Gravlax Smörgås (Cured Salmon Open Sandwich)

About This Recipe

Gravlax is Sweden's centuries-old method of curing salmon in salt, sugar and heaps of fresh dill rather than smoking or cooking it, a technique that dates back to medieval fishing communities who buried salted fish in the ground (gravad literally means buried) to preserve it. On rye bread, thin slices of the cured salmon are laid over butter and topped with hovmästarsås, a sharp mustard-dill sauce that cuts through the fish's richness with vinegar and sugar in careful balance. The curing itself needs nothing more than time and pressure: salmon fillets are packed with a salt-sugar mixture and fresh dill, weighted down, and left in the fridge for two to three days while the cure draws out moisture and firms the flesh into something silky rather than raw-tasting. The result is delicate and slightly sweet, entirely different from smoked salmon despite looking similar. Served open-faced on dense rye with the mustard sauce, it's a fixture of Swedish smörgåsbord spreads and midsummer celebrations, showing off the fish itself rather than burying it under heavy garnish.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 500 gsalmon fillet(skin-on, center cut, cured 48 hours ahead)
• 3 tbspcoarse sea salt
• 3 tbspsugar
• 1 tbspwhite peppercorns(crushed)
• 1 large bunchfresh dill(chopped, divided)
• 3 tbspdijon mustard
• 1 tbspswedish sweet mustard(or additional dijon with 1 tsp sugar)
• 1 tbspwhite wine vinegar
• 0.33 cupneutral oil
• 4 slicesdark rye bread
• 3 tbspbutter(softened)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cure the salmon

   Mix salt, sugar and crushed white pepper. Rub over both sides of the salmon, pack half the dill on top, wrap tightly in plastic, weight it down and refrigerate for 48 hours, flipping once halfway.

   This must be done at least two days ahead — there's no shortcut to real gravlax.

2. 2

   Scrape and slice

   Scrape off the cure and dill, pat the salmon dry, and slice it very thinly on an angle, away from the skin.

3. 3

   Make the mustard-dill sauce

   Whisk mustards, vinegar and remaining dill together, then slowly drizzle in oil while whisking until emulsified.

4. 4

   Assemble the sandwich

   Butter the rye bread generously. Layer thin slices of gravlax over the top, overlapping slightly.

5. 5

   Finish and serve

   Drizzle with the mustard-dill sauce and a scatter of extra fresh dill. Serve open-faced immediately.

Variations

• •

  Add a splash of aquavit or vodka to the cure for a more traditional, slightly boozy depth.

• •

  Use beetroot in the cure for a portion of the salmon to create a striking pink-edged gravlax.

• •

  Serve the gravlax over boiled new potatoes instead of bread for a smörgåsbord-style plated version.

Storage

Cured, sliced gravlax keeps refrigerated up to 5 days, tightly wrapped. Do not freeze after curing, as it changes the delicate texture; freeze raw salmon before curing instead if needed.

Frequently Asked Questions