This is a real superdelicacy that combines almost everything the Nordics have to offer. A great salmon from Norway and some Finnish culinary tradition and it´s all there. There is a huge difference between this dish and a traditional gravlax, that is normally salted for a short period an served as very thin slices.
The Ice cellar´s salmon:
600g - 2 kg fresh salmon (salmo salar) from Norway
2 liters of water
180 - 200 g sea salt
80-100 g sugar
1 tsp cumin
a small bunch of dill stalks, gently beaten with the back of your knife to get the flavours out better
Cook the liquid and spices and chill it well. Buy boneless and defatted salmon or do it yourself. No bones no fat left.
When the liquid is cold enough, put the dill stalks and the salmon fillet, with the skin side up, into a bowl or a kettle and pour the liquid over. Cover the fish with a plate in order to keep it well under the surface. Put the whole dish into a fridge and let it rest fo four days.
Mustard mayonnaise:
2 dl full fat mayonnaise (make it yourself if you want)
1/2 dl dijon mustard
3 tsp sugar
chopped dill
Mix well and give it a rest. Serve with the fish.
Archipelago style rye bread:
For three medium size bread forms:
1 litre of sour milk (piimä)
50 - 100 g yeast
3 dl syrup/treacle
3 dl wheat bran
3 dl crushed barley malt
3 dl rye flour
1 - 1 1/2 tbs salt
Appr. 1 litre wheat flour
1. Heat the sour milk up to 37 C. Mix the yeast into the liquid and then all the other ingredients and mix well. The dough shall remain quite loose and can be poured into the buttered bread forms.
2. Let the breads rest under cover for two hours.
3. Bake at the lowest level in a normal oven for 2,5 to 3 hours at 170 degrees centigrade. Keep an eye on them and as the breads have risen well and start to darken, lower the temp to 150-160 degrees and cover them with a foil.
Take the bread forms out from the oven and before you tip them upside down, brush the crust with a 50/50 mixture of water and syrup. Let cool a while. These breads will keep for weeks in a plastic bag, but can also be frozen. I strongly recommend to slice the breads before freezing and you´ll be able to use a slice or a few at a time.
The serving as a starter:
Slice the bread into 5-6 mm thick slices. Spread with butter and cut some 1 cm thick slices from the salmon to top the breads. Finnish it all up with the mayo and garnish with some dill. The combination of sweetness from the bread, saltiness from the fish and the creamy mayo goes extremely well with a crisp dry white wine, like a good riesling. Some might prefer a schnapps and a beer. No shame on them either!
Ei kommentteja:
Lähetä kommentti