S A L M O N , C H A R , O C E A N T R O U T ?
C U R E T H E M A L L !
we could get into the differences between these fish.
but i’d rather group them together and talk about what makes them similar.
luxurious flesh, beautifully marbled fat, wild ocean flavor, bright popping color, killer texture.
there’s a lot of nuance from cut to cut, so make yourself happy.
what do you love? what tickles your taste buds?
personally, wild + fat rich fish from very cold water like Norway + Alaska always have my attention.
GRAVLAX
serves 4-6
2 lbs high quality Salmon, Ocean Trout, or Arctic Char - skin on
4 ounces of aquavit or dry gin
2/3 cups of sugar
2/3 cups of salt
zest of half of a lemon
1 tbsp of fennel seeds ground (use a mortar and pestle)
1 tbsp pink peppercorns ground (not necessary, but they look great and give it some pop)
1/2 cup of dill chopped
first thing’s first.
make sure you’re working with good quality fish - saying things like ‘sashimi grade’ or even just being frank with your fish person and letting them know you’re planning to cure the fish is the best way to go. When you start having conversations like this you’ll start to build a relationship you’ll wish you had years ago.
feel along the filet and make sure there aren’t any pin bones. If there are - pull them out with fish tweezers.
in a sheet pan, evenly drizzle the booze over the flesh of the fish. let it sit for a few minutes. spoon the booze back over the fish - especially if you have aquavit or gin. let it roll around in it.
with a mortar and pestle grind up the fennel seeds and mix evenly with the salt and sugar.
cover the fish in the chopped dill.
then cover that with a layer of lemon zest.
then cover THAT with your salt/sugar/fennel seed mixture
wrap the whole thing up tightly in plastic wrap - and with a knife - poke holes in the skin side of the fish and place on a rack inside of a baking sheet. you want the moisture to be able to drip out of your little fish package.
weight the fish down with something like a heavy cast iron or a few cans of beans or whatever.
pop that baby in the fridge for at least 18 hours.
depending on what you’re going for and how thick your filet is you can leave it in up to 4 days.
however, i personally prefer it a little on the more rare side, so 24 hours is my limit.
whenever you think you’re ready to pull the fish!
you will find some liquid in the base of your tray.
unwrap your fish and wash the cure mixture off under the tap and pat dry.
at this point I like to remove the skin - take a knife to the tapered (tail end) of the fish right at the skin and then just cut your way thorough it’s easy to hang onto the skin once you get through the first inch.
to serve, i recommend investing in a carving knife.
they’re cheap and make the job so much easier.
you’ll want to pull the blade deliberately towards yourself and at an angle making sure to SLICE IT THIN!
serve with creme fraiche, capers, dill, shallots, tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, on/with rye toast or pumpernickel, crackers - really whatever suits your fancy, but keep it bright and fresh let it compliment your fish.
go fuckin nuts.