Gravlax is a Scandinavian dish made from salmon that has been cured with salt, sugar, and dill. It is commonly served as an appetizer and can be found in specialty food stores or made at home. The original version was fermented, but the modern version is cold-aged under refrigeration. It pairs well with pickled vegetables and strong liqueurs.
Gravlax is a Scandinavian fish dish that is popular in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland in particular. The recipe has evolved considerably over the centuries, from a pungent fermented fish to a more mildly flavored cured version. The food is commonly served as an appetizer and can also appear on sandwiches as a snack. Scandinavian specialty food stores may carry gravlax and it can also be made at home.
Traditionally, gravlax is made from salmon. Other fish species could potentially be used, but since gravlax is eaten raw, only saltwater species can be used. Freshwater fish can carry potentially dangerous parasites. Purists argue that a version of the dish made with a fish other than salmon isn’t truly gravlax, although it may be perfectly edible and interesting to eat.
In Swedish, grav means “buried”, while up there means “salmon”. The original version of the dish was made by fishermen who buried salmon above high tide after rubbing it with salt, sugar and dill. As it was buried, the salmon fermented and became quite pungent and strongly flavored. The modern dish is not fermented at all and is cold-aged under refrigeration. This radically changes the taste and smell of the dish, and many consumers prefer the modern version.
To make gravlax, equal parts salt and sugar, mix and then rub into a salmon fillet. The dill sprigs are lightly mashed and piled on top before the salmon is tightly wrapped and placed in the refrigerator for up to five days. Some cooks weigh the salmon, resulting in a pressed salmon gravlax with a very thick, firm texture. Others believe this is unnecessary. In both cases, the tenderloin must be as fresh as possible and must be washed and patted dry before starting the curing process.
Once hardened, the gravlax is thinly sliced and served. Raw salmon should be kept on ice if possible to ensure it remains free of bacteria. It can be placed on a smörgåsbord, placed on crackers or integrated into other appetizers. Gravlax tends to pair well with pickled vegetables like onions, along with the strong liqueurs that are popular in Scandinavia. Some cooks like to modify the basic gravlax recipe by adding fresh herbs, liqueurs or other ingredients, although this tends to obscure the pure flavor of the salmon and dill.
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