A Swedish Chiller: Home-Cured Salmon

On sultry summer days when I want a meal that’s just about as cool as it gets, I prepare gravlax, the Swedish specialty of raw salmon cured with salt, sugar and dill.

Home-cured salmon is sweet and fresh, unlike any gravlax you can buy prepared. It’s substantial enough to be the star of a Sunday night supper, accompanied by a light cucumber salad, boiled new potatoes and thin slices of pumpernickel bread. Start off the meal with a chilled fennel soup.

Mandel is author of “Celebrating the Midwestern Table” (Doubleday & Co., 1996).

GRAVLAX WITH SWEET DILLED MUSTARD SAUCE

This recipe must be started two days before you plan to serve the gravlax.

GRAVLAX

1 (2 pound) center-cut salmon fillet

1/3 cup coarse salt

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 cup snipped dill

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

MUSTARD SAUCE

4 1/2 tablespoons Chinese hot or Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

3 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup snipped dill

3/4 cup oil

Salt

Freshly ground white pepper

ASSEMBLY

2 tablespoons vodka

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 tablespoons snipped dill

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

*

GRAVLAX

Skin salmon, trim off dark flesh, rinse and blot dry with paper towels. Set aside.

Combine salt, sugar and red pepper flakes in small bowl. Combine dill and cilantro in another bowl. Lay out sheet of plastic wrap large enough to completely wrap around fish. Sprinkle half of dill and cilantro mixture evenly on plastic wrap where fish will be placed. Sprinkle half of salt mixture evenly over herbs. Place fish over herbs and salt. Sprinkle remaining salt mixture over fish. Then sprinkle remaining dill and cilantro mixture over salt. Wrap fish in plastic wrap, then wrap in another piece of plastic wrap, making sure fish is completely covered and there are no leaks. Wrap in heavy-duty foil.

Place fish on baking sheet. Place 2nd baking sheet on top and place heavy objects such as bricks or large cans on second baking sheet to weigh down salmon. Refrigerate two days.

MUSTARD SAUCE

Put mustard, vinegar, sugar and dill in food processor. Pour oil very slowly through feed tube with processor running until sauce emulsifies or thickens. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Refrigerate. (Sauce may be made two days ahead. Stir and adjust seasoning before serving.)

ASSEMBLY

Unwrap fish and rinse quickly with cold water. Blot dry with paper towels. Combine vodka and lemon juice and rub over surface of fish. Sprinkle with dill and cilantro.

Cut salmon diagonally into thin slices. Arrange slices on chilled serving plates with Mustard Sauce on the side. Serve cold.

8 to 10 servings. Each of 10 servings:

283 calories; 1,640 mg sodium; 40 mg cholesterol; 21 grams fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 14 grams protein; 0.05 gram fiber.

CHILLED FENNEL SOUP WITH CHIVES

1 tablespoon oil

1 large onion, sliced

3 fennel bulbs, trimmed and sliced

1 baking potato, peeled and sliced

3 (14 1/2-ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

3 tablespoons sour cream, plus 6 tablespoons, optional

2 tablespoons snipped chives

Salt

Freshly ground white pepper

Heat oil in 3-quart pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add fennel, potato, broth and nutmeg and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until fennel and potato are soft, about 25 minutes.

Strain onion, fennel and potato from broth, reserving broth. Puree vegetables in food processor, then add 1 cup broth through feed tube with processor running.

Transfer mixture to large bowl and add remaining reserved broth. Stir in 3 tablespoons sour cream and chives. Add water if soup is too thick. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Refrigerate until chilled, at least six hours. (Soup can be frozen up to one month.)

Stir and adjust seasoning before serving. Ladle into bowls and swirl 1 tablespoon sour cream into each bowl, if desired. Serve chilled. (Soup is also good heated just to boiling point and served hot.)

6 servings. Each serving without optional sour cream:

72 calories; 116 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 3 grams fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.24 gram fiber.

SLICED CUCUMBERS WITH GREEN ONIONS IN ORANGE VINAIGRETTE

2 large English cucumbers

1 tablespoon minced shallot

6 large green onions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons orange zest

1 cup orange juice

1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar

2 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground white pepper

Peel cucumbers, then split lengthwise, seed and thinly slice.

Combine cucumbers, shallot, onions, orange zest and juice, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper to taste in large bowl and toss until mixed. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or up to 6 hours.

Before serving, mix well and pour off excess liquid. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve chilled.

8 servings. Each serving:

76 calories; 537 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 11 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.53 gram fiber.