Classic Gravlax: Salt, Sugar and Dill Cured Salmon with Mustard-Dill Sauce
Inspired by techniques from NYT Cooking.
A side of salmon cured for 36 hours under salt, sugar, pepper and dill, coated in fresh dill and sliced thinly to serve on rye bread with a sweet mustard-dill sauce.
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Method
- 1
Make the cure. Stir together the salt, sugar and crushed peppercorns in a small bowl. Equal salt and sugar give a balanced cure: the salt pulls out water and the sugar softens its harshness.
- 2
Pack the salmon. Lay the fillet skin side down on a large double sheet of cling film, with half the chopped dill underneath and half on top. Pack the cure in an even, thick layer over the flesh, then wrap it tightly so the cure stays in contact with the fish.
- 3
Cure for 36 hours. Set the parcel in a deep dish and refrigerate for about 36 h, turning it over once halfway. Brine will leak out as the salt draws moisture from the fish, and the flesh will turn deeper in colour and firm to the touch.
- 4
Rinse and coat. Unwrap the salmon, scrape away the dill and cure and rinse quickly under cold water. Pat it bone dry with kitchen paper, then press the finely chopped dill firmly over the flesh to give a green crust.
- 5
Whisk the sauce. Whisk the mustard, sugar and vinegar together, then add the oil a little at a time, whisking, until the sauce thickens and turns glossy. Stir in the dill; adding the oil slowly helps it emulsify instead of separating.
- 6
Slice and serve. Hold the long knife almost flat and cut very thin slices on a steep angle down towards the skin, leaving the skin on the board. Arrange the slices on a plate with the rye bread and the mustard-dill sauce.
Storage
Wrapped tightly, the cured salmon keeps up to 3 days in the fridge. The mustard-dill sauce keeps 1 week covered in the fridge. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- small bowl
- cling film
- deep glass or ceramic dish that fits the fillet
- board and weights (a few tins)
- kitchen paper
- very long thin slicing knife
- small whisk
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 277 kcal |
| Protein | 17.9 g |
| Carbohydrate | 15.7 g |
| of which sugars | 3.5 g |
| of which free sugars | 3.5 g |
| Fat | 15.6 g |
| of which saturates | 2.8 g |
| Fibre | 1.9 g |
| Salt | 2.38 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
6.5 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
