preparing gravlax?

[avariell]

So I did my search and came back with lots of recipes for cured salmon but no info on actually preparing cured salmon. I did attempt to resurrect this thread (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=34601&highlight=Smoked+Salmon) and find out how to make gravlax but to no avail! :rolleyes: I don't know that I am specifically searching for a recipe at this time-- more a question of is it worth the time and effort? I LOVE cured salmon-- I definitely prefer gravlax to smoked salmon tho. Anyway, I am mostly just seeing if we have any adventurous salmon-eaters out there who have cured it before?! :cool:

Thanks :)
Josie

[hannah_phi]

Actually, it is quite easy. Just make sure to have the freshest salmon possible. Here is a recipe from "The Great American Seafood Cookbook" that I have used and liked before. Once you get the method down you can experiment with different herbs instead of basil. I made one once with red chiles and cilantro that was excellent.

Gravlax
Makes 10-12 Appetizer servings
Serve with chilled vodka, rye bread and mustard sauce.

2 center cut, flash-frozen sockeye, king or chinook salmon fillets (1lb each), scaled, but with the skin on
3 tbs kosher salt
3 tbs sugar
1 tbs white peppercorns, crushed
2 large bunches fresh dill (feel free to increase of you love dill)

1. Rinse the salmon fillets and pat dry with paper towels. Remove any pin bones with a sterilized instrument.

2. Score each fillet on the skin side, making several diagonal cuts about 1/8 inch deep, so the salt and sugar can penetrate easily.

3. In a bowl combine the salt and sugar. Sprinkle 5 tsp of the mixture on the bottom of a 14 x 10-inch glass dish.

4. Place 1 fillet, skin side down, in the dish. Sprinkle with 4 tsp of the remaining salt and sugar mixture. Reserve 3 sprigs of dill for garnish. Lay half the dill on top of the fillet. Sprinkle 4 tsp of the salt and sugar mixture on the flesh side of the remaining fillet. Place it skin side up, on the dill, as though you were reconstructing the whole peice of fish. Sprinkle the top fillet with the remaining sugar and salt mixture.

5. Cover the salmon with a sheet of waxed paper and a sheet of aluminum foil. Place a baking sheet over the top and weigh down with a 3- to 5-pound weight (canned foods are ideal). Refrigerate for 48 hours. After about 5 hours, check the slamon: drain any liquid that has collected in the bottom of the dish. Leave the salmon in the refrigerator for at least another 43 additional hours, turning it twice during that time. Once cured, the salmon will keep for about 4 days in the refrigerator.

6. To serve, cut the skin from as much as you plan to serve, then slice the fillet into thin slices. Finely chop the remaining dill and sprinkle it over the slices.

[badunnin]

Here (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45560&highlight=smoked+salt+salmon) is the link to another thread where Karen W shared her method!

[madpots]

This has a smoky taste, but isn't smoked. Very good.

SMOKED SALMON MURIEL

(Recipe came from Muriel Steven's cooking program)
2 lb. salmon fillets
3 Tbs. kosher salt
2 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. hickory liquid smoke

Mix the 3,2,1 ingredients together. Rub into salmon well and put in gallon size ziploc bag. Put it on something flat - I have an oblong dish that works great - and put in refrigerator with a weight on it. (Cans or books)
Turn every day. It will make a lot of liquid. If you put two pieces on top of each other, be sure the liquid gets in between. Do this for 6 to 7 days.
Remove from liquid and pat dry. Put in freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. Lay salmon flat and with very sharp knife slice into thin slices. I have two plates - one for nice even slices and one for pieces and trimmings. Slice all the way down to the skin. The dark part is fat and is quite good, just not as pretty.

[ReneeV]

Hi Josie,
Here's a recipe from Cooks Illustrated. I've wanted to try it, but haven't gotten around to it.

Gravlax Made Easy
Chef Rick Moonen demonstrates an easy method for wet-brining salmon fillets that ensures even, never salty curing.

Gravlax is perfect for cocktail or holiday parties because it can be made up to one week in advance. Just wrap the whole sides in parchment and then plastic and refrigerate them until ready to slice. Although gravlax should be sliced thin (illustrations 9 and 10,see attached) it does not need to be paper-thin like smoked salmon.
Gravlax is fairly rich, so Moonen likes to serve the fish with several accompaniments. A simple onion relish adds some sweetness and a little heat. Crème fraîche flavored with cilantro adds a lemony, herbal note, and toasted rye bread provides a crunchy, savory base on which to enjoy these other flavors.

Gravlax
Makes 1 side of cured salmon

Chef Rick Moonen uses a centrifugal juicer to separate the onion pulp from the liquid in seconds. Although a little more time-consuming, onion juice can also be made by grinding onions in a food processor until liquefied, about four minutes. Strain the onions through a double thickness of cheesecloth, squeezing to extract the juice. Serve sliced gravlax with lightly toasted rye bread, Onion Relish, and Cilantro Cream (see recipes below).

3 medium-large red onions, peeled, quartered, juiced, and foam skimmed to yield about 2 cups juice (see note above)
1 cup kosher salt
I cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh dill leaves and stems, plus 1 cup minced fresh dill leaves
1 whole salmon fillet, 3 to 4 pounds, skinned, excess fat and brown flesh removed, and bones removed with tweezers (see illustrations 1through 5, below)

1. Pour onion juice into 4-cup glass measure. Add salt and sugar; stir to dissolve. Stir in pepper and the coarsely chopped dill.
2. Place salmon in 2-gallon zipper-lock bag. Pour in marinade, seal bag, and place on jelly roll pan (illustration 6, below). Marinade should barely cover fish. Place second jelly roll pan over fish and set about 7 pounds of weight (heavy cans or bricks work well) on top pan (illustration 7, below). Refrigerate weighted fish until very firm, 12 to 18 hours, depending on thickness of fish.
3. Remove salmon fillet from bag and dry with paper towels. Evenly distribute the minced dill over belly side of the fillet, then press dill into flesh (illustration 8, below). (Gravlax can be wrapped in parchment paper then plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 1 week.)
4. Just before serving, place fillet, belly side up, on work surface. Following illustrations 9 and 10, below, slice desired amount of gravlax. Rewrap and refrigerate unsliced gravlax for later use.

Onion Relish
Makes 2 cups

The onions are cooked slowly to bring out their sweetness while the sugar and vinegar temper the heat of the jalapeños. Do not use too much of the relish, or it will overwhelm the delicate, subtle flavors of the fish.

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium white onions (about 1 pound), peeled and diced fine
2 medium serrano or jalapeño chile peppers, seeded and minced
1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced fine
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup white wine vinegar

Heat oil in large sauté pan. Add onions; cook over medium heat until soft but not colored, 7 to 9 minutes. Stir in chile and bell peppers; continue to cook until all vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in sugar and vinegar and cook until pan is almost dry, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to airtight container. (Relish can be refrigerated up to 1 week.) Bring to room temperature before serving.

Cilantro Cream
Makes about 1 cup

The lemony notes in cilantro are a perfect contrast to the rich gravlax and sweet onion relish. Serve the cream in a small bowl along with the sliced gravlax.

1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
4 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro leaves

Mix crème fraîche and cilantro in small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. (Cream can be made 1 day in advance.)

[PC Lisa]

I have made the Cooks Illustrated recipe every year for about the last 6 or 7 years for Christmas. I also make the onion relish and the cilantro cream to go along with it. It is delicious!

I don't have a juicer, so I make the juice by putting the red onion in the food processor for a while until they're pretty much liquified, then I put the onion/juice through cheesecloth. Sometimes this works better than others. Anyway, I've found that the recipe still works well even if your onions aren't perfectly liquified and strained. At first I tried to be such a perfectionist and wound up with such a mess!

I don't know if I'll be making this recipe this year, but chances are good. Everyone asks for it again and again.

[karen w]

Originally posted by badunnin
Here (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45560&highlight=smoked+salt+salmon) is the link to another thread where Karen W shared her method!

My recipe is for LOX not Gravalax. They are slightly different. Since you don't prefer a smoky salmon, I'd stick with the gravalax recipes since lox has a more smoky taste.

Karen

[avariell]

you are all wonderful! i knew you'd have an answer :) i do enjoy lox and smoked salmon but gravlax just happens to be my favorite-- eventually i should try a variety of the recipes. i am leaving on vacation for the week of Thanksgiving-- maybe I will make it saturday and let it sit all week in the fridge. I will let you guys know how it turns out :)

Thanks for the info!
Josie