Tad Seaborn/The Globe and Mail
Gravlax, a Scandinavian preparation of salmon cured in salt, sugar and dill is a delicious topping for those Wasa crackers you keep buying (so healthy, right?) but then barely nibble on. Do not confuse gravlax with smoked salmon. Smoked salmon is cured through a cold-smoke process that imparts the smouldering flavour of the wood chips, gravlax is not smoked and has a strong dill influence. Thinly sliced and delicate in texture, you can wow the lunchroom with this elegant open-faced creation.
Traditionally gravlax is served atop a dollop of a sweet dill-mustard sauce known as hovmastarsas (if anyone at work can pronounce that, you owe them a Wasa).
If you can't find the sauce, you can approximate the flavour with this recipe.
Sauce
2 tablespoon of honey mustard
1 tablesoon of Dijon
1 tablespoon oil,
drop of white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon fresh chopped dill.
Sandwich
Wasa crackers
Gravlax
Red onion slices
Creme fraiche (optional)
Capers (optional)
Lemon slice (optional)
Method
Whisk sauce ingredients together.
Spread the sauce under the cured fish, then top with thin slices of red onion. If you have it, a dollop of crème fraiche is the icing on the … gravlax. You can also opt for a few capers or a slice of lemon.
Sue Riedl