Recipe courtesy of Hank Pennington
Gravlachs: Sockeye Salmon Cold-Cured with Fresh Dill
- Yield: 24 servings as a canape
- Total: 3 days
- Prep: 3 days
Ingredients
Fish:
1 frozen Alaska sockeye salmon
2 tablespoons course kosher-style salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 tablespoon course-crushed black pepper
Fresh dill
Mild Mustard-Dill Sauce:
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons wheat flour
White vinegar
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
3 tablespoons whipped cream or artificial substitute
Directions
- Thaw sockeye salmon that has been frozen for at least 1 week. Remove backbone and ribs, but leave the skin. Combine salt, sugar, and pepper in a small dish, then rub into flesh of each fillet, making sure to spread mixture uniformly. Layer dill over 1 fillet, then replace the other fillet on top. Put stacked fillets in a flat-bottomed glass or ceramic casserole pan large enough to allow fillets to lie flat. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place another dish or a clean cutting board about the same size as the fillets, over the top of the fillets. Make sure the dish/board doesn?t touch the sides of the lower pan. Place a 3 to 5 pound weight on top to compress fillets. Place in refrigerator to allow a marinade to start forming. Once a day, flip fillets, ensuring both are well soaked in marinade. Replace the plastic wrap and weight, then return to refrigerator. After 4 to 5 days, the process is complete and the gravlachs will be ready. The weight flattens the fillets, and the loss of moisture produces the distinctive firm texture of lox.
- The gravlachs can be eaten right away. Or slice into halves or thirds, wrap securely, and freeze.
- To serve, cut thin slices but leave skin behind. This is generally easiest if the gravlachs is still slightly frozen.
- Mild Mustard-Dill Sauce: Combine mustard, sugar, and flour, then add enough vinegar to make a thick sauce. Add 1 tablespoon of mixture to mayonnaise, then stir in chopped dill and whipped cream. Present in a small dish with a serving spoon alongside the gravlachs.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve atop wafer crackers or melba-style toast with cream cheese, finely chopped onions, capers. For a more traditional twist, serve mild mustard-dill sauce.