Gravlax

Check the salmon

Rinse salmon fillet with skin (fresh, center cut) (1000 g) under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Run your fingers along the flesh — if you feel any pin bones, pull them out with tweezers. Leave the skin on.

Mix the cure

In a bowl combine coarse rock salt (non-iodized) (80 g), sugar (60 g) and black pepper, coarsely ground (1 łyżka). That's the whole cure — salt draws water from the fish and preserves it, sugar balances the saltiness and softens the texture.

Wrap the salmon

Spread a double layer of cling film on the counter. Sprinkle a third of the cure and half the chopped fresh dill (two bunches) (100 g) on it. Place salmon fillet with skin (fresh, center cut) (1000 g) skin-side down. Drizzle the top with vodka (30 ml) — alcohol helps the aromas penetrate the flesh. Cover with the rest of the cure and the remaining dill. Wrap tightly in cling film, twice.

Cure in the fridge

Put the wrapped salmon in a dish (liquid will leak out). Cover with a board and weigh it down with about 1 kg — canned goods work. The weight presses water out and gives a denser texture. Keep in the fridge for 48 hours. Flip the fish every 12 hours.

Cure in the fridge

2880:00

Start

Unwrap and rinse

Take the salmon out of the film. Rinse the flesh under cold water to remove leftover salt, sugar and dill. Pat dry with paper towels. The flesh should be firm, darker, slightly translucent at the edges.

Slice and serve

Place the salmon skin-side down. With a long sharp knife, slice diagonally, almost horizontally, into very thin slices — don't cut through the skin, leave it on the board. Serve with slices of lemon (to serve) (1 szt), bread and butter, or with a mustard-dill sauce.