Gravlax, also known as dill cured salmon, is a Nordic dish consisting of raw salmon cured with salt, sugar, and dill. It is a popular appetizer or main course, often served with a mustard sauce and rye bread. Gravlax has a distinct flavor that is both salty and sweet, with a tender and buttery texture. It is a relatively easy dish to make at home, and there are many variations on the basic recipe. Whether you are looking for a traditional gravlax recipe or something more modern, this article will help you find the perfect recipe to suit your taste.
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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
SALMON CURED WITH DILL AND PERNOD
Provided by Ina Garten
Categories appetizer
Time P2DT15m
Yield 20 to 30 servings
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Cut the salmon fillet in 2 pieces crosswise and place one piece in a deep dish, skin side down. Combine the salt, sugar, peppercorns, and fennel seeds in a small bowl. Wash and shake dry the dill and arrange it over the fish. Sprinkle dry mixture evenly over the dill and salmon. Add Pernod over the top of salmon. Place the other piece of salmon over the dill and spices, skin side up. Cover the dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place a smaller dish on top of the plastic wrap and weight it with heavy cans. Refrigerate the salmon for at least 2 to 3 days, turning it every 12 hours and basting it with the liquid that collects.
- To serve, lay the salmon fillets flat on a cutting board and scrape off most of the dill and spices. Slice with a long, thin knife, as you would for smoked salmon. Lay the slices of bread on a cutting board, spread with the Gravlax Sauce, and place a slice of salmon on top, covering the bread completely. Cut each bread slice in half, decorate with a sprig of dill, and serve at room temperature.
- Whisk together the Dijon mustard, honey mustard, whole-grain mustard, ground mustard, sugar, and vinegar in a medium bowl. Combine the olive and grapeseed oils in a small measuring cup. Slowly add the oil mixture to the mustard mixture, whisking constantly, until emulsified. Stir in the dill and salt.
TEQUILA CURED SALMON GRAVLAX
Provided by Food Network
Yield 8 to 10 servings of appetizer
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Put the peppercorns in a spice mill and crush to a coarse grind. In a bowl combine the pepper, sugar and salt and blend well together.
- Place the bunches of cilantro, dill, and scallions together in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped.
- Rinse some cheese cloth under cold running water. Unfold the cheese cloth and lay a large piece out on your work surface. The cloth will have to be large enough to wrap completely around the salmon several times.
- Choose the freshest salmon possible for this dish as this is a cured but not cooked dish and fresh really counts. Cut the fish fillet into two equal pieces and lay it, skin side down, in the center of the cheesecloth. Spread the sugar, salt, and pepper mixture evenly over the salmon flesh. Spread the chopped herbs in the same manner and then sprinkle the tequila over the herbs. The flesh of the salmon should be totally coated in this curing seasoning.
- Once all the tequila has been absorbed, sandwich the two fillets together, fleshtoflesh and skinsidesout. Position the fillet "sandwich" in the center of the cloth and wrap as you would a gift, pulling the cloth as tightly as possible around the fillets. Lay the package on a cake cooling rack set over a cookie sheet. The rack allows air to circulate for more efficient drying, while the cookie sheet will catch the liquid extracted during the threeday curing period. Put the weight in a second, smaller cake pan and place it on top of the fish. The weight must be properly and
- evenly distributed so as to press out the unwanted water.
- Place the entire curing setup in the bottom, the coldest area, of your refrigerator and begin the 3 day curing process. Remove the weight and flip the fish package over every 24 hours, replacing the weight each time. Drain off and discard any liquid that collects in the pan when you do this. At the end of the 72 hours the fish must be cleaned. Remove the cheesecloth and discard it. Drain any accumulated liquid, scrape off all of the used herbs and salt and pepper. Rinse the fish under cold running water and pat the fish totally dry.
- The salmon is now fully cured and as entirely edible as smoked salmon but must be kept refrigerated.
- To serve, finely chop one cup of fresh cilantro and cover the flesh side of the fish. Using a very sharp knife, slice the salmon as thinly as possible, at a 45 degree angle. Your first slices may look a bit rough, but be patient. With a little practice you'll soon be turning out elegant greenedged red ribbons of gravlax.
- Mix the mustard and confectioner's sugar and serve with pumpernickel and wedges of lime.
- Weight for weighing down the salmon as it cures, such as unopened plastic bags of dried beans, or gallon jugs of cooking oil .
GRAVLAKS (DILL-CURED SALMON)
When I think Scandinavian food, I think Gravlaks. DH makes the best, but he was no help when asked for quantities. So here is a recipe from Scandelicious that has the same basic ingredients. I like this one because it doesn't have alcohol, so it's safe to serve for parties. Though I must admit, I do like it better when there's gin or juniper berries in the cure. COOKING TIME IS MARINATING TIME
Provided by Jostlori
Categories Swedish
Time P2DT25m
Yield 12 appetizer portions
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Dry the salmon, check for pinbones and then place both fillet pieces side by side, skin down.
- Crush the white pepper and coriander with a mortar and pestle and then mix in a small bowl with the sugar and salt.
- Spread the dill over the skinless side of the fillet halves, then spread the spiced sugar and salt in a layer on top.
- Sandwich both fillets together so that the the dill spice mixture is in the middle and the skin is outermost. Cover any exposed surface of salmon with any dill and spice mixture that tumbles out.
- Wrap VERY TIGHTLY in two layers of saran wrap (cling film) and place in a glass baking dish to catch the brine that escapes the fish as it cures.
- Refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours and up to 48 hours.
- NOTE: Some people like to place a weight over the fish as it cures. In actual fact, it doesn't make much of a difference.
- When the gravlaks has had time to cure, take it out of the fridge, remove the wrap and wipe the fillet halves clean of the herbed spiced salt with a paper towel, pat dry and put on a board, skin down.
- Slice on the diagonal from the tail towards the middle of the fillet, slicing as thinly as possible. You do not want thick slices or chunks.
- Serve on flatbread with freshly grated horseradish, dill, or finely grated lemon zest.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 204.7, Fat 6, SaturatedFat 1.1, Cholesterol 60.8, Sodium 3200, Carbohydrate 9.1, Fiber 0.5, Sugar 8.3, Protein 27.4
DANISH GRAVLAKS (LOX) CURED SALMON
This is traditionally part of any Danish Smorgaasbord., Also wonderful for any recipe calling for Lox - appetizers etc. The wine and cognac cures the raw salmon. This cannot be compared to smoked salmon the process is very different nor do I recommend grilling it. It is ready after curing sliced very thinly. It is wonderfull on a bagel with cream cheese, chopped sweet onion , capers and served with scrambled eggs.
Provided by Bergy
Categories Lunch/Snacks
Time P3D
Yield 4-6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Combine the sugar, salt sprinkle on to the flesh side of the salmon.
- Cover loosely with fresh dill sprigs, press spices and dill into salmon.
- In a glass or ceramic shallow dish, just large enough to hold the salmon mix the cognac& wine.
- Place the salmon skin side up into the dish.
- Cover the dish loosely with plastic wrap and place a board the size to the salmon on top, weight it with apprx a 2-3 lb weight, tighten the plastic wrap Place in fridge and allow to marinate for 3-4 days.
- Transfer salmon to a cutting board and cut the salmon horizontally into thin slices.
Tips:
- Select the freshest salmon possible: Fresh salmon is essential for making gravlax. Look for salmon that is firm to the touch and has a bright, vibrant color.
- Use a sharp knife: A sharp knife will help you to create thin, even slices of salmon.
- Cure the salmon in a cool, dark place: The ideal temperature for curing salmon is between 32°F and 38°F. A refrigerator is a good option, but you can also cure the salmon in a cool basement or cellar.
- Be patient: Gravlax takes time to cure. The curing process can take anywhere from 24 hours to 3 days, depending on the thickness of the salmon.
- Use a variety of herbs and spices: You can use a variety of herbs and spices to flavor your gravlax. Some popular options include dill, juniper berries, and fennel seeds.
- Experiment with different curing times: The longer you cure the salmon, the more intense the flavor will be. Experiment with different curing times to find the flavor that you like best.
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 snack. It is also a great way to use up leftover salmon. If you are looking for a new and exciting way to enjoy salmon, give gravlax a try. You won't be disappointed!
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