Do you like sashimi? Do you have trouble laying your hands on some sushi grade fish (which is quite common in small cities) like I do? Well, I have a solution for you. Actually I have several: from marinated sardine, to drunken crabs. Today, however, it is all about curing fish.
Nutrition Balance:
Each serving provides about 116 calories, with 15 grams protein and a healthy dosage (4.5 grams) of Omega-3. The additional benefits of eating arctic char can be found here.
Cost Balance:
Wild caught arctic char usually costs $14.99/lb at Elm City Market, and you only need half a pound for three servings. The fatty fish can fill you up pretty quickly. This recipe ended up costing me about $2.75/serving -- a fraction of the cost (and a hundred times better) compared to the store-bought smoked salmon!
Speaking of fish, my new favorite is arctic char. Does its pink flesh remind you of salmon? Arctic char is a great substitute for wild salmon. Even farmed arctic char ranks quite high in terms of sustainability and healthiness, comparable to wild salmon. I also like the slightly more delicate texture and thinner fillet, which makes it perfect for curing, especially when you don't have that much time on hand.
Seriously, who can refuse a beautiful piece of wild caught arctic char?
The problem with curing fish though is most of the recipes online are for large quantities. See, I am cooking mostly for myself these days (D eats often at the dining hall this semester), and curing 4 pounds of fish just does not seem reasonable!
So I tune everything down, usually using a fillet of about 1/2 lb, with a much shortened curing time. In fact, you can start at noon and have it for dinner already!
The simple way to go about it, is to make a curing mixture by volume ratio first, and rub it all over the fillet. Seal it tight and put it back in the fridge. Then you can wait with just a little bit of patience, and enjoy with great pleasure in no time!
Cured Arctic Char
serves 3
- 1/2 lb arctic char
- 2 Tbsp kosher or curing salt
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
- 1 tsp chopped fresh cilantro
- In a small mixing bowl, combine salt, pepper, lemon zest and chopped cilantro.
- Rub both sides of the fillet liberally with the curing mixture, and seal tight with plastic wrap.
- Put the fillet back in the fridge to cure. Arctic char is quite thin and only takes 6 to 8 hours.
- Right before serving, rinse off the curing mixture. Slice and enjoy (with a simple piece of toast, on a bed of greens, or any way you like)!
Nutrition Balance:
Each serving provides about 116 calories, with 15 grams protein and a healthy dosage (4.5 grams) of Omega-3. The additional benefits of eating arctic char can be found here.
Cost Balance:
Wild caught arctic char usually costs $14.99/lb at Elm City Market, and you only need half a pound for three servings. The fatty fish can fill you up pretty quickly. This recipe ended up costing me about $2.75/serving -- a fraction of the cost (and a hundred times better) compared to the store-bought smoked salmon!
My tasting portion was quite generous. I simply wrapped the cured char (with some cracked pepper) around the dandelion greens to make a wrap. Oh mine, it was SO good!
Later, I chopped some greens, threw in several thin onion slices, grilled corn kernels, celery slices and avocado cubes, and topped it with cured arctic char. With drizzles of herb infused olive oil, what a stunning salad plate!
Alright. I'm going to leave you with this post now, as I'm crawling back to the fridge for another slice of cured char on bread (with a tiny bit of cream cheese) before going to bed...
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