Gravlax

This is a very easy way to dazzle your friends and family! (Well.....if they like smoked salmon that is, then they'll love this.)

Gavlax is simply cured salmon. It has the same texture as smoked salmon and you serve it in much the same way. You need to cure it for a minimum 2 days - longer is better, like 4. And it'll last, well-wrapped, in the fridge for at least a couple of weeks.

I adapted this recipe from BBC Good Food.

Ask at the fish shop for a centre piece of salmon, skin off. For this batch, I had about 700g. At Christmas, I did two pieces (yes - just chucked them in together) of about 500g each. It's not a science.

In the Nutri-bullet or food processor, blend:

• 75g sea salt flakes (no need to be exact - but it's a fair bit and necessary for the curing process)
• 75g/ml something sweet - some recipes use caster sugar or brown sugar - I used 100% pure maple syrup and I reckon it was better
• 1 small bunch of dill (20g)  - just pluck off the frilly bits and leave out the major stalks
• A good slug of vodka or gin - I used gin
• 8 - 10 juniper berries - I found dried ones at the green grocer
• A few black pepper corns
• Some grated lemon zest

Tip the green sludge into a plastic bag. (Think about recycling the one the fish came in.) Add the fish and squish it about a bit to make sure it's well covered. Roll the bag closed, trying to eliminate all the air you can. Pop it in a small-ish dish so the fit is snug, then weight it down with a few cans of whatever - tomatoes, coconut milk - anything heavy. I can get 5 cans on mine! Chuck it in the fridge.

If you remember, turn it over in a day or two.

After 4 days or so, take it out and slice as thinly as you can (you can see mine is not very thin.... I need new knives...). 

I served it on pumpernickel bread, with a dollop of black caviar (just Lump Fish roe from the supermarket - not the fancy-pants Beluga Fish caviar from your drug dealer!!) and a little dressing made of dill, Dijon mustard and a little more maple syrup or honey - in the Nutri-bullet.

There you have it people. Go forth and cure!