Gravlax with Mustard-Dill Sauce

Salmon cured for two days under salt, sugar, white pepper and plenty of dill, sliced paper-thin and served with a sweet mustard-dill sauce. Serves 10 to 12 as a starter.

Sliced gravlax on a wooden board with dill, mustard-dill sauce, lemon wedges and rye bread
  • Prep 25 min
  • Cure 48 hr
  • Total 48 hr 25 min
  • Yield 10 to 12 servings

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Gravlax means buried salmon, from the days when Scandinavian fishermen salted their catch and buried it in the sand to cure. Today it is cured in the refrigerator under a simple mix of salt, sugar, pepper and dill, and after two days the fish turns silky, firm and translucent.

It is served thinly sliced with hovmästarsås, a sweet mustard and dill sauce, along with rye bread or boiled potatoes. It is a fixture of the Swedish Christmas and Midsummer tables.

Ingredients

Salmon

  • 2 pounds center-cut salmon fillet, skin on, pin bones removed
  • 1/4 cup kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon white peppercorns, coarsely crushed
  • 1 large bunch fresh dill, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)

Mustard-dill sauce

  • 3 tablespoons Swedish-style sweet mustard or Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1/3 cup neutral oil, such as canola
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
  • Salt and white pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Prepare the salmon. Cut the fillet crosswise into two equal pieces. Run your fingers along each piece and pull out any remaining pin bones with tweezers.
  2. Mix the cure. Stir together the salt, sugar and crushed peppercorns.
  3. Assemble. Lay one piece skin side down in a glass or ceramic dish. Rub half the cure over the flesh and cover it with the dill. Rub the rest of the cure on the second piece and lay it flesh side down on top, like a sandwich.
  4. Cure. Cover with plastic wrap, set a small board or plate on top and weigh it down with a few cans. Refrigerate for 48 hours, turning the salmon over every 12 hours and spooning the liquid that collects back over it.
  5. Make the sauce. Whisk the mustard, sugar and vinegar, then whisk in the oil in a thin stream until thick. Stir in the dill and season with salt and pepper.
  6. Slice and serve. Scrape off the dill and cure and pat the salmon dry. Slice it very thinly on an angle, away from the skin, and serve with the sauce.

Tips

  • Because gravlax is not cooked, use salmon labeled sushi-grade, or freeze the fillet first: the FDA guideline for raw fish is 7 days at -4°F to kill parasites. Thaw it in the refrigerator before curing.
  • Wrapped tightly, gravlax keeps in the refrigerator for 5 days after curing.
  • A very sharp, long knife makes the thinnest slices.

Questions about this recipe

Is gravlax raw?
The salmon is cured, not cooked. The salt and sugar draw out moisture and firm the flesh, but it is still raw fish, so start with salmon that is safe to eat raw.
How is gravlax different from smoked salmon?
Gravlax is cured only with salt, sugar and dill; smoked salmon is cured and then smoked, which gives it a smoky flavor and a slightly firmer texture.

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