A salmon gravlax made with arctic char, salt, brown sugar and gin - ready to eat in 24 hours.
Check out your fish! If the surface is at all sticky, rinse it briefly in cool water and pat dry. If there are significant pin bones or strips of belly membrane along the sides (unlikely in these farm-raised, farm-prepped fish), remove them with a pair of needlenose pliers or a sharp knife, respectively.
Lay the fish flesh side up in a baking dish with a bit of room at the sides. Sprinkle with two teaspoons of the gin, massaging it in lightly with your fingers. Mix together the salt and brown sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle about two-thirds of the mixture on the fish and pat that out evenly as well, reserving the rest of the sprinkle. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12 hours, or overnight.
When the time is up, you should have about two or three tablespoons of accumulated liquid. Peel back the plastic wrap, drain off the liquid, and then sprinkle on the remaining sugar and salt. Leave that on for 6 hours - or up to twelve, if you have the leisure. You'll see another tablespoon or so of liquid this second time; drain that off as well.
After draining the second time, rinse the fish briefly in cool water to wash off the remaining cure, then pat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle with the remaining two teaspoons of gin and place in the fridge - uncovered! - on a rack or open plate for another six to twelve hours. You're now done, except for the slicing and serving. To store the fish, wrap in plastic, and then foil. It will keep for a week, at least, refrigerated.
Gratuities
We're giving you the option of a 24-hour charlox sprint, or a more leisurely 36-hour stint. You can let the fish cure longer, if you like a firmer style, but I think you'll find the timing is about right to get deli-style results. Served on its own, this home-cured charlox is indistinguishable from all but the best smoked salmon or gravlax.
The important bits in this ultra-simple recipe are, believe it or not, the second gin sprinkle and the final hours spent uncovered in the fridge. A refrigerator is also a dehumidifier, and those last hours not only pull out another 1% or 2% of water weight, they let the filet develop a smooth pellicle that will help preserve it, and give it a finished look. If you're up for a little cold smoking, this is when that would happen. The pellicle helps the smoke particles adhere.
I have used lots of different liquors in this recipe. It's the second sprinkle that really brings them out; don't omit that. A nice gin is the go-to, but tequila is also fine, as are citrus and licorice flavors. I have a Norwegian aquavit that suits the arctic gestalt, but have also gone with Cointreau, brandy, bourbon and scotch. Sometimes, as Julia Child would say, I even put it on the fish.
