Homemade Gravlax

Photo: flickr user The Gifted Photographer

Ingredients

3 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon crushed or coarse-ground

black peppercorns

pound salmon fillet, 1" thk (1 or 2 pieces)

cup dill sprigs rinsed

(or 3/4 cup dried dill)

Preparation

In a small bowl, mix sugar, salt, and peppercorns.

Rub your fingers over flesh side of salmon to locate any bones; pull them out and discard. Rinse salmon and pat dry. Lay, skin-side down, in an 8- or 9-inch pie pan. Sprinkle evenly with sugar-salt mixture and top evenly with dill. Cover pan airtight with plastic wrap.

Nest another pie pan of the same size on fish and set 2- to 3-pound weights (such as unopened cans of food) in it. Chill 2 days; every 12 hours, uncover, baste salmon with juices, rewrap, and replace weights.

Unwrap salmon, discard dill, and scrape off sugar-salt mixture. Lay salmon, skin down, on a board; cut into thin diagonal slices and release fish from skin. Discard skin.

This recipe yields 10 to 12 servings.

Comments: Buy salmon that has been frozen, or freeze fresh salmon for at least 72 hours at -4 degrees or lower to destroy any parasites, then thaw to use.