fig. a: three amigos
It started with the Three Amigos: lemon, lime, and orange.
I crave citrus all winter long. I always have, but in recent years it’s become an even more essential part of my winter survival kit. And during a pandemic winter, what we might call the urgency of citrus grew considerably. Since December, when we picked up our first case of Spanish clementines, we’ve been on one helluva citric kick.
Miraculously, we haven’t maxed out yet. This in spite of the fact that lemons, limes, and oranges have been in countless ways, both savoury and sweet, as well as in the form of juices and cordials. In fact, the range of citrusy things I’ve been craving seems to be expanding as the first hints of spring have arrived. With artichokes? Yes, please. On asparagus? Why, thank you very much. Gracing a green salad? Absolutely. Zested and sprinkled on fish? Might as well.
Which is how I came to make a recipe for Citrus-Cured Salmon (a.k.a., Citrusy Gravlax) that I’d noted and admired in an old issue of Bon Appétit. My need for yet another citrus fix kicked in one day recently, I started flipping through my mental Rolodex, and I suddenly remembered the image of a bright, citrusy, beautifully cured gravlax that I’d once seen. A little digging around ensued, and…
fig. b: “…a bright, citrusy, beautifully cured gravlax that I’d once seen.”
It appeared in BA’s 2016 Travel Issue (page 140 of the May issue, to be exact) and it accompanied a piece about a remote restaurant (on stilts!) that sits on Ismailof Island in Alaska’s Halibut Cove called The Saltry. It’s a seasonal operation, only open from Memorial Day to September, and it appears to still be going strong. And one of the specialties of the house at the time was an unusual—and unusually tasty—citrusy gravlax.
It’s also unusually quick and easy to make. You might recall that I posted a recipe for gravlax back in December that claimed, “it’s as easy as they come.” Well, this one’s even easier. No joke. The cure-to-fish ratio is relatively high, which allows the curing process to be a little faster than usual—24-36 hours, as opposed to the 3-5 days that’s common with gravlax recipes.
The only real challenges here are tracking down a beautiful salmon fillet (preferably wild king—or, even better, organic wild king), gathering together a few spices, and making sure you’ve got those Three Amigos on hand.
The transformation is remarkable. Take a look!
fig. c: before
fig. d: after
And the finished product is both phenomenally beautiful, and incredibly delicious.
It’s remarkable what a little citrus zest can do. This gravlax sings with a citrus zing.
Citrus-Cured Salmon (a.k.a., Citrusy Gravlax)
5 oz kosher salt (1 cup Diamond Crystal or 1/2 cup Morton’s)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 crushed red pepper flakes
1 x 1 lb skin-on, boneless salmon fillet, preferably wild king
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp finely grated lime zest
1/2 tsp finely grated orange zest
Grind the pepper, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, and pepper flakes in a spice mill, leaving them slightly coarse.
Then mix the salt, sugar, brown sugar, and the spice blend together in a bowl. This is your curing mixture
Line a rimmed baking sheet with a large sheet of foil (it needs to be large enough to wrap around your salmon completely). Spread half the curing mixture in the centre of the foil-lined baking sheet. Place your 1 lb. salmon fillet, skin-side down, on top. Scatter the zests over the fish; then cover the fish with the rest of the curing mixture, piling it up against the sides of the fish so they get cured too.
Bring the foil up and over the salmon and crimp to create a sealed envelope. Top with a 2-gallon zip-top bag filled with water, or some other kind of similarly weighty object, keeping in mind that you’ll have to find enough room in your refrigerator to place the ensemble. Chill in the refrigerator for 24-36 hours, making sure to unwrap the fish, flip it skin-side up, and re-wrap it once during that span of time (preferably halfway through).
When the fish is fully cured (after at least 24 hours), rinse it of most of the cure and pat dry, then place skin-side down on a cutting board. Using your longest, sharpest knife cut on a diagonal 1/8-1/4” thick, leaving the skin behind, and wiping down the blade with a moist towel between slices if need be.
Serve with rye bread, or bagels, or blini, or matzah, or pile onto a citrusy salmon version of Eggs Benedict. You get the picture.
Whatever you do, take the time to enjoy this bright, beautiful ray of sunshine. We could all use a little more light.
aj