Graved salmon from Scandinavia

To make your own gravad salmon, first wash the salmon fillet well and pat dry. Check for bones and remove any with tweezers. This step is important to ensure a perfect eating experience later on.

Mix the salt and sugar together. Coarsely crush the peppercorns and fennel seeds in a mortar and add to the salt and sugar mixture. Finely chop the dill and grate the lemon zest and add both to the spice mixture. This is your marinade for the salmon.

Now spread the marinade evenly over the salmon, both on the flesh and the skin side. Do not leave any part of the salmon untreated so that the flavor can fully penetrate.

Then wrap the salmon skin-side down in cling film and place in a shallow dish. Cover the salmon with something heavy (e.g. a tin can) so that the spices can soak into the fish.

Leave the salmon to marinate in the fridge for at least 48 hours. Turn the fish every 12 hours so that it marinates evenly.

After these two days, remove the salmon from the foil and rinse off the marinade. The salmon should now be firm and generously seasoned.

Cut the gravad salmon into thin slices before serving. I always recommend cutting the salmon against the grain so that it is tender and easier to eat.