Chefs Binge · Nordic · Serves 10 servings

Beetroot Cured Salmon (Gravlax)

Beetroot cured salmon gravlax: vibrant, easy to make, and a striking thing to put on the table.

Prep

20 min

Total

2 days

Serves

10 servings

Per serving

208 kcal

Ingredients

1 kg Salmon - trimmed and skin removed

200 g Beetroot - peeled and diced

120 g Sea salt - or Kosher salt

70 g Sugar

40 ml Vodka or Gin

2 tsp Coriander seeds

2 tsp Black peppercorns

1 tsp Juniper berries

Ingredients for the Fennel Slaw

4 bulbs Fennel - thinly sliced

2 Red Onions, small - thinly sliced

1 Carrot, medium - cut julienne or grated

150 g Mayonnaise

4 tsp Mustard - Dijon or English

2 Lemons - Zest and juice

Garnish

1 handful Fresh Dill

1 tsp Nigella seeds

Method

Preparing the Beetroot Cure. In a food processor, blend together 200g of peeled and diced beetroot, 70g of sugar, 120g of cooking salt, 40ml of vodka or gin, 2 teaspoons of coriander seeds, 2 teaspoons of black peppercorns, and 1 teaspoon of juniper berries. Process for about 15 seconds until the mixture is combined but still slightly coarse.

Prepare the Container. Select a container large enough to fit a 1kg side of salmon. Line it with a double layer of cling film, leaving enough overhang to wrap the salmon later.

Apply the Cure. Place half of the beetroot cure on the cling film and spread it to match the size of the salmon. Lay the salmon on top, skin-side down if the skin is still on. Then, cover the salmon with the remaining cure, ensuring it covers the top and sides of the fish evenly.

Wrap and Cure. Wrap the salmon tightly in the cling film. Optionally, place a weight on top to help the cure penetrate evenly. Refrigerate for 48 hours, turning the salmon every 12 hours if possible.

Rinse and Store. After 48 hours, remove the salmon from the fridge. Unwrap it over the sink, gently rinse off all the beetroot cure, and pat the salmon dry. Re-wrap it in fresh cling film and store in the refrigerator for up to a week, or vacuum pack for up to three weeks. Handle the cured salmon gently, and for best results, slice thinly with a very sharp knife.

Combine Dressing Ingredients. In a mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, the juice and zest of one lemon to create the dressing.

Mix Slaw Components. In another bowl, combine thinly sliced fennel, sliced onion, and grated carrot.

Dress the Slaw. Just before serving, pour the dressing over the slaw mixture. Toss well until the slaw is evenly coated with the dressing.

Chef’s notes

Which salmon. Ordinary farmed Atlantic salmon is exempt from the rule that fish eaten raw must be frozen first, and it is what I use. Wild-caught or unknown-provenance salmon is not: buy it sashimi-grade or previously frozen, or freeze it yourself at -20°C for at least 24 hours before curing.

Weigh the salt. A spoon of coarse flakes holds far less than the same spoon of fine grains, so measuring the cure by volume is how it comes out bland or inedible. Coarse sea salt or kosher salt, not iodised table salt.

The cure has to touch every face. Any bare patch stays soft and uncured. Turn the parcel every twelve hours so the brine that collects washes back over both sides.

Slicing. Twenty minutes in the freezer first, the longest sharp knife you have, held almost flat, one long stroke rather than sawing.

Keeping it. Tightly wrapped in the fridge, eat within about five days. It freezes for up to three months, and freezing the piece whole beats freezing slices.

Per serving Calories 208 kcal · Protein 20 g · Carbs 0 g · Fat 13 g · Saturates 3 g · Sodium 550 mg

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