SERVES 12 TO 15 AS AN APPETIZER, 20 TO 24 AS AN HORS D’OEUVRE
This is the China Moon answer to gravlax, a fillet of lightly cured salmon hinting of ginger, coriander, and Szechwan peppercorn. I love it far better than the usual dill-inspired version, particularly when it is mated with our Sweet Mustard Sauce.
Cured salmon is surprisingly easy to make. Forget the many recipes that call for wrapping and turning the fish in inscrutably esoteric ways! A piece of plastic film and a few days’ patience is all that is required.
3 to 3½ pounds impeccably fresh side(s) of salmon with skin left on, bones removed with tweezers or needle-nose pliers
2½ tablespoons sugar
2½ tablespoons Roasted Szechwan Pepper-Salt (page 5)
Several twists of black and white pepper
¼ cup very fine fresh ginger julienne
½ cup coarsely chopped coriander leaves and stems
1. Place the salmon fillet, skin side down, on a rimmed baking sheet or large, flat platter. (If the baking sheet is aluminum, line it with plastic wrap before placing the fish on it.) Combine the sugar, pepper-salt, and ground pepper, and sprinkle evenly over the fillet. Scatter the ginger julienne and coriander evenly on top. Cover with plastic wrap. Place another baking sheet over the salmon. Weigh it down with a 3- to 5-pound weight. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours or, for fuller flavor, up to 3 days. Every 8 to 10 hours, drain off any liquid that collects in the bottom of the pan.
2. To serve, discard the ginger and coriander. Slice the gravlax very thinly on the diagonal with a long and thin-bladed sharp knife.
MENU SUGGESTIONS: Along with the Sweet Mustard Sauce (page 21), I adore serving this fish with Mandarin Breadtwists (page 66) or hot wedges of Pan-Fried Scallion-Chive Bread (page 382) and mounds of brightly colored Orange-Pickled Carrot Coins (page 58), and/or Ginger-Pickled Red Cabbage Slaw (page 61).