How to make gravadlax

Learn how to make home-made gravadlax. This Scandinavian classic isn’t just for Christmas. It can be prepared ahead and served on rye bread, in salads, tarts and pasta dishes for outdoor entertaining or a light lunch.

Experimenting with other flavours

Try using different types of brown sugar instead of caster for a deeper, richer flavour
Use a different type of alcohol in the cure, such as gin, rum or whisky
Add grated raw beetroot to the basic cure – it gives an amazing colour and taste
Freshly grated citrus zest adds a zingy dimension to the basic cure. Or try adding finely grated fresh ginger
As well as black peppercorns, add other dried aromatics such as crushed juniper berries, coriander seeds or pink peppercorns
For something a bit different, try an Oriental-style gravadlax with coriander instead of dill. Add fresh chilli, lime zest, lemongrass and fresh ginger, all chopped.

list of ingredients

How to slice gravadlax
Lay the salmon fillet skin-side down and, using a very sharp knife, cut slices as thinly as possible. Start at the tail end of the fillet and cut at a slight angle, cutting the flesh away from the skin (discard the skin).

gravadlax recipe

Serve gravadlax with a classic mustard and dill sauce
A simple grinding of black pepper and squeeze of lemon is great with gravadlax. Traditionally, however, this lovely sauce is served with it. Whisk a large free-range egg yolk with a good dollop of Dijon mustard and 1 tbsp runny honey. Whisk in 2 tbsp white wine vinegar until the mixture is smooth. Gradually whisk in 170ml groundnut oil until you have a thick sauce, then stir in a handful of chopped dill.

dill sauce