Cured Salmon

We're running a bit behind on a blog from last week, but the bonus this week is I get to tell yall a sort of embarrassing story. This week I'm going to regale you with the time I almost flunked out of culinary school and a cool cured salmon recipe. 

The pasta dough video was created first. It's in the process of being edited and will be out as soon we can. Once released, a carbonara bonus blog will accompany it.  Typing this, I realize it was a month ago. Time really flies. We appreciate your patience as ongoing RV renovations and numerous medical appointments are occupying much of our usual blogging and filming schedule.

Well let's get into this thing and really hope my mom doesn't read this one. My first culinary school class, storeroom, felt very unfamiliar. I have never encountered such a wide array of spices, vegetables, cuts of meat, and various other items in my entire life. When I feel overwhelmed, retaining information becomes difficult due to my dyslexia. My classes and laboratory sessions lasted for nine days, necessitating a novel approach to learning. The pivot adapted quickly to rapid learning. Chef Leonard once said that understanding your motivation is crucial for success. Wouldn't you know she was right. To succeed, you need to work hard and improve, regardless of past achievements. Prove you deserve the spot you fought so hard to get. I'm likely talking to myself as much as to you. 

Today, we will be preparing gravlax, also known as cured salmon. First mentioned in 14th-century Northern Sweden, it was a method to preserve salmon for longer without refrigeration. Google says gravlax means to bury salmon. Fishermen would bury their catch above high tide in birch bark and place in a bath with herbs and spices. These days we use sugar, salt, and dill in the fridge. Normally served on rye or pumpernickel bread with mustard sauce.

Use equal parts rock salt and sugar for this curing process. Lay two long strips of cling wrap on your work surface. Finely mince a large quantity of dill and place it in a bowl that is sufficiently sized to accommodate all the ingredients. Add rock salt, sugar, and peppercorns, then mix thoroughly. Place the salmon skin side down on cling wrap, coat it thoroughly with the salt and sugar mixture, wrap it tightly, and put it in a sturdy bowl or pan. Place a board or several large books on top of the cling-wrapped salmon, then add three 14-ounce cans for 12 hours. Subsequently, flip the salmon and perform the same procedure of applying weight to it for 3 to 5 days. Once finished, remove the salmon from the salt bath and rinse off the mixture. A fresh aioli mixed with grain mustard, lemon juice, and dill served on a rye crostini would be an appropriate sauce.

Imposter syndrome is a common experience that many people live with throughout their lives. I'm now surrounded by supportive cheerleaders who help me remember my identity and reach my goals. My advice is to surround yourself with supportive individuals and to demonstrate boldness and courage. If you need a cheerleader in your life, I'm here to support you. You are a beautiful creation made in the image of amazingness. You are a brilliant light to the people around you. You are worthy of love and will find the love that you crave.

Thank you for the gift of your attention. You all are so kind to come back every week to read about my life. Thank you for sharing my site with your friends and family. Please don’t forget about the YouTube channel we just started; Alex has a chicken stock video he’s going to post this week with behind-the-scenes footage on how to break down a chicken. That section will probably be in the how-to area, a few tabs down from here. I believe I am improving in this area. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please comment below or send me an email… Be Blessed!!