Salmon gravlax is somewhat of a Swedish legend.  I love it.  This recipe with beets takes it to another level, with Copper River Salmon (from South-Central Alaska) that is seasonally available and noted for its buttery flavor and high omega 3s.  Salmon varieties in the Copper River catch are often sockeye, king, and coho.  I actually reserved a catch of sockeye this year, and we ate it slightly pan seared.  However, for this gravlax dish I was able to score some nice Copper River sockeye from my grocery store bargain freezer section.  Apparently, most people do not understand the difference between this and the Atlantic farmed dog food fed fish. Hence, I got a pretty good deal.

This recipe uses one beet.  It is enough for two pounds.  I just did one pound.  The results were delicious.  Now, mind you, the flavor is not so very different from traditional gravlax.  However, that color is stunning, and it does have a bit of that earthy beet undertone.

Ingredients

Salmon

• 1-2 lbs high quality salmon filets.  I took off the skin.  Some people do not.

Rub/brine

• 1 pureed the beet after dicing it (you can leave the peel on).  Use a food processor, or grate it.
• ¼ C salt
• ¼ C raw honey
• 1 t juniper berries
• 1 t peppercorns
• 1 t cumin seeds
• 1 t coriander seeds
• 3 T gin (skip if you don’t do alcohol–remove if going Wise Traditions friendly)
• 3 T dill fronds to top

Method

• Clean up your filet and remove bones and skin (if desired)
• Make up the rub/brine.  You should smush the juniper berries, peppercorns, cumin, and coriander in a mortar and pestle.  Add the beet but leave the dill whole and do not add it until the end.
• Rub the mash (but not the dill) over the fillets.
• Place in a glass container and make sure to coat thoroughly.
• Top with the dill.
• Cover with plastic and then weigh down and refrigerate for 24-48 hours.  It all depends upon how cured you want your gravlax to be.  I did mine for 48 hours, but I do think 24 might yield a prettier product, as more of the salmon color would show. Try to turn it over midway.

To Serve

• Rinse the filets and pat very dry.  Make sure to chill thoroughly.  And then, slice thin and enjoy.
• We like this with sourdough toast, cream cheese, avocados, red onions, and capers.  It would also be great as the star in a salad with horseradish dressing.

Did you know that you can freeze a whole cured filet and bring it out for your special occasion? The beautiful color and savory flavor make this an impressive addition to your holiday table.

Stay briny,

–Stacey

p.s. What is the difference between a ‘filet’ and a ‘fillet’? An L of a difference. Americans could only afford one L; whereas, the Brits splashed out for a second L (probably, because they saved money buying cheap salmon).