Gravlox is a delicious snack often served at Hanukkah or on Shabbat.
Some people use the terms smoked salmon, lox and gravlox interchangeably, but they aren't the same thing. Smoked salmon is smoked, and smoked meats and fish can contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons which can be linked to cancer. Gravlox and lox are salt-cured. Gravlox is cured with salt and soften sugar but also with seasoning like dill or black pepper. This recipe includes both kosher salt and sugar, giving it a richness of flavour. If you are trying to control the sugar in your diet it can easily be eliminated.
Curing salmon at home is easy. It's also much more affordable than buying the finished product.
Most recipes, like this one, call for wrapping the seasoned salmon with plastic wrap and placing a weight on top. If you don’t like using plastic wrap you can cure the salmon in an airtight glass container. If you opt for this route, you don’t need the weight as the salt will draw out the moisture, whether you weight it or not.
This recipe is adjustable for whatever amount of salmon you use. Serve with an assortment of garnishes such as hard boiled eggs, capers, red onion, cornichons, and horseradish.
