Tokyo, JAPAN — May 26, 2023 — By Adam Brownstein
Japanese friends often ask me what I miss about America. Depending on the moment and sentiment I answer in different ways. I long for so much of my first home. But three pieces always weave into the mix . . .
. . . my Dad, watching the Mariner’s in time zone and good fish. The first two are easy enough to manage. Weekly Zooms with my Dad and ingesting his unprompted mass emails about topics like the Debt Ceiling and the Talmud keep us connected. And thanks to the MLB app I can be disappointed by another M’s loss anywhere in the world. But fish is the sticky wicket.
To wit, Japan, of course, features the best seafood on planet earth. What is missing here is a bit of the old Barney Greengrass hustle. So, many of my Tribe before me, I have taken matters into my own hands.
Hereto is a tried and tested recipe for gravlax, a nimble stand in for its better-known smokey cousin. You can think of gravlax like Mark Wahlberg in The Departed. Fewer lines that the likes of Nova Leo and Matt, but he stole the show!
Ingredients:
200g boneless sashimi grade salmon (pro-tip, Horizon Farms)
1 shot of schnapps (scotch, bourbon, shochu, vodka or gin can all work well)
1 Tbs salt
2 Tbs sugar
Cracked ground pepper to taste
1 Tbs of dried dill
Method:
Place the salmon on a large plate and douse with schnapps. Flip it once to make sure you have a decent coating.
While fish is getting boozy, combine the salt, sugar and pepper into a bowl and mix well. This is your “cure” for the fish as they say @ Russ & Daughters. As you develop confidence in the recipe you can experiment with the ratios of sugar to salt. Ed Kiester used to fancy one to one if I recall.
Drain off the schnapps and liberally sprinkle one side of the fish with half of the curing mixture, patting it down with your fingers to spread it evenly. Flip the fish and coat the other side.
Spread a piece of Saran wrap large enough to tightly encase the fish. Transfer the salmon atop the wrap, coating with any excess curing mixture that remains on the plate.
Sprinkle the dried dill evenly on top of fish, and then tightly wrap it up.
Place in Tupperware in the fridge at least overnight, and up to three nights for deeper curing. For an elevated finish unwrap the fish after the first night and place back in the fridge on a drying rack for one more night. This will form a beautiful “pellicle” layer of slightly darker orange that really shows when you slice it up.
Slice it up and enjoy it up atop your favorite pumpernickel bread or bagel!
The Tokyo Yenta 