large pieces of cling wrap on your work surface, overlapping.
Spread half of the salt mixture onto the Saran in the size and shape of the filet. Place the salmon, skin side down on top of this. Top the fish with the remaining mixture.
Wrap the fish with the cling wrap and place in the dish. You need something flat-ish to lay on top of the fish. And, on top of this, place a few cans as weights so that the fish will be pressed down.
Refrigerate this for 3 consecutive 12- hour intervals. 36 hours makes for a Medium cure. It can be less.
There will be liquid in the dish and it will be goopy. No need to turn the salmon over.
After at least 24 hours or so, unwrap the salmon and rinse well. Pat dry, and place it back in the fridge for at 3 hours or longer. This lets the salt "settle" and drys out the surface of the salmon.
A 24-hour cure is enough for a more "sushi-esque" texture. But the above is really the right way to prepare this dish. And, it is perfect.
To serve, thinly slice the fish on an angle, down to the skin. The texture will be gorgeous and glossy.
Have some dense dark rye bread, and serve with a dollop of this luxurious Mustard sauce, and fresh dill garnish.
Mustard Sauce:
Mix plain Greek yogourt, Dijon mustard and grainy mustard (to taste) a bit of lemon juice or white wine vinegar and something sweet, I like a dash of Maple syrup, but white sugar works well too. Horseradish is also a good addition to the sauce.
This is a special dish. Too easy for words and so refined to serve.
Enjoy!!!!
