- Servings8 to 10 servings
- Prep20 min
- Resting20 h
- DifficultyAdvanced
Gravlax is raw salmon “cooked” by salt: no heat, just a long cure. It is traditionally made with equal parts salt and sugar; here raw honey replaces the refined sugar. Choose a very fresh wild salmon fillet, free of bones, and keep the skin on during the cure.
Ingredients
- 1 kg very fresh organic salmon fillet
- 300 g coarse sea salt
- 250 ml raw honey
- 1 bunch fresh dill
- 50 g pink peppercorns
- Zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp virgin olive oil
- 2 shots aquavit (or vodka)
Preparation
Check the fillet is free of bones and keep the skin on. Lay it in a large tray.
Spread the coarse salt, honey, chopped dill, pink peppercorns, orange and lemon zest and aquavit over the salmon. Massage gently to coat both sides, skin included.
Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours. You may turn the fillet halfway, after 6 hours. (A longer cure, up to 48 h, gives firmer, drier salmon.)
Remove the salmon, peel off the skin carefully, rinse under cold water and dry well. Return it to the fridge, uncovered, for 4 hours to dry out.
Coat with 2 spoonfuls of olive oil and refrigerate for another 4 hours. To finish, scatter with fresh dill, orange zest and crushed pink peppercorns.
Slice very thinly to serve. The gravlax keeps for about 4 days in the fridge; you can also freeze part of it.