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Gravlax

Gravlax, also known as gravadlax, is a cured salmon dish originally from Scandinavia.

A fresh (uncooked) salmon fillet is rubbed with a basic mixture of salt, sugar and fresh dill. Other ingredients can be added but these are the three core ingredients for curing the salmon. The salmon is then left for between three and five days at a temperature 3°C and 4°C (about 37°F to 39°F). It is then thinly sliced and served.

Gravlax is usally served with a sweet dill sauce, gravlaxsås, or a sweet dill mayonnaise. It is traditionally served on a dark bread or crisp bread with a squeeze of lemon and ground black pepper. It goes well with cream cheese and soured cream also.

The name gravlax comes from the Middle Ages when fishermen would salt their salmon and bury it above the shore line. Grav (meaning grave) and lax (salmon) makes gravlax (buried salmon).

Other rub ingredients for gravlax include vodka, gin and other clear spirits, honey, treacle or molasses and various spices and herbs including cumin, juniper and coriander.