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.