Make your own Gravlax for a tasty holiday spread

Several years ago, my daughter and I took a brunch-themed cooking class where the instructor demonstrated how to make homemade Gravlax or Nordic-cured salmon. The process takes several days to complete, so we were lucky the chef had samples of some he had made earlier in the week. It was delicious. Despite how easy he made the preparation look, I had never tried to make it at home until this past week. I am so glad I did because it is as delicious as I remember and even better than the cured salmon I have purchased so many times at the store.

I have written several columns about salmon. But I admit to needing clarification when someone refers to smoked salmon since it is a term used to describe several different types of salmon preparations, including some made without smoke at all.

Lox, Gravlax and smoked salmon are all delicious and, in some cases, share a similar appearance, but they are all very different. For us to all be on the same page, it would be helpful to provide a brief description of each.

Lox is made from salmon cured with salt over approximately three months. It is not smoked or cooked, but follows a method initially used to preserve fish before refrigeration was readily available.

Gravlax is the Nordic version of Lox using a combination of salt, sugar, dill and other spices, and often a tiny amount of aquavit or vodka. It is very similar to Lox but with extra flavor from the added spices.

Smoked salmon often involves seasoning, including salt. It then spends time in either a hot smoker, usually about eight hours, or a cold smoker for at least double the time. Hot smoked salmon will have a firm and flakey texture, while the cold smoked variety more closely resembles the raw Lox or Gravlax version.

Lastly, there is Nova Lox, specifically made with salmon from Nova Scotia that has been cured and then cold-smoked.

I know it can be confusing, but this recipe is easy and yields a fish similar in texture to Lox but that is slightly less salty and enhanced with fresh dill.

During our class, I watched as our instructor coated skin-on salmon filets with a mixture of Kosher salt and sugar before placing one, skin down, on a baking sheet with sides, then added chopped dill and the other piece of salmon, this time skin side up, making a sort of salmon and dill sandwich. The remaining salt and sugar mixture was poured over the top and pressed close to the fish, followed by plastic wrap and another sheet pan holding iron skillets to weigh down the fish.

My process was similar, but my salmon sides were not as large as the fish used in our class, so I used a 9x13 pan. I followed the rest of the process, ending with another 9x13 pan weighted down with canned goods from my pantry. I then stashed it on the bottom shelf of my refrigerator.

I must share a few fish safety tips I learned while researching this process. I found most recipes for cured salmon call for fish that have been frozen to kill any parasites or bacteria.

I purchased my salmon at Costco, and while it was not frozen at the time of purchase, the label stated it had been previously frozen, so I felt safe. Be sure to ask your fish source about this.

The salmon sides in our class were an inch thick and required several days to cure. Mine were only about a ½-inch thick and required 36 hours to cure completely. So be sure to adjust the curing time depending on the thickness of the fish.

In my case, I removed the salmon from the refrigerator 12 hours later and drained the liquid that had gathered in the bottom of the pan. I then flipped the salmon and dill sandwich over, replaced the plastic wrap and weighted pan, and put it back into the refrigerator.

About 24 hours later, I put away the canned goods, removed the plastic wrap, gently rinsed my salmon sides under cold water to remove any salt/sugar mixture clinging to the fish, and patted it dry with paper towels.

I sprinkled the finished fish with some minced fresh dill, but that is optional.

Cutting the fish required some practice. I used the sharpest knife with the longest blade. It is important to slice the fish diagonally and against the grain with long, smooth motions, making sure not to “saw” as much as possible.

You do not want to eat the skin, but I found the skin had the texture of beef jerky, which aided in my slicing as it provided a guide for my knife. If you prefer, feel free to carefully remove the skin before slicing it.

This recipe makes a lot of Gravlax, but the weight of the fish decreases due to the curing. I ended up with about half the weight of what I started with. Since I didn’t need it all right away, I cut the remaining fish into pieces and froze it in freezer bags for future use.

If I have tempted you, but you are afraid to invest in so much salmon before knowing if you will like the outcome, feel free to use two 6-ounce filets. Simply decrease the remaining ingredients, but follow the rest of the procedure.

I hope you will try this recipe, as it perfectly complements any holiday gathering. It is delicious on its own but also plays well atop a bagel schmeared with cream cheese and topped with capers and red onion. It also works as part of an appetizer for dinner, or even in a salad.

If you like smoked salmon, I think you will enjoy the flavor, and if you’re anything like me, you will also be very proud of your creation. Happy holidays!

• Penny Kazmier, a wife and mother of four from South Barrington, won the 2011 Daily Herald Cook of the Week Challenge. Contact Penny at DhCulinaryAdventures@gmail.com.

Homemade Gravlax

2-3 pound salmon fillets (preferably center piece, skin on, trimmed)*

1 cup kosher salt

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cracked white peppercorns (I used 1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper)

2 tablespoons crushed juniper berries (optional)

2 bunches fresh dill, stems included, rinsed and dried

Container, or baking pan, with at least 1-inch sides. (I used a plastic 9x13 pan.)

Combine salt, sugar and pepper (juniper if using) in a bowl. Rinse and dry the salmon, remove any remaining bones. Rub some of salt mixture on the skin side of first piece and place skin-side down in the container. Top exposed flesh with additional salt mixture. Place dill on top. Repeat salting process with flesh side of second piece of fish, placing it flesh-side down on top of first piece. Top with remaining salt mixture and cover with plastic wrap.

Place weighted container on top of covered fish. (I used another 9x13 pan filled with cans from my pantry.) Place in refrigerator to chill overnight, or at least 12 hours.

Remove from refrigerator, remove plastic and drain any liquid. Flip the fish “sandwich” over, so the bottom piece is now on top, keeping the dill in the middle, replace plastic and weighted pan. Refrigerate 12 to 24 hours.

Remove from refrigerator, remove plastic wrap and drain any liquid that has collected in the pan. Carefully remove the top piece of salmon and rinse under cool water to remove any excess salt, sugar and large pieces of dill; dry with paper towels. Repeat with second piece of salmon and discard large pieces of dill.

The skin will be stiff and jerky-like, which will be helpful when slicing. Using a very sharp knife, cut thin angled slices against the grain of the salmon. Slicing the salmon works best if you do not use a sawing motion and instead, try to slice each piece with one draw of your knife if possible.

*I purchased salmon at Costco where the largest piece of fish was about 1-1/2 pounds, so I used two pieces. Select pieces with similar thickness and trim off thin edges. If you find a single piece of fish, cut it in half to achieve “sandwich” process with dill.

– Penny Kazmier