Gin Cured Sablefish Lox

Recipe by Chef John Wahlke

Gin Sablefish Lox

½ cup Gin Botanicals, see below

1 ½ cup kosher salt

1 cup granulated sugar

2 pounds fresh Sablefish fillet, skin on, bones cut out

6-8 mint leaves

Gin Botanicals

3 tablespoons juniper berries

1 tablespoon coriander

1 teaspoon dried lemon zest

½ cinnamon stick

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon chamomile

3 cardamom pods, broken

¼ teaspoon fennel

3 black peppercorns

Place all ingredients for gin botanicals into a blender, grinder, or food processor. Give it a couple of pulses just to crack the spices, but do not grind them. Transfer to a bowl along with the salt and sugar. Mix well to combine. (any desired spice mix can be substituted or omitted in place of gin botanicals)

Next lay out a sheet of aluminum foil about three times the size of the fillet.  Sprinkle about a quarter cup of the curing mixture evenly on the wrap. Place the Sablefish skin side down on the cure.  Add mint leaves across the fillet by tearing them into smaller pieces, then evenly cover the exposed flesh with a generous amount of the curing mixture. Wrap the fillet up in the foil and place on a baking sheet and transfer to the refrigerator. Now place a second baking sheet on top of the fillet and hold it down to apply a light weight to the fillet.  A couple soup cans work great for this. Keep in refrigerator for at least 24 hours.

Remove the Sablefish from the refrigerator, rinse, and pat dry. Repeat the process (cure, foil, refrigerator for 24 hours) using new foil.  You will repeat this process every 24hours for 3-4 days depending on the size and thickness of your fillet. The goal here is for thew flesh to become slightly translucent and firm.  The thinner edges can become a bit saltier than the thicker middle part of the Sablefish. This is normal.

To serve, slice as thin as possible (works well if the fillet is slightly frozen). Store any unused Sablefish in the refrigerator (wrapped in plastic wrap) for up to 1 week. You can also portion and freeze the Sablefish in airtight freezer-safe bags for up to a month.

Bagel & Sablefish Lox – (featured in the picture)

Everything Bagel, sliced in half

Chive cream cheese

Pickled sea beans (sea asparagus)

Pickled Bull Kelp

Sliced heirloom tomatoes

Pickled red onion

Gin Cured Sablefish Lox