Prep Time: 20 minutes Chill Time: 24 hours
Total Time: 1 day 20 minutes Yields: 16
Indulge your taste buds this holiday season with Mary Berry’s Gravadlax recipe from “Mary Berry’s Christmas Collection.” This delightful dish brings together the rich flavors of fresh salmon, aromatic dill, and a zesty Mustard Dill Sauce, making it the perfect addition to your festive spread.
What is Mary Berry Gravadlax?
Mary Berry’s Gravadlax is a Scandinavian-inspired delicacy that combines the freshness of whole salmon fillets with a flavorful pickling mixture of dried dill, black pepper, caster sugar, and coarse sea salt. It’s the ideal make-ahead dish for holiday gatherings, as it requires at least 48 hours of marinating in the fridge. Once cured, the salmon is thinly sliced and served with a tangy Mustard Dill Sauce, lemon wedges, and rye bread.
Why you’ll love it
- Elegant and Festive: Mary Berry’s Gravadlax adds a touch of sophistication to your holiday table, making it a show-stopping appetizer or light main course.
- Make-Ahead Magic: This dish can be prepared in advance, allowing you to spend more time with loved ones during the festivities.
- Balanced Flavors: The combination of fresh salmon, aromatic dill, and Mustard Dill Sauce creates a harmonious blend of sweet, savory, and tangy flavors.
- Versatile: Serve it as an appetizer, on a brunch platter, or as a part of your Christmas dinner. It’s versatile enough for any occasion.
Mary Berry Gravadlax Recipe
Ingredients
- Salmon: 1 × 1.8kg (4 lb) whole fresh salmon, filleted to give you 2 sides
- Fresh Dill Sprigs: for garnish
For Pickling:
- Dried Dill: 4 tablespoons dried dill
- Black Pepper: abundant amount of freshly ground black pepper
- Caster Sugar: 4 tablespoons caster sugar
- Sea Salt: 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
For the Mustard Dill Sauce:
- Dijon Mustard: 3 tablespoons dijon mustard
- Caster Sugar: 2 tablespoons caster sugar
- White Wine Vinegar: 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- Egg Yolk: 1 egg yolk
- Sunflower Oil: 150ml (¼ pint) sunflower oil
- Salt: to taste
- Black Pepper: to taste
For Serving:
- Lemon Wedges
- Rye Bread
Instructions
- Place the salmon fillets, skin-side down, in a row on a cutting board.
- Sprinkle each fillet evenly with dried dill, freshly ground black pepper, sugar, and salt.
- Press these ingredients firmly into the fillets using the palm of your hand.
- Sandwich the fillets with the skin side facing outwards to assemble the fish shape. Wrap them securely in a double layer of aluminum foil. Place the wrapped salmon in a large plastic bag and seal it. Ensure that the salmon fillets are still stacked on top of each other.
- Position the bagged salmon in a spacious dish and place another large dish on top of it. Add kitchen weights or heavy cans to the upper dish for added pressure.
- Keep chilled for 24 hours to allow the salmon to marinate flipping it after 12 hours.
- Unwrap the gravadlax discarding any liquid that may have leaked out and separate the fillets.
For the sauce:
- Whisk together mustard, sugar, vinegar, and egg yolk. Gradually incorporate the oil into the mixture until the sauce reaches a mayonnaise-like consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste, and stir in the dill.
For serving
- Slice each fillet at a 45-degree angle, cutting the flesh away from the skin. You can slice the fillet up to 6 hours before serving and keep it refrigerated.
- Make sure that the slices should be slightly thicker than those of smoked salmon, with a delicate edge of dill.
Tips
- For marination:
- Use the freshest salmon you can find for the best flavor.
- Ensure the salmon is fully covered by the pickling mixture during marination.
- For convenience marinate the salmon in the evening, allowing it to be turned in the morning.
- For preparation ahead:
- Before slicing, you can store the gravadlax in the refrigerator, wrapped in clingfilm, for up to a week.
- Once sliced, the gravadlax slices can be arranged on serving plates, covered with clingfilm, and kept chilled for up to 6 hours.
- The mustard dill sauce can also be prepared up to 6 hours in advance and stored in a sealed jar or tightly covered bowl in the refrigerator.
- For the sauce:
- It’s advisable not to freeze the mustard dill sauce, as it may curdle when thawed.
- Adjust the Mustard Dill Sauce’s sweetness and tanginess to your liking with sugar and vinegar.
- For freezing:
- Gravadlax can be frozen successfully by tightly wrapping the marinated halves in clingfilm, sealing, and labeling them.
- They can be frozen for up to 2 months.
- When needed, partially thaw the salmon for about 1 hour before slicing.
- For serving:
- Slice the Gravadlax as thinly as possible for an elegant presentation.
Variations
- Experiment with different herbs like tarragon or chives for a unique twist.
- Add a splash of aquavit or gin to the pickling mixture for extra complexity.
- Substitute rye bread with thin crackers or toast points for serving.
How to serve the Gravadlax?
- Present your Gravadlax on a platter adorned with fresh dill sprigs and lemon wedges.
- Serve it alongside slices of rye bread or your preferred accompaniment.
- This dish is perfect for brunch, as an appetizer at dinner parties, or as a festive addition to your Christmas menu.
- Enjoy the delicate flavors and the joy this brings to your holiday celebrations!
You might like more…
MORE SALMON RECIPES:
- Panko Crusted Ina Garten Salmon Recipe
- Mary Berry Potato Salad with Salmon and Prawns
- Smoked Salmon and Prawn Risotto
- Salmon Quiche Mary Berry
- Maple Dijon Glazed Air Fryer Salmon
- Red Salmon Curry with Goji Berries
- Salmon Sushi Bake
Mary Berry Gravadlax Recipe
Gravadlax, a traditional Scandinavian dish, involves pickling fresh salmon and makes for an exceptional appetizer. While it may seem intricate, the preparation is straightforward. Simply request your fishmonger to expertly debone a whole salmon, providing you with two substantial skin-on fillets.
Ingredients
- 1 × 1.8kg 4 lb whole fresh salmon, filleted to give you 2 sidesfresh sprigs of dill
For Pickling
- 4 tablespoons dried dill
- masses of freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons caster sugar
- 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
For the Mustard Dill Sauce
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 egg yolk
- 150 ml ¼ pint sunflower oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For Serving
- lemon wedges
- rye bread
Instructions
- Place the salmon fillets, skin-side down, in a row on a cutting board.
- Sprinkle each fillet evenly with dried dill, freshly ground black pepper, sugar, and salt.
- Press these ingredients firmly into the fillets using the palm of your hand.
- Sandwich the fillets with the skin side facing outwards to assemble the fish shape. Wrap them securely in a double layer of aluminum foil. Place the wrapped salmon in a large plastic bag and seal it. Ensure that the salmon fillets are still stacked on top of each other.
- Position the bagged salmon in a spacious dish and place another large dish on top of it. Add kitchen weights or heavy cans to the upper dish for added pressure.
- Keep chilled for 24 hours to allow the salmon to marinate flipping it after 12 hours.
- Unwrap the gravadlax discarding any liquid that may have leaked out and separate the fillets.
For the sauce:
- Whisk together mustard, sugar, vinegar, and egg yolk. Gradually incorporate the oil into the mixture until the sauce reaches a mayonnaise-like consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste, and stir in the dill.
For serving
- Slice each fillet at a 45-degree angle, cutting the flesh away from the skin. You can slice the fillet up to 6 hours before serving and keep it refrigerated.
- Make sure that the slices should be slightly thicker than those of smoked salmon, with a delicate edge of dill.
Notes
- For convenience: Marinate the salmon in the evening, allowing it to be turned in the morning.
- For preparation ahead: Before slicing, you can store the gravadlax in the refrigerator, wrapped in clingfilm, for up to a week. Once sliced, the gravadlax slices can be arranged on serving plates, covered with clingfilm, and kept chilled for up to 6 hours. The mustard dill sauce can also be prepared up to 6 hours in advance and stored in a sealed jar or tightly covered bowl in the refrigerator.
- For freezing: Gravadlax can be frozen successfully by tightly wrapping the marinated halves in clingfilm, sealing, and labeling them. They can be frozen for up to 2 months. When needed, partially thaw the salmon for about 1 hour before slicing.
- For the sauce: It's advisable not to freeze the mustard dill sauce, as it may curdle when thawed.