Gravad lax, or gravlax, is a traditional Scandinavian dish of thinly sliced cured salmon. It is typically seasoned with dill. It may also be spelled gravad laks or gravlaks, which are the more common Danish spellings.
The ancestors of today’s gravad lax were made by burying and fermenting salmon. This method of burying salmon gave the dish its name, meaning “graved” salmon, and evolved into the modern process of curing salmon with salt and sugar.
Gravlax typically takes around 24 hours to cure for a one-inch thick fillet; however, thicker fish needs more time to cure, perhaps 36 hours for a very thick fillet.
Gravlax can be an appetizer by itself, and it is often served on toasted slices of rye bread.
Gravlax is traditionally paired with a special mustard sauce(gravlaxsås) made from swedish mustard or dijon mustard. Swedish mustard is similar to dijon mustard but typically made from a mix of yellow and brown mustard seeds.
Gravad Lax / Gravlax Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb salmon fillet, skin on
- ¼ cup salt
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tbsp white or black peppercorn, crushed (optional)
- ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
- 1 lemon zest and/or juice (optional)
- gravlax sauce (optional)
Directions
- combine salt, sugar, pepper, dill, lemon zest
- spread ¼ of the mixture on large platter; place salmon on top and spread remaining mixture to cover salmon
- place plastic wrap or similar covering over salmon, and place a flat weight on top
- chill about 24 to 36 hours in refrigerator
- drain and wipe off excess seasoning
- thinly slice
- garnish with dill, gravlax sauce, lemon juice (optional)
- serve
Gravlax Sauce(Gravlaxsås) Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup fresh dill, minced
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp swedish mustard or dijon mustard
- ½ cup neutral oil
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp white vinegar
Directions
- combine dill, sugar
- add mustard
- gradually mix in oil while stirring vigorously
- mix in salt, vinegar
- serve