My dad is famous for his fish preparations, so I asked him to share his recipe secrets with me. His first instruction given with a straight face was, “Catch a bunch of salmon or trout.” I love how he’s still teaching me to live off the land (and water!) for the freshest and best food possible. When curing fish, as in this recipe, it is particularly important to use very fresh fish that has not been previously frozen. The flavor and texture will change for the worse if you use frozen fish or fish that is not super fresh.
Most store-bought gravlax includes sugar in its curing mixture, which lends a sweet undertone. To mimic this traditional flavor, I include a touch of erythritol in my curing mixture. You can leave it out if you prefer, but the gravlax will not have the familiar, traditional flavor profile.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fine sea salt
- ¼ cup powdered erythritol (optional)
- 1 tablespoon crushed black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 (1-pound) fresh salmon fillets, pin bones removed
- Combine the salt, erythritol, if using, peppercorns, ginger, and garlic in a medium-sized bowl.
- Place the salmon on a large sheet of parchment paper and spread the spice mixture evenly all over the fish. Fold the parchment tightly around the fish. Secure with tape.
- Place the wrapped salmon in a lasagna dish or other dish with deep sides (in case some liquid leaks). Place a heavy book or a brick on the fillets. Refrigerate for about 12 hours.
- Flip the fish over and refrigerate another 12 hours with the weight on top. Remove from the fridge, rinse well, and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
| Nutrition Facts |
Serving Size 1 |
Nutritional Value Per Serving | Calories 247 kcal Calories from Fat: 120.6 kcal |
|
% Daily Value*
|
| Total Fat 13.4 g 38% |
Trans Fat 0.0 g |
carbohydrates 0.4 g 0% |
Protein 31 g 62% |
* Above mentioned %DVs (Percent Daily Values) are based on 2,000 calorie food intake.
DVs (Daily values) may be vary depending upon individuals daily calorie needs. Above nutritional values are estimates and should only be used as a guide for approximation. They are not allfoodchef.com recommendations. Calculations are based on average weight of 194 lbs. and ages of 19 to 50 years. |