Making Gravlax at Home

This looks like ice, doesn't it.  But it is a salt and sugar curing mixture.  With my lack of a kitchen due to a renovation, I am not cooking much these days.

But you don't need a kitchen to make gravlax.  I wanted salmon but I couldn't find the cut I wanted and instead bought steelhead trout.  I think it will be amazing.  It cures in this mixture of sugar, salt and spices and herbs for 3 days.

Then I will thinly slice it and freeze in packages for a quick and easy hors d'oeuvre for Christmas.  I will serve it with finely diced red onions, capers and creme fraiche on thin rye rounds.

My renovation is moving right along.  At the moment I am painting.  I have primed all the new ceilings and new walls.  Tomorrow I will be applying the first coat of paint to the ceilings.  They look fantastic!  I have new drywall and smooth, flat ceilings.  Pictures are a little boring so I won't post until I get some colour on the walls.

Steelhead Trout Gravlax

1 fillet of steelhead trout with skin on
1/2 cup kosher salt
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons juniper berries
1 1/2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns

Remove any pin bones that might be in the fish.

Mix the salt and sugar together in a bowl.

To prepare the curing mixture, grind all of the ingredients in a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder and grind until quite fine.  Add to the sugar and salt mixture and mix well.

Place the fish skin side down in a baking dish.  Pour the curing mixture over the fish to completely cover it.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

Remove the fish from the curing mixture, turn it over, then cover with the curing mixture.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a second 24 hours.

Remove and turn over as before and refrigerate for a third 24 hours.

Remove the fish from the curing mixture and rinse under cold running water.  Pat dry with paper towels.  Place uncovered in a pan in the refrigerator for 24 hours to dry out the surface.

Slice thinly and arrange on a plate.  Serve with creme fraiche, finely diced red onions, capers and small thin rounds of rye bread.