Tag Archives: gravlax

Cured Trout for Easter

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It’s Easter again and I’m planning to treat myself and guests to some cured trout. To cure trout I use the same method and ratio as when I make traditional Scandinavian gravlax. The recipe below is plain and simple. Not much more is needed for this delicate treat, but if you want to try something different you can add other flavors. Ederflower, ginger, crushed juniper or a shot of aquavit work really well. The list is endless.

Besides salmon and trout you can use this same method to cure other types of fish. Mackerel is an excellent option, and Keiko over at food blog Nordljus cured a good looking seabass with a scent of licorice. As I love licorice, I decided to add some toasted fennel seeds to my cure this Easter, which I think will go really well with the mild trout flavor.

for the curing you will need

1 kilo (2 lb) trout fillet
1 teaspoon freshly milled white pepper
4 tablespoons salt
4 tablespoons sugar
bunch of dill

toasted whole fennel seeds (optional)

for decoration
fresh dill
lemon

Note: The trout should be frozen one or two days before you start the curing. The freezing will eliminate unnecessary bacteria.

It’s not hard to fillet your trout yourself. The benefit is that you can use the remaining parts (except for the guts) to make an excellent stock together with bay leaves, carrot, celery, onions, dills stalks, some herbs like thyme, salt and pepper.

If you still think this is too messy, ask your fishmonger to fillet the fish for you but remind them that the skin should be kept on.

When you have your fillets ready. Rinse them in some cold water and pull out, if there are any, remaining bones with a pair of pliers.

Mix together salt, sugar and pepper. Rub the fillet with some of the mixture and sprinkle the rest on top of the fillets. Wash the dill and chop finely. Put the fillets together, meat against meat with the chopped dill and (if you like) some toasted fennel seeds (slightly crushed) in between. Wrap the fish in a plastic foil. Let the fish cure in the fridge with something heavy on top for 48 hours. Turn them now and again.

After two days, unwrap and clean the fillets. Start to slice the trout at the end of the fish into thin diagonal slivers using a fillet knife (or any other suitable knife). Garnish with some dill branches and slices of lemon. They can be served on toast or dark bread. However this fish is sensational on a thin “knäckebröd” topped with a drip of Hovmästarsås. Enjoy!

Hovmästarsås
Stir together 3 tablespoons mustard, 1 egg yolk, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon brown sugar with plenty of chopped dill. Slowly start dripping in a little less than a 1/2 cup of olive oil into the mixture while stirring continuously (just like you make mayonnaise). If you add the oil too quickly the mixture can separate. The result should be a thick sauce. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper.

Before buying any fish check with Seafood Watch (US) for the most sustainable options.

 

This article was originally published at Ecosalon, 5 April 2012

Elderflower Cordial

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Every summer I collect elderflowers to make cordial for my summer drinks. I especially like the cordial with gin and some fresh mint from the garden. To make elderflower cordial is easy…

40 elderflower clusters
4 lemons, sliced
2 kg (just about 4 1/2 lb) sugar
2 liter (8 1/4 cup) water
30 gram citric acid

Pick the flowers. Wash the Elderflowers carefully and separate the tiny flowers from the stalk using a fork or a pair of scissors (optionally if you are lazy you may keep the stalks on). Place the flowers in a bucket together with the sliced lemons. Boil the water and pour in the sugar. When the sugar is dissolved add the citric acid to the water. Pour the sugar mixture over the flowers. Let stand covered for 3-4 days in a cool place. Strain and pour into clean glass bottles. Keep the bottles in a cold place. To store longer I recommend freezing the cordial. Dilute the cordial with still or sparkling water to your own taste.

Another successful treat I make, is to add the flowers or even the cordial as a flavor while curing trout. Its the same method and ratio as when you make gravlax.

Get my Elderflower Cured Trout recipe and read the whole article over at Honest Cooking (published 14 June 2011).

Elderflower Gravlax with Ingela’s Lemon Sauce

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flader

I know I just shared another gravlax recipe, but I can’t help myself. This Elderflower flavored Gravlax on homemade “knäckebröd“, topped with my dear friend Ingela’s Lemon Sauce was an absolutely fabulous start to our Midsummer party! (Its the season for elderflower here in Sweden, at least in my neighbor’s horse-field.)

for the salmon

1 kilo (2 lb) salmon fillet
1 teaspoon crushed pepper
4 tablespoons salt
4 tablespoons sugar
8-10 clusters of elderflower

The salmon should be frozen at least 24 hours before you start (just in case there are parasites in the fish). Clean the salmon fillets of any bones but keep the skin. Wash the elder flowers and separate the tiny flowers from the stalk by using a fork or a pair of scissors. Mix together the salt, pepper and sugar. Rub the fillet with some of the mixture. Divide the rest of the mixture on top and add the cleaned elderflower. If you have two fillets, place them together, meat against meat with flowers in between. Place the fillet in a plastic freezer bag and close it carefully. Let the fillets rest in the fridge for 2 days and turn them now and again. (Thinner fillets can be done in 24 hours but thicker pieces need 48 hours to be ready to serve).
After 2 days, unwrap and clean the fillets. Start to slice the gravlax into thin diagonal slivers using a fillet knife (or any other sharp knife that you have in hand) starting at the small end of the fish. Gravlax can be stored in the fridge for nearly a week or longer in the freezer.

As a starter for my midsummer party I used about half of the fish, we were 7.

Ingela’s Lemon Sauce

At midsummer’s eve I asked Ingela (who is an excellent home chef) if she would like to make the sauce for the gravlax . I thought that a traditional mustard sauce might be too strong. Ingela agreed and did something like this…

first step

one teaspoon brown mustard seeds
4 whole black peppercorns
some salt
one tablespoon honey
fresh-cut oregano or other herb that gives character and freshness to the dressing

Crush mustard seeds, peppercorns and salt in a mortar. Stir in honey and the freshly cut oregano. Set aside.

mayonnaise

one egg yolk
1-2 teaspoons of a good white vinegar
50-100 ml (¼-½ cup)  rapeseed oil or other neutral oil
Whip the egg and at the same time drip the oil drop by drop into the egg mixture.
Now you have a mayonnaise…

and here is the ending twist…

Blend together the honey mustard mixture to the mayonnaise. Add some Greek yogurt, sour cream or cream fresh and season with lemon and maybe some salt and pepper.

Depending on what you are going to serve the sauce with, Ingela suggests that you can reduce the honey and instead use a small amount of Elderflower cordial or even Apple juice to create a fruitier sweetness.

Gravlax Juniper

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dalek dancing

I just became a Resident Alien. This I celebrated by making gravlax…

1 kilo (2 lb) salmon fillet
1 teaspoon crushed pepper
4 tablespoons salt
4 tablespoons sucanat or regular sugar
40 crushed juniper berries
lots of fresh dill

If you use fresh salmon you should  freeze it for at least 24 hours, to make sure that there are no parasites in the fish. Clean the salmon fillets of any bones but keep the skin. The skin makes it easier later on when you are going to slice it up. Crush the junipers in a mortar. Mix together with salt, pepper and sucanat. Rub the fillet with some of the mixture. Divide the rest of the mixture on top and add the dill. If you have two fillets, place them together, meat against meat with dill in between. Place the fillet in a plastic freezer bag and close it carefully. Let the fillets rest in the fridge for 1-2 days and turn them now and again. Thinner fillets can be done in 24 hours but thicker pieces need 48 hours to be ready to serve. Unwrap and clean the fillets. Start to slice the gravlax into thin diagonal slivers by using a fillet knife starting at the small end of the fish. Gravlax can be stored in the fridge for nearly a week or longer in the freezer.
This type of Gravlax I prefer to serve on a small piece of home made “knäckebröd” topped with Sabine’s lingonberry cream and decorated with new fresh dill.

See also my previous recipe on Gravlax…

Gravlax with Gravlax Sauce

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gravlax_worm
In English Gravlax should be called Buried Salmon, which would be the ‘correct’ translation. But I agree that Gravlax sounds better and today you don’t have to bury the fish to make it.

1 kilo (2 lb) salmon fillet
2 teaspoons crushed pepper
4 tablespoons salt
2-4 tablespoons sucanat or sugar
lots of dill

If I buy fresh salmon I always freeze it for 24hrs, to make sure that there are no parasites in it. Clean the salmon fillets of any bones but keep the skin. The skin makes it easier later on when you are going to slice it. Mix together salt, pepper and sucanut. (more sugar makes a softer gravlax). Rub the fillet with some of the mixture. Divide the rest of the mixture and the dill on top of the fillet. If you have two fillets, place them together, meat against meat and short side against wide side. Place the fillet in a plastic bag and close it carefully. You can also use plastic wrap but it can be a little messy. Let the fillets rest in the fridge for 1-2 days. Thinner fillets can be done in 24 hours and thicker pieces need 48 hours to be ready to eat.

Unwrap and clean the fillets. Start to slice the gravlax at the small end. Make thin slices with a fillet or boning knife at an angle. Gravlax can be stored in the fridge for a week or longer in the freezer.I often serve my Gravlax as dinner with either potatoes and gravlax sauce or with dill creamed potatoes. In the summer I like to have a fresh potatoe salad with mustard vinaigrette. But gravlax is also great as an appetizer on toast.

See also Gravlax Juniper and Elderflower Gravlax

Gravlax Sauce
(serves 4)

3 tablespoons unsweet mustard
100 ml (0.4 cups) oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon sucanat
salt and fresh ground pepper
100 ml (0.4 cups) chopped dill

Mix mustard, sucanut, vinegar, salt and pepper. Slowly start dripping in the oil while stirring the mixture. Continue dripping in the oil and stirring. If you add the oil too quickly the mixture can separate. The result should be a thick sauce. Lastly add the chopped dill.