Recipe for Home-Cured Gravlax

What better way to wind up a week dedicated to seafood than with a fish recipe? Gravlax is a traditional Nordic salmon dish that cures the fish in salt, sugar, and dill. Unlike smoked salmon, there is no smoke involved! Because the fish is cured, not cooked, it is important to use fish that is very fresh.

The dish is traditionally served thinly sliced with a mustardy sauce on top of bread slices or potato.

Gravlax (Dill-Cured Salmon)

Serves: 20
Prep time: 10 minutes (plus curing time)
Cook time: 0 minutes
Cook method: Cure

Ingredients for the fish:

• 2.5 kg (about 5 lbs) fresh salmon fillet, skin still on
• 1 cup chopped dill
• 250 gr coarse sea salt
• 250 gr sugar
• 2 Tbsp crushed white peppercorns

Ingredients for the creamy mustard sauce:

• 2 tsp onion, finely grated
• 2 tsp honey
• 3 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• 6 oz heavy cream

Instructions:

1. Mix the dill, salt, sugar, and peppercorns. Spread overlapping plastic on the counter surface, and spread half the curing mixture in the shape and size of the fish.

2. Place the salmon fillet, skin side down, then spread the rest of the curing mixture over the top of the salmon.

3. Wrap the salmon tightly in two or three layers of plastic wrap and place it in a dish. Weigh the salmon down with a chopping board or large heavy dish and a few cans placed on top and refrigerate for 36 hours.

4. To make the creamy mustard sauce mix together all the ingredients except the cream. Whip the cream to form soft peaks, then add in the rest of the ingredients and chill, covered.

5. Remove the salmon from the curing solution. Scrape off the salt mixture and rinse, then pat dry. (If you like, you can garnish with fresh chopped dill.)

6. To serve, slice it thinly in a diagonal pattern, as you would smoked salmon. Arrange it on a plate with sliced bread, boiled sliced potatoes, or crackers.

By Peg Kern

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