Serves 14
3600 min
Gravlax with Caraway, Coriander, and Mustard-Dill Sauce
Recipe GLPR25be43d751d302
A classic Nordic cured salmon featuring sushi-grade salmon fillet cured with caraway and coriander seeds, kosher salt, and sugar. Served with a bright mustard-dill sauce and pumpernickel bread. This elegant starter is naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, and requires no cooking—just patience for the curing process.
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Ingredients
2 pounds Skin-on, sushi-grade salmon fillet with pin bones removed
1 teaspoon Caraway seeds
1 teaspoon Coriander seeds
40 grams Kosher salt
25 grams Granulated sugar
½ teaspoon Freshly ground white pepper
2 large bunches Fresh dill bunches
3 tablespoons Distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons Fresh dill fronds, roughly chopped
5 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Granulated sugar
¼ cup Canola or vegetable oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Sliced pumpernickel bread, for serving
Directions
Rinse the salmon fillet under cold water and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Gently rub the skin side with a small amount of kosher salt and rinse again, then pat dry completely.
Toast the caraway seeds and coriander seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Pour onto a plate to cool.
Combine the cooled toasted seeds with 40 grams kosher salt, 25 grams sugar, and white pepper in a small bowl.
Place a large sheet of plastic wrap on your work surface. Arrange one large bunch of fresh dill down the center, then place the salmon fillet skin-side down on top of the dill.
Rub the flesh side of the salmon evenly with the salt-sugar-spice mixture, distributing it generously across the entire surface.
Place the second large bunch of fresh dill on top of the seasoned salmon flesh. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a shallow dish or on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Place a weighted object (such as a cutting board with cans or a cast-iron skillet) on top of the wrapped salmon to apply even pressure. Transfer to the refrigerator.
Cure the salmon for 48 hours. After 24 hours, carefully turn the package over, rewrap, replace the weight, and return to the refrigerator for the remaining 24 hours.
After 48 hours, unwrap the salmon and rinse away all the salt, sugar, and spice mixture under cold running water. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.
Place the cured salmon skin-side down on a clean cutting board. Carefully slice the gravlax on a slight bias, starting at the tail end, using a thin, sharp knife to create slices about ¼ inch thick, cutting toward the skin but not through it.
To make the mustard-dill sauce: whisk together the distilled white vinegar, chopped dill fronds, Dijon mustard, and 1 tablespoon sugar in a medium bowl until well combined.
Slowly drizzle the canola oil into the mustard mixture while whisking constantly until the sauce emulsifies and thickens slightly.
Season the sauce to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Adjust sweetness or tanginess as desired by adding more vinegar or sugar.
Serve the sliced gravlax on pumpernickel bread with the mustard-dill sauce on the side or drizzled lightly over the salmon.
