Salmon Gravlax with Mustard-Dill Sauce

Tags: #appetizer #nordic #seafood #makeahead #glutenfree Serving: 12 servings Total time: 49 hours

Classic Scandinavian cured salmon, thinly sliced and served with a silky mustard-dill (hovmästarsås) sauce.

Ingredients

• Salmon side, skin-on, center-cut 1000 g (for gravlax)
• Fine sea salt 45 g (for gravlax)
• Granulated sugar 45 g (for gravlax)
• White pepper, coarsely ground 5 g (for gravlax)
• Lemon zest 6 g (for gravlax)
• Fresh dill, roughly chopped 40 g (for gravlax)
• Aquavit or gin 30 ml (optional, for gravlax)
• Dijon mustard 80 g (for sauce)
• Whole-grain mustard 20 g (for sauce)
• Granulated sugar 25 g (for sauce)
• White wine vinegar 20 ml (for sauce)
• Fine sea salt 3 g (for sauce)
• Ground white pepper 1 g (for sauce)
• Neutral oil 150 ml (for sauce)
• Fresh dill, finely chopped 20 g (for sauce)

Steps

1. Inspect the salmon for pin bones.
2. Pull out any pin bones with tweezers.
3. Pat the salmon dry with paper towels.
4. Combine the salt, sugar, white pepper, and lemon zest in a bowl.
5. Line a shallow dish with plastic wrap.
6. Spread half of the cure mixture on the plastic.
7. Scatter half of the chopped dill over the cure.
8. Place the salmon skin-side down on the cure.
9. Pack the remaining cure evenly over the salmon flesh.
10. Scatter the remaining dill over the cure.
11. Drizzle the aquavit over the dill (optional).
12. Wrap the salmon tightly in the plastic.
13. Set a 1–2 kg weight on top of the wrapped salmon.
14. Refrigerate the salmon for 24 hours.
15. Flip the wrapped salmon.
16. Refrigerate the salmon for 24 hours.
17. Unwrap the salmon.
18. Scrape off the cure and dill with a spoon.
19. Rinse the salmon briefly under cold water.
20. Pat the salmon completely dry.
21. Chill the salmon uncovered for 60 minutes.
22. Add Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, sugar, vinegar, salt, and white pepper to a bowl.
23. Whisk the mixture until smooth.
24. Drizzle the oil into the bowl in a thin stream.
25. Whisk the sauce until emulsified.