Gravlax (Cured Salmon)

3 to 3 1/2 lbs. fresh whole salmon or salmon fillets

1 large bunch fresh dill

1/4 cup coarse (kosher) salt, or if unavailable, regular un-iodized salt

1/4 cup regular or brown sugar

2 Tbsp. white or black peppercorns, crushed

1/2 cup vodka or aquavit (optional)

 

Scale fish and split in half.  Remove backbone and other small bones.  Place half of fish, skin side down, in a deep glass, enamel or stainless steel baking dish or casserole.  Wash dill, shake dry and place on the fish or cut coarsely and sprinkle on fish.  Combine salt, sugar, and crushed peppercorns.  Sprinkle evenly over the dill.  If using vodka or aquavit, pour half over fish.  Top with the other half of the fish, skin side up.  Pour other half of vodka over fish.  Cover with foil and top with a heavy platter slightly larger than the salmon.  Pile the platter with 3 or 4 cans of food to press salmon.  Refrigerate 48 hours or up to 3 days.  Turn fish over every 12 hours, basting with liquid marinade that accumulates, separating the halves to baste the salmon inside.  When ready to serve, remove fish from the marinade, scrape away the dill and seasonings and pat dry with paper towels.  Place the separated halves skin side down on a carving board and slice the salmon to the skin very thinly on the diagonal. Arrange slices on platter and, if desired, sprinkle  with capers.  Serve with mustard sauce or sour cream dill sauce, toast points (try pumpernickel), lemon wedges, and a cucumber salad.  (No you don't cook the salmon.  The marinade cures it and cooking is not necessary.)

 

Mustard Sauce:

 

4 Tbsp. dark, highly seasoned prepared mustard

1 tsp. powdered mustard

3 Tbsp. sugar

3 Tbsp. white vinegar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 Tbsp. fresh chopped dill

 

In a small deep bowl, mix the two mustards, sugar, and vinegar to a paste.  With a wire whisk, slowly beat in the oil until it forms a thick mayonnaise-like emulsion.  Stir in the dill.  May be refrigerated in a covered jar for several days.  Shake or whisk again before serving.

Sour Cream Horseradish Sauce:

4 Tbsp. prepared horseradish

2 cups sour cream
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. white pepper
2 Tbsp. grated onion
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
3 Tbsp. finely chopped dill

Squeeze horseradish dry in kitchen towel or cheese cloth.  Combine with remaining ingredients.  (Or substitute finely chopped, squeezed cucumber for the horseradish.)

I first tried salmon prepared like this at the LaFont Plaza Hotel in Washington when I was there for a legal seminar.  It was delicious, but I never presumed to try fixing it myself.  Then one Christmas we went to our friend Jon Berglund's house for his annual open house and he served a whole salmon he had marinated.  He assured us it was easy.  Donald fixed it a number of times when he found fresh salmon at the store.  It is rich and delicious.