Cured salmon
Cured salmon with dill stewed potatoes.
| Servings | 4 Portions |
| Tags | Christmas | Easter | Fish | Main Course | Midsummer | Side Dishes | Swedish |
| Allergens | Fish, Milk, Wheat |
| Prep Time | 30 min |
| Rest Time | 4320 min |
| Cook Time | 45 min |
Cured salmon or "gravlax" is a Nordic dish consisting of salmon that has been cured, ie that has been left to cool in a mixture of salt and sugar for a few days. Dill or herbs can also be added for taste and appearance. Cured salmon as a dish has also spread to some extent outside the Nordic countries. Cured salmon has been around since the 17th century and is popular in Sweden around Christmas, Easter and Midsummer. Salmon can be served as a main course which this recipe demonstrates, or as part of a buffet. Serve the salmon and potatoes with a slice of lemon and salad and midsummer is saved.
Curing salmon is very easy. All you need is salmon, sugar, salt, white pepper and dill. It is quick to prepare, but then the salmon needs to be left in the fridge for 3 days before it is ready. The fact that the salmon stays with salt and sugar for a long time means that the bacterial growth is stopped and there is a certain tissue breakdown on the salmon. Today we cure only to achieve a special taste and texture. It has a slight preservative effect. We mainly use fatty fish such as salmon, whitefish, char, mackerel and herring. Lean fish tend to get hard when digging because the water is extracted from the fish meat.
Why is it called "grava" the salmon? According to språkkonsulterna, it is related to grave and digging. "What you did when you cured was to salt and sugar and then dig the meat into the cool ground where it was allowed to cure. Today we have a refrigerator - so now we do not have to pick up the salmon from its grave!"
You can vary and try different flavors such as.
- Chili
- Whiskey
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Lemon / Lime
- Ginger
- Horseradish
What do you eat with cured salmon? A slice of cured salmon with "hovmästarsås" and potatoes is very tasty. Another way to eat cured salmon is to put a slice on the crispbread. Pickled salmon is on many peoples Christmas tables and it goes well with the rest of the food there.
Important if you cure fish - if you use fresh fish, it needs to be frozen for a few days before eating it. This is done to ensure that any parasites are dead. The parasite that is at risk in the salmon is called Anisakis, spiral worm. It is found in salt water and can cause stomach ache if ingested. But by either freezing the fish or heating it to 55-60°C for at least 1 minute, the parasite dies.
Ingredients
Directions
- Are you using fresh salmon? In that case, the salmon needs to be frozen for about 3 days before it is eaten. Either before or after it is cured. This so that all possible parasites die.
- Remove all bones from the salmon fillet and wipe with paper towels.
- Mix other ingredients.
- Put the salmon in a plastic bag and pour over the other ingredients. Make sure the salmon is covered with the spices.
- Tie the bag tightly and place in the refrigerator. Let cure for 3 days. Turn the bag twice a day.
- Slice thinly and serve immediately or freeze.
- Peel or scrub the potatoes, divide into smaller even sized pieces.
- Boil the potatoes soft in lightly salted water (18-20 minutes).
- In a saucepan - whisk the flour into a small amount of the milk. Add the rest of the milk and bring to the boil while stirring. Let simmer for a few minutes.
- Add salt, pepper and lemon zest. Mix with dill and potatoes, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Nutrition Facts*
| Total | Serving | 100 g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 3810.45 kcal | 952.61 kcal | 190 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 215.39 g | 53.85 g | 10.74 g |
| Fat | 273.35 g | 68.34 g | 13.63 g |
| Protein | 137.38 g | 34.34 g | 6.85 g |
| Sugar | 50.14 g | 12.53 g | 2.50 g |
| Salt | 35.7 g | 8.92 g | 1.78 g |
* The nutritional information provided is approximated and calculated using the ingredients available in the database. Info will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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Drygast
Foodie, amateur cook, software developer, dog owner and generic old guy.
