Head chef at the The Mirabelle at The Grand in Eastbourne, Alex Burtenshaw, shares his recipe for Salmon Gravlax. It’s an easy to make dish that is great for sharing at get togethers. Whilst salmon may not be a typical Sussex fish, we do have some excellent fishmongers in the county so be sure to source your salmon from one of these. As always, you might want to use Sussex gin to give it a unique Sussex twist.

How to prepare Salmon Gravlax at home
Ingredients
- 1 kg of salmon fillet
- 250 g salt
- 250 g sugar
- 5 x lemons zested then juiced (approx. 250 ml of lemon juice)
- 50 ml gin
- Dijon mustard
- 1 large bunch of fresh dill (fronds removed from the large stalks and kept aside)
- 1 tsp pink peppercorns
- 1 tsp juniper berries
- 2 Star Anise

Method
Blend the salt, sugar, dill stalk, juniper, peppercorns, Star Anise, lemon zest and juice, and gin in a food processor until a paste forms. Place salmon in a non-reactive container, pour the mixture over it, and cover with cling film, and refrigerate.

Cure for 24 hours, flipping the salmon halfway through. Give the cure a good mix at this point. After 24 hours, wash the salmon under cold water, then pat it dry with a clean cloth. Brush Dijon mustard over the salmon, sprinkle finely chopped dull fronds evenly and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
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