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Recipe File: Gravlax
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holymakeral
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2005 8:20 pm    Post subject: farmed vs wild salmon Reply with quote

May I add that there are numerous good reasons to prefer wild to farmed salmon in this recipe as well as any other use of salmon?

A quick google will tell the stories.
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Henrik
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 13, 2005 7:43 am    Post subject: gravlax in various styles Reply with quote

The proportions between salt and sugar are a little individual. I have tasted versions where they used 4 parts of sugar to one par salt and it was quite tasty. Personally I prefere 2,5 parts of sugar to one part salt. Equal amounts of sugar and salt is a little too salty for me.

I normally use fennel and dill seeds for spicing the fish but you can use quite a lot of things. The yellow on the lemon is also nice along with the lemonjuice. You can use oranges as well but its not a personal favourite.

Gin and rose pepper is quite nice but one have to be caful with the alcohol as the fish generally catches a lot of taste from alcohol. A smoother alcohol as dry sherry might be an option.

When preparing the fish I normally prefere a palastic bag as you can close that tightly. The fish gives away some fluids and you want to keep that with the fish. Using a whole fish you take the two filets put the sugar/spice mix and rub it into the filets gently. Put the leftover mix and the dill/fennel etc and put it in between the parts. Put the other file on top of the first one head to tail and put it in the bag.

If you want to speed up the process you can actually use thin slices of salmon, put on a plate and carefully pour over some salt/sugar mix. It will marinate in 5-10 minutes.
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e
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 13, 2005 11:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looks really good! I'm swedish but I've never done this stuff myself, I usually just buy it. Should give it a try myself!

About the name: it is not called gravlax in Sweden, the actual name is GRAVAD LAX (meaning burried salmon like you said, but don't know what the name relates to, my guess is that people laid the salmon in pits in the ground or underground cellars during the curing to keep it cool). The name "gravlax" that americans seem to use probably comes from the norwegian name you mentioned
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hesh83@YAHOO.COM
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 15, 2005 12:39 pm    Post subject: COOKING Reply with quote

:shock: :angry:
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james9
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 19, 2005 8:36 am    Post subject: gavadlax Reply with quote

i love this dish, although i like to cure the salmon for 4-6 hours as its got a much fresher consistency and absorbs enough flavors from the curing to work. Its nearer to sashimi than a cure then. j
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Mr Wozencroft
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 28, 2005 7:20 pm    Post subject: MMMMMMmmmmmm Reply with quote

Tried your recipe last week. Now have part of my freezer stocked up with a side of scottish salmon racked up for a seven day freeze before I try it again. It was amazing. Firm,tasty and morish.
Can you do the same with Tuna? Or Cod, Haddock for example?
Also, in the freezer, I have the Head to tail covered a generous amount of flesh; does anyone have any ideas what I can do with it?
Cure it and make a pate for example? Seems such a shame to waste it...
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jenny
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 04, 2005 8:25 pm    Post subject: keeping? Reply with quote

should you continue to refridgerate it after it is done? Or can it be left out?
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Michael Chu



Joined: 10 May 2005
Posts: 1654
Location: Austin, TX (USA)

PostPosted: Fri Nov 04, 2005 9:20 pm    Post subject: Re: keeping? Reply with quote

jenny wrote:
should you continue to refridgerate it after it is done? Or can it be left out?

I'd definitely keep it refrigerated.
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 04, 2005 9:24 pm    Post subject: Re: keeping? Reply with quote

jenny wrote:
should you continue to refridgerate it after it is done? Or can it be left out?

Keep it in the fridge, its still a fresh product


Quote:
Can you do the same with Tuna? Or Cod, Haddock for example? .


I'm pretty sure you want to use a fatty fish
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 04, 2005 9:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

We make gravad lax about twice a year. New Years and at some point for a birthday.

I forgot to add we like to make a sauce with ours.

Unless I'm baking I never measure but here's a start. You want this sauce to end up savory, the sugar is just to take the bite out of the mustard and the lemon. Add the oil last the as an emusifier. I dont use much oil.


deli mustard
dill
sugar
lemon juice
oil
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Bob
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 10, 2005 9:52 pm    Post subject: Gravad lox Reply with quote

I find that weighting the salmon while it is curing yields a final product with a very dense and satiny consistency, which I find preferable. I assume that this occurs because the weighting forces more liquid out of the fish. Actually, I no longer "weight" the fish, per se. Rather, I do it this way:

1. I lay two salmon filets out, skin side down and flesh side up, and rub a substantial amount of a salt/sugar/white pepper mixture onto the flesh side of each. I have made it with both kosher salt and coarse-grained sea salt, and find that the latter gives a more vibrant taste to the end product. I use equal parts of salt and sugar, and approximately 10% of the total salt/sugar mix of finely-ground white pepper. For a whole salmon of about 4 pounds before fileting -- i.e., two filets, each weighing about 1-1/2 pounds after fileting -- I would use about 5 tablespoons each of salt and sugar, and about one tablespoon of pepper. This is, of course, approximate, and accurate measurement is not crucial.

2. I place the following into a flat glass (or otherwise nonreactive) baking dish: a layer of dill; one of the salmon filets, skin side against the dill, flesh side up, with the filet facing an arbitrary north; another layer of dill; the other salmon filet, flesh side against the dill, skin side up, with the filet facing an arbitrary south; another layer of dill. Over the top of this "sandwich" I sprinkle the remaining salt/sugar/white pepper mix. For a whole salmon -- i.e., two filets -- a 13" x 9" baking dish is the right size.

3. I take another nonreactive baking dish of the same size and place it on top of the "sandwich," with the flat side (bottom) of the baking dish down.

4. I wrap the whole thing with 4 short bungee cords, two on the arbitrary north-south axis and the others on the arbitrary east-west axis, to press the upper baking dish down onto the "sandwich." I then refrigerate it.

5. After 12 - 24 hours I unwrap the bungee cords, drain off the liquid, turn the "sandwich" over, replace the upper baking dish, re-wrap with the bungee cords, and refrigerate. I repeat this every 12 - 24 hours for two to three days.

6. When it is finished I remove the "sandwich", drain off whatever liquid remains, separate the filets, throw away everything that is not salmon, rinse the filets thoroughly, dry them, and lightly scrape the flesh surface of each filet with a sharp knife (otherwise I find it too salty).

7. I serve it sliced thin (a long-bladed non-serrated knife seems to work best), on small pieces of thin-sliced rye or pumpernickel bread, with a sauce made of 1 tablespoon sweet mustard, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, 4 - 5 oz. oil (I mix good-quality olive oil and neutral salad oil, such as Canola, equally) whisked in a drop or so at a time so that sauce emulsifies, and a whole lot of finely-chopped dill at the end.

8. Vodka or aquavit that has been stored in the freezer, served in shot glasses, goes well.[/i]
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PinkFerret
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 02, 2006 9:36 pm    Post subject: Sashimi Salmon Reply with quote

Would sushi/sashimi quality salmon work well for this without having to be frozen first?
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Michael Chu



Joined: 10 May 2005
Posts: 1654
Location: Austin, TX (USA)

PostPosted: Fri Feb 03, 2006 7:29 am    Post subject: Re: Sashimi Salmon Reply with quote

PinkFerret wrote:
Would sushi/sashimi quality salmon work well for this without having to be frozen first?

I was under the impression that sushi grade salmon was all prefrozen to destroy parasites.
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stephen88@rogers.com
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 3:10 am    Post subject: gravlax methods: to wrap/wieght or not Reply with quote

I've done graavlax/gravad lax for years, with lots of variations. My favorite ingredient list includes a 2:1 sugar to salt proportion (any non-iodized salt), both black and white cracked peppercorns, crushed juniper berries and tons of dill. I've also had excellent, though a bit off-beat and non-purist results adding a sprinkle of about 1tsp lemon juice which has been mixed with a few drops of pure (natural) vanilla extract. (1 tsp per lb salmon).

A wonderful method of putting up the salmon was taught me by a Swedish chef (my apologies to my Danish friends). After making the traditional filet sandwich, cut sufficient cheesecloth to wrap the sandwich 6 to 8 times. Cover the surface of your non-reactive dish with one end of the cheesecloth, throw some dill, sugar/salt mixture and pepper/juniper berry on it, then lay on the sandwich. Throw some of the same ingredient mix on the top of the sandwich. Then, wrap the sandwich in the cheesecloth while flipping it and pulling slightly on the cheesecloth with each turn.

This accomplishes all you need do. Each time you wrap and pull, the total pressure on the salmon is additively increased by the strength of each pull (same as when a piano tuner repairs a broken hammer shank by applying glue and then wrapping with thread). This holds the dill/berry/pepper mix firmly against the fish (don't pull too hard, just gently). It also maintains moisture all around the fish and reduces the required frequency of turning while curing. Best of all, it has always seemed to me to produce a much nicer, fresher tasting product by allowing the fish to breathe while curing (as opposed to wrapping in plastic -- think about it, they didn't have plastic wrap when this dish was first developed by our Scandi pals). Breathing is a good thing, moisture is a good thing, it's all good.

I believe you'll find the resulting product freshly flavored just the way you want it (depending upon your own ingredient mix) and with a moist, medium-firm (just firm enough to slice), melt-in-your-mouth texture.
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flora
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 24, 2006 7:14 pm    Post subject: Gravlax is salty Reply with quote

I followed this recipe EXACTLY and the gravlax was TOO salty. I have made gravlax about 4 times during my cooking life and it's always too salty. I decided to try this recipe because it uses much less salt than any of the others I've tried. Do you think 2 days is just too long?

Foiled again.
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