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Sockeye Salmon Gravlax with Chive Cream Cheese and Rye Toasts (by Chef Tom Douglas)

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Lola serves this lush, house cured gravlax plate both at breakfast and brunch. Lola cooks use our own Dahlia Bakery onion-rye ficelle for the toasts, but you can use your favorite rye bread or other bread such as a baguette to make the toasts.
Gravlax is not difficult to make, but curing is a two or three day process, so plan accordingly.
It’s best to use a piece of salmon that is no more than an inch or two thick. A thicker piece will take longer to cure. A salmon fillet with the skin on will help you slice the gravlax paper thin after it is cured. Gravlax will keep for a week, covered in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator.
Use a spice grinder or a clean electric coffee bean grinder for grinding the spices.

Ingredients

  • For the cure:
  • Kosher Salt – 2/3 cup
  • Granulated sugar – 2/3 cup
  • Brown sugar – 1/4 cup, packed
  • Paprika – 1 1/2 teaspoons
  • Juniper berries – 1 teaspoon, ground
  • Fennel seeds – 1 teaspoon, ground
  • Cayenne – 1/4 teaspoon
  • For the salmon:
  • Wild sockeye salmon fillet – 1¼ pounds, preferably skin on, pin bones removed
  • For the dill cream cheese:
  • Cream cheese – 8 ounces (about 1 cup)
  • Heavy cream – 1/4 cup
  • Fresh dill – 2 tablespoons minced
  • Kosher or sea salt – To taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper – To taste
  • To finish the plate:
  • Thinly sliced rye bread or other bread – Toasted and buttered
  • Tomatoes – sliced
  • Capers – drained

Instructions

  1. To make the gravlax, combine the cure ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle the bottom of a non-reactive pan, such as a glass pan, with about ½ inch of the cure and place the fish in the pan, skin side down. Blanket the fish with the remaining cure, which should form a layer about 1½ inches thick.
  2. Cover the salmon with a piece of wax paper and another smaller pan, then weight it down with a few cans. Store in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days until the salmon is quite firm to the touch; the exact amount of time will depend on how thick your piece of salmon is. Remove the wax paper and the cans, then use a rubber spatula to scrape the cure from the salmon. Remove the salmon from the pan and briefly rinse it, then pat it dry with paper towels. Slice the gravlax very thinly on the bias.
  3. To make the dill cream cheese, put the cream cheese and cream in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment and beat until the cream cheese is softened. (Or you can use a food processor.) Add the dill and beat to combine. Season to taste with the salt and pepper.
  4. To serve, arrange the sliced gravlax on a plate with a ramekin of dill cream cheese, toasts, and slices of tomato. Sprinkle with capers and serve.

Notes

Allergens: dairy, fish

Nutrition

Find it online: https://emmafrisch.com/lolas-sockeye-salmon-gravlax-with-chive-cream-cheese-and-rye-toasts-by-chef-tom-douglas/