Gravlaks, Sweet and salty
Gravlaks is a Scandinavian food made from salmon. Gravlaks may be bought ready to eat in all better grocery stores, either in whole fillets or smaller pieces. It is, however, easy to make your own and far tastier.
Ingredients
- 2 lb salmon fillets, the bones are removed, but the skin is left on.
- 2 tbsp salt
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp coarsely ground pepper
- 3-4 tbsp chopped dill or other aromatic herbs such as thyme, tarragon or marjoram
Method
Step 1
Mix salt, sugar and pepper and spread some of the mixture in the bottom of a casserole or platter that is large enough for the fillets to lie flat.
Sprinkle some of the herbs on the mixture. Lay one fish fillet skin side down on the platter.
Step 2
Spread some more of the salt mixture and the herbs on the fish, lay the other fillet on top, head to tail, with the skin up.
Spread the rest of the salt and herbs on top and place a weight on the fish.
Let stand at room temperature for a few hours until a brine begins to form, then place in the refrigerator or a cold cellar and let stand 3-4 days, depending on the thickness of the fillets.
Turn the whole bundle once a day.
Step 3
Scrape off the herbs and slice the fish very thin diagonally.
Serve with mustard dill sauce (below) and bread as a first course or light supper or serve bite size for canapés.
SERVE WITH: Mustard sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- ½ tsp pepper
- Approx. ½ cup (100 ml) Soya oil or other oil with a neutral flavor 2-3 tbsp chopped dill
Method
Step 1
Mix mustard, sugar, vinegar and pepper. Add oil slowly, beating well as for mayonnaise until the sauce is smooth and shining.
Step 2
Stir in dill.
Step 3
The mustard sauce may be stored in the refrigerator for as long as a week. Beat or shake well before use.
Variation
Trout, mackerel, powan and other fatty fish may be prepared and served in the same way.