Gravlax with Whole-Grain Mustard Sauce

Looking to impress your guests at your next brunch or dinner party event? Try making your own gravlax at home with a whole-grain mustard sauce! I first made gravlax in culinary school, and was shocked by how you can turn fresh fillets of salmon into an enormous quantity of gravlax simply through the use of sugar, salt, and time in the refrigerator.

This Scandinavian-inspired dish features silky-smooth slices of cured salmon, infused with fresh herbs, zesty lemon, and a touch of sweetness.

And the best part? It's surprisingly easy to make with just a handful of ingredients. All you need is fresh salmon, salt, sugar, and a few other seasonings to create this mouthwatering dish that's sure to impress. To top it all off, the creamy, buttery flavor of the gravlax pairs perfectly with a tangy, savory whole-grain mustard sauce.

Ingredients

For the Whole-Grain Mustard Sauce:

3 Tbsp brown sugar
½ cup whole grain mustard
1 Tbsp fresh dill finely minced
1.5 Tbsp champagne vinegar

For Gravlax:

32 oz (2 lbs) boneless salmon fillets
2 tsp fennel seeds crushed
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tsp whole black peppercorns crushed
¼ cup kosher salt
Zest of one lemon
Toasted bread slices

Instructions

For the tangy mustard sauce, whisk together the whole grain mustard, sugar, minced dill, and vinegar until everything is combined.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge to let the flavors meld together.
Now it's time to move on to the gravlax.
Place a salmon fillet, skin side down, on a large piece of plastic wrap.
Generously cover the salmon with fresh dill sprigs, making sure to pack it on for maximum flavor.
In a bowl, mix together the fennel seeds, brown sugar, black peppercorns, kosher salt, and lemon zest until well combined.
Spread half of this mixture over the dill-covered salmon fillet.
Next, place the second salmon fillet on top of the first, sandwiching the dill and seasoning mixture in between the two fillets.
Wrap the entire salmon "sandwich" tightly in plastic wrap, then place it in an airtight Ziploc bag.
Set the Ziploc bag on a baking tray, and then put a heavy object on top of it (such as a can of tomatoes) to help press the salmon fillets together.
Place the tray in the fridge for 24 hours.
After 24 hours have passed, remove the weight, flip the salmon over, and place the weight back on top of the Ziploc bag.
Return the salmon to the fridge and let it cure for another 24 hours.
Once the salmon has cured, carefully unwrap the plastic and rinse off any excess dill and seasoning mixture.
Pat the rinsed salmon dry with paper towels, and sharpen your best knife for slicing.
Carefully slice the gravlax into thin pieces, excluding the skin.
To serve, slice and toast some bread and place the gravlax slices on top.
Serve with the whole-grain mustard sauce on the side.

Notes

Preparing the mustard sauce in the advance will better allow the flavors to fully meld together.

Any leftover mustard sauce can be kept in your fridge for a few days and used for other items, like a sauce for roasted vegetables or a dressing for a salad.