Cured Trout
Curing fish—or "gravlax", as we say in Swedish—is an old and easy way of preserving fish. It’s embarrassingly simple, but the results are astounding. The principle is very basic. You cure a piece of fish in sugar and salt, using the process to introduce other flavors into the fish—in this case, dill and pepper. If you prefer, you can substitute the dill for other herbs, and the rainbow trout for salmon or arctic char fillets. You can even freeze the cured fish. Just place it in a freezer bag with plenty of chopped dill. When you are going to use it, cut it up before it has completely thawed—it is easier to get nice slices then.
Coarsely chop <quantity>1<unit>bunch</unit></quantity> of dill
Combine <quantity>4<unit>tbsp</unit></quantity> of flaky salt, <quantity>2<unit>tbsp</unit></quantity> of sugar and <quantity>1<unit>tsp</unit></quantity> of ground white pepper
Dry <quantity>1½<unit>kg</unit></quantity> skin-on rainbow trout fillets with a paper towel. Remove any remaining pin bones with a tweezer
Evenly spread the salt mix between the fillets on both sides
Place <quantity>2</quantity> fillets, skin-side down, on a plate. Top one of them with <quantity>2<unit>tbsp</unit></quantity> of the chopped dill and cover with the other fillet. Repeat with the remaining trout fillets and dill
Cover with cling film and top with a heavy plate to slightly press them down
Place the fillets in the refrigerator for 1d to cure and set the flavors. Flip and drain the fillets periodically and return them to the refrigerator
Place the trout in the freezer until partially frozen. Thinly slice each fillet diagonally, scraping off the excess seasoning. The cured trout is ready
Enjoy it with a fresh salad or on top of a slice of sourdough bread with dijon sauce.
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