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Recipe Detail Page
Instant Gravlax with Arugula-Fennel Salad & Crème Fraîche Dressing
Autumn 2022
This extremely clever method for quickly curing salmon comes from chef and cookbook author Jacques Pépin. The silky fish is paired with a sweet, peppery salad and a creamy, tangy dressing. If you’re not confident in your knife skills, ask your fishmonger to slice the fish for you.
Serves 6
1/2 cup (125 mL) crème fraîche
2 tbsp (30 mL) cold water
1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice
1 tsp (5 mL) Dijon mustard
Fine sea salt to taste
1 lb (455 g) centre-cut sushi-grade salmon, skin removed
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Granulated sugar to taste
1 tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped fennel fronds
1 lemon
2 cups (500 mL) baby arugula
1/2 cup (125 mL) thinly sliced fennel
Finely sliced chives to garnish
1. To make dressing, in a small bowl, whisk crème fraîche, water, lemon juice and mustard. Season with salt. Transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate up to 3 days.
2. Trim thin belly portion of salmon and save for another use. If the filet was cut from a large fish, cut salmon in half. Using a very sharp knife, slice salmon crosswise on a bias about 1/8-inch (3-mm) thick.
3. In a large, non-reactive baking dish that will fit the salmon slices in a single layer, sprinkle bottom of dish lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle very lightly with sugar. Sprinkle with half of fennel frond. Using a rasp, grate a little lemon zest over, too. Lay salmon slices over seasonings. Repeat, sprinkling tops of salmon slices with salt, pepper, sugar, fennel fronds and lemon zest. Cover and refrigerate at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour.
4. When ready to serve, place arugula and sliced fennel in a large mixing bowl. Toss.
5. Divide salmon among six chilled plates. Top with a mound of salad. Dollop dressing over salad. Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately.
Serves 6
