GRAVLAX - SALT CURED SALMON

For New Year's eve, I wanted to make something which would be stressless, not finicky/fussy at all, cheap and yet very tasty as well as festive. That's how I fell into that gorgeous Marcus Samuelsson recipe...

In fact, I have been meaning to taste "Gravelax" for some time, but somehow never got to make it. As I love smoked salmon, I was pretty sure that I would adore it's Scandinavian close cousin.

"Gravlax" or "Gravadlax" is salt-cured raw salmon (it is NEVER smoked) which is rubbed with a mixture of sugar, salt, pepper and fresh dill. It is generally served as apperitive and accompanied by a dill-mustard sauce named "Hovmästarsås". "Lax" means "salmon" and "grav" literally means "grave" or "whole in the ground". At the origin, during Medieval times, "Gravlax" was in fact salmon buried into the ground... This delicacy can be found in Sweden and Denmark ("Gravlax/Gravadlax"), Finland ("Graavilohi"), Norway ("Gravlaks") as well as in Iceland ("Graflax").

If you love raw salmon, then "Gravlax" might interest you. It's flavor is maybe less imposing than smoked salmon, but, on the other hand, it is more delicate, refined and somehow more complex.

"Gravlax" has a slightly sweet and salty taste with peppery notes and glorious dill connotations. There is no hint of fishiness here, just the pure and faint aromas of good fresh salmon! Through the curing process, the fish's flesh loses a lot of it's water and becomes firmer, yet very silky smooth, velvety and buttery. It's melt-in-your mouth, unctuous texture is incredible and it's color is glorious! "Gravlax" is very similar to smoked salmon (minus the smokey taste), although I would say that it is far moister...

This elegant recipe is fantastic and very impressive! You will love it and so will your guests!

~ Gravlax With Mustard Sauce ~
Recipe by Chef Marcus Samuelsson of Aquavit in Manhattan (NY) and slightly adapted by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Serves 6 to 10 people.

Ingredients for the Gravlax:
1/2 Cup Coarse sea salt (Kosher salt)
1 Cup Castor sugar
2 Tbs White peppercorns, cracked
900g-1,2kg (2 1/2 to 3 pounds) Fresh salmon fillet, skin-on, in one piece and any pinbone removed
2-3 Large bunches fresh dill, coarsely chopped (including stems)

Ingredients for the mustard sauce:
2 Tbs Honey mustard
1 Tbs Dijon mustard
2 Tsps Castor sugar
1 1/2 Tbs White-wine vinegar
Salt, to taste (not to much though)
Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
1 Tbs Strong black coffee, cold
3/4 Cup Grapeseed or canola oil
1/2 Cup Fresh dill, chopped finely

Method for the fish:
1. Mix together the salt, sugar, and peppercorns in a small bowl.
2. Rub a handful of the mixture on both sides of the salmon, place it in a shallow dish, and sprinkle with the remaining salt mixture.
3. Cover the salmon with the dill, and allow to stand in a cool spot (but not in the refrigerator) for six hours.
4. Cover with plastic wrap, transfer to the refrigerator, and allow to cure for 36 hours.
5. Wipe the seasonings from the salmon with a paper towel.
6. Cut the gravlax on the bias into thin slices, or leave whole for your guests to slice.

Method for the mustard sauce:
7. Combine the mustards, sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper, and coffee in a blender.
8. With the machine running, gradually add the oil in a very slow, steady stream, until the mixture is thick and creamy.
9. Transfer the sauce to a bowl, and stir in the dill.
10. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight to allow the flavors to mingle.
11. Serve with the salmon.

Remarks:
If you don't have "Honey Mustard" at home, then take 1 1/2 tablespoons "Mild Mustard" and add 1/2 tablespoon runny honey.
In case you can't find any "Dijon Mustard" (1 Tbs), then use the same quantity "Mild Mustard" and add 1/2-3/4 teaspoon powdered "English Mustard" (Colman's).
Instead of using canola oil or grapeseed oil, you can very well use sunflower oil.
The gravlax will keep up to a week in the refrigerator if it's well-wrapped in foil and plastic.
You can also keep it in the freezer for up to two months.
The sauce can be prepared up to one day ahead and keeps easily up to a week in the refrigerator.
For more infos concerning the method, click here.

Serving suggestions:
Serve with slices of whole-grain/rye bread, toast bread (or any king of bread that pleases you/see my recipes), "Potato Gratin" (with thinly sliced potatoes, butter, crushed garlic and ground black pepper), plain boiled potatoes, "Hasselback" potatoes, oven-fried potatoes/fries and the "Mustard Sauce".

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~ Gravlax Et Sa Sauce A La Moutarde ~
Recette du Chef Marcus Samuelsson du restaurant Aquavit à Manhattan (New York), adaptée par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Pour 6 à 10 personnes.

Ingrédients pour le Gravlax:
1/2 Tasse de Sel de mer grossier
1 Tasse de Sucre cristallisé
2 CS de Graines de poivre blanc, grossièrement écrasées/pilées
900g-1,2kg de Filet de saumon frais, avec la peau, en une pièce et sans arrêtes
2-3 Larges bottes d'aneth fraîche, grossièrement hachées (avec les tiges)

Ingrédients pour la sauce à la moutarde:
2 CS de Moutarde au miel
1 CS de Moutarde de Dijon
2 CC de Sucre cristallisé
1 1/2 CS de Vinaigre de vin blanc
Sel, à volonté (pas trop)
Poivre noir, fraîchement moulu, à volonté
1 CS de Café fort, froid
3/4 de Tasse d'Huile de pépin de raisins ou d'huile de colza
1/2 Tasse d'Aneth fraîche, finement hachée

Méthode pour le poisson:
1. Mélanger le sel, le sucre et les graines de poivre dans un bol.
2. Frotter une poignée de cette préparation de chaque côté du filet de saumon. Le placer dans un plat creux et saupoudrer avec le mélange restant.
3. Couvrir le saumon avec l'aneth et laisser le saumon reposer dans un endroit frais (pas au frigo) pendant 6 heures.
4. Recouvrir le poisson d'un film plastique et le mettre au réfrigérateur pendant 36 heures afin qu'il soit saumuré .
5. Nettoyer le filet (entièrement) avec du papier de cuisine.
6. Couper le gravlax en biais, en fines tranches ou présenter le filet entier et laisser vos convives se servir eux-même (couper des tranches).

Méthode pour la sauce à la moutarde:
7. Dans un mixeur, mélanger ensemble les moutardes, le sucre, le vinaigre, le sel, le poivre et le café.
8. En laissant la machine en marche, à vitesse réduite, ajouter graduellement (flux continu) l'huile jusqu'à ce que le mélange soit épais (visqueux) et crémeux.
9. Transférer la sauce dans un bol et ajouter l'aneth hachée.
10. Couvrir le bol et le placer au frigo pendant au moins 4 heures ou tout une nuit afin que les différentes saveurs se mélangent bien.
11. Servir avec le saumon.

Remarques:
Si vous n'avez pas de moutarde au miel, alors mélangez 1 1/2 CS de moutarde douce à 1/2 CS de miel liquide.
La moutarde de Dijon (1 CS) peut être remplacée par de la moutarde douce additionnée de poudre de moutarde forte anglaise (Colman's).
Au lieu d'utiliser de l'huile de colza ou de pépin de raisin, vous pouvez utiliser de l'huile de tournesol.
Le gravlax se garde au frigo pendant une semaine si il est bien emballé (alu+film plastique) et au congélateur pendant 2 mois.
La sauce peut être préparée un jour à l'avance et se garde facilement une semaine au frigo.

Idée de présentation:
Servir avec des tranches de pain complet/de seigle, du pain toast (ou n'importe quel pain de votre choix), un "Gratin De Pommes De Terre" (en tranches fines, avec du beurre, de l'ail pilé et du poivre noir), des pommes de terres boullies ou "Hasselback", des frites/pommes de terre cuitent au four et accompagné de sa "Sauce A La Moutarde".