Fresh Flavours Made From the Heart: The beautiful briny sea..... Cured Salmon

-Home cured salmon - aka Gravlax ( A swedish specialty of salmon cured in salt/sugar)

What does this mean? To salt cure is to cook meat, cheese or fish by a method other than heat cooking to preserve it. In the method of salt curing to preserve you use a mixture of salt and sugar. The salt and sugar draw out a large amount of liquid and replace the liquid with the salt/sugar mixture that you've used. This in turn naturally preserves the food.

Let me back up a bit... Why exactly am I sharing this information with you? Because I absolutely love home cured salmon and want to share this easy and fun to try recipe. Now I know you may be a little bit worried and perhaps have this dialogue running through your head" Raw fish... turned into cooked fish... via salt and sugar... Whoahhhh no way" Let me whisk any fears away and present you with a easy curing recipe that in any case will be fun to try and impressive to friends and family.

Head down to your local fish store and hunt down a fresh piece of Salmon Fillet around 2-3lbs. Depending on the size of your salmon this could be a whole side. Do not be scared to ask questions. Let your local fish enthusiast know that you are trying out this recipe, and I have no doubt they will gladly help with sizing.

Now that you have your fish head over to your local grocer and grab 3 Lemons. I hope you then head home with a super big smile knowing that I am proud of you for taking these first important curing steps.

Once you are home you will need:

4 Cups Salt

4 Cups Sugar

Sliced 3 Lemons

Fresh Dill

(Fresh dill is traditionally used to make gravlax and can very well be added if you please!)

Now add your salt and sugar together in a bowl and lay half of it down on a baking sheet that you know will fit the fish fillets. Then place half of the slices of lemon on the baking sheet over the lemon. (If you are also using dill you can lay this next to the lemon slices) Put the salmon on top of this flesh side down and then add the rest of your salt and sugar ontop of the fish so that it is fully covered on both sides. Then lay the rest of your lemon slices ontop of this.

Saran wrap bottom to top the whole baking sheet very tightly. Put a second baking sheet ontop and place in the fridge. Then place a heavier item ontop of the baking sheet in the fridge. Weight will help the salt and sugar work with the salmon to cure evenly, and will move the process along. Leave refrigerated for 1.5-2 days.

2 days later remove from fridge and saran wrap. Rinse off the leftover salt and sugar from the fish, and then pat dry with paper towel. When you undo the saran wrap do not be surprised if the salt and sugar have turned to liquid and started to evaporate (This is a good sign!).Your salmon should now feel a little like leather and have taken on a bright orange tinge. - This means it has cooked!

You now have cured your own salmon and made gravlax . HURRAH to you for taking the chance and trying this out. Slice thin and eat with cream cheese, bagels, crackers, potatoes, on salad or just plain and simple on it's own.