FARMlox (marinated salmon with fennel, fresh herbs and local honey)

Chef Daniel Orr can shake up your Christmas palate with his take on a salmon dish. This Christmas, create a memorable dish for friends and family with gravlax—a simple, holiday-perfect recipe that takes just a few days to marinate, can be enjoyed throughout the season, and even cut into thirds and frozen for later. Here’s the recipe.

Chef's Notes: 

Buy the best and freshest side of salmon available and have it scaled and pin-boned.  

Slice the salmon as thinly as possible on a bias leaving as much of the gray fat on the skin as possible. I like to deep chill in the freezer for an hour before slicing. 

Serve at breakfast with bagels and scrambled eggs or later in the day with chopped onions, capers, chopped boiled eggs and creme fraiche

Ingredients

1 side salmon fillet, skinless and boneless (choose the freshest, top-quality salmon)

Herb and spice marinade

1/2 fresh fennel bulb (6 ounces), thinly sliced

1 large onion (8 ounces), thinly sliced

1 bunch cilantro (2 ounces), roughly chopped

1 bunch tarragon (2 ounces), roughly chopped

1 bunch dill (2 ounces), roughly chopped

4 ounces fresh ginger root, thinly sliced

3 bay leaves

6 garlic cloves

3 lemons, thinly sliced into rounds

1 lime, thinly sliced into rounds

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons whole fennel seed

2 tablespoons crushed black pepper

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Salmon wet rub

4 tablespoons honey

1/2 cup good coarse sea salt

Mix herb and spice marinade ingredients together and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. With a long, sharp knife, remove as much of the gray fat from the salmon as possible. Refrigerate salmon until needed. Place two sheets of plastic wrap 2 feet long on counter. Put one on top of the other, overlapping 4 inches. Place one-half of the herb mixture on bottom third of plastic. Rub one side of the salmon with half of the honey until it forms an even glaze. Top the honey-glazed side of the salmon with 1/4 cup sea salt, putting a little extra salt on the thicker (head side) of the salmon. Place seasoned side down on the herb and spice mixture and repeat the glazing and salting, finally topping with the remaining herb and spice mixture. Fold plastic wrap over and wrap tightly, adding another layer of plastic wrap if necessary. Wrap in aluminum foil to help hold shape. Place the salmon on a rimmed sheet pan and refrigerate. (Use a rimmed pan, since salmon will release juices during the pressing. A 1-inch rim is usually plenty.) Place a second sheet pan, a cutting board, or another flat pan on top of the salmon and place in refrigerator with a heavy weight on top for 12 to 24 hours. Turn once during the pressing.

Looking for the perfect spot to host your next company holiday party or planning an unforgettable dining experience in Bloomington? Look no further than FARM Restaurant! Reserve your table today by visiting our website farm-bloomington.com, calling us directly at (812) 323-0002, or booking through your OpenTable App. Don’t wait—spaces fill up fast during the holiday season!