Gravlax, a Nordic dish, is a delicious and easy-to-make cured salmon that is marinated in a mixture of salt, sugar, and dill. The curing process takes a few days, but the resulting dish is well worth the wait. Gravlax can be served as an appetizer, main course, or snack, and it is also a popular ingredient in sushi and other Japanese dishes. If you are looking for a unique and flavorful way to enjoy salmon, gravlax is definitely worth trying.
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GRAVLAX (MARINATED SALMON)
This is the traditional Swedish gravlax recipe. Nowadays lots of varieties have evolved, but this is the original. It is traditionally served with the mustard sauce ('Gravlaxsas') and lemon. I recommend a German or Californian dry or semi-dry white wine to this. Because of the simplicity of the recipe, the salmon has to be of the best quality and freshness available.
Provided by Andreacute Grisell
Categories Swedish
Time P3DT20m
Yield 8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- For the salmon, remove all bones with a pair of tweezers, but leave the skin on.
- Rinse.
- Mash the dill stems in a mortar with a little of the salt.
- Mix with the rest of the salt, the sugar and pepper.
- Save the dill leaves for the sauce.
- Cover the flesh side of the fillets with the mixture, and place the fillets flesh-to-flesh in a tray made of glass or stainless steel.
- Cover with plastic foil and put a heavy weight on top (e. g. the mortar or a brick).
- Keep refrigerated for 72 hours, turning the fillets every 12 hours.
- Do not discard the liquid that forms.
- Scrape off the spices and discard the liquid.
- The salmon will keep refrigerated for about a week.
- For the sauce, mix mustard, sugar and vinegar.
- Add the oil a little at the time (as for mayonnaise), constantly stirring.
- Just before serving, add lots of dill and salt and pepper to taste.
- Slice the salmon with a sharp, flexible knife in big, thin slices parallell to the skin.
- Arrange the ice-cold salmon on lettuce leaves with slices of lemon.
- Serve the sauce separately.
- Also serve toasted bread and butter.
GRAVLAX (FRESH SALMON MARINATED IN DILL)
This traditional Scandinavian recipe often appears on Christmas Eve smorgasbords. You can easily halve the recipe to serve a small gathering, too. Buy one fillet and cut it in half cross-wise or select 2 equal-size pieces of center-cut fillet weighing 1 1/2 to 2 pounds total. 12. Use previously frozen salmon or freeze fish at 0 degrees for 48 hours to kill any parasites that may be present.
Provided by lazyme
Time P4DT30m
Yield 72 slices
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- For the sauce, mix the mustard, vinegar and sugar in a small bowl.
- Gradually whisk in the oil.
- Stir in the dill.
- Refrigerate, tightly covered, up to three days.
- Whisk again before using.
- Serve slightly chilled.
- Run your fingers down the flesh side of each fillet to locate the small pin bones and remove them with tweezers or needle-nose pliers.
- Wipe the flesh with a damp paper towel.
- Combine the salt, sugar and peppercorns in a small bowl.
- Rub the mixture onto the flesh side of both fillets.
- Sprinkle the dill evenly over 1 fillet and lay the other fillet flesh-side down on top, placing the thin end of one over the thick end of the other.
- Place the salmon in a large plastic bag, press out the air and seal tightly.
- Put the salmon on a platter and lay a cutting board or baking sheet on top and weight it down with three 1- to 2-pound cans of food.
- Refrigerate 36 to 48 hours, turning the bag of fillets over every 12 hours.
- Lift fillets from the bag and discard the bag and accumulated liquid.
- Scrape the seasonings off the fish and pat dry. (Fillets can be wrapped in plastic and stored in the refrigerator up to 10 days before serving -- see note below.)
- Place one fillet, skin side down, on a large serving platter (with head end to the left for right-handed people).
- Hold the knife blade tilted so you'll be slicing down through the fillet at a 45-degree angle (rather than straight up and down).
- Begin slicing at the head end, making a 1/8-inch-thick slice.
- At the bottom of slice, turn the knife blade gently to separate the slice from the skin.
- Using the knife, turn the slice over to the left as if turning the page of a book.
- Continue cutting 1/8-inch slices on the angle, separating each from the skin and turning each slice over to partially overlap the previous one.
- Repeat with remaining fillet.
- Garnish with fresh dill and serve with Mustard Dill Sauce and rye or dark bread.
- NOTE: You can keep gravlax in the refrigerator up to 10 days after curing, serving it anytime withing that span. Wrap sliced or unsliced gravlax in plastic and store in the coldest part of your refrigerator.
"T" MARINATED SALMON GRAVLAX
Steps:
- Lay salmon skin side down in a stainless steel container. Mix together dill and remaining ingredients. Cover evenly with this mixture. Cover the container with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 48 hours. After 48 hours, brush off the marinade mixture, leaving a light coating on the salmon. Slice thinly and serve cold.
GRAVADLAX
Cure your own salmon, Scandinavian-style, with dill, juniper, and lemon and serve with a mustard sauce
Provided by Barney Desmazery
Time P2D
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Pat the salmon dry with kitchen paper and run your hands over the flesh to see if there are any stray small bones - if there are, use a pair of tweezers to pull them out. Set the salmon fillets aside.
- Tip the salt, sugar, peppercorns, lemon zest, juniper and dill into a food processor and blitz until you have a bright green, wet salt mixture or 'cure'. Unravel some cling film but keep it attached to the roll. Lay the first fillet of salmon skin-side down and then pack the cure over the flesh. Drizzle with gin, if using and top with the 2nd fillet, flesh-side down. Roll the sandwiched fillets tightly in cling film to create a package.
- Place the fish in a shallow baking dish or shallow-sided tray and lay another tray on top. Weigh the tray down with a couple of tins or bottles and place in the fridge for at least 48 hrs or up to 4 days, turning the fish over every 12 hours or so. The longer you leave it, the more cured it will become.
- To make the sauce, tip all the sauce ingredients into a blender. Blitz until you have a thickened dressing.
- To serve, unwrap the fish and brush off the marinade with kitchen paper. Rinse it if you like. You can slice the fish classically into long thin slices, leaving the skin behind, or remove the skin it and slice it straight down. Serve the sliced fish on a large platter or individual plates with pumpernickel bread, dill and mustard sauce.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 288 calories, Fat 15.9 grams fat, SaturatedFat 2.5 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 15.2 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 15.2 grams sugar, Fiber 0.1 grams fiber, Protein 20.8 grams protein, Sodium 4.3 milligram of sodium
Tips:
- Choose the freshest, highest-quality salmon fillet you can find. Freshness is the key to a delicious gravlax.
- Use a sharp knife to remove the skin from the salmon fillet. This will help the marinade penetrate the fish more evenly.
- Don't be afraid to experiment with different herbs and spices in your marinade. Some popular variations include adding lemon zest, orange zest, or even juniper berries.
- Be sure to weigh down the salmon fillet with a heavy object while it is marinating. This will help to press the flavors into the fish.
- When the gravlax is ready, slice it thinly and serve it with your favorite accompaniments. Some popular choices include blinis, crackers, or rye bread.
Conclusion:
Gravlax is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed as an appetizer, main course, or snack. It is easy to make and can be tailored to your own personal taste. With a little planning and preparation, you can create a gravlax that will impress your friends and family.
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