Gradvalax

This was good!  Still loads to eat. Phew.

The recipe is so simple, just sugar, salt & dill.

It needs 4 days before opening it up.  It is very worth the wait.  Wow.  It is honestly the best Gravadlax I've ever eaten.


There are many quicker methods about, but I can vouch for this one from a lovely book called, Falling Cloudberries.  You don't need any special equipment, just silver foil & a bit of space in the fridge!

I got my fish un-gutted from an early morning Billingsgate Market session.  I had never gutted something so big, it was a bit daunting to be honest.  I had my brother in law staying over with his little boy, and I remember them waking up to find me in the kitchen elbow deep in fish guts. I think they were pretty horrified.  But that's what you get for staying the night at the H.B.A.!  My kids are getting quite used to seeing things like that now.

FOR METHOD SEE BELOW:
This uses 2 fillets from a large salmon.  You could easily scale it down if you needed to.  This will feed 15-20 people.

I ended up giving away some, making my step-dad a very happy man!

300g Caster Sugar
200g Sea Salt
150g Dill
2 Whole fillets of salmon, skin left on

1.  Mix the sugar, salt & dill & a little fresh-ground black pepper in a bowl.  This is your curing mixture.
2. Roll out a large piece of silver foil (big enough for your salmon an some extra), and put one third of the mixture on to it.
3. Lay one fillet, skin side down, followed by another third of the mixture.  Then add the second fillet skin side up, and top it with the remaining mixture.
4. Wrap it tightly in foil and put it into a container with high sides, to catch any liquid that may come out.
5.  Put in in the fridge for 4 days, turning it over once a day.  It can help to weigh the salmon down, it helps draw the moisture out of the fish.  I put  a long rectangular dish on top & then weighted it down with things from the fridge.


TO SERVE

After 4 days it will be cured.  It has a beautiful texture, and the flavour runs throughout the salmon.  It's really quite something.  My picture doesn't do it justice!


Scrape off as much cure as possible and slice as thin as you can with a very sharp knife.  Now Eat!


I really hope you try this.  If you have any questions or suggestions let me know.  Cheers.