All forms of seafood and fish are high in omega 3s, but salmon is among the highest. We try to incorporate salmon into our diet as frequently as budget allows, since the kids absolutely love it. We serve it smoked, broiled, or (our new favorite) as gravlax.

Gravlax is a traditional Scandinavian method of curing salmon in sugar, salt, and fresh herbs. We skip the sugar and add citrus zest to our recipe, and the orange or lemon taste comes through deliciously. We like to serve it with red sauerkraut, sunflower or cantaloupe microgreens, and avocado.

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Blood Orange & Dill Gravlax

Caroline

An ancient Scandinavian method of salt-curing salmon, this gravlax radiates the flavor of blood orange and fresh dill while preserving the high content of healthy fats naturally present in wild-caught salmon.

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Prep Time 45

Cook Time 6

Total Time 6 45

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Scandinavian

Servings people

Equipment

rimmed broiling ban
Himalayan Salt Block (you can also use clean rocks or other food-safe weights)
Chef's knife
medium cutting board
large strainer

Ingredients

2 lbs wild-caught salmon
1 cup mineral salt
1 bunch fresh dill
1 blood orange

Instructions

Wash and gently pat dry salmon filets. Remove any bones, then place, skin-side-down in rimmed broiling or roasting pan. Assemble curing ingredients.
Zest blood orange, and roughly chop fresh dill. Reserve skinned orange for breakfast or other use.
Mix blood orange zest, chopped dill, and salt until combined.
Evenly spoon curing mixture onto the flesh sides of each salmon filet.
Place salmon filets flesh-to-flesh on top of each other.
Place salt block (or other weight) on top of salmon filets.
Wrap entire pan in plastic wrap or add an air-tight lid.
Refrigerate, then allow to cure for 6-8 hours, or until juices have gathered at the bottom of the pan.
Gently rinse filets through a strainer, discarding solid curing ingredients.
Pat dry salmon filets, then peel the skin from the backs of each filet.
Slice filets into desired lengths on cutting board.
Assemble on Himalayan Salt Platter for serving.

Notes

I always source my salmon from companies I trust to reduce risk of parasites. I buy only wild-caught salmon from companies like Butcher Box, Sitka Seafood Market, or Sea to Table and then freeze it in my home for at least 10 days prior to preparing.

You can adjust curing time according to taste. Predictably, less time will result in more fish and citrus flavor and more time will result in a saltier dish. We have found our sweet spot to be around 6 hours of curing time, and we always cure in the refrigerator.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

This recipe takes a little forethought and preparation but the taste is oh-so-worth-it. When we serve this, our kids ask for seconds and thirds. Consider prepping the salmon in the morning for a delicious and nutritious dinner full of brain-building fats for you and your kids. The beauty and the color of this dish is hard to beat!

Do your kids like salmon? Try your hand at salt-curing rather than broiling or grilling! Leave a note below and let me know how your kids respond to the texture and taste!

Blood Orange & Dill Gravlax