Gin And Juniper Cured Salmon Scandinavian Gravlax Recipes

JUNIPER-AND-GIN GRAVLAX

Steps:

• Combine salt, sugar, zest, pepper, juniper, and dill in a bowl. Add gin; stir until mixture resembles wet sand.
• Rinse salmon and pat dry. Line a baking sheet with plastic; scatter one-third of sugar mixture on it. Lay salmon, skin-side down, on sugar mixture; spread remaining mixture evenly over top. Wrap tightly in the plastic; place a second baking sheet on top and weigh down with canned goods. Refrigerate, flipping fish and pouring off excess liquid every 24 hours, for 3 days. Rinse excess sugar mixture off salmon; pat dry.
• Place fish flesh-side down, and slide the tip of a long, sharp knife between flesh and skin at a short end. Using a paper towel to grip, gently pull skin off. Flip fish; thinly slice at a 45-degree angle. Serve with relish, roe, crackers, capers, creme fraiche, fennel, and onion.

GIN AND JUNIPER CURED SALMON - SCANDINAVIAN GRAVLAX

Steps:

• Remove the bone from the salmon, leaving two triangular fillets with the skin intact.
• To make the curing mixture, mix together the Maldon Crystal Salt, sugar and peppercorns,juniper berries and the gin.
• Place the salmon, skin side down, on a board and place half of the curing mixture over the surface of each fillet, pressing it well into the flesh. Now cover each fillet with the chopped dill.
• Place one fillet on top of the other to make a sandwich with the dill in the centre and the skin on the outside. Wrap tightly in Clingfilm and place on a shallow dish or plate. Place a plate over the top and weight with a heavy tin. Put in the fridge for 24 - 48 hours turning the gravalax twice during the curing time.
• Unwrap the gravlax and slice thinly Serve with rye bread and a sauce made from equal quantities of mayonnaise and wholegrain mustard mixed with a little sugar and chopped dill.

JULIA CHILD'S TRADITIONAL GRAVLAX

Steps:

• Trim the salmon fillet, cutting away any thin uneven edges and the thin end of the tail (which can be reserved for something else).
• Make sure all the pinbones are removed--run your fingers up the fillet; if you feel any bones, remove them with a tweezer or a needle-nosed plier.
• Cut the fillet in half crosswise so that you have two pieces of the same length and roughly the same width.
• Mix the salt and sugar together.
• Sprinkle half the mixture over each fillet and rub it in with your fingers.
• Place one fillet in a glass (or other non-reactive) baking dish big enough to hold it.
• Drizzle about two tablespoons of cognac over each half, rubbing it in with your fingers.
• Spread the dill over the salmon half in the baking dish.
• Lay the other half fillet on top (skin side up).
• Align the two halves.
• Cover closely with a sheet of plastic wrap.
• Place a board or pan on top of the fillets.
• Make sure it is resting on the fish and not on the sides of the baking dish.
• Weight the top with something heavy (a large can of tomatoes for example).
• Place in refrigerator.
• After one day of curing, remove weights and board and turn fillets over(so the top fillet is now on the bottom) and baste with the liquid that has accumulated in the dish.
• Replace weights and board and return to frig.
• On the second day, turn and baste again and slice off a tiny piece to taste.
• If it doesn't taste like it's getting there, add a little more salt and/or cognac on the fish.
• Return to the fridge.
• Cure for a third day, turn and baste again.
• On the fourth day, you can serve the gravlax.
• To serve, clean the dill away and wipe the fish dry with paper towels.
• Use a long thin-bladed slicing knife (sharpened) and start slicing a few inches from the narrow end of the fillet.
• Cut with a back and forth sawing motion toward the narrow end to remove a thin slice of fish.
• Start each succeeding slice a bit farther in from the narrow end; always cut at a flat angle to keep the slices as long and thin as possible.