Citrus Cured Salmon

[cjsadler]

I had some delicious seared citrus cured salmon with creme fraiche at a restaurant in Philly (Django). Has anyone citrus cured salmon? Or know of a recipe that could be trusted?

[ducphat30]

I have never seen the dish that you are talking about, but it is possible to really infuse the flavor of citrus into salmon with a classic cure. We have done it with a lot of meyer lemon zest, alot, that is mixed with salt and sugar. We did not use the juice, so it would not "cook" it. But after 2 days the meyer lemon flavor was very good through the salmon.

[Gifted Gourmet]

This is one version I have had success with lately ... involves several different types of citrus ...

http://magazines.ivillage.com/countrylivin...,551871,00.html

and this is what I am doing for my summer gravlax which utilizes grapefruit:

http://www.foodtv.ca/recipes/printrecipes/...recipe_3764.asp

Edited March 12, 2004 by Gifted Gourmet (log)

[mcdowell]

I've done a gravlax using orange zest, sugar & tequila, packed in cilantro that's worked really well.

[Gifted Gourmet]

I've done a gravlax using orange zest, sugar & tequila, packed in cilantro that's worked really well.

But you used salt, I assume, or that might make it rather sweet?

and how much like ceviche might this become?

Edited March 12, 2004 by Gifted Gourmet (log)

[cjsadler]

I found a recipe in Tom Colicchio's 'Think like a Chef'. He uses lime, lemon and orange zest (no juice) mixed with salt and a bit of sugar. Cure for 36 hours, then air dry for a bit in the fridge.

[kurl]

Haven't made it, but I do know that Veritas in NYC serves (or served) a citrus cured salmon with horseradish creme fresh and caviar thing once that was fantastic.

Don't think that Tom Bryan's published a cookbook, but might be worth a look.

[itch22]

I had some delicious seared citrus cured salmon with creme fraiche at a restaurant in Philly (Django).

It was cured and then cooked? I thought gravlax was served raw?

[cjsadler]

I had some delicious seared citrus cured salmon with creme fraiche at a restaurant in Philly (Django).

It was cured and then cooked? I thought gravlax was served raw?

It was seared very briefly, which was unusual, but made it more interesting in texture and flavor, I thought.

[Suzanne F]

I've done trout fillets with citrus zest, salt, sugar, vodka, etc. etc. Being fresh-water, though, they have to be cooked after they're cured. In this case, poached in olive oil. Really good.

[itch22]

I've done trout fillets with citrus zest, salt, sugar, vodka, etc. etc. Being fresh-water, though, they have to be cooked after they're cured. In this case, poached in olive oil. Really good.

Off topic, though pertaining to cooking cured food, the first time I had Chinese sausage I didn't realise I needed to cook them. I ate a whole one raw! I never got sick though...

[tissue]

I think French Laundry cookcook has a recipe for citrus cured salmon, but they slow cook it in oil.

[helenjp]

I have made ceviche and polynesian-style fish in lemon juice and coconut...in those cases, the fish is cut thin, and then soaked in quantities of sharp citrus juice, until it turns white.

At Japanese New Year, I cure a block of sashimi-grade salmon in coarse salt and a little honey, with plenty of sliced but not squeezed lemon or yuzu. The salt and honey make the salmon much firmer, but it never loses that translucent look. I serve the fish sliced, interleaved with freshly sliced quarters of citrus.

I don't use other herbs, but that is just because my Hokkaido-born husband wants the taste of salmon without strong condiments interfering!

[geekdoc]

Try the French Laundry cookbook for a good citrus cure using salt, pepper, orange/grapefruit/lemon/lime zest x about 4 hours and the poached fully submerged in olive oil at 110 degrees for 10 minutes (I stick my finger in the oil to make sure its not too hot - should be like medium hot bath) Awesome results and easy as pie. works great with tuna as well.

Thanks T.K.

[cjsadler]

Tried the Colicchio method. I ended up letting it sit for longer than the 36 hours, more like 48 until I could get back home to check it out. The result..... not good. The salt sucked a huge amount of moisture out of the salmon, making it hard and stiff. Rinsed it off, patted it dry and seared it. Quite disgusting. The salmon was too salty, not very citrus-y and the texture was unpleasant. Edible, but barely. I'm wondering if Django didn't just soak the salmon ceviche style for an hour or so... theirs was moist, citrus-y and delicious.

[bigorre]

If you are doing a whole side of salmon I would first keep the skin on, then prepare the following mixture, 500grams of coarse salt,200grams of sugar, the zest from10 lemons black peppercorns 10 grams,fennel seeds(10 grams put all of that in a bowl mix it well and apply all this mixture on the filet.Then place in the fridge for 36 hours.Then under cold water remove all the salt lemon mix outta there.It should work out pretty good.If you want to sear it make sure youre fish is patted dry and using a t-fal pan could be good in youre case.

[cbarre02]

They could have just cured it the traditional way with a tone of zests, to give it citrus depth. And right be for service hit it with a bit of citrus juice.

[Suzanne F]

bigorre, you just reminded me that at one place where I worked, the salmon was covered with paper-thin slices of fennel, and maybe some shallots and cilantro? along with a sugar/salt mix. Actually, this was sandwiched between two whole sides. The memory is a little hazy, but I don't think it was cured for much more that 24 hours.

[alanamoana]

also a good addition to the citrus cure is a little citrus flavored vodka...absolute limon or mandarin might be good! i think we were cheap and just used skyy citron or something like that.

[bigorre]

yeh....throw in some pastis in there as well !!!all kinds of methods you know do some experiments and enjoy my friends make some blinis on the side some creme fraiche and thats it dont need much more huh!