Gravad Lax Marinated Salmon Recipes

SALMON GRAVLAX

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and salt together and set aside.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place salmon, flesh side up, on a grate on the prepared pan. Scatter fresh chopped dill over the top of the flesh. Sprinkle with crushed peppercorns and vodka.
• Layer salt and sugar mix, over the top of the fish.
• Refrigerate in a container in the refrigerator for 24 to 36 hours.
• Drain the liquid on the pan. Scrape off sugar, salt and dill. Rinse the fish and pat dry.
• The fish is now ready to be thinly sliced on a bias, leaving the skin behind.

GRAVLAX (MARINATED SALMON)

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.

GRAVAD LAKS (AKA GRAVAD LAX, GRAVLAX, GRAV LAX, GRAVLAKS)

Steps:

• Rinse the filet under lukewarm water and pat dry. Remove any remaining bones with tweezers, pliers or a small child, then cut salmon in half crosswise.
• Place the filet pieces on a large piece of aluminum foil.
• Sprinkle the sugar, salt and pepper over 1/2 of the filet, then completely cover that with a thick layer of dill, making sure you only use the thin leaves of the dill and not the stems. Sprinkle the wine on last. Place the other half of salmon on top like a sandwich, skin side out.
• Wrap up the foil into a firmly closed packet, place on plate and put another plate on top. Weigh down with something heavy (I used a gallon of milk) on the top plate and put in the fridge for 48 hours, turning the salmon every 12 hours to ensure even marinating.
• When the salmon is ready, remove all the dill and set aside, then slice the salmon at a severe angle in the thinnest slices you can manage with an insanely sharp knife, parallel to the skin. The thinner the slice, the better it tastes!
• Serve with fresh dill and pepper on buttered fresh toast.
• Ok, just kidding about the small child.

GRAVAD LAX WITH A MUSTARD AND DILL SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the curing mix: place the salt, sugar and white pepper into a medium sized bowl, add the dill and stir to combine.
• Line a large, shallow, rectangular dish, to fit the salmon, with clingfilm.
• Sprinkle over a quarter of the curing mixture, spread over the base and top with one of the salmon fillets, skin-side down.
• Sprinkle over half of the curing mix and top with the other half of the salmon skin-side up, sprinkle over the remaining curing mixture on top of the fillet and wrap loosely in the cling film.
• Weigh the fish down with some cans or weights on top to remove any excess liquid or moisture.
• Place in fridge, turning the salmon over twice a day, for 3-4 days, if possible.
• Do not pour off the curing liquid if it leaks through the cling film, unless there is a change of over-flowing.
• Before serving the gravad lax scrape the curing mix off the fish to remove the salt and pat dry with kitchen paper (you can rinse it off if you want).
• To make the sauce:.
• In a bowl whisk the mustard and sugar together with the egg yolk, gradually whisk in a steady trickle of oil, making sure the oil is well emulsified.
• Start to add the oil at a constant pace, when used up whisk in the vinegar.
• Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if needed, add the dill and mix well.
• To serve, cut the gravad lax at an angle in slices (gravad lax is traditionally served slightly thicker than smoked salmon). Place 3-4 good slices on a plate along with a spoonful of the sauce.
• Garnish with the dill.

GRAVAD LAX (MARINATED SALMON)

Steps:

• Remove bones from salmon, cut into 2 peices, wash and dry.
• Combine salt, sugar and peppercorns in small bowl.
• layer 1/3rd of the dill on the bottom of a shallow baking pan.
• lay one peice of salmon on the dill, sprinkle with salt/sugar mixture and another 3rd of the dill, cover with second peice of salmon, and cover with remaining dill.
• Cover with a board and refridgerate for 2 to 3 days.
• To serve, scrape off salt, sugar, peppercorns and dill. Slice salmon diagonally into 1/4 inch slices. Serve with dark bread and capers.