Appetizers > Seafood > Sweden > Gravad Lax >
Gravad Lax
Salmon & Dill
4 LBS salmon filets
1/2 C salt
1/2 C sugar
1 TBS white pepper
1 tsp. ground allspice
6 TBS cognac
2 large bunches fresh dill weed
Mustard Sauce (for serving; optional)
Capers (for serving; optional)
Crisp crackers or small-cut rye bread (for serving; optional)
Lemon wedges (for serving; optional)
Black pepper (for serving; optional)
Wipe salmon with a damp cloth. Leave skin on, but carefully remove bones. In a bowl, mix together salt, sugar, white pepper and allspice. Rub seasonings into salmon filets. Sprinkle with cognac. Wash dill and shake dry. Place one third of the dill weed in the bottom of a large non-aluminum pan or bowl. Place one piece of salmon, skin side down, on top of dill. Cover salmon with another third of the dill. Top with second piece of salmon, skin side up and cover with remaining dill. Cover with plastic wrap; weigh down with a plate or cutting board. Refrigerate for twenty-four to forty-eight hours, turning salmon over every twelve hours or so to fully absorb marinade. After marinade, drain salmon; scrape off dill and other spices. Slice wafer-thin on a slant, away from the skin. Layer salmon slices on crisp crackers or small-cut rye bread, garnished with fresh dill sprigs. Gravad Lax will keep in the refrigerator for eight to ten days.
Suggestions: Serve with Hovmastarsas (Mustard Sauce), capers, crisp crackers, lemon wedges and black pepper.
Variation: After scraping dill and spices off salmon, remove skin carefully. Cut skin into strips; fry in hot butter until crisp. Add a strip of skin to each serving.
*Gravad Lax image (C) Charles Haynes (2006). Used under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.
Related Link:
Food Fare Culinary Collection: Swedish Koket
HOME | Recipes | News & Updates | About Food Fare | Contact | Site Map
