There is an old road in Japan that runs from Wakasa Bay to the city of Kyoto known as the Saba Kaido, or Mackerel Road. For centuries, the road was used to carry fresh mackerel 50 miles south from the sea to the former imperial capital.
Because there was no refrigeration, the prized fish were salted to preserve them for the journey. It's been said that if one transported the fish in a single trip, without sleeping, the brilliant blue fish arrived in Kyoto fresh and perfectly seasoned.
The art of curing is an ancient technique, born of necessity and found the world over. Almost lost with the dawn of modern preservation methods such as refrigeration and canning, curing is making a comeback - and in a big way. Restaurants and chefs everywhere are touting cured meats, house-smoked specialties and homemade sausages. And, increasingly, cured fish.
Curing fish takes little active time, and it can be completed in days rather than the weeks it might take to cure other meats. Since it requires no special equipment, it's just as easily done at home as in a restaurant.
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"We're taking preserving techniques and starting to love the flavor," says Marcus Samuelsson, founding chef of New York's Aquavit restaurant. He notes that the increasing popularity of regional cuisines, such as Swedish, are opening eyes to the possibilities with cured fish.
Also, with the increasing popularity of sushi, people are starting to welcome different textures of fish rather than simply cooked. "We're getting used to it."
The process is simple: Combine salt, sugar and/or smoke to gently draw moisture from a food to preserve it over an extended period.
And the possibilities seem endless. A quick online search yields recipes calling for not only the more traditional gravlax and smoked salmon or trout, but also fish you might never have considered curing, including halibut, mahi mahi, striped bass and even tai snapper. The flavorings include classic dill, grappa and even kombu.
Try curing fish with a tasso rub for Cajun-style flavor or take inspiration from a cocktail, combining rum and mint for a mojito-style cure.
Though almost any fish can be cured, make sure the fish is fresh and of the best quality. The act of curing will not make a bad fish better or safer to eat. Salmon, in particular, should be bought previously frozen - salmon is anadromous, living in both salt and fresh water, and can pick up worms that other ocean fish don't; though curing can kill bacteria, only proper freezing can kill these parasites.
Keep the fish refrigerated at all times, even after it is cured. Home curing works to "denature" the protein in the fish, in essence cooking it, but should not be counted on to render it safe left at room temperature.
As moisture is drawn from the fish, the flavor concentrates. Because of this, cured fish is best used as an accent, adding but one flavor to a larger harmony in a dish.
For a creative cure, try a ginger-lemongrass cure on a sable, or black cod, fillet. The fresh, clean flavors of ginger and lemongrass are a perfect complement to the rich, buttery notes of the fish; tossed with crushed pink peppercorns, the final cure gives the fish a bright, delicate tang.
Try the sable sliced thin and served on its own as a sashimi course. Combine it with a seasoned panko mix and fry it like crab cakes, served with a lemon aioli. Or toss it with a salad of peppery greens for a contrast in flavors and texture.
As you become more comfortable with the curing process, continue to branch out.
Ken Oringer, chef-owner of the restaurants Clio and Uni in Boston, cures and dries sea urchin as one would tuna or mullet roe in Italian bottarga. He grew excited when he discussed the possibilities of cured fish, rattling off possibilities including a tuna belly prosciutto. "If you've got the time, it's amazing cured!"
Masaharu Morimoto, chef-partner of Morimoto Napa and Morimoto NYC, cures yellowtail for a "yellowtail pastrami" that he serves with togarashi spice as a coating. He says it's one of the most popular dishes on the menu.
Samuelsson also cures yellowtail, which he uses in mini-tacos at his restaurant, C-House, in Chicago.
Like many cured foods, cured fish are sometimes smoked to complete the process or add flavor, as with smoked salmon and trout. Smoking lends a nice depth of flavor to fish - a richness - similar to that of meat.
Ginger- and Lemongrass-Cured Sable Fish
Servings: 8 to 12
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1 stalk lemongrass, dry outer leaves removed, inner stalk crushed (to release the oils) and coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons pink peppercorns, crushed
• 1 (1 1/4- to 1 1/2-pound) sable fillet, skin on and any pinbones removed
• About 3 tablespoons sake
In a medium bowl, combine the salt, sugar, ginger, lemongrass and peppercorns. Set aside.
Brush the top of the sable fillet generously with the sake.
Spread the cure mix over the top (flesh side) of the fillet, then wrap the fish tightly with cheesecloth. Place the wrapped sable, skin side down, on a rack over a rimmed baking sheet to catch any juices.
Refrigerate the fillet until it is firm to the touch, about 48 hours (timing will vary depending on the thickness and size of the fillet). Uncover the fillet, rinse and dry off. The cured sable will keep for up to several days, wrapped in dry parchment and refrigerated.
Each of 12 servings: 105 calories; 7 grams protein; 1 gram carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 8 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 25 mg. cholesterol; 1 gram sugar; 197 mg. sodium.
Hot-Smoked Rainbow Trout
Note: This recipe requires the use of a smoker, a stove-top smoker, or a grill or roasting rack converted to a smoker.
Servings: 6
• 2 quarts water
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 1 large (or 2 small) bay leaf, crushed
• 6 ( 1/2-pound) whole trout, cleaned
Wood shavings for smoking, preferably alder or applewood.
In a large non-reactive container, combine the water, salt, sugar, shallots, garlic, lemon zest and bay leaf, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve to create a brine.
Add the trout to the container, using a plate or weight to keep the trout under water. Place the container in the refrigerator for 6 hours.
Remove the trout from the brine and discard the brine. Rinse and dry the trout and place them on a rack over a rimmed sheet pan. Refrigerate the trout, uncovered, overnight to dry the surface.
The next day, prepare the hot smoker. Smoke the trout over low heat (about 225 degrees) until firm and fully cooked, about 1 hour.
Each serving: 217 calories; 30 grams protein; 0 carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 10 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 84 mg. cholesterol; 0 sugar; 832 mg. sodium.
Gravlax
Note: No cooking required. Plan ahead. This will take about 3 days.
Yield: 12 or more appetizer servings
• 1 (3- to 4-pound) salmon, weighed after cleaning and beheading, skin on
• 3 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 good-size bunch dill, roughly chopped, stems and all
• 1 tablespoon spirits: brandy, gin, aquavit, lemon vodka, etc.
Fillet the salmon or have the fishmonger fillet it for you; the fish need not be scaled.
Lay both halves, skin side down, on a plate. Sprinkle with the salt, sugar, and pepper, spread the dill over them, and splash on the spirits. Sandwich the fillets together, tail to tail, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Cover the sandwich with another plate and something that weighs about a pound - an unopened can of coffee or beans, for example. Refrigerate.
Open the package every 12 to 24 hours and baste, inside and out, with the accumulated juices. On the second or third day, when the flesh has lost its translucence, slice thinly as you would smoked salmon - on the bias and without the skin - and serve with rye bread or pumpernickel, and lemon wedges.
Or, toss bright red cubes of the gravlax with avocado and quick-pickled onion, dressed with a bright sherry vinaigrette as a take on ceviche.
Source: Mark Bittman