GRAVLAX – SWEDISH GIN CURED SALMON

Pietro bubbles provide the perfect pairing for homemade gravlax, simple to prepare and divinely luxurious!

Recipe by: Gabrielle

SERVES: 6-8

Wine Pairing:  Pietro Family Cellars Brut Sparkling NV, California

PREP TIME: 10 minutes REFRIGERATION TIME: 1 1/2 - 2 1/4 days TOTAL TIME: 10 minutes + refrigeration time

INGREDIENTS

• 1½-1¾ lb. sashimi-grade salmon fillet with skin, fresh, wild caught or sustainably farm-raised, center cut, pin bones removed
• 7 Tbsp. coarse kosher salt or coarse sea salt
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. GC Napa Valley Natural Lemon Tellicherry Pepper
• ¾ cup fresh dill roughly chopped, or 4 Tbsp. dried dill
• 1 lemon, zest of (2-3 tsp.)
• 2 Tbsp. gin, good quality
• Optional garnish: 2-3 Tbsp. fresh dill frond pieces
• Optional serving accompaniments: Breads such as, pumpernickel, rye, sourdough, whole grain seeded, toasted baguette, bagels. Vegetables thinly sliced – cucumbers, radishes, red onion. Other – hardboiled egg slices, cornichons or dill gherkins. Gravlax condiments: Herbed Cream Cheese, Swedish-Style Mustard Dill Sauce, Lemony Mayonnaise – See Recipes

TO PREPARE

1. Rinse salmon under cold water. Pat thoroughly dry with paper towels.
2. Mix the ‘dry cure’ ingredients in a glass bowl: Kosher salt, sugar, Lemon Tellicherry Pepper, dill, and lemon zest.
3. Place 2 pieces of plastic wrap on a work surface, overlapping to create a 20”x 20” piece. Spread 3 Tbsp. of the ‘dry cure’ in the center, in the shape of the salmon; lay salmon skin side down. Sprinkle remaining ‘dry cure’ evenly over the flesh followed by 2 Tbsp. gin. Wrap salmon tightly, expelling excess air. Wrap in a second piece of plastic wrap. Place in a non-reactive glass/plastic container at least 2” deep. Place a second container on top the salmon filled with a heavy can or cans. Refrigerate, turning salmon every 10-12 hours. Refrigerate 36 hours for a medium cure or 48 hours for a harder more flavorful cure (firmer texture).
4. Remove salmon from the plastic wrap. Rinse gently with cool water. Pat dry with paper towels. Place salmon on a wire rack over a sheet pan. Refrigerate 3-6 hours uncovered, allowing the salmon surface to dry. This dried surface is called a ‘pellicle.’
5. Using a very sharp knife, slice the Gravlax (cured salmon) at a 45-degree angle to create very thin wide slices (skin should be removed and discarded). Gravlax can be halved lengthwise for easier cutting. Note: The two end slices will have a salty flavor due to the larger surface area being in contact with the cure. Refrigerate Gravlax in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

TO SERVE

SHOPPING LIST

• 1½-1¾ lb. sashimi-grade salmon fillet with skin, fresh, wild caught or sustainably farm-raised, center cut
• 1 box coarse kosher salt or coarse sea salt
• 1 bag granulated sugar
• 1 medium bunch or 3 packages .5 oz. fresh dill, or 1 jar dried dill
• 1 lemon
• Plastic wrap
• 1 small bottle 50 ml gin (1.7 fl. oz. = 3.4 Tbsp.), good quality
• Optional serving accompaniments: Breads such as, pumpernickel, rye, sourdough, whole grain seeded, toasted baguette, bagels. Vegetables – cucumbers, radishes, red onion. Other – hardboiled eggs, cornichons or dill gherkins.
• Gravlax condiments: See recipes for Herbed Cream Cheese, Swedish-Style Mustard Dill Sauce, Lemony Mayonnaise