Beetroot Cured Salmon (beautiful gravlax)
This delectable Beetroot Cured Salmon oozes beauty and sophistication. Cured for 48 hours in gin, orange zest, peppercorns & coriander seeds
Video
Ingredients
- 1.2 to 1.3kg / 2.5 to 2.9lb salmon fillet (skin on, bones removed) (NOTE 1)
- 500gm / 1.1lb beetroot (raw, peeled, chopped roughly) (NOTE 2)
- ⅓ cup (80ml / 2.5 fl oz) gin (or swap with water) (NOTE 3)
- 1 large orange (zest only, finely grated)
- 1 tbsp whole coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
- ¾ cup (165gm / 6oz) white sugar
- 1 cup (315gm / 11oz) cooking salt (NOTE 4)
- fresh dill to garnish
FOR MUSTARD DILL CREAM
- 1 cup (210gm / 7.5 oz) sour cream (not light)
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp horseradish cream
- 2 tsp honey
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tsp finely chopped dill
Instructions
- For a nicer presentation, trim the salmon by slicing off the flat side. Freeze the small piece to use in another dish later. Place the salmon flesh side up on a large tray with sides or a container. Try to find something that just fits the salmon snuggly.
- Roughly chop the beetroot into cubes and pulse a few times using a food processor, then blitz on high for 20 seconds or until it's finely chopped. Use a spice grinder or mortar and pestle to grind the coriander seeds and peppercorns.
- In a large bowl, mix the beetroot with the gin, orange zest, coriander seeds, peppercorns, sugar and salt. The beetroot will break down, causing the mixture to look wet.
- Place all the beetroot mixture, including the liquid over the flesh side of the salmon. Carefully, turn the salmon over with the skin facing up. Cover the salmon with cling/plastic wrap. Find a flat object that's heavy to place over the salmon to press it down. I used a wooden cheese board. Place the salmon in the fridge and leave it to cure for 2 or 3 days. The longer the better!
- Remove the beetroot mixture from the salmon, then rinse it under cold water until the water runs clear. Pat both sides of the salmon dry with paper towels, then place it on a large plate and cover loosely with cling wrap. Chill in the fridge for another 24 hours for the flavours to develop further.
- Finely slice the salmon and serve with rye bread and mustard dill cream. For the mustard dill cream: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Have a taste and add more salt or pepper to your liking if needed.
Notes
(NOTE 1) Salmon - You'll need an entire side of salmon between 1.2 to 1.3kg / 2.5 to 2.9lb. Ask your fishmonger for the freshest salmon they have. It doesn't have to be expensive sashimi grade, but it has to be fresh. Ask your fishmonger to remove all the bones and scales but leave the skin on. The skin makes the salmon easier to slice and serve.
(NOTE 2) Beetroot (beets) - You'll need 500gm / 1.1lb of fresh raw beetroot, weighed without its stems, but not peeled.
(NOTE 3) Gin goes beautifully with orange rind, peppercorn and coriander seeds. I prefer gin to vodka when curing my salmon, however, you may swap for an equal amount of vodka. If you wish to omit the alcohol, just swap for equal amounts of water.
(NOTE 4) Salt - Use cooking salt or sea salt with finer granules. Don't use table or iodised salt as it may discolour the salmon or affect the overall flavouring.
Leftovers - This Beetroot Cured Salmon will keep for up to 3 to 4 days. Cover the salmon in the container or wrap it securely with cling wrap. Use your leftover salmon in salads, pasta or in a dip.
I've used a third-party application to calculate the calories and nutritional information, so please use this as an approximate guide only. This calculation does not include the Mustard Dill Cream.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements. For specific details and conversions, visit our Australian Cooking Measurements page.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 ServingCalories: 155kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 14gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 830mgPotassium: 432mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 42IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 19mgIron: 1mg