This recipe is a modified version of one from the Mitsitam Cafe Cookbook, using a salt-cooking/curing method from the Pacific North-west:

1/2 lb of raw salmon is one serving of cured salmon for lox/sandwich/in a salad.

For under 1lb salmon: 1.5 cups each of plain, fine-grain kosher salt and sugar
For a 1 lb salmon: 2.5 cups each salt/sugar
For a 2 lb salmon: 3 cups each salt/sugar

• Salt/Sugar mixture, as above
• 1 tsp smoked salt
• dash dill
• 3 Tbsp / 5-8 juniper berries

Mix together the plain salt and sugar in a large bowl. Take out 4 tbsp of the mixture.

Combine the 4 tbsp salt/sugar mix with the rest of the spices. Grind them together to break the juniper berries down. Mix part of this into the rest of the salt and sugar mix.

Apply the majority of the juniper/salt mix directly to the salmon (mostly on the flesh, some on the skin as well).

In a flat baking pan (large enough to hold the salmon with 2" around it, plus to not block whatever weight you will use later), line with wax paper. Cut a 2 foot length of cheesecloth, double it over, drape across pan. Place 1/2 the plain salt/sugar mix on the cheesecloth, flatten out. Lay salmon on top.

Cover salmon with the rest of the mix, making sure that the sides are also covered - mix more salt/sugar if needed.

Wrap the cheesecloth tightly around the salmon to completely encase it in salt, and place a weight on top (possibly after more wax paper to protect the weight from the salt). A heavy skillet or steak press is ideal here; you want ~ 2.5 lbs of weight pressing down.

Refrigerate for 24-36 hours. Rinse the salmon off and use a sharp knife to slice it.