Homemade Salmon Gavlax on Blini with Caviar

 

One of the most elegant Christmas appetizers, the Swedes have celebrated the tradition of making Gravlax for the Christmas season for generations — on Christmas Eve in particular — a feast they call Julbord. Traditionally, the meal begins with fish; the most popular being Gravlax — salmon cured in sugar, salt and dill. Curing with salt is one of the oldest means of food preservation, and today, the time-honoured practice of curing foods with salt and spices has given us many delicacies we see in gourmet shops around the world. With just a few ingredients and very little work, Gravlax can be made easily at home, and at a fraction of the cost of what it sells for in the shops. 

Simply remove the large bones from a 3 to 4 pound salmon fillet. Prepare the cure by combining the salt and sugar, and apply it evenly on the fillet. Add fresh dill, place in a glass dish, wrap in cling film, place a weight overtop, and simply refrigerate for 24-36 hours. After removing the fillet from the refrigerator, the salt cure is wiped off, and using a long thin knife, paper-thin slices are carved and laid out on parchment paper. Gravlax is a perfect hors d'oeuvre for the holidays, especially when served over blini and topped with crème fraîche, caviar and a sprig of dill. A festive culinary tradition, we make Gravlax every Christmas for our loved ones — family and very special friends.

Two pieces of fresh salmon are laid on top of one another sandwiched tother 

with white sugar, Kosher salt and fresh dill

Once the salmon gas cured for 24 hours, the brine is removed and using a fish knife,

the gravlax is finely shaved 

Homemade blini are made an hour or so before guests arrive,

in prepararation of making the gravlax canapés

Shaved Gavlax is laid on top of the blini and garnished with a dollop of crème fraîche, 

a dab of caviar and finished with a sprig of dill

Salmon Gravlax

Makes 20-30 appetizer portions

1 3-4 lb salmon filet, deboned with skin on

1/2 cup salt

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 bunch fresh dill

On a work surface, cut the salmon into 2 filets and place them skin side down. Mix the salt and sugar together and spread half of the cure mix over the surface of one filet. Lay the dill on top, then spread the rest of the cure mix over the dill and lay the second side of salmon, skin side up, over the first — thick part of one filet over the thin part of the other — so together they make a flat 'sandwich'. 

Place the salmon in a rimmed glass dish large enough to hold the fish, and cover firmly with cling film. Place a dish on top and weigh it down with some heavy cans or weights. Refrigerate for 24-36 hours, during which time, juices will accumulate in the bottom of the dish and the salmon with cure.

Remove the salmon from the wrapping, remove the dill and scrape off any excess mix. With a long sharp knife, carefully slice thin slivers of the pink salmon on the bias, and serve with blini or as part of a festive yuletide platter.

Blini

Makes 30-40 

1 cup all-purpose flour 

3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup 10% cream

1/4 cup + 2 tbsp milk

1 large egg

1 stick butter, divided

Combine the flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl and stir to combine. Whisk the cream, milk, egg and 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a separate bowl. Mix into the flour until the batter is fully combined.

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a small 6-inch frying pan over medium low heat. Cooking several blini at a time, drop batter one teaspoon at a time, into the heated pan.  Cook until bubble form and the edges start to slightly brown, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Flip and continue cooking for about 1 minute more than remove to a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining batter, adding a tablespoon of butter to the pan for each batch. If the butter begins to brown, wipe the pan out with paper towel, and add a fresh tablespoon of butter. Blini can be made an hour or so before serving.

Gravalx on Blini with Crème Fraîche, Caviar and Dill

Makes 30-40, or as desired

Thinly-sliced Gavlax

Blini

250 ml crème fraîche

50 g Beluga or Lumpfish Caviar

Fresh Dill

Lay the blini on a serving platter and top each with a small slice of gravlax, folded over twice or 3 times for a generous serving, or as desired. Top with a small dollop of crème fraîche, then carefully add a dab of beluga or lumpfish caviar on top. Finish with a small frond of dill, and serve with a glass or two of champagne — it is the Christmas season after all!