The Pacific Northwest may be known for its salmon, but it’s not known for its lox.  There’s excellent chunk-style smoked salmon for sure, and a couple of semi-decent purveyors of sliced smoked salmon or lox (I’ll get to the difference in a moment), but I still pine for the paper-thin, oily slices of nova and gravlax from Zabar’s in New York.  Lacking a cold-smoker, I figured smoked salmon was beyond my D.I.Y. capabilities, but I had an inkling homemade gravlax might be feasible. 

Some terminology:

Lox is a term often misused to describe smoked salmon, but lox refers to salmon that has been salt-cured and not smoked.

Nova or smoked salmon (not chunk style) is usually first mildly salt cured and then cold-smoked. 

Gravlax is a Scandinavian salt-cured salmon, flavored with dill, black pepper and sometimes other spices.  According to Wikipedia, gravlax was traditionally a fermented food that was buried underground after being given a salt treatment; grav means  buried and lax means salmon.  Apparently the burying part fell out of favor a few hundred years ago.  Makes me curious to taste it.

I decided to get some salmon from Loki Fish at the University District farmers’ market, plus a bunch of dill from another market vendor, and make my own gravlax.  It was surprisingly easy and good.

Homemade Gravlax

1. -1 lb salmon fillet, the fattier the better (I used sockeye; king would be good too)
   

2. -2 tablespoons salt (kosher or sea salt)
   

3. -2 tablespoons honey (you can also use brown sugar, which would be easier, and maple syrup could also taste good.  For those worried about sugar intake, most of this is getting washed off.)
   

4. -3 tablespoons freshly-ground black pepper.  Coarse grind is best.
   

5. -1 very large bunch of dill, plus a few stalks reserved for serving
   

6. -Optional: other spices like juniper berries or coriander.  Try it without first, then experiment.  Don’t get too weird or use too many flavors.
   

Rinse your salmon filet and remove any bones.  In a bowl, mix together your salt, honey or sugar, pepper and any other spices.  Sprinkle or spread it on the non-skin side of the salmon.  Note that if you’re using sugar or something granulated, it’s easier to sprinkle than to spread the stickier, clumpier version with honey, but I wanted to use honey anyway.

When fish is coated, lay a thick bed of dill on top of it.  You should have at least an inch of dill. 

Wrap the whole thing twice in plastic wrap.  If you use that new kind of plastic wrap that sticks to itself, make sure the inside layer is sticky-side-out (smooth side to the fish), and the outside layer is sticky-side-in.  This worked really well for me; very little liquid spilled out.

Place the skin-side-down into a container (to catch the liquid that does come out), like a baking dish.  Weight down the fish with something heavy.  I used quart jars full of olives and pickles, and I’ve heard a bag of rice recommended.  Leave the fish in the fridge for two days.

Take the fish out and wash off all the salty, dilly residue, and throw away the dill. 

To slice: start near the tail end, but slice toward the tail in thin, slightly-downward-angled slices.  Your slices near the tail may be saltier than the rest; I tasted those and thought I’d produced something inedible.  Keep slicing.

Serve any way you would smoked salmon or lox.  Incorporate that fresh dill if you can, tearing it up on top of the slices, or serving it with your dish. 

Serving ideas

Note: every ingredient listed below except the salt, mustard, pepper, cider vinegar and cream cheese, is available currently or imminently at Seattle farmers’ markets.  Leave a comment or email me if you want help finding the vendors for something.

1. •Serving gravlax with mustard sauce is traditional.  Combine mustard, cider vinegar, hazelnut oil, dill, salt and pepper into a nice, thick sauce.  You could also up the mustard and dill in a homemade mayonnaise. 
   

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3. •Gravlax, dill and cream cheese on scrambled eggs or in an omelet (eggs pictured above)
   

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5. •Gravlax on dense, sourdough rye bread with goat cheese and dill
   

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7. •Gravlax plain, off your eager fingers, while you’re pretending to decide how to use it (don’t eat fingers)
   

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9. •Salad of gravlax, sliced hardboiled eggs, sliced pickles, orange tomatoes, dill, and mustard-lemon dressing
   

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11. •Rolls of gravlax, cream cheese and dill
    

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13. •Make a plate of gravlax, hard cheese, nectarines, hazelnuts, radishes, and hardboiled eggs.  Nice lunch or picnic.
    

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15. •Another lunch or picnic: Slices of gravlax, mustard sauce, an artichoke with garlic butter, some fresh goat cheese, summer berries, sliced tomatoes, and slices of cold, crustless quiche or frittata.  Invite me.