**Gravlax: A Nordic Delicacy of Cured Salmon**
Gravlax, also known as gravad lax or gravlaks, is a traditional Nordic dish of cured salmon that originated in Sweden. It is made by curing a whole salmon fillet with a mixture of salt, sugar, dill, and often other spices. The curing process takes several days, during which the salmon is refrigerated. Once cured, the gravlax is typically thinly sliced and served as an appetizer or main course. It has a distinctive flavor that is both salty and sweet, with a delicate aroma of dill. Gravlax is often served with a variety of accompaniments, such as mustard sauce, rye bread, and boiled potatoes. This article provides three recipes for gravlax, each with its own unique twist: a classic gravlax recipe, a recipe for gravlax with a citrus twist, and a recipe for gravlax made with gin. With step-by-step instructions and helpful tips, these recipes will guide you through the process of creating this delicious cured salmon dish at home.
GRAVLAX WITH MUSTARD SAUCE
Steps:
- Cut the salmon in half crosswise and place half the fish skin side down in a deep dish. Wash and shake dry the dill and place it on the fish. Combine the salt, sugar, crushed peppercorns, and fennel seeds in a small bowl and sprinkle it evenly over the piece of fish. Place the other half of salmon over the dill, skin side up. Cover the dish with aluminum foil. Place a smaller pan on top of the foil and weight it with some heavy cans. Refrigerate the salmon for at least 2 and up to 3 days, turning it every 12 hours and basting it with the liquid that collects.
- Lay each piece of salmon flat on a cutting board, remove the bunch of dill, and sprinkle the top with chopped dill. With a long thin slicing knife, slice the salmon in long thin slices as you would for smoked salmon. Serve with dark pumpernickel bread and mustard sauce. You can also serve with chopped red onion and capers, if desired.
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon ground dry mustard
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- Combine the mustards, sugar, and vinegar in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil and stir in the chopped dill. Serve with the gravlax.
- Yield: 3/4 cup
SIMPLE, HOMEMADE SALMON GRAVLAX
Steps:
- Gather the ingredients.
- Rinse the salmon fillets and pat them dry thoroughly.
- Use tweezers or pliers to pull out any pin bones, if necessary.
- Drizzle the aquavit or vodka evenly over the flesh of each fillet.
- In a small bowl, combine the salt, sugar, and pepper.
- Divide the mixture into 3 even piles within the bowl.
- Divide one of the thirds of curing mix in half and place on a rimmed baking sheet or baking pan in the shape of one of the fillets.
- Lay a fillet skin-side down on the mixture. Spread a third of the curing mixture on the flesh of that fillet.
- Spread the remaining third of the curing mixture on the flesh side of the other fillet. Sprinkle the dill, if using, over both fillets.
- Lay the second fillet flesh to flesh on the first fillet. Sprinkle the remaining curing mixture over the skin of the top fillet.
- Cover the fillets and baking sheet or pan with foil or plastic wrap. Place a cutting board or second baking sheet on top of the covered fish and top it with something heavy (cans, pots, or pans) to weigh the fish down. Place it all in the fridge and let chill for about 12 hours or overnight.
- Remove from the fridge, unwrap, and discard the accumulated liquid in the pan. Turn over the fillets so the bottom one is on top.
- Cover the pan, weigh down the fish again, and return to the refrigerator. Let chill another 12 hours.
- The fish is now cured and ready to serve, but it will continue to benefit from another 12 to 24 hours of being weighed down and chilled, so feel free to repeat these steps a second time around.
- When ready to eat, pat dry, and thinly slice the gravlax against the grain using a very sharp knife.
- Serve and enjoy.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 250 kcal, Carbohydrate 3 g, Cholesterol 71 mg, Fiber 0 g, Protein 25 g, SaturatedFat 3 g, Sodium 1625 mg, Sugar 3 g, Fat 14 g, ServingSize 1 to 2 pounds (24 servings), UnsaturatedFat 0 g
GRAVLAX (SWEDISH SUGAR AND SALT CURED SALMON)
Make and share this Gravlax (Swedish Sugar and Salt Cured Salmon) recipe from Food.com.
Provided by Mimi Bobeck
Categories Lunch/Snacks
Time P2D
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Remove any small bones from the fillets with a pair of tweezers or needle-nosed pliers.
- Mix the sugar, salt and pepper in a bowl.
- Cover the bottom of a baking dish with 1/3 the dill and rub half of the sugar-salt mixture into the first fillet, on both sides, and lay it skin side down on top of the dill.
- Cover with 1/3 of dill.
- Prepare the other salmon fillet in the same way, and cover with the remaining fillet, skin side up, with the remaining dill on top.
- Cover in plastic wrap, place a cutting board with some heavy weights on top and marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
- Remove from plastic wrap and discard accumulated juices.
- Rewrap and refrigerate another 24- 48 hours.
- Scrape off the marinade and slice paper thin.
- Serve with Mustard Dill Sauce (Recipe #68168).
Nutrition Facts : Calories 262, Fat 5.2, SaturatedFat 0.8, Cholesterol 78.8, Sodium 6382.9, Carbohydrate 22.2, Sugar 22.2, Protein 30.2
GIN AND JUNIPER CURED SALMON - SCANDINAVIAN GRAVLAX
This is a slightly different Gravlax recipe than normal, as it uses gin and juniper for a clean, sophisticated and fresh taste - if you are not keen on gin - you could use vodka instead! Junipers can also be replaced by a few extra peppercorns. Gravlax (pronounced grov-lox) is from the Swedish name for this dish. Norwegians call it gravlaks and the Danish refer to it as Gravad laks. It literally means "buried salmon" and the name refers to the traditional method of preparation for this food: fresh salmon was heavy salted and buried in dry sand to ferment and cure.
Provided by French Tart
Categories Lunch/Snacks
Time P2DT10m
Yield 4-6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Remove the bone from the salmon, leaving two triangular fillets with the skin intact.
- To make the curing mixture, mix together the Maldon Crystal Salt, sugar and peppercorns,juniper berries and the gin.
- Place the salmon, skin side down, on a board and place half of the curing mixture over the surface of each fillet, pressing it well into the flesh. Now cover each fillet with the chopped dill.
- Place one fillet on top of the other to make a sandwich with the dill in the centre and the skin on the outside. Wrap tightly in Clingfilm and place on a shallow dish or plate. Place a plate over the top and weight with a heavy tin. Put in the fridge for 24 - 48 hours turning the gravalax twice during the curing time.
- Unwrap the gravlax and slice thinly Serve with rye bread and a sauce made from equal quantities of mayonnaise and wholegrain mustard mixed with a little sugar and chopped dill.
GRAVLAX
I think of making my own gravlax - the Nordic sugar-salt cured salmon - as the gentle, blue-square cooking analog of an intermediate ski trail: It's mostly easy, but requires some experience. While butchering a whole salmon and cold smoking what you've butchered are also exhilarating milestones in the life of an advancing home cook (both a little farther up the mountain and a little steeper on the run down), buying a nice fillet and burying it in salt, sugar and a carpet of chopped fresh dill for a few days is a great confidence-building day on the slopes, so to speak. The cured gravlax will last a solid five days once sliced, in the refrigerator. If a whole side of salmon is more than you need at once, the rest freezes very satisfactorily.
Provided by Gabrielle Hamilton
Categories brunch, dinner, lunch, seafood, main course
Time P5DT30m
Yield 10 to 12 servings (about 3 pounds)
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Cure the salmon: Lay salmon skin-side down, flesh-side up in a glass or stainless-steel baking dish. (A large lasagna dish works well.) In a small bowl, toss together the salt, sugar and pepper until blended. Sprinkle the mixture over the salmon evenly, with abandon, until fully covered, as if under a blanket of snow. Use all of it.
- Spread all the chopped dill on top of the cure-covered salmon to make a thick, grassy carpet.
- Lay plastic wrap or parchment paper over the salmon to cover and press down, then place a heavy weight - such as a 2-gallon zip-top bag filled with water - on top, to weigh heavily on the curing fish. Refrigerate just like this, without disturbing, for 5 days, turning the salmon over midway through the cure - on Day 3 - then covering and weighting it again.
- To serve, mix together the softened butter, dill, shallot and mustard until well blended.
- Remove salmon from the cure, which has now become liquid, brushing off the dill with a paper towel, then set fillet on a cutting board.
- With a long, thin, beveled slicing knife tilted toward the horizon, slice salmon thinly, stopping short of cutting through the skin. Generally, you begin slicing a few inches from the tail end and you slice in the direction of the tail, moving your knife back, slice by slice, toward the fatter, wider belly portion of the fillet. The last slices are always hard to get. Once you have shingled the fillet, run your knife between skin and flesh, releasing all the slices, then transfer them to parchment until ready to serve.
- Spread the compound butter on bread, then drape sliced gravlax on top, and eat as open-faced sandwiches.
Tips:
- For the best gravlax, use fresh, high-quality salmon. Look for a fillet that is firm and has a bright, vibrant color.
- Make sure to use a sharp knife to thinly slice the salmon. This will help the cure penetrate the fish evenly.
- Don't be afraid to experiment with different herbs and spices in your cure. Some popular additions include dill, fennel, and juniper berries.
- The curing time for gravlax can vary depending on the thickness of the salmon and your personal preferences. A good rule of thumb is to cure the salmon for at least 24 hours, but no longer than 72 hours.
- Once the gravlax is cured, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze the gravlax for up to 3 months.
Conclusion:
Gravlax is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed in many different ways. It can be served as an appetizer, main course, or even as a snack. Gravlax is also a great way to use up leftover salmon. If you're looking for a new and exciting way to enjoy salmon, gravlax is definitely worth a try.
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