Homemade Smoked Salmon

WiGal's Note:

From Clean Eating magazine. Interesting that this is never put into a smoker just put in a refrigerator. Magazine says "Don't be overwhelmed by the two days needed to make this recipe-there's only 10 minutes of actual work." Besides using as an appetizer, breakfast side, on sandwiches, try piled on Clean Eggs Benedict in lieu of the portobello mushrooms. And what is sucanat? Here is a link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucanat I think you could sub in brown sugar for it.

• Total Time: 48 hrs
• Prep Time: 48 hrs
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 16

• 3 tablespoons fine sea salt
• 3 tablespoons sucanat
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons white peppercorns , whole
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds , whole
• 1 ½ lbs salmon fillets , wild caught center cut
• 1 cup fresh dill sprig

Directions:

1. Combine salt, Sucanat, lemon zest, peppercorns, and fennel seeds in a small bowl.
2. Line a 13 X 9 inch glass baking dish with plastic wrap; lay salmon, skin side down on the plastic wrap.
3. Sprinkle salt mixture evenly over salmon.
4. Top with dill.
5. Wrap fillet TIGHTLY in plastic wrap: keep in baking dish.
6. Place a smaller pan or cutting board on TOP of wrapped salmon and weigh it down with 2 heavy cans.
7. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
8. Remove cans, unwrap salmon, drain and discard the liquid-discard plastic wrap too. (Leave seasonings on).
9. REWRAP salmon tightly in 2 fresh layers of plastic wrap, place back in dish and lay pan or board with cans on top.
10. Return to refrigerator for another 24 hours.
11. Unwrap salmon, remove dill and scrape off dry seasonings.
12. With a long serrated knife, slice salmon horizontally into 1/4 inch pieces.
13. Store in refrigerator, wrapped tightly for up to 3 days.