Now that I’m on year 527 of my Ps driver’s license (or at least it feels like it), I am now in the possession of my own deliciously fabulous motor vehicle, which we call Red Riding Hood – because of her rosy colour. When it came to choosing a car, I had a few must have features as I think everyone does but I was chatting to my friend Paula and she told me that she opts not to use a GPS in her car so that it keeps her memory working and brain alert.
It made sense, I think brain training exercises are a good idea so we are now GPS-less and I try and memorise the streets of Sydney. Which was odd at first because I have no sense of direction. So far, I think it has worked. Each time I have to go somewhere new, I look up the route before I leave the house and remember key street names and turns. And if a directionally challenged person like me can do it, I think anyone could. I have found my memory improving a little too and worse case scenario,if I get lost, I could use my phone. Well, if I could get signal that is (hello Vodafone! No signal in the middle of Sydney’s CBD is not on!).
Another way to apparently keep the mind sharp is with apparently with omega 3′s in foods like salmon. I love the stuff and one thing that you might think would be hard to make is salmon gravlax. Gravlax is the Scandinavian word for buried salmon -’grav’ means grave and ‘lax’ means salmon. Fisherman used to bury the salted fish under the sand to preserve it. It’s also an alternative to cold smoking salmon and infuses it with flavour and herbs. And the best thing? It’s so incredibly easy to do!
All you do is take some salmon and coat it with salt, sugar and herbs and wrap it tightly and place it in the fridge. Turn it twice a day for 3-4 days and voila, you have gravlax! It tastes better than bought gravlax and isn’t frozen like a lot of gravlax or smoked salmon can be. I gave some to half Scandi Mr NQN and he adored it and I had to stop him from devouring the fillet just as his ancestors may have done too.
So tell me Dear Reader, do you rely on a GPS to get to places? Are you a fish eater and have you ever made gravlax or smoked your own fish?
Made From Scratch: Cured Salmon Gravlax
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Refrigeration time: 3-4 days
- 500g/1 pound centre fillet salmon with skin on*
- 3 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 tablespoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika (optional)
- 1/2 bunch of dill
1. In a bowl, mix the salt, sugar, pepper and paprika if using. Lay out two large sheets of cling wrap on a tray. Check the salmon for tiny pin bones by running clean hands over the flesh side of the salmon and removing with tweezers.
2. Spread out half of the dill fronds onto the surface of the cling wrap and then lay out half of the salt and sugar mixture. Lay salmon fillet on it and then sprinkle with the remaining half of the salt and sugar mixture and then the rest of the dill. Wrap very well ensuring that there are no holes-use more cling wrap if needed.
This salmon feels very Dexter with the cling wrap
3. Place on the tray in the fridge and weigh down with cans. Turn twice a day and do this for 3-4 days. When ready, unwrap and remove the dill and salt and wash gently under icy cold water to remove excess salt. Serve with sour cream, fresh dill and caviar (psst, don’t use a metal spoon for the caviar, use a mother of pearl spoon).
Slice with the grain
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70 Comments | Add your own
You are both brilliant and daring—and I love your Dexter reference =)
Fantastic looking! That is something I make on a regular basis. So delicious.
Cheers,
Rosa
This is one of my all time favourites and so easy too! I adore how the salmon flesh looks like jewels and so flavourful too. And the texture is quite lovely too. A couple of years ago I made a salt cured salmon dish called lomi salmon, it was amazing. https://kitcheninspirations.wordpress.com/2010/10/22/salt-cured-salmon-napoleon/
This looks absolutely divine! I’ve never had gravlax, but this looks so fantastic that I’m going to have to give it a go!
I have never made geavlax but it sounds like an interesting process.
this salmon looks gorgeous!! good idea about the caviar.
mmm, looks amazing!
Since moving to London and buying a car I hardly leave home without my TomTom. I just don’t have the road knowledge you get from living in a place forever. May even bring it home with me in Feb as I now doubt my Oz memory.
I made a vodka and beet root cured gravlax for Xmas lunch last year. It was divine and so easy, that it is on the menu for my Nans 99th (why we are coming home for a visit!)
This gravlax looks delicious….try it with Sweet Dill Mustard Sauce……even more delicious
2 Tbsp. sweet honey
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
pinch of salt
2 Tbsp. plain or white wine vinegar
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh dill
Delightful recipe, I love Salmon and would be quite happy to eat it every day if I could.
Due to my propensity for wanting to dash off and view Open Gardens sometimes 250 kms away, a GPS has become necessary, but not for Sydney trips!
Have to agree about the Vodafone reception too. We couldn’t even get reception on the highway at Bilpin, Blue Mtns at weekend…
I love salmon but I have never tried gravlax. Now there are no excuses. I am having a Swedish friend over for dinner soon, maybe she will appreciate an attempt at gravlax
Haha im ridiculously bad with directions so without GPS I would get lost completely! But I approve of you guys keeping your minds active (school is enough for me!)
Your salmon looks stunning!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
When I saw that first photo in this post, my instant reaction was “ERMAHGERD!”. I love this, and I love your Made From Scratch posts! Definitely want to try this, though I may not be able to resist eating the entire fillet.
My sense of direction is pretty good – if I’ve been somewhere once I generally remember the way, the street landmarks etc (but I don’t drive)
I’m sending this to my husband and will make this after the trip. Looks so good. My family (inc kids) are crazy about salmon. I made salted salmon (haven’t posted yet) but I must do this next! Your first picture made me drool!!
GPS it is, though at times I have been taken to dead ends and asked to ‘take a slight right turn’.
I am hopeless without GPS, but I try to work without it often.
That salmon looks gorgeous Lorraine!!
This is one of my most favorite things to eat and now I can’t stop thinking about it. Lorraine, here is my GPS. I call my husband (who could be anywhere in the United States and ask him to direct me. Nashville is his home town. Done!
Great pictures, as usual. The bravado ax looks fab. I’m making this as part of our smorgasbord this Christmas Eve, along with johansons temptation and a few other delicacies. GG
Yum, looks really really appealing. Never tried doing my own grav – I should.
Good trick with turning GPS off. Maybe next step is memorising phone numbers? My dad does it.
I just made it too! Resting in my fridge ready to be eaten! Love it!
Wow – love the shot with all the herb-age. Not sure I could resist salmon just sitting there for 3-4 days though (sashimi!)
Congratulations Lorraine
You finally have your license woo hoo ~ it’s fantastic! I love driving and being able to go anywhere I want with my car hehe
I love how you call your call Red Riding Hood, I call mine my husband hehe
I use to use my GPS all the time…but now like you I try to memorise the roads and I think it’s much better
Never thought you could cure your own fish! Should try cuz I love salmon!
Delicious! This is on my list to make for Christmas this year – yours looks lovely.
I love the photo!
I usually use the GPS but I actually found I got myself lost following it rather than my memory. I’ve been trying to search my brain to remember things lately rather than looking them up the second I can’t recall.
I relay on a GPS we recently bought for our new Honda CRV. I drive to Tamp or St. Petersburg Fl at least once a month Sept – June for my Daylily Club meeting. I no sense of direction and get lost very easily.
I absolutely adoreee salmon! I must try this recipe as it looks very very good
Haha I’ve also had my L’s licence for almost 4 years yet I’ve only driven 10 hours… It’s going to expire soon eek!
Love this. Have been meaning to try a gravlax recipe. Do you leave the skin on?
Hi Irene! Yup, you leave the skin on for the gravlax but you can remove it when you slice it up
I love smoked fish and gravlax but have never made my own. I completely agree with not using GPS, because I’ve been with SO MANY PEOPLE where the GPS has conked out and they freak out and can’t cope with driving and navigating. Knowing where you’re going is definitely the better way!
no GPS? In Sydney? Oh good lord – I’d end up in Newcastle
I wouldn’t think of driving through Sydney without a GPS.
Try to cure a nice piece of salmon in:
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp tandoory paste
and proceed as graved lax.
I allways make both for xmas brunch, yummy
Salmon gravlax always reminds me of Barefoot Contessa. Love the fresh dill!
I love Gravlax and ate quite a bit when I was in Sweden as everything is so expensive! Im going to give this a try, thanks Lorraine, you are increasing my repertoire of yummy goodies!
My car is Jiffy. The Jetta.
So do you bake the gravlax after curing it?
Hey Lorraine! I’m just wondering where you buy your salmon from? A chain supermarket or a fishmonger?
Hi Kelly! I buy from a fishmonger as I feel that they know their product better (especially if I want to get a centre piece too that is not frozen)
Salmon isn’t my favourit but my kids love it – and the cats lap up the leftovers!
I had a meeting at Bills in Woollahra today. I only had to pull over twice to make sure I was on track. How hard is it to park around there! You’ve done a lovely job with the gravlax. We usually have this as an entree on Christmas Day xx
I love Gravlax and really want to try smoking something. Thanks for the recipe
Beautiful lady: here you are in my world: I first ‘helped’ make gravlax when I was just high enough to stand on a kitchen stool! Hmmm, quite some time ago!! For me, heaps more very rough salt, heaps more dill, more sugar, certainly NO paprika, heaps more pepper: hey, lady: this wonderful, wonderful NE dish has to ‘call out’!! It has to laugh with the joy of food being alive!! And ere you have these first few vodkas, you just have to find those thin slices of true black bread and pile the gravlax atop!!!! Find for yourself and enjoy!!!!
I’m blown away at how easy this is! Thank you Lorraine. Looks like next weekend’s breakfast to me!
We play around with different flavours all the time! Orange is good. I’ll have to try smoked paprika next
a) I love your new pic in the right hand column, when did that change?
b) Love Gravlax and thank you for going through this process and sharing your method.
c) There pictures are dynamic and making me hungry.
d) What’s a GPS? (Your method of viewing map prior to leaving is just perfect).
e) It is fantastic giving cars names and Red Riding Hood is absolutely gorgeous, I hope she does you proud and you enjoy many miles together x
They still do that in some Northern regions: bury the fish in the sand (or dig a hole in the ground and place the fish in it for some period of time. And if you overcome the smell (not very pleasing), the fish tastes delicious: it melts in your mouth! Lovely post, Lorraine! I am going to make it, although I am not sure if I can get non-frozen salmon…
So scrummy indeed Lorraine! I love this dish, and even made one with a beetroot cure crust for one of my apprenticeship exams. I also made tea smoked quail which bought the restaurant owner rushing in because he thought it smelt like someone was smoking dope in the kitchen!
I don’t use a GPS but write directions on a post-it-note and sick it on the windscreen so I don’t get lost
I would be happy gobbling all that raw salmon up regardless of any preparation!
Holy moly! I wish we could get huge piece of salmon like that here but it would cost a bomb! Curing salmon seems easy enough though, if salmons fall from the sky one day I’d definitely do it!
I use a GPS on my phone and it’s useful when I had no idea how to get to point B, but I prefer to study the map beforehand to prevent surprises. You know sometimes the GPS lady can be a little crazy…… And my car must be RED!
Such a Scandi thing! I must admit, one thing I haven’t gotten so used to is the amount of cured fish they eat! and YAY on your little red mobile
Too funny about our similarities. I drive a red car, too!
I love making gravlax. It’s so easy, yet never fails to impress guests.
Hi Lorraine,
I tried curing my own small piece of salmon once but it turned out hard! Salty, but really hard and I was pretty afraid to eat it. Yours looks tender and soft, so I’m wondering if a big piece of fish is the secret.
Awesome I can’t wait to try this. Seems so simple!
Great timing, I was just searching for gravlax recipes yesterday, then your delicious version appeared in my inbox!
An American writer specified pre-frozen salmon because it kills parasites – which usually would get killed by cooking. They also have ‘sashimi grade salmon’ in USA.
I’m not sure how much of a problem the parasites would be, in Australasia. I would be interested to know, if any readers are more knowledgeable on this!
Hi Rebecca! That’s really interesting! I’d love to know too if anyone else knows?
yum! Dad’s smoked fish before but have never tried gravlax. Cannot wait to!
Heidi xo
Wow you’re mega brave! Lol I have no sense of direction AND I’m a nervous driver so I rely really heavily on the GPS. I have named her Shaniqua – she hasn’t let me down yet haha
Oh wow, these photos are stunning!!! Now if you feel like learning your way to Hunters Hill one day, feel free to bring some of this salmon with you!
PS Be wary of using your phone now. Rules changed about 2 weeks ago. Even touching your phone or having it in your lap warrants an exorbitant fine and loss of 4 points!
Eeek! Thanks Martyna! I don’t want to lose any of those precious points! :S
If I’m driving I prefer to use my iPhone , the constant ‘nagging’ from the GPS drives me mad!! “In 100 metres turn right then stay in the left lane,” arrrgh!! If hubby is with me, he has a built-in GPS in his head and I don’t even pay attention, I just enjoy the ride,lol.
Love this recipe and love almost any type of fish, methinks it will be gracing the Christmas Lunch menu this year.
Gravalaxing at home asap…succulent. Never new it meant grave
No gps for me.
Salmon looks delicious. I agree with your comments re GPS i hate to use then and rely on good old Melways in Melbourne or my friends to navigate!
I love a homemade salmon gravalax. It’s so simple yet impressive! I think I’ll add a little paprika to mine the next time I make this. Sounds like a lovely idea!
A delicious idea for improving memory
I have never tried to make gravlax, but you make it look so simple and satisfying–and I absolutely adore any smoked fish. I don’t have a GPS, but am sure I would rely on it if I did!
The salt should kill any parasites through the curing process I guess. Also, do you ‘refresh’ your salmon for any length of time? When I make gravalax I run it under a tap for 30 minutes or so, to make sure all the salt and sugar is washed off, but stopping it before it starts losing flavour. It’s tough to get it right!
Hi Liam! Yes I do run it under cold water to make sure everything is washed off or it’s a bit too strong otherwise
Oh I love making gravlax for parties – it’s so easy but everyone always seems so impressed by it! Yours looks great
I have been seeing recipes for this around the blog and it is perfect timing for you to post it and remind me, with Christmas almost around the corner. Lovely pics and looks delic!
Yum!! I am soo in love with cured fish of any kind – so delicious. Such an easy recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful jewelled salmon. This will certainly make it to the Christmas spread this year.
Did not know about the grave part-spooky!
I never thought to make it myself!
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