If I lived near the sea, I'd be tempted to cure salmon the way Scandinavian fishermen did in the Middle Ages, by salting it lightly and burying it in the sand above the high-tide line until it was pleasantly fermented. Thus gravlax—from grav, which means "grave," and lax, which means "salmon." The fermented kind is undoubtedly staging its comeback (along with kombucha and kimchi and every other funky thing), but if you're lacking a piece of beachfront property, you can always bury your salmon in a dry marinade of salt, sugar, spices and fresh dill for a few days. The salmon cures by osmosis, and the moisture turns the dry cure into a highly concentrated brine. This method works for most fatty fish, but salmon is the traditional favorite. It has a mild, sweet flavor and a velvety, unctuous mouthfeel that goes nicely with icy cold vodka and heated conversation.

Read More...

As promised, here is the recipe for lacto-fermented dill pickles. In case you've forgotten, that means they are preserved with salt and bacteria—there's no boiling of the brine or anything. It really couldn't be easier. With some cucumbers, some dill, a few cloves of garlic, salt and water, the magic of pickling takes place. They sit out on the counter for about 3 days while the lactobacillus does its thing. I made both spears and chips, and I think I'm going to like them even better after they've been refrigerated. I like that cold, crisp snap. Today I'm making ice cream and popsicles, so I probably won't post again until Monday, when you'll get a chance to see how the Pulled Pork Fest turned out. I hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend, full of sunshine and friends and treats and relaxation. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness: it's what we're all still entitled to, from sea to shining sea.
Read More...