Gravlax with Mustard-Dill Sauce and Marinated Cucumber Recipe

Gravlax with Mustard-Dill Sauce and Marinated Cucumber Recipe

  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • ½ cup kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons cracked or coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon crushed, dried juniper berries
  • ½ cup coarsely chopped dill, tops and stems
  • ¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro, tops and stems, optional
  • ¼ cup coarsely chopped fennel greens, tops and stems (optional)
  • 1 (1½-pound) salmon fillet
  • Peel of 2 lemons, cut in approximately ½-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ cup champagne vinegar
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 long, thin, seedless cucumber, peeled, sliced very thin length wise on a mandoline or with a sharp knife
  • 1 cucumber, cut into 1/8-inch slices and marinated (recipe follows)
  • ½ cup Mustard-Dill Sauce
  1. For the gravlax:
  2. Three days before serving, combine the sugar, salt, pepper, juniper berries, and herbs in a small bowl. Place the salmon skin-side down in a pie tin, cover with the lemon peel, and sprinkle evenly with the spice and herb mixture. Cover the salmon completely, so it doesn’t show through the mixture. Rub with the olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap and weigh down with another pie tin and a few heavy cans (juice cans are good). Refrigerate and begin to check for doneness after 2 days; allow to cure up to 3 days, When done, the fish will be firmer to the touch and slightly darker than when raw. Pour off excess liquid daily, if necessary.
  3. For the marinated cucumber:
  4. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the vinegar and sugar and heat gently, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Pour the cooled mixture over the cucumber slices and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Drain the cucumber and reserve.
  5. To serve:
  6. Scrape off the cure and cut the salmon on the diagonal in very thin, skinless slices, as you would smoked salmon. Place 3 slices on each chilled plate, along with a small mound of cucumber. Serve the mustard-dill sauce on the side.
  7. Variations:
  8. For salmon, substitute tuna or striped bass.
  9. If you have made Lemon Confit, sprinkle some of the lemon-flavored salt over the salmon.
  10. Serve gravlax:
  11. On a bed of mixed greens; on dark bread or crackers, as a canape; cut into 5- or 6-ounce fillets and grilled, over greens.
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