Gravlax

Gravlax, also known as gravlaks, is a delectable Nordic dish made by curing salmon with a mixture of salt, sugar, and dill. Often served as an appetizer, the salmon is thinly sliced and typically paired with hovmästarsås, a dill and mustard sauce, and served on bread or alongside boiled potatoes.

The name "gravlax" derives from the Scandinavian words "gräva" or "grave" meaning "to cure (fish)" and "lax" or "laks" which mean "salmon." This dish dates back to the Middle Ages when fishermen would cure salmon by salting it and allowing it to lightly ferment in sand above the high-tide line. Nowadays, the fermentation step is omitted. Instead, the salmon is simply cured in a dry marinade of salt, sugar, and dill, left to cure for anywhere from twelve hours to a few days.

As the salmon cures, osmosis transforms the dry mixture into a concentrated brine, which can be utilized as a sauce in other Scandinavian dishes. Although this curing method can be applied to various fatty fish, salmon remains the preferred choice for making gravlax.