October 30, 2015
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Gravlaxsås – Perfect company for Gravadlax

So, you have waited three days to create Gravadlax and perhaps you are asking yourself, what next?

In my opinion, there is simply nothing better to accompany cured salmon in the Scandinavian tradition, than this sweet delightful but slightly acidic mustard sauce of the same origin

While you can buy this as ready made in some shops, I highly recommend you try making it fresh yourself.  When fresh and eaten with the salmon, it is a revelation. What’s more, it is possibly the easiest thing to make that I know, taking just a couple of minutes at most, with just the following 5 ingredients:

The 5 Ingredients for Gravadlax Mustard Sauce

The 5 Ingredients for Gravadlax Mustard Sauce

3 tbsp x Canola / Rapeseed oil, 2 x tbsp honey mustard, 1 x tbsp white vinegar, 2 x tbsp chopped dill and 1/4 tsp of salt

To make the sauce, you just put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend for 10 seconds. Serve immediately, or later, dipping the cured salmon into the sauce, when you eat it.

These two were simply made for each other!

October 29, 2015
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Cured not Smoked – Salmon Gravadlax

Until 1994, I thought smoked salmon was one of the best things that could have happened to the humble Salmon. That summer,  however, everything changed

I took a last minute trip to see one of my best University friends in Norway and for the first time had the chance to try the Scandinavian version of preserved salmon, known as Gravadlax  (or Gravalax).  I was converted to their delicious , sweet dill and citrus infused cured salmon dish immediately!  Through trial and error, following traditional Norwegian and more modern recipes, I have stumbled on what, I think, is salmon perfection

The Ingredients

The Ingredients

It takes just 20 minutes to prepare and a few days of patient curing

Ingredients

  • 2 x fat tail end sides of a very fresh salmon with skin on weighing 2.25 lbs / 1 kg
  • 4 tbsp fine sugar (granulated is ideal)
  • 4 tsp of salt
  • 1 large bunch of dill weed finely chopped
  • 4 x slices of lemon or lime finely chopped
Sugar, Salt + the Dill, Lime coat

Sugar, Salt + the Dill, Lime coat

Method

  • Wash and pat dry the salmon
  • Place one side skin side down on a large sheet of saran wrap / cling film
  • Sprinkle 2 tsp of salt down the spine (center) of the fish, then sprinkle 2 tbsp of sugar on top of the salt along the spine
  • Coat the entire flesh of the side with the chopped dill and place the lemon / lime pieces on the dill blanket making sure the lime does not come into direct contact with the fish, as it will mark it and ruin the effect. You want the flavor to imbue not to burn the fish with citric acid!
  • Repeat the salt, sugar, dill and lemon / lime process for the other side
  • Place one side on the other like a big fish sandwich and wrap the sandwich tightly in several layers of the saran / cling film

    The Salmon Sandwich

    The Salmon Sandwich

  • Lay the fish in a large container or on a plate at the bottom of the fridge, adding weight on top of it (I use large tins of tomatoes). The purpose of this is to help squeeze the ingredients into the fish
  • Leave for 3 days turning the fish upside down every morning and evening to evenly distribute the flavors
Cured!

Cured!

Three days later! Your Gravadlax is ready to serve.  Using a very sharp knife, slice horizontally across the fish in thin slices from the tail end at a 45 degree angle all the way through but not cutting the skin

Perfect served with a  dark Rye and  Scandinavian Mustard sauce (see my next post for the recipe!)

October 24, 2015
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Tasty Tomato Soup with a Twist

On a chilly Autumn evening there is nothing better than coming home to a bowl of soup. At my local bus stop, the famous  brand  with 57 varieties is currently being advertised and the pictures evoked memories of my mum making soup in her  mustard coloured cast iron stockpot. I decided to share my tomato soup recipe with a Mediterranean twist. It’s easy to make, and a healthy, filling lunch or supper. My tip is to keep the seeds from the fresh tomatoes in the fridge which can be stirred into pasta for another meal so there’s no waste.

Ingredients  (serves 6-8)

Tomatoes from The Tomato Stall, grown in Isle of Wight

Tomatoes from The Tomato Stall, grown in Isle of Wight

  • 2 large white onions, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 dessertspoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of sea salt, freshly ground
  • 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 500g (17.6 oz) fresh tomato passata or canned chopped tomatoes
  • 2 ripe beefsteak tomatoes, seeded & diced
  • 6 vine tomatoes, seeded & diced
  • 2 litres  (8.5 cups) vegetable stock
  • 150g (5.3 oz) uncooked couscous
  • 100g (3.5 oz) feta cheese crumbled for garnish
  • 2 spring onions (scallions) finely chopped for garnish

Method

Heat the oil in a large stockpot on  a medium heat, add the onion and sugar and sweat for 5 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic, oregano, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, sea salt & black pepper and cook for 2 minutes stirring to coat the onions. Add the tomato passata or canned tomatoes and simmer on a low-medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the vegetable stock bring to the boil on a medium-high heat, partially cover with a lid, reduce heat to low-medium and simmer for 25 minutes. Stir in fresh tomatoes and couscous and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and leave to stand for 5 minutes. Check the seasoning and add more black pepper and salt if needed.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and add the crumbled feta and chopped spring onions.