Home Cured Salmon/Fish

1. You can use any size piece of fish, from a small fillet to a whole side. Just adjust the seasoning amounts accordingly.
2. Rinse the fish under cold water and pat dry. Place in a non-reactive baking dish (glass, ceramic) skin side down.
3. Mix together equal parts salt and sugar, enough to cover the fish in a 1/4-1/2 inch layer.
4. Add pepper to taste.
5. Add flavoring to the salt and sugar mix. (The amounts below are for a 2 1/2-pound fillet. These are my preferences; you can easily add more of one spice or another if you really enjoy that flavoring.)

Some tasty spice combinations:
– zest of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon crushed fennel seed, and 2 tablespoons dill
– 1 tablespoon crushed fennel seed or caraway and 2 tablespoons dill
– zest of 1 lemon and about 1/4 cup fresh herbs such as dill, cilantro, parsley, rosemary, thyme, marjoram (doesn’t have to be chopped)
– 2 to 3 tablespoons five spice powder
– zest of 1 lime, 1 to 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger, cilantro or ground coriander

There is a lot of room for experimentation and creativity.

6. Spread the mixture over the top and sides of the fish.

7. Cover and place in the refrigerator for no less than 24 hours. Some suggest to weigh down the salmon; I have never done this and do not find it necessary. Also, some recipes call for waiting 3 days before eating; we typically wait 2 days. The fish will get firmer the longer it sits and we happen to prefer the firmness after 2 days, especially on leaner types of fish like Coho.

8. Use the sharpest and thinnest blade knife you have. Slice very thin pieces and put the knife blade at angle so that it is almost parallel to the counter. You will get larger slices this way.

9. Slice and serve on any number things: bagels with cream cheese, canapes, pizza, salad, eggs, potato salad, sandwiches, etc.