Salmon, cured two ways for the highland table
A slow gravlax and a quick soy-citrus cure, both built around portioned, skin-on sides you can prep well ahead of service.
Curing is the most forgiving way to put premium salmon on a menu. It needs no live heat, it holds beautifully for days, and it turns a single side into dozens of covers. Both methods below start from the same place: a fresh, skin-on, pin-boned side, thawed slowly under refrigeration.
Method one, Classic gravlax
Gravlax is a dry cure of salt, sugar and aromatics. The salt firms and seasons the flesh while the sugar balances it; time does the rest. Expect 48 hours from start to first slice.
Method two, Quick soy-citrus cure
When you need something for tonight, a wet cure works in hours instead of days and leans the flavour toward the table's love of citrus and heat. Two to four hours in the fridge is plenty for thin portions.
The slow cure is for the banquet you planned. The quick cure is for the table that just sat down.
Serving in a hospitality setting
Both cures suit the way fish is eaten across Addis hotels and restaurants, bright, sliceable, and generous. Fan the gravlax over injera or dark bread with a mustard-dill cream; serve the soy-citrus cure as a cool starter with pickled vegetables and herbs.
Holding and storage
Sliced gravlax keeps well-wrapped for up to five days. Keep the quick cure closer to 48 hours. Because you're starting from frozen-at-source fish, cure only what a couple of days of covers will move, and pull the next side from the freezer as you go.
