Gravlax di ricciola

I can provide you with an Italian version of the Gravlax recipe, using amberjack, a prized and very tasty fish. This is a dish of Scandinavian origin that is usually prepared with salmon, but amberjack lends itself perfectly to a Mediterranean version of this dish.

Ingredients

• 600 g of skinless amberjack fillet
• 70 g of sugar
• 100 g of coarse salt
• 2 tablespoons of crushed black peppercorns
• 1 bunch of chopped fresh dill
• Grated zest of 1 organic lemon

Preparation

1. Clean the amberjack fillet, making sure there are no bones.
2. In a bowl, mix together the sugar, coarse salt, and crushed black pepper.
3. Lay a sheet of cling film over the work surface and spread a portion of the salt, sugar, and pepper mixture in the center.
4. Place the amberjack fillet on top of the mixture and cover it with the remaining mixture. Add the chopped dill and grated lemon zest over the fillet.
5. Carefully wrap the fillet in the cling film, trying to seal it as much as possible.
6. Place the wrapped fillet in a tray and put a weight on top of it (some tins of preserves will do fine).
7. Leave the fillet under the weight in the refrigerator for 48 hours, turning it approximately every 12 hours.
8. After 48 hours, remove the cling film and rinse the fillet under cold water to remove the salt and spice mixture.
9. Pat the fillet dry with kitchen paper, and if you want, you can sprinkle with a little chopped fresh dill before serving.
10. Thinly slice the amberjack gravlax and serve.

Amberjack gravlax can be served on toasted bread or blinis, accompanied by a mustard and dill sauce, or simply with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a few drops of lemon juice.

Curiosity

“Gravlax” literally means “buried salmon”, referring to the traditional method of preserving fish by burying it underground, covered with salt, sugar, and spices to let it ferment slightly. Obviously, in the modern recipe, the fermentation process has been replaced by simple marination in the fridge.

Now that you have a base, feel free to experiment with other herbs or spices according to your personal taste!