beet cured gravlax

for when you want to impress your guests

A note: when we made this in culinary school I truly couldn’t believe how simple it was. You can use any herb/ flavoring in the salt cure (we also made a basil cured salmon)- but beets are particularly fun to use because they stain the flesh leaving you with the stunning pink edge.

what you need

2-3 pound boneless fresh (ideally ‘sashimi-grade’) salmon fillet, skin on

2 cups of kosher salt, divided

3-4 medium beets, peeled and cut into 1/2” pieces

1/2 cup of sugar

1/4 cup of water

zest of one lemon

spoonful of rainbow peppercorns

spoonful of coriander seeds

what you do

Make the salt cure by combining 1 cup of salt, beets, sugar, water, lemon zest, coriander, and peppercorns in a food processor. Mix on high until well combined. Mix in the remaining cup of salt using a spatula and set aside while salmon is prepared.

Trim salmon on either end, as well as along the sides until you are left with a mostly even, rectangular fillet (save the trimmed salmon for another dish!). Line a sheet tray (small, but large enough to fit the piece of salmon) with a double layer of plastic wrap.

Spread half of the beet cure on the plastic wrap, then place the salmon on top (skin side up). Spread the remaining beet cure on top and on the sides, making sure it is well coated. Securely wrap the fish in plastic wrap. I like to use a third piece for one final wrap to make sure no juices leak out. Place sheet tray in the fridge (making sure the salmon remains skin side up) for 48 hours.

After 48 hours, remove from fridge and rinse off remaining cure. Pat dry, cover, and leave in the fridge for another 12- 24 hours if time allows. If not (as it did not for me!) thinly shave off slices of gravlax, making sure to discard the skin. Only slice off as much as you are going to eat as a time.

Store in fridge and eat within 4 days.

I served this with creme fraiche, micro greens, lemon olive oil, and pane carasau (a very thin, crispy flatbread).