Short salt-sugar cure for fish

A short salt and sugar cure is a simple way to firm up the texture of oily or delicate fish like mackerel, salmon or monkfish before cooking or serving raw. Combine salt and sugar in roughly equal parts, add aromatics like lemon zest, thyme or fennel seeds, and cover the fish evenly. Refrigerate for anywhere from twenty minutes for thin mackerel fillets to several hours for thicker cuts. The cure draws out moisture, concentrates flavour and tightens the protein structure. Rinse gently, pat dry, then slice thin for carpaccio, or continue on to grilling or pan frying. Shorter cures firm texture without fully curing the flesh.