Swedish Gravlax

== Description ==
This is the traditional Swedish gravlax recipe. Nowadays lots of varieties have evolved, but this is the original. It is traditionally served with the mustard sauce ('Gravlaxsas') and lemon. I recommend a German or Californian dry or semi-dry white wine to this. Because of the simplicity of the recipe, the salmon has to be of the best quality and freshness available. 
== Ingredients ==
* 2 lbs Norwegian salmon fillets (of optimum quality)
* ¼ cup salt (preferably sea salt)
* ⅓ cup sugar
* ½ teaspoon white peppercorns, slightly crushed in a mortar
* 1 bunch fresh dill, the stems
	
== Mustard sauce ==
* 3 tablespoons Swedish mustard or German sweet mustard
* 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* 1 teaspoon vinegar
* salt, pepper
* 6 tablespoons mild vegetable oil (not olive oil!)
* additional fresh dill, finely chopped 
== Directions ==
# For the salmon, remove all bones with a pair of tweezers, but leave the skin on.
# Rinse.
# Mash the dill stems in a mortar with a little of the salt.
# Mix with the rest of the salt, the sugar and pepper.
# Save the dill leaves for the sauce.
# Cover the flesh side of the fillets with the mixture, and place the fillets flesh-to-flesh in a tray made of glass or stainless steel.
# Cover with plastic foil and put a heavy weight on top (e.g. the mortar or a brick).
# Keep refrigerated for 72 hours, turning the fillets every 12 hours.
# Do not discard the liquid that forms.
# Scrape off the spices and discard the liquid.
# The salmon will keep refrigerated for about a week.
# For the sauce, mix mustard, sugar and vinegar.
# Add the oil a little at the time (as for mayonnaise), constantly stirring.
# Just before serving, add lots of dill and salt and pepper to taste.
# Slice the salmon with a sharp, flexible knife in big, thin slices parallel to the skin.
# Arrange the ice-cold salmon on lettuce leaves with slices of lemon.
# Serve the sauce separately.
# Also serve toasted bread and butter.
__NOTOC__
Category:Swedish Appetizers
Category:Swedish Meat Dishes
Category:Dill Recipes
Category:Mayonnaise Recipes
Category:Prepared mustard Recipes
Category:Dijon mustard Recipes
Category:Salmon Recipes
Category:White pepper Recipes
Category:Vinegar Recipes