ARCTIC CHAR GRAVLAKS WITH CUCUMBER JELLY
Gravlaks - fish cured with salt, sugar, and dill - is usually made with salmon, but we like the milder flavor of arctic char for this particular dish. Keep in mind before starting to cure your fish that you will need to turn it every 12 hours for a total of 36 hours.
Yield Makes 6 first-course servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Pat fish dry, then transfer, skin side up, to a large sheet of plastic wrap. Stir together sugar, salt, and pepper, then rub 3 tablespoons of mixture onto skin of fish. Turn fish over and thickly coat with remaining sugar mixture, then pack dill on top.
- Wrap fish tightly in 2 or 3 layers of plastic wrap (to prevent leakage; salt mixture will liquefy as fish cures) and transfer to a large shallow baking pan. Put another baking pan or a cutting board on top of fish and weight down with 3 or 4 full cans (about 3 lb total). Let fish cure, chilled, turning wrapped fillet over roughly every 12 hours and then replacing weight, for 36 hours total.
- Peel cucumbers, making sure to remove all green (for a clearer jelly), then halve lengthwise and core. Coarsely chop cucumbers and purée in a food processor until smooth, then drain in a large fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl, pressing hard on solids to extract 2 cups liquid. Discard solids.
- Stir together salt and 1/2 cup cucumber liquid in a small saucepan and sprinkle with gelatin. Let stand 1 minute to soften, then heat over moderate heat, stirring, just until gelatin is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Cool mixture to room temperature, then stir into remaining 1 1/2 cups cucumber liquid along with vinegar. Pour mixture into an 8-inch square glass baking dish and sprinkle with dill fronds, pressing gently to submerge. Chill, covered, until set, at least 8 hours.
- Unwrap gravlaks, discarding liquid, and gently scrape off dill. Transfer gravlaks, skin side down, to a cutting board. Holding a very sharp long thin-bladed knife at a 30-degree angle, cut gravlaks across the grain into very thin slices, being careful not to cut through skin. Discard skin.
- Cut jelly into 6 pieces and divide among 6 plates with a metal spatula. Serve with several slices of gravlaks.
PICKLED ARCTIC CHAR WITH HORSERADISH CREAM AND LEMON-MARINATED CUCUMBER
Steps:
- Thinly sliced whole wheat bread (about 3 by 3-inches wide), as needed
- To make the Arctic Char: Thinly slice the Arctic char into 1/4-inch thick slices and rub them with kosher salt. In a bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, and ginger. Put the arctic char in the vinegar mix and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- To make the Lemon-Marinated Cucumber Salad: Using a Japanese-style mandolin, julienne the cucumber and transfer to a bowl. Add the lemon juice and peel, sugar, and dill. Season with sea salt, to taste.
- To make the Horseradish Cream: In a bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- To serve, spread the bread slices with the cream and top with the Arctic char and cucumber salad.
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What is Arctic Char Gravlaks?
Arctic char gravlaks is a Scandinavian culinary specialty made by curing arctic char in a mixture of sugar, salt, and dill. This curing process is known as "gravlaks," and it translates to "buried salmon" in Swedish. Originally, this process was used to preserve fish for long journeys or during the winter. However, today, it is considered a delicacy and is enjoyed all year round.Ingredients for Arctic Char Gravlaks
To make arctic char gravlaks, you will need the following ingredients:- Fresh arctic char
- Coarse salt
- Granulated sugar
- Fresh dill
- Pepper
Preparation Method for Arctic Char Gravlaks
To prepare arctic char gravlaks, follow these steps:- Clean and rinse the arctic char fillet.
- Mix the salt and sugar together in a small bowl.
- Place the arctic char fillet on a large sheet of plastic wrap.
- Season the arctic char fillet with the salt and sugar mixture.
- Sprinkle a handful of fresh dill over the fillet.
- Wrap the arctic char fillet tightly in the plastic wrap.
- Place the wrapped fillet in a dish and let it marinate in the refrigerator for 24 to 48 hours.
- After marinating, remove the fillet from the plastic wrap and rinse it under cold water.
- Pat dry the fillet with paper towels.
- Slice the fillet thinly on an angle.
- Sprinkle pepper over the sliced arctic char gravlaks.
What is Cucumber Jelly?
Cucumber jelly is a refreshing and light condiment that complements the richness of the arctic char gravlaks perfectly. It is a jelly made with cucumber juice, sugar, and gelatin. The jelly has a delicate flavor that is a perfect contrast to the gravlaks.Ingredients for Cucumber Jelly
To make the cucumber jelly, you will need the following ingredients:- Cucumber juice
- Granulated sugar
- Gelatin
Preparation Method for Cucumber Jelly
To make the cucumber jelly, follow these steps:- Place the cucumber juice and sugar in a small saucepan.
- Heat the mixture over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.
- Sprinkle the gelatin over the cucumber mixture and whisk until the gelatin dissolves.
- Pour the mixture into a small container and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- Cut the jelly into small cubes and serve with the arctic char gravlaks.