Salmon season has been going for a while now and summer is in full swing
here in the PNW. Garden is in and now it is time to get some seasonal
favorites prepared. The Copper River hype is over and the prices are
leveling a bit with Alaskan Sockeye now $5 low to $10 high. Whole Sockeye
5-7 lbs ave. can be had for 3-4 dollars a pound. I will be tweaking some
salmon recipes ideas I have ( Grilled Salmon in a Yellow Mole with roasted
corn/ Scallion salsa, some with a Mexican flair over the next few days. So
if there is any interest I will post them. Conversely, if anyone has some
ideas I would love to hear them. But for now, it is time to prepare some
salmon and one of my favorite appetizers is an Ancho Chile/Tequila Gravlax,
Salsa Mexicana and crispy corn tortilla chips



Gravlax is a Scandinavian salt cured fish, mostly Salmon. It has been
adapted and adopted, like most cuisines, and spiced up a bit over the years
with a variety of local flavors and ingredients. This one uses Ancho
chiles, Tequila, cumin and cilantro to create a Mexican Style flavor. It
offers a basic protein element for the imaginative cook to create endless
appetizing little dishes, hors d'oeurvres, antipasto, antojitos, botanas,
canapés, bocaditos, snacks, nosh, or whatever you wish to call them. Be
experimental with different Mexican flavors in a fusion fashion, try a
hibiscus tea and coriander seed rub; Anise, fennel and orange zest rub;
Black pepper, Juniper berries and gin; Habanero, Achiote paste and Tamarind
(trying this one next), any of the new flavored liquors with complementary
or even contrasting spices. The important thing is to experiment



I cure and press my Gravlax for a good week but I here is a good Link to see
and understand the basics:
http://www.cookingforengineers.com/recipe/132/Gravlax. My particular
pressing step is not essential but my method works for the way I like it.
Regardless, prior to making this dish, give some thought about how you will
cure the salmon whether you want to save the brine, or even if you want to
press the fish and where the juices can escape to. I do not save the brine
but I imagine it would be a very flavorful ingredient to use in some dishes
and may consider it later. For now I want it cured and pressed so I use two
pans that I know I can fit in the fridge. The bottom pan I use has a
roasting rack and I have a slightly smaller meatloaf pan that will stack fit
inside it that I can put a foil wrapped brick in it to squeeze the liquid
out of the fish. I got a bit obsessive here. I didn't like the grill mark
look of the finished product so I cut one of the thin food grade flexible
cutting sheets someone gave me ( 2-3 in a pack) to fit inside the bottom
roaster. I then took a soldering iron and melted small holes in it making a
perforated sheet if you will. This way I have a fairly hard surface to lie
on the wire rack that I can wash and reuse and it allows the fish to drain
into the pan. Now on to making the product.



INGREDIENTS:


2 Salmon filets about 1-2 lbs ea.

1/4 cup coarse kosher salt
1/4 cup fresh cracked black pepper
1/3 cup piloncillo or brown sugar
2 cups fresh dill

1 cup rough chopped cilantro

1 Tablespoon Ancho chile powder or a chile powder to your taste/comfort

½ teaspoon cumin powder

½ teaspoon Allspice (optional)

2 oz. tequila, 1 shot for the fish, the other for you

PREPARATION:

Place the fillets on a double thickness of plastic wrap.

Mix all of the dry ingredients together, the cumin, cilantro, chile, sugar,
salt, pepper, and dill.

Rub the fish with the tequila.

Divide the spice mixture in half and sprinkle the mixture over both pieces,
coat liberally.

Lay one salmon filets on top of the other so they are head end facing the
tail end of the other.

Wrap tightly in the plastic wrap.

Carefully slice several slits or poke holes in the package so as to allow
the liquid to escape.

Place the tightly wrapped package of salmon into a pan or baking dish and
weigh down with some weight such as a brick or heavy food cans.

Refrigerate the fillets for 3-5 days, turning them over every 12 hours or
so.


Unwrap, rinse off the spices, serve thinly sliced and enjoy.



Serving ideas: Blue corn tortilla chips, lime wedges, pickled red onions,
pickled jalapeno slices, and a variety of fresh salsas or hot sauces. Try a
nice cracker with a thin slice and some flavored mayonnaise, such as
cilantro, dill, jalapeno, a tequila cream or an avocado cream or guacamole.

"Gunner" > wrote in message
...
> Salmon season has been going for a while now and summer is in full swing
> here in the PNW. Garden is in and now it is time to get some seasonal
> favorites prepared. The Copper River hype is over and the prices are
> leveling a bit with Alaskan Sockeye now $5 low to $10 high. Whole Sockeye
> 5-7 lbs ave. can be had for 3-4 dollars a pound. I will be tweaking some
> salmon recipes ideas I have ( Grilled Salmon in a Yellow Mole with roasted
> corn/ Scallion salsa, some with a Mexican flair over the next few days.
So
> if there is any interest I will post them. Conversely, if anyone has some
> ideas I would love to hear them. But for now, it is time to prepare some
> salmon and one of my favorite appetizers is an Ancho Chile/Tequila
Gravlax,
> Salsa Mexicana and crispy corn tortilla chips
>
>
>
> Gravlax is a Scandinavian salt cured fish, mostly Salmon. It has been
> adapted and adopted, like most cuisines, and spiced up a bit over the
years
> with a variety of local flavors and ingredients. This one uses Ancho
> chiles, Tequila, cumin and cilantro to create a Mexican Style flavor. It
> offers a basic protein element for the imaginative cook to create endless
> appetizing little dishes, hors d'oeurvres, antipasto, antojitos, botanas,
> canapés, bocaditos, snacks, nosh, or whatever you wish to call them. Be
> experimental with different Mexican flavors in a fusion fashion, try a
> hibiscus tea and coriander seed rub; Anise, fennel and orange zest rub;
> Black pepper, Juniper berries and gin; Habanero, Achiote paste and
Tamarind
> (trying this one next), any of the new flavored liquors with complementary
> or even contrasting spices. The important thing is to experiment
>
>
>
> I cure and press my Gravlax for a good week but I here is a good Link to
see
> and understand the basics:
> http://www.cookingforengineers.com/recipe/132/Gravlax. My particular
> pressing step is not essential but my method works for the way I like it.
> Regardless, prior to making this dish, give some thought about how you
will
> cure the salmon whether you want to save the brine, or even if you want to
> press the fish and where the juices can escape to. I do not save the
brine
> but I imagine it would be a very flavorful ingredient to use in some
dishes
> and may consider it later. For now I want it cured and pressed so I use
two
> pans that I know I can fit in the fridge. The bottom pan I use has a
> roasting rack and I have a slightly smaller meatloaf pan that will stack
fit
> inside it that I can put a foil wrapped brick in it to squeeze the liquid
> out of the fish. I got a bit obsessive here. I didn't like the grill
mark
> look of the finished product so I cut one of the thin food grade flexible
> cutting sheets someone gave me ( 2-3 in a pack) to fit inside the bottom
> roaster. I then took a soldering iron and melted small holes in it making
a
> perforated sheet if you will. This way I have a fairly hard surface to
lie
> on the wire rack that I can wash and reuse and it allows the fish to drain
> into the pan. Now on to making the product.
>
>
>
> INGREDIENTS:
>
>
> 2 Salmon filets about 1-2 lbs ea.
>
> 1/4 cup coarse kosher salt
> 1/4 cup fresh cracked black pepper
> 1/3 cup piloncillo or brown sugar
> 2 cups fresh dill
>
> 1 cup rough chopped cilantro
>
> 1 Tablespoon Ancho chile powder or a chile powder to your taste/comfort
>
> ½ teaspoon cumin powder
>
> ½ teaspoon Allspice (optional)
>
> 2 oz. tequila, 1 shot for the fish, the other for you
>
> PREPARATION:
>
> Place the fillets on a double thickness of plastic wrap.
>
> Mix all of the dry ingredients together, the cumin, cilantro, chile,
sugar,
> salt, pepper, and dill.
>
> Rub the fish with the tequila.
>
> Divide the spice mixture in half and sprinkle the mixture over both
pieces,
> coat liberally.
>
> Lay one salmon filets on top of the other so they are head end facing the
> tail end of the other.
>
> Wrap tightly in the plastic wrap.
>
> Carefully slice several slits or poke holes in the package so as to allow
> the liquid to escape.
>
> Place the tightly wrapped package of salmon into a pan or baking dish and
> weigh down with some weight such as a brick or heavy food cans.
>
> Refrigerate the fillets for 3-5 days, turning them over every 12 hours or
> so.
>
>
> Unwrap, rinse off the spices, serve thinly sliced and enjoy.
>
>
>
> Serving ideas: Blue corn tortilla chips, lime wedges, pickled red onions,
> pickled jalapeno slices, and a variety of fresh salsas or hot sauces. Try
a
> nice cracker with a thin slice and some flavored mayonnaise, such as
> cilantro, dill, jalapeno, a tequila cream or an avocado cream or
guacamole.
>
Why people believe they can improve the taste of salmon by mixing all kinds
of stuff into the pot is beyond me. The pure, absolute taste of raw or
lightly cooked salmon by itself is enough to send me into seventh heaven.

I firmly believe God put Salmon on earth as the ultimate shashimi delight
for all peoples.

But one must take the time to let the flavor penetrate all those delicate
sensors in the mouth, pallate and nose.

No Tequila, no wines, just plain water on the side.

To me, it's like sex without a rubber. The way it should be!

Wayne

>
>
>
>
>

"Wayne Lundberg" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Gunner" > wrote in message
> ...
>>

> Why people believe they can improve the taste of salmon by mixing all
> kinds
> of stuff into the pot is beyond me. The pure, absolute taste of raw or
> lightly cooked salmon by itself is enough to send me into seventh heaven.
>
> I firmly believe God put Salmon on earth as the ultimate shashimi delight
> for all peoples.
>
> But one must take the time to let the flavor penetrate all those delicate
> sensors in the mouth, pallate and nose.
>
> No Tequila, no wines, just plain water on the side.
>
> To me, it's like sex without a rubber. The way it should be!
>
> Wayne


Good for you. How is that missionary position been working for ya all these
years?

"Gunner" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Wayne Lundberg" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > "Gunner" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >>
>
> > Why people believe they can improve the taste of salmon by mixing all
> > kinds
> > of stuff into the pot is beyond me. The pure, absolute taste of raw or
> > lightly cooked salmon by itself is enough to send me into seventh
heaven.
> >
> > I firmly believe God put Salmon on earth as the ultimate shashimi
delight
> > for all peoples.
> >
> > But one must take the time to let the flavor penetrate all those
delicate
> > sensors in the mouth, pallate and nose.
> >
> > No Tequila, no wines, just plain water on the side.
> >
> > To me, it's like sex without a rubber. The way it should be!
> >
> > Wayne
>
>
> Good for you. How is that missionary position been working for ya all
these
> years?
>
Missionary position is good. So are seven others you could find illustrated
in the KamaSutra.

Salmon by itself is good enough for me. For really spicy fish food I cook a
mean camaron al ajo where four full heads of garlic are used in two pounds
of shrimp... plus about ten pods of chile ancho... cooked my way they become
a finger licking delight. So I'm not ag'in spicy stuff.

Wayne Lundberg wrote:
>
> Why people believe they can improve the taste of salmon by mixing all kinds
> of stuff into the pot is beyond me. The pure, absolute taste of raw or
> lightly cooked salmon by itself is enough to send me into seventh heaven.
>
> I firmly believe God put Salmon on earth as the ultimate shashimi delight
> for all peoples.
>
> But one must take the time to let the flavor penetrate all those delicate
> sensors in the mouth, pallate and nose.
>
> No Tequila, no wines, just plain water on the side.
>
> To me, it's like sex without a rubber. The way it should be!
>
> Wayne
>
>
>>

Wayne, no Tequila, no wines? Wow! As I remember your stories, that's not
like you.

But I agree, though I do cook (usually grill) it more than lightly, as
I'm not always sure I can trust those who have shipped it. Opinions on
how well (or light) to cook it?
Paul