GRAVADLAX
1kg/2lb 4oz side of salmon, skin-on
3 raw beetroot/beets, scrubbed
6 juniper berries, crushed
Zest of 1 lemon
5 sprigs dill, chopped
100g/½ cup rock salt
50g/¼ cup demerara sugar
100ml/scant ½ cup gin
PICKLED CUCUMBER
2 cucumbers
2tbsp rock salt
100ml/scant ½ cup white wine vinegar
2tbsp granulated sugar
1tbsp coriander seeds
Fronds from 5 stalks of dill
HORSERADISH SAUCE
3tbsp grated horseradish (from a jar, or from the root)
100g/scant ½ cup yoghurt
Juice of 2 lemons
Black pepper
Gravadlax always makes an appearance on the Christmas Eve smörgåsbord. You can buy it from the supermarket, but it’s never quite as lovely as it is made from scratch. The stunning pink of the beetroot and the botanical warmth of the gin give this recipe a festive flair. It is lovely for midsummer too, but in deep winter, when it’s dark not long after three, it provides some colour on the table on Christmas Eve.
Makes enough for 12
1. If you have a dish that the salmon will fit into lengthways, then leave it whole. If not, slice it in half through the middle, and place the two pieces side by side in a dish (lined with parchment paper if the fillet is without skin). It’s important that the salmon lies flat, and skin-side down.
2. Finely chop the beetroot (I’m lazy, and blitz them in a small food processor), and add the juniper, lemon zest, dill, salt and sugar. Pour in the gin. Pack this onto the salmon, ensuring it is entirely covered. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for between 24 and 48 hours (the longer you leave it, the more the salmon will be cured).
3. On the day you plan to eat the salmon, prepare the cucumbers. Slice them into long, thin ribbons with a vegetable peeler, and place in a bowl. Sprinkle over the salt and leave for an hour, to leach out some of the water. Bring the vinegar, sugar and coriander seeds to a simmer in a saucepan. Leave the mixture to sit for a couple of minutes to cool slightly, while you squeeze out the cucumber and then rinse it in some cold water. Pour the vinegar over the cucumber. Place in the fridge until chilled, then add the dill fronds.
4. To make the horseradish sauce, mix the horseradish, yoghurt, and lemon juice together. Season with plenty of pepper.
5. Scrape the cure off the salmon, and then rinse the last of it off with a little splash of cold water. Slice the salmon very thinly, at an angle, starting at the thin tail end, and working your way up. Give yourself time to do this, as it does take a while and you don’t want to be stressed or rushed once you have guests. Once sliced, it will keep, covered, in the fridge, for the next couple of days.
6. Serve the sliced salmon with a bowl of the pickled cucumber, the horseradish sauce, and some extra wedges of lemon.