French · snack

Jacques Pépin's Instant Salmon Gravlax (Salt and Pepper Only)

Name: Jacques Pépin's Instant Salmon Gravlax (Salt and Pepper Only)
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: Salmon: 3½ oz (100 g) very fresh salmon fillet or belly — 1½–2 oz (40–60 g) per person; salt, a generous sprinkle under and over the fish; freshly ground black pepper, under and over the fish

Jacques Pépin's Instant Salmon Gravlax (Salt and Pepper Only) — from KQED's cooking video

Watch how it’s made · 3:59

Video by KQED on YouTube · Open on YouTube

10 min · plus 2–3 hours in the fridgeServes 283 kcal a serve

Carnivore
Low carb (0.1 g net carbs) but not keto: 54% of the energy is from fat, and keto meals get about 60% or more
Pescatarian
Gluten-free ingredients
Dairy-free
Nut-free

Contains: Fish. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.

Salt on the plate and on top cures thin slices of raw salmon in a few hours — no sugar, dill or cooking. A small serve is a light starter of about 80 kcal with over half a day's omega-3 fats, nearly half a day's vitamin B12 and a fifth of the day's vitamin D.

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Ingredients 3

Salmon: 3½ oz (100 g) very fresh salmon fillet or belly — 1½–2 oz (40–60 g) per person
salt, a generous sprinkle under and over the fish
freshly ground black pepper, under and over the fish

Method

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

Slice the salmon as thinly as you can; the belly is the fattiest and best part. Allow 40–60 g (1½–2 oz) per person. 0:16
Sprinkle a generous layer of salt and some pepper over each serving plate. Lay the salmon slices on top in a single layer and season the top with more salt and pepper. 0:53
Cover each plate with plastic wrap (they can be stacked) and refrigerate for 2–3 hours, or up to a day ahead. 1:39
Just before serving, add any garnish you like and serve cold. Serve lemon on the side rather than squeezed over — the juice 'cooks' the fish. 1:56

Tip. Use very fresh, sashimi-grade (previously frozen) salmon. Jacques garnishes with capers, sweet onion, scallion greens, basil and a drizzle of olive oil, with black bread (not counted) — leave them off for carnivore.

The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.

One serve gives you 1 of 2

Energy83 kcal350 kJ

Protein8.9 g18% of a day

Fibre0.1 g0% of a day

Carbohydrate0.1 g0.1 g net · 0 g sugars0% of a day

Fat5 g1 g saturated6% of a day

Sodium410 mg18% of a day

Where the energy comes from one serve

Net carbs 0%
Protein 44%
Fat 56%

Very low carb: under 10% of the energy is from carbs.

Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more

Omega-3 High58%

0.9 g a serve, mostly from salmon (100%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.

Vitamin B12 High47%

1.1 µg a serve, mostly from salmon (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.

Selenium High30%

17 µg a serve, mostly from salmon (100%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.

Vitamin D High22%

4.4 µg a serve, mostly from salmon (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.

Vitamin B6 Source14%

0.2 mg a serve, mostly from salmon (100%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.

Vitamin E Source10%

1.4 mg a serve, mostly from salmon (100%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.

Show the other 9

Potassium3%

160 mg a serve, mostly from salmon (98%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.

Magnesium3%

12 mg a serve, mostly from salmon (97%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.

Vitamin A3%

23 µg a serve, mostly from salmon (100%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.

Folate3%

12 µg a serve, mostly from salmon (100%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.

Vitamin C2%

1.6 mg a serve, mostly from salmon (100%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.

Calcium1%

7.1 mg a serve, mostly from salmon (84%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.

Iron1%

0.1 mg a serve, mostly from salmon (84%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.

Zinc1%

0.2 mg a serve, mostly from salmon (98%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.

Vitamin K0%

0.4 µg a serve, mostly from freshly ground black pepper (89%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.

Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works

Recipe and video by KQED; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.