Gravlax - European Recipe

Gravlax

🌍 European, Scandinavia (Sweden, Norway, Denmark) Difficulty: ●●●○○

The name gravlax means "buried salmon" — Viking-era fishermen buried salmon in the ground with salt to ferment and preserve it.

Ingredients

• 1 kg salmon fillet, skin on, pin bones removed
• 3 tbsp coarse sea salt
• 2 tbsp superfine sugar
• 1 tbsp white or black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
• Large bunch fresh dill, chopped
• 1 tbsp aquavit or vodka (optional)
• (Mustard dill sauce) 3 tbsp Swedish or Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 100 ml neutral oil
• Large handful dill, chopped
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Mixing — Mix salt, sugar, and pepper together.
2. Step 2 — Lay salmon skin-side down on large piece of plastic wrap.
3. Rubbing — Rub salt cure all over flesh; press dill firmly into cure. Drizzle with aquavit if using.
4. Wrapping — Wrap tightly in plastic; place in shallow tray. Weight down with heavy plate.
5. Refrigerating — Refrigerate 24–48 hours, turning once at halfway point and draining liquid.
6. Scraping — Scrape off cure before serving; slice very thinly on the diagonal.
7. Step 7 — For sauce: whisk mustard, sugar, and vinegar; drizzle in oil while whisking until emulsified. Stir in dill.
8. Serving — Serve gravlax with sauce, rye bread, and cucumber.

Tags: salmon fillet, coarse sea salt, superfine sugar, white or black peppercorns, bunch fresh dill · Source: Observatory Recipe Research Kitchen