Traditional gravad lax – Swedish cured salmon with dill and mustard sauce. 🇸🇪

Ingredients

• 500 g fresh salmon fillet (skin on, boneless)
• 2 tbsp coarse salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp crushed black pepper
• Zest of 1 lemon (optional)
• 1 bunch fresh dill (roughly chopped)
• For the mustard-dill sauce (hovmästarsås):
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp neutral oil (e.g. sunflower or rapeseed)
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Prepare the cure: Mix salt, sugar, pepper, lemon zest, and chopped dill.
• Cure the salmon: Place the salmon skin-side down in a dish. Rub the cure all over. Wrap tightly in plastic and press down with a weight (like a can or another dish). Refrigerate for 48 hours, turning once halfway through.
• Make the sauce: Whisk mustard, sugar, and vinegar. Slowly whisk in oil to emulsify. Stir in dill, season with salt and pepper. Chill until serving.
• Serve: Remove excess cure from the salmon. Slice thinly across the grain. Serve cold with mustard-dill sauce, dark rye bread, or new potatoes.