Spiced Home Cured Salmon Food

SENSATIONAL SPICED SALMON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Combine the first six ingredients; rub over salmon. Place in an 11x7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, until fish flakes easily with a fork, 15-20 minutes.

SPICED AVOCADO TOAST WITH CITRUS-CURED SALMON AND POACHED EGG

Steps:

• For the salmon: In a bowl, whisk together the salt, sugar, lemon and lime extracts.
• Lay an 18-inch-long piece of plastic wrap on a work surface. Mound half of the seasoning mixture in the center of the plastic wrap and press it into a rectangle slightly bigger than the piece of salmon. Place the salmon on top of the mixture and cover with the remaining mixture. Wrap tightly in the plastic and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
• Remove the salmon from the cure and quickly rinse under cold water. Pat dry and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• For the spice-poached eggs: In a shallow dish, combine the vinegar, paprika and garlic powder and whisk until dissolved. Carefully crack the eggs into the dish with the vinegar and let stand 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, fill a wide pot approximately 3 inches deep with water. Bring the water to a simmer and season to taste with salt. Adjust the heat so the water maintains a simmer.
• Carefully lift the eggs from the vinegar mixture with a slotted spoon and place into the simmering water. Cook the eggs until just firm, 3 to 4 minutes. Lift eggs out with a slotted spoon and gently blot with clean paper towels to remove excess moisture. Serve immediately or transfer to ice water to hold (see Cook's Note).
• For the arugula salsa verde: Combine the arugula, oil, capers, oregano, vinegar, garlic and thyme in a food processor and pulse to chop well, but do not puree it. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• For the toast: Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over both sides of the bread slices. Toast or grill the bread until lightly browned on both sides, but still tender and soft in the center. Set the toast on a rack to cool.
• Meanwhile, cut the avocados in half and carefully remove the pits. Scoop the flesh from the skin and place in a mixing bowl. Add the lime juice, garlic powder, salt and remaining tablespoon olive oil. Mash the avocado with a fork until well mixed, but not smooth. Fold in the herbs.
• For the everything spice mix: Stir together the poppy seeds, sesame seeds, onion, garlic and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
• For serving: Stir together the olive oil and the lemon and lime extracts in a small bowl and mix thoroughly. Cut the salmon into slices approximately 1/4-inch thick. Lightly brush the slices with the oil and pound lightly with the side of the knife to thin them out.
• Divide the avocado mixture equally among the slices of toast and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle each with the everything spice mixture. Top half of the toast with the some of the sliced salmon and the other half with the spice-poached eggs and arugula salsa verde. Cut each slice in half and serve. Reserve any leftover salmon for another use; it will keep wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

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.

DRY-CURED SMOKED SALMON

Steps:

• To make the dry cure, combine all the ingredients. This will make about one cup. The mixture may be kept, covered, for six months or more. For this recipe, you will need four tablespoons.
• Rub each salmon fillet on both sides with two tablespoons of the dry cure and place in a glass baking dish. Refrigerate for six hours, or overnight.
• Remove fillets from the dish and rinse quickly under running water, just to remove excess cure. Place fillets on a raised grid surface to allow air to circulate around them. Leave to dry for three hours, or until the surface is dry and shiny.
• Forty-five minutes before cooking, light the charcoal fire.
• When ready to cook, throw a handful of wood chips on the coals. Add hot water to the water pan of the smoker, or an improvised smoker (see note). Place the fillets on the grid over the water pan. Cover with the lid and leave the fish for at least 45 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Check periodically and replenish the fuel or chips if necessary. The smoker temperature should not exceed 190 degrees (use an oven thermometer). The fish is done when the flesh is firm to the touch.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice and pepper to blend.
• Remove the fish from the grill and cut crosswise into serving pieces. Serve the fish immediately on its own with the vinaigrette, or on a bed of greens dressed with the vinaigrette.

CAJUN SPICED SALMON

Steps:

• Put the salmon in a bowl, pour over the lime juice and leave the salmon to 'cure' for 5 mins. Meanwhile, mix all the spices together with the sugar. Lift the salmon out of the lime juice and roll in the spices so it's completely coated.
• Heat grill to high. Grease a baking tray, then sit the salmon, flesh-side up, on the tray. Grill for 5 mins, until the salmon is cooked through and the edges are starting to blacken. While the salmon is cooking, gently mix all the salsa ingredients together with the roughly chopped coriander. When the fish is cooked, serve with the salsa, some rice and the coriander sprigs.