Gravlax, or cured salmon, is a Scandinavian specialty available in fancy food stores and restaurants. Here, you'll see how easy it is to cure your own for a fraction of the price. Serve with a piquant sauce on bite-size buckwheat pancakes called blini and accompany with a glass of frozen aquavit or vodka.
- Portion size 50 servings
- Credits : Canadian Living Magazine: April 2002
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon peppercorns
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup pickling salt
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1 2 lb salmon fillet skin on
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons brandy
- 2 tablespoons aquavit
- 1 bunch Dill sprig
Buckwheat Blini:
- 1 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 1 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 cup lukewarm milk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cups buckwheat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup butter melted
Mustard Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons liquid honey
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Method
1 Five days before serving, coarsely crush peppercorns with bottom of heavy pan. Mix peppercorns, sugar and salt ; spread over both sides of salmon. Spread one-third of the chopped dill in centre of large piece of plastic wrap; top with fish, skin side down.2 Drizzle with brandy; spread remaining chopped dill over top. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap; place on small rimmed baking sheet. Place small cutting board on fish; weigh down with two full 28-oz (796 mL) cans. Refrigerate for 5 days, turning fish daily.
3 Mustard Sauce: In small bowl, stir together mustard, honey and dill. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.)
4 Buckwheat Blini: In measure, dissolve 1/2 tsp (2 mL) of the sugar in warm water. Sprinkle in yeast; let stand until frothy, 10 minutes. In bowl, beat egg, milk and remaining sugar. Add all-purpose and buckwheat flours and salt ; beat for 1 minute. Beat in yeast mixture and half of the butter. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 hour.
5 Heat non-stick skillet over medium heat; brush lightly with some of the remaining butter. Without stirring, spoon batter into pan by scant 2 tablespoonfuls (25 mL) to make 2 1/4-inch (5.5 cm) blini. Cook until bubbles form on top that do not fill in, about 1 minute. Turn and cook until bottom is golden, about 30 seconds.
6 Unwrap fish; using paper towel, brush off most of the dill. (Make-ahead: Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 5 days.) Slice thinly on 45-degree angle; cut each slice in half and place on blini. Drizzle with mustard sauce; garnish with dill sprig.
Nutritional facts Per piece: about
- Sodium 594 mg
- Protein 5 g
- Calories 71.0
- Total fat 3 g
- Cholesterol 18 mg
- Saturated fat 1 g
- Total carbohydrate 6 g
%RDI
- Iron 2.0
- Folate 5.0
- Calcium 1.0
- Vitamin A 2.0
- Vitamin C 2.0
