In order to preserve highly nutritious meat and fish, hunted or grown, to be used at hard times or during long journeys, various methods had been employed since prehistoric times.
The oldest method is to dehydrate the food. Until the end of the 19th century the only way to preserve meat and fish to be consumed on a safe basis was extracting all the liquid by salting, spicing and/or smoking.
Orijinal sushi, nare-zushi, was quite different than what we know today. It started as a long time preservation method for fish. 1 mouthful of fish was salted, rolled in vinegar flavored rice and left to the side. In time the souring and rotting rice can be cleaned and the preserved fish could be eaten.
Salt, takes all the humidity from meat and fish by way of osmosis. Sugar, does not affect the taste but softens the sharp taste of salt. This recipe where I use both salt and sugar is a gravlax variation enjoyed in northern Europe.
ingredients
- 100 grams beet, thin grate
- 40 grams horseradish or hot black radish, thin grate
- 2 1/2 tsp orange zest
- 1/2 bundle of dill, shred
- 40 grams salt
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp grape molasses
- 2 1/2 tsp white wine
- 500 grams salmon fillet, skin on, bones cleaned
- 100 gram beyaz taze peynir veya süzme yoğurt
- 1 çbk Dijon hardal
- 1 tbsp dill, shred
preparation
- Combine beet, horseradish, orange zest and dill.
- Mix in salt and sugar.
- Pour molasses and wine, blend.
- Put salmon skin side down in a container that it just fits. Spoon on the beet mixture and spread to completely cover. Cover with plastic wrap. Top with something flat that fits on top of the fish. Then put on 3-4 kilograms weight and refrigerate. Cure for 4-5 days, draining the liquid end of 1st and 3rd day.
- Unwrap salmon, scrape off beet mixture and discard. Rinse, pat dry with paper towel. Can keep whole in the fridge for 15-20 days.
- Skin and thin slice to serve.
- For the sauce, blend cheese, mustard and dill. I prefer using strained yogurt thinking that it lightens the taste of the oily fish..
- 1 çbk = 1 çorba kaşığı = 1 table spoon = 15 ml
- 1 tsp = 1 tatlı kaşığı = 1 tea spoon = 5 ml
- 1 cup ~ 1 su bardağı = 1 cup = 240 ml
- measurements
- ps: buying the cut from the thicker end of the salmon fillet makes it easier to slice when cured.
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