Gravlax

About This Recipe

Gravlax (from the Old Norse words for 'grave' and 'salmon') is one of Scandinavia's greatest culinary achievements: raw salmon transformed by a simple cure of salt, sugar and dill into something silky, deeply flavoured and sublime. Medieval fishermen buried salted salmon in the ground to ferment it; modern Gravlax skips the fermentation and relies instead on the cure to draw out moisture and firm the flesh. The result, after just 24–48 hours in the refrigerator, is fish that has the appearance of smoked salmon but a fresher, lighter, more delicate flavour. Gravlax is traditionally served on crispbread or dark rye bread with a sweet Dijon mustard-dill sauce (hovmästarsås), capers, and thinly sliced red onion — an indispensable feature of the Swedish smörgåsbord.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 800 gskin-on salmon fillet(sushi-grade, pin-boned)
• 3 tablespoonscoarse sea salt
• 2 tablespoonscaster sugar
• 1 tablespooncoarsely ground white pepper
• 1 large bunchfresh dill(roughly chopped, including stalks)
• 2 tablespoonsaquavit or vodka(optional but traditional)
• 3 tablespoonsDijon mustard(for the sauce)
• 1 tablespoonhoney or sugar(for the sauce)
• 1 tablespoonwhite wine vinegar(for the sauce)
• 100 mlneutral oil(for the sauce)
• 2 tablespoonsfresh dill, finely chopped(for the sauce)

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the cure

   Combine the salt, sugar and white pepper in a small bowl. If using aquavit or vodka, keep it separately.

2. 2

   Apply the cure

   Place the salmon skin-side down on a large sheet of cling film. Rub the aquavit over the flesh if using. Spread the salt-sugar cure evenly over the flesh. Cover generously with the chopped dill.

   Use the best quality, freshest salmon you can find — ideally labelled sushi- or sashimi-grade.

3. 3

   Wrap and weight

   Wrap the salmon tightly in cling film. Place in a dish, set another dish on top and weigh it down with tins or jars. Refrigerate for 24 hours for a lighter cure, or 48 hours for a firmer, more intensely flavoured result.

4. 4

   Turn halfway

   After 12 hours, turn the package over so the top half is now on the bottom. The cure will have drawn out liquid — this is the brine. Leave weighted for the remaining time.

5. 5

   Make the mustard-dill sauce

   Whisk together the Dijon mustard, honey and vinegar. Slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking to emulsify. Stir in the chopped dill. Season with salt and white pepper.

6. 6

   Slice and serve

   Unwrap the salmon and scrape away the dill and excess cure. Using a long, sharp knife at a low angle, slice the salmon very thinly against the grain. Serve on crispbread or dark rye bread with the mustard-dill sauce, capers and thinly sliced red onion.

Variations

• •

  Add lemon or orange zest to the cure for citrus gravlax.

• •

  Replace some dill with fresh tarragon or chervil.

• •

  Add a tablespoon of grated raw beetroot to the cure for striking pink Rödbetsgravlax.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Cured Gravlax keeps refrigerated for up to 5 days tightly wrapped. Slice as needed. Do not freeze once cured — the texture deteriorates.

Frequently Asked Questions