Cured Salmon

Carpaccio di Salmone
This cured salmon recipe has been a favorite in this household for quite some time. Wally and I would have it at least once monthly, with some crusty artesian bread, green salad with extra-virgin olive oil and aged balsamic, and a good gavi wine – fit for royalty – I wouldn’t even mind offering such a course to the Pope. It makes an exquisite buffet item for your invited guests on a cold autumn evening, with the fireplace going and Vivaldi’s Four Seasons symphony playing in the background among your contented dinner guests.
If you like cured salmon, give this one a try. You may have a lot of variation in this recipe – the more you make it, the more liberty you will take in preparing this dish. Start with this one, and then, when you’re feeling confident, venture out into new culinary horizons!
Ingredients:
2 lbs. of wild-caught salmon or farm-raised from a reliable source, boned, and with skin on back – be sure the cut of salmon is from the widest part of the fish
¼ cup of chopped dill (you can substitute chopped fennel fronds, basil, tarragon, or any other herb you like)
¾ c of coarse salt (kosher or coarse sea salt will work)
½ c of natural sugar (Florida crystal sugar is great)
Finely grated zest of 1 organic orange
Finely grated zest of 1 organic lemon
¼ c of grappa, vodka, or gin
Preparation:
Wash salmon, checking carefully for any bones that may have been missed in the filleting. Remove any bones that may have remained. Dry salmon thoroughly with towels.
Mix together the herbs, salt, sugar, and citrus zests in a bowl. Place aside and prepare for the curing.
Have placed on your work surface two large pieces of Press ‘n Seal Wrap or Saran Wrap, perpendicular to each other (crisscross), and a plastic bag large enough to contain your salmon piece.
That completed, take your grappa (or vodka or gin) and mix it into the bowl with the other ingredients. Do this quickly and stay with it – don’t answer the phone, go to the restroom, go to the computer, or pick up your favorite novel!
Lay your salmon (backside down) on the Press ‘n Seal Wrap horizontally, and then with your hands place all the mixture on top of the pink salmon flesh, distributing equally. Wrap the fish tightly with the Press ‘n Seal, overlapping each piece of wrap, and then place the fish (backside down) into the plastic bag, making sure there are no air pockets.
Place the bag (with the fish backside down) on a large flat cookie sheet. Fill your tea kettle with cold water, and then place the kettle on top of the fish (this allows the cure to seep into that succulent fish). Place in frig for 24 hours.
Remove from frig, unwrap, and wash everything off your piece of salmon. Dry the fish completely with a towel. Slice diagonally into thin pieces – take as much as you need. Store unused salmon in a new plastic bag, making sure you don’t leave air pockets in bag. Salmon will keep for three days.
Note: This is excellent in salads, for brunch, or just to snack on. Delish! In some areas of Italy, they will make a cure with all of the ingredients except for the alcohol, and place in frig for 24 hours just as in this recipe. You might want to give it a try one day!
Buon appetito!