Rock Your Socks Off With This Half Cured Sweet and Smokey Salmon
Sometimes with gluten free or grain free recipes there is a palette adjustment or texture adjustment that one has to make mentally before eating a certain remake of a favorite food (ex cupcakes, or muffins). But when it comes to this Salmon, no adjustments are neccesary. I dare you to make this for any of your foodie friends and I promise the only thing you’ll be explaining is the recipe, not that its “paleo” or “gluten free”.
Start out with a beautiful wild caught one side center cut fillet of Salmon with the skin on and pin bones removed. I like center cut because the thickness is more uniform which will help for even cooking. This recipe is for a 1 lb piece so feel free to adjust the recipe for the size of your fish. I like the skin on because it holds in more moisture but make sure that before serving you peel off the skin because it won’t be crispy.
Toast the coriander and cumin in a dry small saute pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until the spices become fragrant. Make sure to stir the spices every 30 seconds or so for even toasting.
In a mortar & pestle or a spice grinder add the toasted coriander and cumin seeds and process until finely ground.
Add the smoked paprika, coconut sugar (or raw sugar), salt, and zest the lemon into the spices. Toss with your fingers.
Rinse the salmon off and dry with paper towels removing as much moisture as possible. Lay the salmon down on a sheet pan lined with foil and brushed with olive oil to prevent sticking.
Generously cover the salmon in the spice rub pressing it into the flesh until it is completely covered.
Allow the salmon to sit out for 45 minutes and “cure”.
Preheat the broiler and position a rack 3 inches from the broiler.
After the 45 minutes place the salmon under the broiler for 6-8 minutes or until the thickest part of the fish reaches an internal temperature of 131 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Half Cured Sweet and Smokey Salmon
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 1 lb Skin on Center Cut one Side Piece of Wild Salmon (pin bones removed)
- 1 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 2 Tbl Coconut Sugar
- Zest of 1 Lemon
- 1 1/2 tsp Fine Sea Salt
Optional
- 1 1/2 tsp Coriander Seeds (toasted and ground) or 1/2 tsp dried *
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds (toasted and ground) or 1/4 tsp dried *
Instructions
- Combine the smoked paprika, coconut sugar (or raw sugar), salt, zest of the lemon (and additional spices if using) in a bowl. Toss with your fingers.
- Rinse the salmon off and dry with paper towels removing as much moisture as possible.
- Lay the salmon down on a sheet pan lined with foil and brushed with olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Generously cover the salmon in the spice rub pressing it into the flesh until it is completely covered.
- Allow the salmon to sit out for 30-45 minutes and "cure".
- You know its ready when the spices have absorbed into the salmon and it has a sheen to it.
- Preheat the broiler and position a rack 3 inches from the broiler.
- After the curing, place the salmon under the broiler for 6-8 minutes or until the thickest part of the fish reaches an internal temperature of 131 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- For whole spices: Toast the coriander and cumin in a dry small saute pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until the spices become fragrant. Make sure to stir the spices every 30 seconds or so for even toasting.
- In a mortar & pestle or a spice grinder add the toasted coriander and cumin seeds and process until finely ground. Add to spice/lemon zest/sugar mixture and proceed with recipe.