Tango with A Pink Fish

At my local Korean grocery store I longingly glance at the exquisitely laid out fish resting upon its glacial bed. Although a bit pricey, the salmon is worth every penny and every molecule of Omega-3 it provides. Being Swedish, my favorite way to prepare it is also one of the simplest, aka Gravlax. All you will need is:

• 1.5-2 lbs Salmon Fillet
• 4 tbsp Sugar
• 3 tbsp Salt
• 1 tsp Pepper
• 1/2 bunch of Fresh Dill
• A piece of foil
• And two days of foresight (the trickiest part)

Line a pan with a generous length of foil. I often use my 9"x9" glass brownie pan if using the square center portion of the fillet. Mix the dry ingredients in a small bowl, pat the mixture down onto the surface of  the salmon, cover with whole dill sprigs, wrap the foil over the fish. Weigh it down with anything heavy like a brick, a rock, or canned goods, stick it in the fridge and go do something else for 2-4 days.

During this time the salt and sugar will works its chemical magic, curing the fish until it takes on a luscious semi-opaque pink hue. Remove it from the pan, scraping away excess spices, lay it on a cutting board. I use my largest bread knife to cut nearly paper thin slivers. 

Tradition calls for a mustard-dill sauce (recipe below) and I really should have had tiny boiled new potatoes on the plate, but alas such little golden starchy wonders are a rarity in this part of the world.

Mustard Dill Sauce

3 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

1 Tbsp Sugar

1 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar

1/2 cup Vegetable Oil

1/2 Cup Chopped Fresh Dill

Mix mustard, sugar, vinegar until smooth.

Slowly add the oil in a fine stream whilst whisking until the sauce emulsifies into a creamy mixture.

Adjust seasoning, add salt and pepper as needed.

Gently mix in the dill.