House Cured Salmon Recipe

Prepare cure

In a small bowl combine kosher salt, granulated sugar, cracked black pepper and lemon zest. Mix thoroughly.

Pat the salmon dry with paper towels. Place salmon skin-side down on a large piece of plastic wrap.

Sprinkle half of the cure mixture evenly over the flesh. Sprinkle chopped dill over the cure and, if using, brush vodka or aquavit lightly over the dill. Cover with the remaining cure, pressing gently so the mixture contacts the fish evenly.

Wrap the salmon tightly in plastic wrap, place in a shallow dish and weigh it down with a small plate or cans. Refrigerate for 12–18 hours (12 hours for a slightly less firm texture, up to 18 hours for a firmer, more intensely cured result).

After curing, unwrap the salmon and rinse thoroughly under cold water to remove cure. Pat dry with paper towels. Slice thinly on a sharp diagonal and refrigerate until ready to plate.

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment or lightly oil a cast-iron skillet (about 8–9" diameter) if finishing on stovetop and oven.

Using a mandoline or very sharp knife, slice the peeled potatoes paper-thin (about 1/16" thick). Place slices in a bowl of cold water and swish to remove excess starch. Drain and pat very dry with clean kitchen towels or paper towels.

In a large bowl, toss the dried potato slices with melted butter, olive oil, flour, sliced scallions (reserve a few green tops for garnish), minced garlic, salt and black pepper until evenly coated. The flour helps bind the edges.

Brush the bottom and sides of your skillet or baking sheet with a little extra melted butter or oil. Arrange potato slices in concentric overlapping circles, starting from the outside and working toward the center, creating a thin single-layer galette about 1/3–1/2" thick. Press gently to compact.

Brush the assembled galette lightly with beaten egg (this helps color and set the top). Dot any exposed top slices with a little extra butter for browning.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes until the edges are golden and the interior is tender. For extra-crispy underside, after baking in the oven, run a spatula under the galette and place for 2–3 minutes over medium-high heat in the skillet to crisp the bottom.

Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes. Carefully invert or slice into 4 equal portions. Keep warm until plating.

In a small bowl whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise and buttermilk until smooth.

Add dried dill, dried parsley, dried chives, garlic powder, onion powder, lemon juice, salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning or thin with an extra teaspoon of buttermilk if desired. Chill at least 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

Place one portion of warm scallion potato galette on each plate.

Fan 3–4 slices of house-cured salmon alongside or atop the galette. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of ranch sour cream beside the fish (adjust per plate).

Drizzle a scant amount of extra-virgin olive oil over the salmon, garnish with reserved scallion greens and a small dill sprig. Serve with a lemon wedge on the side for squeezing.