4TH STREET BISTRO HOUSE-CURED WILD SALMON GRAVLAX
2 whole wild salmon fillets – skin on (about 5 pounds)
½ cup freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup toasted anise seeds
1¼ cups coarse kosher salt
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 large bunch coarsely chopped dill or fennel fronds
Stir salt and sugar together in a mixing bowl.
Use tweezers or needle-nose pliers to remove any pin bones from the salmon fillets. Place each fillet skin side down and sprinkle the flesh with the pepper, anise seeds, sugar-salt mixture, and then the fennel or dill.
Lift one fillet and turn it onto the other, flesh sides together. Place the pair of fillets on a rack inside a glass or stainless steel pan to drain.
Weight down the fillets with a platter or cutting board. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 days, turning every 12 hours.
To serve: Remove dill or fennel and slice thinly. Serve with rye toasts, cucumbers, and Dijon mustard-dill sauce.
