How to make Citrus-Cured Gravlax Recipe.
Blood orange and honey cured salmon with dill, citrus, and horseradish cream. This easy gravlax-style recipe is bright, flavorful, and perfect for brunch or entertaining.
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Equipment
- sharp knife
- fish tweezers
- mixing bowl
- microplane, fine grater
- cutting board
- plastic wrap
- baking sheet or ceramic dish
- weights
- small bowl
Ingredients
THE CURE
- 3 lb skin-on salmon fillet center cut
- 6 tabelspoons kosher salt
- 2 tabelspoons orange blossom honey
- 2 tabelspoons horseradish finely grated
- 4 tabelspoons vodka
- 2 tabelspoons horseradish
- 4 Zest of blood oranges
- 2 blood oranges thinly sliced into rounds
- 1 tabelspoons pink peppercorns lightly crushed
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander lightly crushed
- 2 teaspoons caraway seeds lightly crushed
- ½ tsp crushed juniper
- 1 dill about 1 cup loosely packed
Garnish
- capers
- blood orange rounds
- Fresh dill sprigs
Instructions
- Remove any pin bones from your 3 lb skin-on salmon fillet, center cut, using tweezers or needle-nose pliers. Run your fingers along the flesh to feel for them. Pat the salmon completely dry with paper towels. A dry surface helps the cure adhere better and penetrate more evenly.
- Use the flat side of a knife or a mortar and pestle to gently crack 1 tabelspoons pink peppercorns and 2 teaspoons caraway seeds. Aim for rough pieces, not a fine powder. This process releases the essential oils.
- In a bowl, combine 6 tabelspoons kosher salt, 2 tabelspoons orange blossom honey, 2 tabelspoons horseradish and the 4 Zest of blood oranges, 1 tabelspoons pink peppercorns, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, and 1 teaspoon ground coriander. Mix well. Add the 4 tabelspoons vodka and stir until the mixture forms a slightly damp batter.
- Place a large piece of plastic wrap on your work surface, large enough to fully wrap the salmon twice. Spread half of the fresh dill, loosely packed, along the center, then arrange half of the thinly sliced blood orange rounds over the dill. Place the salmon skin side down on top. Cover the top of the salmon completely with the curing mixture, pressing it in firmly. Top the flesh side of the fish with the remaining blood orange slices and dill.
- Tightly wrap the salmon in two layers of plastic wrap. Place it in a deep ceramic dish or sheet pan. Put another pan on top and weigh it down with heavy cans or a cast-iron skillet. This pressure helps create the beautiful, silky texture of the gravlax.
- Refrigerate for 48 hours, flipping it over at the 24-hour mark. You'll notice liquid pooling in the dish; that's the brine doing its job. Don't drain it until you're ready to unwrap.
- After 48 hours, unwrap the salmon over the sink. Gently rinse off the cure with cold water—don't scrub, just rinse. Pat completely dry with paper towels. The flesh should feel firm and silky.
- Using your sharpest, longest knife, cut the salmon diagonally into thin, almost translucent slices, angling the blade away from you. Start at the tail end and work toward the center. Wipe the blade clean between cuts for the neatest slices.
Notes
Start with very dry salmon. Before applying the cure, pat the fish thoroughly dry with paper towels.
Freeze your salmon first. Even if you're buying sushi-grade fish, a 24-hour freeze at home kills any lingering parasites and firms up the flesh.
Use a scale, not measuring cups. If you're making gravlax often, weigh your cure. This eliminates the guesswork and prevents over-salting.
Lightly crush the spices. Gently crushing the caraway, juniper, coriander, and peppercorns wakes up their essential oils without turning the cure gritty.
Nutrition
Serving: 3ozCalories: 235kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 23gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 3645mgPotassium: 632mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 205IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 55mgIron: 1mg
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