Wild in the Galley Archives

Wild in the Galley is our live cooking class where co-hosts Richie Mann and a featured guest chef guide you through the innermost details of a recipe while teaching you chef’s tips & more! Previous Wild in the Galley cooking classes are housed on this page for repeated viewings and access after the live class is completed.

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June 7, 2021

Aquavit Cured Gravlax Toasts with Shallot-Caper Relish

Gravlax 101 Tips

Each of the three spice packets included in your gravlax kit is enough to cure two portions of salmon (about 1 to 1 ¼ pounds). (You can stretch these spice packets a little by adding more sugar and salt in equal parts.)
To replicate the blends, use these basic proportions: 2 parts each fine sea salt and sugar and 1 part spices.
- Crushed pink peppercorns and dill seeds
- Crushed juniper berries
- Whole pickling spices (allspice, mustard seed, bay leaf, coriander seed, black peppercorns)
Other whole spice options include caraway seed, celery seed, cumin seed, fennel seed, fenugreek seed, lemongrass, star anise, and za’atar.
Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the spice blend onto the top side of a portion of salmon and set it, skin-side down in a glass, ceramic, or plastic container. Cover tightly and refrigerate.
Feel free to customize your flavoring with fresh herbs such as dill, lemon-thyme, fennel fronds, chives, or tarragon and clear spirits such as vodka, aquavit, gin, or silver tequila. Brush the fish with any of the spirits, sprinkle with the spice blends, and top with whole herb sprigs.
We recommend tasting your salmon throughout the curing process. Simply slice a piece to sample at 12 hour intervals. Less time will yield gravlax with a milder flavor and softer texture. More time will yield gravlax with a deeper flavor and firmer texture. Gravlax will be ready after 12 to 48 hours depending on the thickness of the fillet.
There’s no need to press the salmon with a weight during curing, as some fillets may be too thin to benefit from being weighed down.
Always remove pin bones before curing. Slicing will be much easier. If you decide to remove the skin from the salmon (a personal choice), we recommend removing the gray isolating fat between the skin and the flesh (the bloodline) and rubbing both sides of the fish with the spice blend.
There’s no need to drain the liquid that accumulates during the curing process, though not draining the liquid may result in a slightly deeper cure.
A very sharp, thin-bladed knife is your best choice when slicing to get the thinnest slices of salmon possible. A sharp fillet knife or carpaccio knife works best.
Keep the knife wet with either water or a lemon wedge to help prevent the salmon from sticking to the blade when slicing.