Gravad Lax Enjoyment
Originally uploaded by Ragnvaeig.

This is great with bagels and schmear, as shown. This is also good on rye or pumpernickel with a mustard vinaigrette and chilled vodka or aquavit.

To cure your own gravad lax (Sweden)--or gravlaks (Norway), or lox (New York)--you need to know something about yourself: how well do you wait for your food? If you never peek at your presents before you can open them, then by all means use fresh-caught salmon. If you're the sort who wants to taste some as soon as you can, use frozen fillets. I mention this because salmon sometimes have parasites, and while the curing process does kill a lot of parasites, it's best to freeze the meat to -23°C for at least 7 days. Commercially frozen salmon usually meets these criteria.



Gravad Lax

For each 450 g (pound) of salmon:
30 g (2 tbsp) kosher salt
25 g (2 tbsp) sugar
4 g (2 tsp) ground black pepper (optional)
big handful of dill.

Assemble clean needle-nose pliers, a small bowl, clingfilm, and a baking dish.

Drape the salmon over your hand, so that it's convexly displayed. Inspect it for bones, and remove the obvious ones with the pliers.

Lay down a layer of clingfilm, and place the salmon fillet skin side down in the centre. Mix together the salt, sugar, and pepper. Spoon over the flesh of the salmon, and arrange dill atop dry ingredients.

If you've a second fillet, dust it similarly, and lay face down over dill, so that the fleshy parts of the fish face inwards and the skin faces outwards. Wrap clingfilm around the fish to form a neat packet. (I used three layers.)

Lay packet in baking dish (or put it in a zip-top bag), and refrigerate at least three days. The dish should catch any liquids expressed by the curing process.

Unwrap the fish, rinse and pat dry. Cut using a fillet knife; you should cut at an angle toward the tail end in very thin strips (unless you're pre-coffee, and then whatever you want on your bagel) making sure each strip detaches from the skin. Store in an airtight container.