Minimalist delicacy
Salmon Gravlax and honeydew melon
Now
this is one fancy mouthful. Contrasting bright colours, delicate
flavours, original combination: My idea of cooking. I must have eaten half
of my salad while I was photoshooting.
Graxlax originates from Scandinavia,
the salmon is cured in brine for a least two days, no cooking is
required. I recently read that freezing the salmon for at least a week
prior to curing it is required as parasite may be present in the flesh.
Although the basic recipe only uses kosher salt, dill (whole bunches of delicious fresh dill) and sugar, a few ingredients may be added. I added a teaspoon of Vodka to mine. I love cooking with alcohol, so far I tried Gravlax and sherry, rum and vodka (Unflavoured vodka but I could try with Raspberry Vodka. Lemon Vodka sounds appealing too). What an Iconoclast!
Melon and salmon colours as well as textures combine well. Cured salmon develops strong flavours and it is not as oily as smoked salmon. The fat "melts" and spreads through the flesh giving it quite a consistent texture. The lineage is very well defined and the colour is so vivid, a magnificient piece of edible Art.