Swedish Gravad Lax - Norwegian Gravlaks - Danish Gravad laks:

Serve the Gravlax dish for lunch or as a dinner appetizer.

An excellent appetizer for large dinner parties since it can be made a few weeks ahead provided the fresh fish is cured, vacuum sealed and stored in freezer.

The Atlantic salmon (from the Atlantic or the Baltic Sea) is traditionally used for gravlax in Scandinavia. The farmed Atlantic salmon is available year around. However, the Northwest of North America has such wonderful selections of fresh salmon, depending time of the year, that make gravlax taste slightly differently but very tasty. Sockeye, Coho, Chinook, and King Salmon to name a few. Steelhead Trout is also an excellent choice for Gravlax. Scandinavians also cure fish such as herring, whitefish, and halibut.

Ingredients

The measurements below are for less than 2 pounds of fresh salmon. One does not have to be so exact with the measurements just remember to use a little bit more sugar than salt. You may also substitute the rose pepper and the coriander with an additional tablespoon of white peppercorns.

• 2 fresh salmon fillet with skin.
• 4 tbsp. coarse sea salt
• 4 tbsp. plus a dash Sugar (always more sugar than salt)
• 1 tsp. whole white peppercorns
• 3 tsp. whole rose peppercorns
• 3 tsp. coriander
• Plenty of fresh dill

Curing time:

• 2 thin filets: 1 - 2days
• 2 x 3 cm thick filets: 1.5–2.5 days
• 2 x 5 cm thick filets: 2-3 days

Directions

1. Wipe salmon dry with paper towel and rinse the dill.
2. Mix sugar and salt. Crush peppercorns and coriander together.
3. Mix the spices with the sugar and the salt.
4. Distribute the mixture onto the flesh sides of the salmon, making sure to cover the whole side.
5. Pile the dill with stems on top of the mixture.
6. Sandwich the fillets, the mixture facing each other. Put into a plastic bag and place it in a dish. Place a weight like a brick on top (but nothing heavier than a brick.) Place in refrigerator for one to four days depending on thickness and desired flavor turning the whole bag over every 8-12 hours.
7. Remove all the dill and the mixture and rinse the salmon slightly under running water.
   Pad lightly with paper towel to dry off the water.
   Cut each fish into 2-3 pieces if you need to divide into fewer portions.
8. Freeze in vacuum sealed plastic bag for at least 3-4 days.
   Thaw in refrigerator.
9. Use a sharp fillet knife to slice thinly at an angle towards the tail while detaching from the skin starting from the tail end first.
   Serve with Mustard Dill Sauce, slices of lemons, fresh dill, and boiled small potatoes.

Traditional pairing of the Gravlax

1. Pair the dish with Swedish crisp bread served with sharp and aged cheese.
2. An American hoppy IPA goes really well with this dish.
3. When gravlax is served as an appetizer, traditions call for Swedish crisp bread topped with a cheese with a bite, a glass of beer, and a shot of Scandinavian aquavit for the adults.
   
   The first sip of the aquavit is only taken after the host or hostess announcement. The announcement can be a toast but it is more common to suggest a short aquavit song for everybody to sing.
   
   To really appreciate the mixture of all the different flavors, have you fork ready with some potato, salmon, and mustard sauce on it to enjoy right after the shot. Follow up with a sip of beer.

Rimmad Lax - Lightly salted salmon

"Rimmad lax" is prepared the same way as Gravlax but uses slightly more salt than sugar. "Rimmad lax" is served without mustard sauce as a main course with stewed dill potaotes.

Grilled Gravlax

Should you have a piece of gravlax left over, brush some balsamic vinegar on top and grill it on a cedar plank.

This might not be something typical Swedish, but it turned out to be very tasty. It went very well with the grilled fresh asparagus brushed with olive oil and spices.

Nota Bene

Do not drink and drive, operate heavy machinery,or other activities that do not mix with alcohol.

To eliminate any parasites, the fish should be frozen for at least 3-4 days. Thaw in refrigerator. Refrigerate leftovers immediately or discard.

Pickled herring is usually an appetizer at dinner parties but is also served as lunch or breakfast dish.

Ingredients

• 4 herring
• 1 carrot
• 1 red onion
• 15 allspice berries
• 2 bay leaves

Ingredients - Pickle

• 100 ml vinegar
• 400 ml water
• 200 ml sugar

Directions

1. Clean the herring and remove back bone and skin.
   Place the herring with plenty of water over night.
2. Mix the ingredients for the pickle and boil it. Let it cool.
3. Slice carrots and red onion. Crush the allspice berries.
4. Cut the herring into 2-3 cm wide pieces.
5. Place herring pieces interspersed with carrot, red onion, and spices in a glass jar or herring pot.
   Pour pickle solution over making sure it covers.
   Cover with a lid and let the herring stand cold 3-4 days before serving.
6. Serve with new potatoes.

Pairing Pickled Herring

• Three different kinds of pickled herrings are often served at the same time.
• When served at Midsummer celebration or at dinner parties it is traditionally paired with song, aquavit and beer.

Warning

Do not drink and drive and/or operate heavy machinery, and or other activities that do not mix with alcohol.

Ingredients

• 2 herring
• 1 small carrot, thinly sliced
• 1 large red onion
• 20 grams horseradish into thin slices
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 tsp. crushed allspice
• 2 tsp. whole yellow mustard

Ingredients - Pickle

• 100 ml vinegar
• 200 ml water
• 150 ml sugar

Directions

1. Clean the herring but let the back bone and skin remain.
2. Place the herring with plenty of water for 24 hours.
3. Mix the ingredients for the pickle and boil it. Let it cool.
4. Thinly slice carrots, red onions, and horseradish.
5. Cut the herring into 2-3 cm thick pieces.
6. Place herring pieces interspersed with carrot, red onion, horseradish and spices in a glass jar or herring pot.
7. Pour pickle solution over making sure it covers.
8. Cover with a lid and let the herring stand cold at least 3-4 days before serving.
9. Serve with new potatoes.

Mustard Herring

Ingredients Pickling

• 4-5 Baltic herring files
• 100 ml vinegar 5%
• 100 ml water
• 100 ml granulated sugar
• 1 bayleaf
• 8 allspice

Ingredients Mustard Sauce

• 5 tbsp. Swedish style spicy brown mustard
• 2 tbsp. white wine vinegar 6%
• 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. white pepper
• 200 ml canola oil

Directions

1. Put the herring in water over night.
2. Mix water and vinegar in a pot.
   Add sugar and let it boil until the sugar is disolved.
3. Add bay leaf and allspice and let it boil for a few minutes.
   Let the vinegar mix cool.
   Cut the herring into about 3 centimeters wide pieces and stack them in a jar.
4. Add the cooled vinegar mixture over the herring.
5. Store the jar in a cool place over night.
6. Mix mustard, white wine vinegar, sugar, salt, and white pepper.
7. Add oil in a stream while stiring.
8. Take the herring out of the jar and padd them dry with a paper towel.
   Carefully add the herring pieces to the mustard sauce to cover then in the sauce.
9. Place the herring pieces in the mustard sauce in a dish.
   Serve with boiled new potatoes.

Pairing Mustard Herring

Pair with Pickled Herring, Glazier's Herring, sharp cheese on Swedish crisp bread or Kavring. Traditionally served as an appetizer at dinner with beer and aquavit, or as main course for lunch or breakfast.

I. “Gravlaxsås” - Gravlax mustard dill sauce 1

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. sweet honey mustard
• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1-2 tbsp. sugar
• 1 dash of salt
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup or more chopped fresh dill

Directions

1. Mix mustard, sugar, and vinegar.
2. Add the olive oil drop by drop while whisking. The mixture shall turn shiny and thick.
3. Add the dill.
4. Add the salt and eventually sugar according to taste.

II. "Hovmästarsås" - Head Waiter's mustard dill sauce

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. sweet honey mustard
• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1 dash of salt
• 1 dash of coarsely grounded white peppercorns
• 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 egg yolk
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup or more shopped fresh dill

Directions

1. Mix mustard, sugar, vinegar, and egg yolk.
2. Add the olive oil drop by drop while whisking. The mixture shall turn shiny and thick.
3. Add the dill.
4. Add salt, white pepper and eventually more sugar according to taste.

Other Alternatives

The mustard dill sauce like “Gravlaxsås” and “Hovmästarsås” can usually be found in Scandinavian stores. Be aware, however that, the best before date format in Swedish is “Bast fore” day-month-year or year-month-day.

Fish au Gratin - Suggestions

There are so many ways and tasty variations to make a Fish au Gratin. You can easily add other ingredients to this recipe.

For example, add some asparagus, tomatoes, or seafood such as cooked shrimp, crab meat, or canned clams. Place on top or mix in with the sauce. Ground saffron with little lemon juice is also pretty good.

Whole fish

If you plan on making an au gratin with left over whole fish, make sure to remove skin and bones while the fish is warm. The skin and bones will stick to the meat if the fish get cold.

Ingredients

• mashed potatoes
• sauce
• 500-600 grams cod
• salted water to cover fish: 3 tbsp. salt per liter water
• 500 ml water
• 500 ml dry white wine
• 1 slice of yellow onion
• 1 whole clove
• butter
• white pepper
• sea salt
• bread crumbs

Directions

1. Prepare mashed potatoes according to your favorite recipe.
2. Prepare White, Cheese, or Mushroom Sauce according to one of our sauce recipes. >>
3. Place fish in salted cold water.
4. Mix water and wine in pot. Add the onion and clove. Let it boil for a few minutes.
5. Remove fish from salted water and place it in a dish. Carefully pour the boiled liquid over it.
6. Cover lightly with foil or parchment paper. Let stand for 15-20 minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 275°C.
8. Butter an oven safe form.
9. Carefully remove the fish from the liquid and place it in the middle of the form.
10. Place mashed potatoes around the fish.
11. Season the fish with salt and white pepper.
12. Add the sauce on top of the fish.
13. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top of sauce.
14. Bake in oven until ready. Ready cooked fish should reach an inner temperature of about 52°C/126°F.

Serve with salad.

Lutfisk

There is no Christmas without Lutfisk. To make sure you have Lutfisk on Christmas Eve, order it ahead of time.

What to serve with the Lutfisk

• Boiled potatoes
• White sauce (some Scandinavians may prefer melted butter)
• Green small peas (petits pois)
• Whole allspice to grind on top

Ingredients

4 portions

• 2 kg lutfisk (2000 grams/4.4 pounds) that has been treated, soaked properly, and is ready to be cooked.
• 2-4 tbsp. butter
• 1 - 2 tbsp. salt
• Waxed paper

Directions

There are many ways to prepare Lutfisk but it also easy to overcook it. Only use these directions for lutfisk that has been treated, soaked properly, and is ready to be cooked.

1. Rinse the fish carefully in cold water.
2. Soak up excess water by carefully padding the fish with a paper towel.
3. Melt butter on very low heat in a pan.
4. Brush part of the melted butter on the waxed paper.
5. Place the fish with the skin facing the bottom and the melted butter in the pan.
6. Sprinkle salt on the fish.
7. Place the waxed paper with the butter side down touching the fish and then put the lid on the pan.
8. Let the fish cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes. The Lufisk should be firm with an inner temperature of about 52°C/126°F.
9. Carefully remove the lutfisk and place it in a warm dish.
10. Serve with boiled potatoes, white sauce, green pees, and allspice.

Should you get leftovers, make a white sauce with cream instead of milk. Add and mix Swedish style spicy brown mustard, leftover lutfisk, green peas and boiled potatoes.