Beetroot gravadlax
This is a version of the traditional Nordic cured salmon, using beetroot to give the fish a deep pinky-purple colour. It might seem like a lot of work but, though you'll need to start making it in 3 days in advance, it's actually pretty easy. Check your piece of salmon for any pin bones down the middle of the fillet before you start; the easiest way to remove them is with a pair of tweezers.
Cook's notes
Serve the gravadlax with a salad of thinly sliced cucumber, dressed with yoghurt or crème fraîche with a little freshly grated horseradish, lemon juice, seasoning and a few dill leaves. If you haven't got any fresh horseradish, jarred horseradish sauce will do (though use very sparingly, just a ¼ of a teaspoon should do).
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp caster sugar
- 3 tbsp sea salt
- 1 beetroot (about 150g), finely grated
- 3 tbsp dill, chopped
- 300-350g piece of very fresh salmon, skin on, pin boned
Method
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Step 1
Mix all the ingredients together, except the salmon, in a bowl. Spread a large piece of clingfilm across a dish with enough overhanging each end to cover the top (a baking dish with a rim is ideal, as juice will come out of the salmon).
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Step 2
Place the salmon on the clingfilm, skin-side-down, and spread over the beetroot mixture so the fish is completely covered, and press it down well. Wrap the clingfilm over the salmon to seal. Put a plate or another dish on top and weigh it down - use tins of whatever you've got in your cupboard if you've no weights to hand.
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Step 3
Keep the dish in the fridge, and drain off any liquid every day.
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Step 4
Try and keep it there for at least 3 days before using, so the salmon turns a good dark pink-purple colour. Remove all the curing mixture and slice very thinly to serve.
