Mexican-Style Gravlax with Cilantro and Tequila

• Seafood

  • 1 lb Salmon, fresh skin on

• Produce

  • 1 Avocado, ripe pitted
  • 1 cup Cilantro
  • 1 Lime, Zest of
  • 1 Lime

• Baking & Spices

  • 1 tbsp Black pepper, freshly ground
  • 2 tbsp Brown sugar, dark
  • 2 tsp Chipotle chile powder ancho chile powder
  • 2 tbsp Kosher or coarse sea salt plus more

• Nuts & Seeds

  • 1 tsp Cumin, ground

• Bread & Baked Goods

  • 6 5-inch flour tortillas or whole grain bread, toasted

• Beer, Wine & Liquor

  • 2 tbsp Silver tequila

• Other

  • 1 cup Mexican Crema

Found on patijinich.com

Description

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder ancho chile powder, or a Mexican mix
• 2 tablespoons kosher or coarse sea salt plus more for seasoning
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 cup finely chopped cilantro
• Zest of 1 lime
• 1 pound fresh salmon skin on, bones removed
• 2 tablespoons silver tequila
• 6 5-inch Flour tortillas or whole grain bread, toasted
• 1 cup Mexican crema
• 1 ripe avocado halved, pitted, chopped
• 1 lime halved

Directions

• Combine the cumin, chile powder, salt, pepper, sugar, lime zest and cilantro in a small bowl. Place the salmon flat, skin-side up, in a long baking dish. Make 10 to 12 1-inch slashes in the skin with the tip of a knife, just deep enough to reach the flesh. Rub 1/3 of the salt mixture into skin, then flip the fish over, spoon the tequila over the fish and rub the remaining 2/3 of the salt mixture on the salmon.
• Cover the fish tightly with plastic wrap, then place a slightly smaller baking dish directly on top of fish and weigh it down with heavy unopened cans. Refrigerate for 2-3 days, basting with the resulting juices each night and re-covering and weighing back down again.
• When ready to serve, remove the gravlax from the refrigerator. Thinly slice the salmon flesh, taking care not to cut through the skin and arrange the pieces on a platter. Serve with lightly toasted flour tortillas or toasted whole grain bread (keep warm in a clean kitchen towel, bread basket or tortillero), and let everyone garnish with the crema, avocado and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.