SERVES 4 · ACTIVE: 40 MIN · TOTAL: 2 DAYS
CURING YOUR OWN SALMON is a two-day process, but you’re by no means babysitting it. The majority of the time is spent anticipating all the ways you’ll enjoy the soft, silky flesh—piled in sandwiches, served alongside Soft Scrambled Eggs with Chives and Brioche (here), shaved into slices for appetizers. To reward myself for my patience, I love to show off the salmon in a bright, beautiful salad like the one here. Once you get the method of curing down, you can fool around with the cure by adding others herbs and seasonings, like dill or basil, mustard seeds, and finely grated citrus zest. The quality of the salmon is the constant here—I use only wild Alaskan or organic farmed salmon, which are the most sustainable and flavorful varieties.
Coarse sea salt
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
¼ cup loosely packed fresh lemon verbena, sliced
1 ounce vodka
1½ pounds skin-on wild Alaskan salmon, about 1 inch thick, pin bones removed
¼ cup crème fraîche
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh horseradish
2 teaspoons sliced fresh chives
8 ounces arugula
2 cups baby beets (about 1 bunch), roasted and quartered
Freshly ground black pepper
In a blender or food processor, pulse ½ cup salt, the brown sugar, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns until coarsely ground. In a medium bowl, mix the ground spices, lemon verbena, and vodka.
Dry the salmon with a paper towel and place skin side down on a wire rack set over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread the salt mixture over the top of the salmon. Place another piece of parchment on top of the salted salmon and tightly wrap the entire pan in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about 48 hours, until the salmon feels firm to the touch. Rinse off the salt with cold water and dry the salmon with paper towels. You may now store the salmon tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the lemon juice, horseradish, and 1 teaspoon of the chives until smooth.
Arrange a layer of arugula on a large platter or four individual plates. Thinly slice the salmon crosswise on the bias with a sharp knife, discarding the skin and any gray flesh. Layer the salmon over the arugula, leaving a little green showing on the edge to frame the salmon. Toss the beets in a bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and remaining teaspoon of chives, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Scatter the beets over the salmon and drizzle the horseradish cream over the top.