Styling and Photography by Sina Mizrahi

Cured salmon, or gravlax, is one of those things that’s easy to make at home. The result tastes better than the store-bought version, and not only that, it’s much cheaper too!

When I say it’s easy, I mean it. You only need three ingredients: salmon, salt, and sugar. And there really is only one rule: use at least a quarter cup of salt to two pounds of raw salmon.

Wait!

Before your eyes glaze over and you decide to turn the page to seek out some one-pot pasta wonder, let me clarify that you absolutely do not have to make two pounds of cured salmon at once. In fact, using a manageable eight-ounce fillet is a great way to start. You only need to adjust the salt, and I already did the math for you.

Once you have your fish — and made sure it’s very fresh — decide on your salt to sugar ratio. You can go with equal amounts the first time you do it, and adjust the sugar level the next time you make it. (Remember, the amount of salt will depend on how much fish you’re using.)

Mix the salt and sugar together. Prepare three sheets of plastic wrap, and place the salmon fillet on one. Coat the fillet on all sides. Some of the mixture will not stick, and that’s okay since it will be contained within the plastic wrap. Wrap the fish, and repeat with the other two sheets so that it’s triple wrapped. After I do this, I like to place the fish in a ziplock bag to contain the liquid.

Place the fish in your fridge under a weight. I put my fish between two pie dishes and pile some cans on top. (This is a great opportunity to make those extra miscellaneous cans in your pantry earn their space!)

The curing takes anywhere from 24 to 72 hours. Again, you can experiment with time frames to see how you prefer your fish. You can try slicing off a piece after 24 hours and taste-testing to determine how much longer you’d like to cure it. I usually cure my fish for 48 hours. Remember, a smaller piece of fish will cure faster than a larger one.

Of course, you can up your game and get fancy. Add beets or blueberries to your cure; they give the salmon a beautiful hue and make for a lovely presentation. If you do, you may want to reduce the sugar because beets and blueberries have a sweetness of their own. You can also add citrus zest or a splash of vodka or gin. (Go easy on this — you shouldn’t need more than one tablespoon for an eight-ounce fillet.) Consider adding spices or herbs to your cure. Personally, I love using dill. You can also replace white sugar with brown sugar. Try using flavored oils, like sesame oil. You can even experiment with other fish — just stick to oily, fatty ones.

Go ahead — the world is your oyster, um, I mean your salmon.

Basic Fish Cure

• 8 oz (225 g) salmon (or other fatty fish)
• 1 Tbsp kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• fresh dill (optional but highly recommended)

Mix the sugar and salt together.

Prepare three sheets of cling wrap. Place fillet on one sheet. Coat all sides with salt and sugar mixture. Cover with dill fronds. Wrap the fish separately in each sheet so that it’s triple wrapped.

Cure for 24–72 hours. Unwrap and rinse. Dry thoroughly.

To serve, slice at an angle with a sharp knife.