Homemade Gravlax by Pizzicatto

This Gravlax recipe is time tested and am sharing this to anyone who wants to try out this Norwegian deli. This is very simple to do because you just need some some canned good to press it and you are good to go! No cooking needed! I add some drops of LIQUID SMOKE for the aroma and taste it emits. It is optional.

INGREDIENTS:

2-3 pounds of salmon fillet- skin on*

¾ granulated sugar

¾ cup coarse  salt (don’t use the fine sugar, it will be too salty!)

¼ black peppercorns, cracked (don’t use the very fine grounded pepper, won’t taste good- will lack the flavor and aroma of peppercorn)

1 cup*fresh* dill

2/3 cup vodka + 6 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

juniper berries, cracked (optional- this is hard to find, available in Amazon but very costly)

Must have: 9” X 13” glass tray or stainless steel baking pan

To serve: slice lemon wages and drizzle with olive oil on top and capers. You can add spicy olives as well and cocktail onions.Best served with hot bread, toast or freshly baked from the oven. Bon appetite!

PROCEDURE:

1.     Wash salmon fillet. Remove pin bones- use twizzer or if needed or small pliers.

2.   Cut belly flaps as much of the tail end- useful to make the fish fit into the glass tray.

3.   Mix the CURING MIX: salt, sugar and peppercorns.

4.   Rub half of the curing mix into each side of salmon.

5.    Spread dill on one salmon sixe.

 6.   Drizzle over 1/3 cup of citrus vodka on both sides. Careful not to wash the curing mix.

7.    Flip the salmon side without the dill so it is on top of the other salmon side, flesh sides together.

8.   Place an empty glass or stainless steel baking pan on top of the plastic wrap. Fill the tray with as much canned goods the glass tray could handle. The heavier the better. This is to “press the salmon” to get all the spice and curing flavor.

9.   Refrigerate.

10. Every 12 hours, remove the fish from ref and turn over salmon, put weight back on salmon and return to the ref.

11. Cure the salmon for 3-days.

12. Scrape off the fresh dill and peppercorns using your hands, not the spoon.

13. Pat the gravlax dry.

14. Store in ref until ready to use.

15. Personally, I keep this in the freezer and this could last for a year.

Enjoy! This is best served with Ciabatta or French baguette, home baked, of course!