Pickled
Salmon
by
Joyce Goldstein
"Passover
is a wonderful opportunity to gather with family, and to instill
in the children the special tradition and heritage of Passover.
I like to make foods that are extra special such as gribines which
is certainly a special once-in-a-year indulgence. This recipe
is a re-working of a very old family recipe. My mother-in-law
used to talk lox,-also known as smoked salmon, and soak it in
water for days to remove the salt, and then put the fish in pickling
brine. As we can get local salmon, I thought why not use fresh
fish for this dish? I tried it and it has become a much requested
favorite during salmon season. During Passover we serve this along
with gefilte fish as a special holiday fish plate. The-onions
are not just a visual garnish. They pick up the flavor of the
marinade and are a delicious counterpoint to the salmon. Serve
with rye bread or, at passover, with matzoh."
Yields
4-6 servings
- 1/2
cups white vinegar
- 2
cups water
- 1/2
cup sugar
- 4
tablespoons kosher salt
- 12
bay leaves
- 4
tablespoons mixed pickling spices
- 4
white or yellow onions, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 4
pounds salmon fillet, skin and bones removed
Bring
the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt to a boil. Let this mixture
cool completely. Cut the-salmon into pieces that are approximately
1 inch by 2 inches. In a ceramic crock glass bowl-or plastic container,
place a layer of salmon pieces, then a sprinkling of pickling
spices and-bay leaves, a layer of sliced onions, then repeat the
layering of salmon, spices, and onions-until you have used them
all. Pour the cooled marinade over the fish. If the fish has a-tendency
to float, weigh down the fish with a ceramic plate. Cover the
container. Refrigerate-the salmon for 3 to 5 days. Serve the salmon,
along with its marinated onions, and rye bread. A sliced cucumber
salad with sour cream dressing is also a nice accompaniment.
