This festive dish is perfect for Christmas or New Year celebrations. It features a succulent salmon fillet cured with brown sugar, salt, and spices, and served with a tangy dill crème fraîche sauce. The curing process enhances the flavor and texture of the salmon, while the sauce adds a refreshing contrast.
This recipe is easy to make, but requires some planning ahead, as the salmon needs to cure for at least 24 hours. You can also make the sauce in advance and refrigerate it until ready to serve. This dish is elegant, delicious, and healthy, and will impress your guests with its sophisticated presentation.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- 1 (2-pound) skin-on salmon fillet
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
- 1 cup crème fraîche
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh dill sprigs, for garnish
Tools and Equipment
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Small skillet
- Mortar and pestle or spice grinder
- Large baking dish
- Plastic wrap
- Paper towels
- Medium bowl
- Whisk
- Serving platter
- Serrated knife
Recommended Products
- Brown sugar
- Kosher salt
- Crème fraîche
- Serrated knife
Time Required
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 0 minutes
- Curing time: 24 to 48 hours
- Total time: 24 hours and 15 minutes to 48 hours and 15 minutes
Mise en Place
- Rinse the salmon fillet and pat it dry with paper towels. Check for any bones and remove them with tweezers or a small knife. Cut off any thin or uneven edges and reserve for another use.
- In a small skillet over medium-high heat, toast the peppercorns, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder and coarsely grind.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Directions
- In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, salt, and half of the spice mixture. Spread half of the sugar-salt mixture evenly over the bottom of a large baking dish. Place the salmon fillet, skin side down, on top of the sugar-salt mixture. Sprinkle the remaining sugar-salt mixture and the chopped dill over the salmon, pressing lightly to adhere. Cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours, depending on how cured you like your salmon.
- When ready to serve, remove the salmon from the baking dish and rinse off the sugar-salt mixture and the dill under cold water. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into thin slices with a serrated knife, leaving the skin behind.
- Arrange the salmon slices on a serving platter and garnish with fresh dill sprigs. Serve with the dill crème fraîche sauce on the side or drizzled over the salmon.
Serving Instructions
- This dish can be served as an appetizer or a main course, depending on the portion size. For an appetizer, serve 2 to 3 slices of salmon per person with a dollop of sauce. For a main course, serve 4 to 6 slices of salmon per person with more sauce.
- This dish can be served cold or at room temperature, depending on your preference. If serving cold, keep the salmon and the sauce refrigerated until ready to serve. If serving at room temperature, let the salmon and the sauce sit out for about 15 minutes before serving.
- This dish can be served with a variety of accompaniments, such as crackers, bread, salad, roasted vegetables, potatoes, or rice.
Plating and Garnishing
- To make the dish more visually appealing, you can use a variety of colors and textures on the platter. For example, you can add some sliced lemon, cucumber, radish, or cherry tomatoes to the platter, or sprinkle some capers, red onion, or parsley over the salmon.
- To make the dish more festive, you can use some edible flowers, such as dill flowers, nasturtiums, or pansies, to garnish the platter. You can also use some fresh herbs, such as mint, basil, or cilantro, to add some freshness and flavor.
Tips and Notes
- You can use any type of salmon for this recipe, such as Atlantic, sockeye, coho, or king. However, avoid using farm-raised salmon, as it may contain antibiotics, hormones, or other additives that can affect the flavor and quality of the cured salmon.
- You can adjust the amount of sugar, salt, and spices in the curing mixture according to your taste and preference. You can also add other ingredients, such as garlic, ginger, lemon zest, or orange zest, to the curing mixture for more flavor and aroma.
- You can also use other herbs, such as parsley, chives, or tarragon, instead of or in addition to dill, for the sauce and the garnish. You can also use sour cream, yogurt, or mayonnaise instead of crème fraîche, if you prefer.
- You can store the leftover cured salmon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can store the leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving size: 1/8 of the recipe (about 4 ounces of salmon and 2 tablespoons of sauce)
- Calories: 282
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated fat: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 83 mg
- Sodium: 1039 mg
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Sugar: 9 g
- Protein: 22 g
Disclaimer
- This recipe is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical or dietary advice. Please consult your doctor or nutritionist before making any changes to your diet or health regimen.
- This recipe may contain allergens, such as fish, dairy, and gluten. Please check the ingredients carefully and avoid this recipe if you have any allergies or intolerances. You can also substitute or omit any ingredients that may cause you problems.