Gravlax (marinated salmon)

This is the traditional Swedish gravlax recipe. Nowadays lots of varieties have evolved, but this is the original. It is traditionally served with the mustard sauce ('Gravlaxsas') and lemon. I recommend a German or Californian dry or semi-dry white wine to this. Because of the simplicity of the recipe, the salmon has to be of the best quality and freshness available.

• Ready In: 72 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2  lbs  norwegian salmon fillets (of optimum quality)
• 1⁄4 cup salt (preferably sea salt)
• 1⁄3 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  white peppercorns, slightly crushed in a mortar
• 1  bunch fresh dill, the stems

• Mustard sauce

• 3  tablespoons Swedish mustard or 3  tablespoons  german sweet mustard
• 1  teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1  teaspoon sugar
• 1  teaspoon vinegar
•  salt, pepper
• 6  tablespoons  mild  vegetable oil (not olive oil!)
•  additional fresh dill, finely chopped

Directions

1. For the salmon, remove all bones with a pair of tweezers, but leave the skin on.
2. Rinse.
3. Mash the dill stems in a mortar with a little of the salt.
4. Mix with the rest of the salt, the sugar and pepper.
5. Save the dill leaves for the sauce.
6. Cover the flesh side of the fillets with the mixture, and place the fillets flesh-to-flesh in a tray made of glass or stainless steel.
7. Cover with plastic foil and put a heavy weight on top (e. g. the mortar or a brick).
8. Keep refrigerated for 72 hours, turning the fillets every 12 hours.
9. Do not discard the liquid that forms.
10. Scrape off the spices and discard the liquid.
11. The salmon will keep refrigerated for about a week.
12. For the sauce, mix mustard, sugar and vinegar.
13. Add the oil a little at the time (as for mayonnaise), constantly stirring.
14. Just before serving, add lots of dill and salt and pepper to taste.
15. Slice the salmon with a sharp, flexible knife in big, thin slices parallell to the skin.
16. Arrange the ice-cold salmon on lettuce leaves with slices of lemon.
17. Serve the sauce separately.
18. Also serve toasted bread and butter.