Octopus Patties
When the tide is out, the table is set; this is a truth many Alaskans live by. In western Alaska, octopus are traditionally harvested at low tide and brought home to cook into tender patties, crispy l...
Pickling is a traditional way Alaskans preserve their seasonal harvest and enjoy summer’s abundance in colder months. In False Pass—the village near our family’s homestead—villagers salted silver salmon they harvested each fall to trade the cannery store for groceries over the winter. Jars of pickled fish were also made from the salted fish and traded around the community for smoked salmon, a halibut fillet, or a piece of caribou meat. We love pickling hearty chunks of salmon and succulent onion slices in a method similar to the pickled herring that is common to Scandinavian coastal cuisine. This recipe can be prepared with fresh fish or salmon from your freezer and enjoyed with sesame crackers or straight from the jar.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: Serving size: 1 quart-sized jar
- Pickling salt
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless wild salmon fillets
- Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- Sugar
- Pickling spice
- 2 white onions, thinly sliced
- 1 quart-sized glass canning jar
Preparation
Sprinkle a thin layer of salt in a deep, clean bucket or large baking pan, then arrange a single layer of salmon fillets on top. Pour more salt over the fish to cover, then another layer of fillets, and so on, alternating fish and salt, making sure that all fish is well covered in salt.
The salt will help cure the fish and draw out moisture. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
To make the pickling liquid, combine 2 parts vinegar to 1 part sugar and 1 tablespoon pickling spice in a saucepan over low heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate the liquid until cool.
After 24 hours, remove the fillets from the salt and rinse under cold running water. Discard the salt. Return the salmon to the rinsed container, add enough water (tap water is fine) to cover the fish, and refrigerate overnight.
After 8–10 hours, remove the fillets from the water and pat dry. Cut into bite-sized chunks (about 1-inch cubes).
In a quart-sized glass jar (or other nonmetallic container), add the onion pieces and salmon chunks in alternating 2-inch layers, then pour some pickling liquid over the top. Layer more onions and salmon, pouring liquid over them, until all are used up or the jar is full (with 1-inch headspace). Be sure there is sufficient pickling liquid in the jar to cover all layers.
Seal and refrigerate for a minimum of 72 hours for proper pickling, but you can marinate longer for more intense flavor. Label the jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
About this recipe
Excerpted from The Salmon Sisters: Feasting, Fishing, and Living in Alaska by permission of Sasquatch Books. ©2020
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