GRAVADLAX – A GREAT NORDIC CURED SALMON STARTER

Gravadlax is salt cured salmon and yes, you can make it at home. It's a perfect make-ahead dish. You could try using other fish like snapper, bass, and Arctic char. Serve the gravadlax with fresh multi-seed bread, lemon wedges and mayonnaise, a mustard sauce or perhaps a yogurt and dill dressing.
The basic recipe calls for salt, honey, and dill but you could also add a few tablespoons of brandy or vodka. Experiment with additional spices like coriander seeds, caraway seeds, fennel seeds and lemon zest. Most gravadlax recipes call for a 24 hour curing period but it can go longer although it'll become drier as it cures.
- 1 3lb center cut salmon fillet
- 1 large bunch of fresh dill or fennel fronds
- 1/4 cup of sea salt
- 1/4 cup of Haughton Honey
- 2 tablespoons peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon fennel, caraway, or coriander seeds (optional)
- 1 tablespoon vodka, brandy, or gin (optional – use a little less salt if doing so)
if you have a fan-assisted oven then reduce the specified temperature in the recipe by about 15%.
1 teaspoon = 5ml
1 tablespoon = 15ml.
some ingredients are measured in cups and some equivalents are;
150g, 6oz (1/2 cup) = 120ml, 4fl oz.
- Cut the salmon fillet crosswise in two equal pieces to create a “sandwich.” Lay the fillets skin side down on parchment paper. Sprinkle the salmon with the spices, honey (and spirits if using). Lay the dill over one of the fillets.
- Sandwich the fillets together and wrap tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place on a dish and cover with a heavy weight (like heavy cans). Refrigerate for 2 days or more, turning it every 12 hours. Slice thinly to serve.