Gravlax: worth one's salt

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I'm a big fan of smoked salmon, but it's expensive and often full of preservatives and sometimes even food colour and other undesirable additives. A tasty and inexpensive alternative is gravlax, and it so simple and easy to make you'll wonder why you haven't discovered or tried this earlier. In fact I think that I can honestly say after years of making gravlax I prefer it to smoked salmon!

I always keep my eyes peeled when I happen to be in a fish store or large grocery chain such as Loblaws for a good sale on salmon or trout, and when I see one I take it as a sign that it's time to make some gravlax.



Easy-peasy Gravlax 

• 1 large de-boned and cleaned full fillet of salmon or trout with skin still on (about 2lbs)
• 1/2 cup sugar (per fillet)
• 1/2 cup sea salt (per fillet)
• 1 big bunch of fresh dill

Rinse the fillet and pat it dry with some paper towel. In a measuring cup mix sugar and salt. In a shallow dish or container pour half of the sugar/salt mixture and spread evenly along the bottom. Then create layer of dill sprigs. Top with the fillet and then another generous layer of dill sprig and then sprinkle the other half of the sugar/salt mixture over top evenly.

Cover the dish and store in the fridge about 3-5 days. When you check the dish after a few days the sugar/salt mixture should have turned into a generous amount of brine. If you have a particularly thick piece you can turn it half way through the curing process if desired.



When the fish is ready the flesh should appear to be more dense than it was before, as if a lot of the water in the flesh had been drawn out. Remove from fridge and brine and RINSE the fillet THOROUGHLY under cold water and remove most but not all of the dill. Pat dry.

Slice thinly with a sharp knife (CAREFULLY) and serve with fresh dill, lemon wedge and rye bread toasts. Will keep a week or so in the fridge and can also be wrapped carefully in plastic wrap (doubled) and freezed for later consumption. I usually eat half right away and freeze the other half for later. :)



*A little note on salt: 
I love salt. But salt doesn't always love us... and there's so much sodium in prepared food today that it's just plain scary. I try my best to use it in moderation but I believe that the better quality the salt the better the flavour, and except for when grilling meat I usually leave the seasoning of a dish to the very end. Beside my stove hangs a spice rack with 4 kinds of salt and they all serve their purpose. There's coarse sea salt (great for things like making gravlax, throwing into boiling pasta water, etc), coarse Sel de Guérande (perfect for seasoning BBQ'd veggies), fine Sel de Guérande (general seasoning at the end of cooking dishes) and Fleur de Sel (the BEST table salt). If you have never tried Fleur de Sel I suggest you run out and buy some now. I like "Le Saunier de Camargue", as I find it the best quality for the price. I was lucky to see those salt flats this past summer along whilst driving the Mediterranean - just baking in the hot summer sun... so I guess I can say that I can personally vouch for this wonderful salt!

































"Salt is born of the purest of parents: the sun and the sea."
- Pythagoras (580 BC - 500 BC)

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