Gravlax

I live in the Pacific Northwest, home of the all mighty salmon.  We don't eat it as often as I'd like because it's still more expensive than other proteins.

We usually grill it very simply.  When I was a kid my mom used to wrap it in aluminum foil with a few slices of onion and lemon, salt, and pepper, then bake until flaky.  That's pretty hard to screw up.

Costco had whole Coho salmon for $6.99/lb.  The only problem was that I had to scale and filet it myself.  I've never fileted a fish.  Google to the rescue!  Here's a good guide.

Not bad for my first attempt.

One filet was destined for our 4th anniversary dinner.  Oh, how our lives have changed in those four years!  Gene barbequed it with some raspberry chipotle sauce I'd made about a week ago.

I've wanted to try making gravlax for a while.  About two years ago I participated in Charcapalooza... until I got pregnant.  The thought of preserving meat was a little too much for me at the time and I dropped out of the effort.  But recently I've been hearing the call of home-curing meats.  A blurb on NPR cinched it and I went in search of salmon.

Gravlax (cold-cured salmon)
6-8 ounces salmon filet
30 grams salt
15 grams sugar
Dill (I used dried)

Mix salt and sugar.

Pour about 1/3 of the salt/sugar mixture into the bottom of a container.  Place the salmon on top.  Pour another 1/3 of the mixture, sprinkle enough dill to cover, then add the rest of the mixture. 

Wrap and leave the salmon on the counter for an hour then refrigerate.  Flip the salmon ever 12 hours (up to 72 hours).

When the salmon is cured to your liking, rinse, pat dry, and slice very thinly on the bias.  It will get quite firm due to the salt drawing out quite a bit of liquid.  Here's my gravlax after 24 hours.  Notice all the liquid.

Serve on toasted baguette slices or crackers with your choice of toppings.

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UPDATE & A CONFESSION: My husband, not knowing that this little Pyrex container held a fishy treasure, grilled it up for dinner last night.  I wrapped it up and froze it to make into a quiche or put on pizza when I'm feeling a little less disheartened about it.

So I have no idea what my gravlax actually tastes like.  Lesson learned: label stuff.