Recipe

Ouzo Cured Salmon

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Ouzo Cured Salmon

Photo by Savorykitchen

  • This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Salmon
    This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Open House Dish
  • A&M's Testing Notes: This recipe was my introduction to home cured salmon... I didn't know it was so simple to make! I substituted Pernod for the ouzo and left out the Aleppo pepper flakes, but otherwise followed...

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  • Chef

    Savorykitchen's Notes: Inspired by gravlax, this dish uses ouzo to provide a slightly anise-y touch to the salmon. This is a delicious addition to a buffet table or your bagel a brunch. Use impeccably fresh salmon...

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Serves 6-8

  1. Put the salmon, skin-size down, on a large sheet of plastic wrap in a container large enough hold the salmon in one flat layer (The salmon will exude more liquid - make sure the dish you're using has sides high enough to contain any drips: rimmed baking sheet, roasting pan, large Tupperware container, etc.).

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  2. Drizzle the salmon with the ouzo. Mix together the remaining ingredients and rub on the flesh. Wrap the plastic around the fillet tightly, trying to keep the liquid inside the plastic. Cover the fish with a cookie sheet, plate or some other flat item (you want to weight the fillet down, so make sure it's entirely covered. Weight down the sheet with a heavy item (a can, bag of flour, cast iron skillet, etc.) . Place the salmon in the refrigerator for one to three days (the flavor gets stronger the longer it cures).

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  3. Unwrap the salmon and pat it dry. Using a very sharp knife, slice very thin slices across the fillet. Garnish with citrus (I used kumquats and some dill fronds). Serve with carrot tzatziki.

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  1. Mix all the ingredients together. Adjust salt to taste. If you need more tartness, add a little more lemon. As the tzatziki sits, the garlic flavor will become more pronounced. For best results, make this the day you intend to serve it.

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Img_1045_2 Reply

I love the idea of using Ouzo in the cure. Definitely making this soon. I'm a big fan of cured salmon for breakfast and this looks like a great way to start the day.

Lnd_jen Reply

This sounds fabulous. And I love tzatziki, so I will have to try this spin on it!

Reply

Thank you so - even in Greece they don't have cucumbers year-round, so carrots or beets are an authentic substitute. (My maiden name is super-long and ends in "-opoulos" so I know what I'm talking about. :-)

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