Cured Salmon Food

TEQUILA CURED SALMON

Steps:

• On top of a layer of aluminum foil and plastic wrap (enough to make a pouch), put the salmon on a baking sheet skin-side down. Pat the top dry with paper towels. Combine the coriander, mustard and cumin seeds in a small saute pan over low heat and toast, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove, let cool slightly and coarsely grind in a coffee grinder.
• Spread the chipotle over the top of the salmon fillet. Sprinkle the ground spices, lime zest and cilantro over and press into the flesh. Combine the salt and brown sugar in a bowl, drizzle with the tequila and then spread evenly over the salmon. Tightly wrap the salmon in the plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Place another baking sheet on top of the salmon and weigh down with bricks wrapped in foil or a heavy cutting board. Refrigerate for 48 hours.
• Remove the salmon from the refrigerator and scrape off the curing ingredients. When cured, the fish should have a raw appearance and a firm but not hard texture. Slice the salmon against the grain paper thin and serve with accompaniments of choice.
• Serving Suggestions: .
• Combine the vinegar, lime juice, sugar, salt, coriander seeds, mustard seeds and peppercorns in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook until the sugar and salt is dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
• Put the onions in a medium bowl, pour the vinegar mixture over and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 48 hours before serving.
• Combine the cream cheese, goat cheese, milk and salt and pepper to taste in a food processor and process until smooth and fluffy. Scrape into a bowl and fold in the scallions and dill.;
• Combine the cream cheese, milk and salt and pepper to taste in a food processor and process until smooth and fluffy. Scrape into a bowl and fold in the cilantro and jalapeno.;

SALMON CURED WITH DILL AND PERNOD

Steps:

• Cut the salmon fillet in 2 pieces crosswise and place one piece in a deep dish, skin side down. Combine the salt, sugar, peppercorns, and fennel seeds in a small bowl. Wash and shake dry the dill and arrange it over the fish. Sprinkle dry mixture evenly over the dill and salmon. Add Pernod over the top of salmon. Place the other piece of salmon over the dill and spices, skin side up. Cover the dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place a smaller dish on top of the plastic wrap and weight it with heavy cans. Refrigerate the salmon for at least 2 to 3 days, turning it every 12 hours and basting it with the liquid that collects.
• To serve, lay the salmon fillets flat on a cutting board and scrape off most of the dill and spices. Slice with a long, thin knife, as you would for smoked salmon. Lay the slices of bread on a cutting board, spread with the Gravlax Sauce, and place a slice of salmon on top, covering the bread completely. Cut each bread slice in half, decorate with a sprig of dill, and serve at room temperature.
• Whisk together the Dijon mustard, honey mustard, whole-grain mustard, ground mustard, sugar, and vinegar in a medium bowl. Combine the olive and grapeseed oils in a small measuring cup. Slowly add the oil mixture to the mustard mixture, whisking constantly, until emulsified. Stir in the dill and salt.

DAZZLING BEETROOT-CURED SALMON

Steps:

• Lay the salmon fillets, skin side down, on a board and brush your hand along it. If you feel any little pin bones pinch them out with your fingers or tweezers. In a bowl, mix all of the other ingredients for the salmon together to make the cure.
• Stretch two large sheets of cling film over a work surface and spoon over some of the cure. Lay one of the fillets, skin side down, on the cure, then pack over most of the cure, and sandwich with the remaining fillet, skin side up. Top with the last of the cure and wrap both fillets together tightly with lots of cling film. Place in a container with sides, like a large roasting tray, put a smaller tray on top and weigh it down with a couple of tins. Leave in the fridge for at least three days or up to a week. Don't be alarmed by the amount of liquid that leaks out, this is normal. Once a day, pour away the liquid, turn the salmon and re-apply the weights.
• To serve, unwrap the salmon from the cling film and brush off the marinade. Slice the salmon into thin slivers. Make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients together with some salt and pepper. Toss all the salad ingredients together and serve each guest with a few slices of salmon, a handful of salad and drizzle with the dressing. Once made the salmon will sit happily in the fridge for up to a week and can be used just like smoked salmon.

QUICK CURED SALMON

Steps:

• Whisk water, salt, and sugar together in a large bowl until sugar and salt are completely dissolved.
• Cut salmon along one side of the center connective tissue to the skin but not through. Turn the knife parallel to the cutting board and cut salmon meat from skin. Repeat for remaining side and discard skin and connective tissue. Cut each fillet into 1/4-inch slices.
• Working in batches of 5, place slices in brine for 3 minutes. Remove cured slices using a slotted spoon to a wire rack and blot gently with paper towels. Arrange salmon in a single layer on a platter, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled, 2 hours to overnight.

CITRUS-CURED SALMON

Steps:

• Wash and blot dry the salmon fillet, removing pin bones. Fillets can have skin either on or off, as the skin can be removed later.
• Because lots of fluid will be drawn off the fish while curing, using a deep platter or baking dish (large enough to accommodate the salmon fillet) is essential. Line the platter/baking dish horizontally and vertically with two pieces of plastic wrap, long enough for wrapping the salmon and overlapping the edges.
• Thoroughly combine citrus zests with salt and sugar.
• Place salmon skin side down atop the plastic wrap in the serving platter.
• Thoroughly massage the citrus/salt/sugar cure into fleshy side of fish.
• Bringing sides of plastic up, tightly seal the salmon in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2--3 days. (Usually two days is enough) Due to the large amount of fluid drawn out of the fish, it will become very firm. Some recipes advise weighting it down, but I have not done so.
• Once removed from the plastic wrap, thoroughly rinse cure from salmon and using a sharp knife, remove the skin.
• Wrap in plastic film again and place in freezer for 12 hours.
• Remove from freezer, unwrap from plastic film and slice thinly by holding a sharp knife almost parallel to counter, slicing on the diagonal of the fillet, almost shaving.
• Enjoy in your favorite recipe using lox-style salmon. Toss with pasta in a cream sauce, top a pizza crust and add goat cheese, dill, and scallion. Serve in hearty scooped out cucumber cups with cream cream cheese and dill. Or just enjoy plain with brown bread, butter or mayo, slivered red onion, sliced tomato, and capers.

SPICED HOME-CURED SALMON

Steps:

• Put the salmon fillet into a small tray on a double layer of cling film. In a bowl, mix the salt and sugar with the spices, coriander stalks and ginger, then scatter the mix over both sides of the fish and pat it down. Drizzle over the sherry and wrap the fish in the cling film. Place another tray on top, weight it down with a few tins, then chill for 2 days, flipping the fish over each day.
• Mix all the dressing ingredients and stir until the sugar has dissolved. If the flavour is too strong, dilute it slightly with a drop of water, then set aside.
• To serve, unwrap the salmon and wipe it clean, then briefly rinse it and pat dry with kitchen paper. Using a sharp knife, slice the fish quite thinly and arrange on plates with the mouli, then sprinkle with the herbs and drizzle over the dressing.

GRILLED CURED SALMON

Steps:

• In a small skillet over high heat, toast coriander and peppercorns until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. Place cascabel pepper in pan, and toast it on all sides until skin blisters, about 5 minutes. Let cool, then tear it into small pieces.
• Combine toasted coriander seeds, peppercorns and cascabel pepper in a spice grinder. Grind to a fine powder. Combine powder with sugar, salt and ground black pepper in a medium mixing bowl. Sprinkle half this cure mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or waxed paper. Shape cure into a flat mound that matches shape and size of salmon fillets. Place salmon on top, and cover with remaining cure. Cover with a small piece of parchment or waxed pepper, then wrap with plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Scrape cure off salmon with knife. Preheat a grill or broiler. Grill or broil salmon, turning once, for a total of 5 to 7 minutes, or until slightly translucent in center.

MAPLE CURED SALMON

Steps:

• Whisk syrup and salt in small bowl until well combined.
• Place salmon in a container just big enough to hold them in a single layer.
• Pour syrup mixture over top, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
• Remove salmon from the brine and place on a roasting rack.
• Let it drain briefly; bake in a preheated 400F oven for 5- 7 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fish).
• To judge doneness, squeeze the fish or prod with a thin-bladed knife.
• The flesh should just begin to flake and will be moist and juicy inside.
• Meanwhile, place Chardonnay, mustard and cream into a small pot and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 8- 10 minutes to allow liquid to reduce and sauce to thicken.
• Reserve& keep hot while the salmon cooks.
• Just before serving, add the chives and swirl to combine.

CURED SALMON

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together salt, 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, and pepper. Place salmon fillet in a large baking dish, skin side down, and rub salt mixture all over both sides of salmon. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Wipe off salt mixture from salmon and rinse under cold water; pat dry and return to a clean baking dish skin-side down. Drizzle salmon with olive oil and vodka, and sprinkle with dill and remaining teaspoon coriander seeds; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Remove salmon from refrigerator and wipe off excess marinade (reserving dill for baguette garnish). Remove skin and slice salmon into 1/4-inch-thick slices; keep refrigerated until ready to serve.