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Recipe for "gravlax"

NAME

     GRAVLAX - Swedish dill-cured salmon
     Gravlax uses a salt-sugar mixture to  cure  the  fish.   The
     fish  is flavored by dill and whatever else is handy.  (I've
     used gin, Julia Child has used cognac).
     I've gathered these versions  of  the  recipe  from  several
     sources.   From Ver Cokbok (the Swedish equivalent of Joy of
     Cooking or Mrs. Beeton.) From a brochure  published  by  the
     Swedish  Information Service. From a booklet written by Tore
     Wretman, who owned a  major  restaurant  and  has  published
     several cookbooks of his own.
     Gravlax is like barbeque-a process that you follow, but  can
     vary  considerably.  Don't skimp on the salt. The proportion
     of salt to fish is important to preserve the fish. Here  are
     several variations on a single basic recipe.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 3-4)

     1         small salmon, whole (about 1 kg)
          SWEDISH RECIPE I
     20 g      white peppercorns (or a  mixture  of  equal  parts
               white peppercorns and allspice berries)
     60 g      salt
     25 g      sugar
     2 bunches dill
          SWEDISH RECIPE II
     60 g      salt
     40 g      sugar
     30 ml     white pepper
     20 ml     allspice
     50 ml     gin
     2 bunches dill
          ENGLISH RECIPE I
     20 g      salt
     25 g      sugar
     30 g      white peppercorns
     2 bunches dill
          ENGLISH RECIPE II
     150 g     salt
     100 g     sugar
     20        white peppercorns
          MAITRE'D SAUCE
     50 ml     dark french coarse-ground mustard
     15 ml     sugar
     3 ml      salt
     pinch     ground white pepper
     15 ml     vinegar
     100 ml    olive oil
     100 ml    dill,

PROCEDURE

          (1)  Get a whole fish, clean it and  remove  the  head.
               Split  into  two filets, removing the backbone but
               leave the skin on.  Dry off the filets and  remove
               all the little bones.
          (2)  Crush the peppers and seasonings in a mortar,  add
               the  salt and sugar.  Mix well, and press the mix-
               ture into the filets.
          (3)  In a glass or ceramic dish, put some dill  on  the
               bottom,  then  one  of the filets, skin side down,
               then more dill, then the other  filet,  skin  side
               up.   Put  the thick side of one filet against the
               other's thin side.  Cover with plastic  wrap  (NOT
               ALUMINUM  FOIL) and put a cutting board or similar
               on top with some weight on it (e.g.  a  couple  of
               beer cans).
          (4)  Put it in the refrigerator for a day or so.  (Thin
               filets  are  ready  in  1 day, thicker in 2 days.)
               Turn the filet over  once  or  twice  during  this
               time.  Pour off the brine, otherwise the fish will
               be too salty.  The fish will keep for a week in  a
               refrigerator after pouring off the brine.
          (5)  Make the sauce, "Maitre'd sauce". Mix together the
               mustard, sugar, salt, pepper, and vinegar. Add the
               oil drop by drop as if making a  mayonnaise.   Add
               the dill.  Let the sauce sit for about 10 minutes.
          (6)  Cut off either thin (nearly horizontal) slices, or
               thick  vertical  slices,  to  taste.   (Don't  cut
               through the skin).  Serve as an appetizer on  thin
               slices  of buttered rye bread (with a little lemon
               juice and some finely chopped dill), or as a  main
               dish with boiled new potatoes and Maitre'd sauce.

NOTES

     You can broil or  grill  thick  slices  of  gravlax.   After
     you've  eaten  the salmon, you can also cut the skin in thin
     strips, sear them briefly on the skin side, and  serve  them
     as a garnish.

RATING

     Difficulty: easy once the fish is prepared.  Time: 5 minutes
     preparation,  several  days  aging.   Precision: measure the
     ingredients.

CONTRIBUTOR

     Martin Minow
     Digital Equipment Corporation, Maynard, Mass., USA
     Minow@thundr.dec.com     minow%thundr.dec@decwrl.dec.com