Hello foodies!
Here is a recipe I’ve wanted to try for a long time. The holiday season is perfect for this, so I have marked it down for this year, 2024!
Today, we’re going to make beetroot gravlax salmon!
Gravlax Salmon, the Star of the Holidays!
My recipe for salmon gravlax with pomegranate molasses is already one of the most popular festive recipes on the blog. Every year, it graces many Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and Easter tables. I am confident that this beetroot salmon gravlax will soon vie for that top spot!
The Origin of the Gravlax Method
Gravlax salmon, an iconic dish of Nordic cuisines, conjures delicate and refined flavors. Yet, behind this dish, now cherished at gourmet tables around the globe, lies a story rooted in tradition and necessity, dating back to the Middle Ages in the cold regions of Scandinavia, where fishermen devised a clever method for preserving fish.
The term « gravlax » comes from Swedish and Danish, combining « grav, » meaning « grave » or « to bury, » and « lax, » referring to salmon. At that time, fishermen generously salted the fish and then buried it in damp sand near the sea. This process helped slow the deterioration of the salmon through natural fermentation brought on by salt and bacteria.
Fermentation endowed the fish with a tender texture and a slightly tangy flavor, marking the origins of what we now recognize as gravlax.
A Recipe in Constant Evolution
Over the centuries, the recipe has transformed. Today, contemporary gravlax salmon is prepared by coating it in a mixture of salt, sugar, and sometimes pepper or other spices. Dill is often included as it has become the signature herb of the dish. The fish is then left to marinate for several hours or even a few days in the refrigerator.
This process of cold « curing » slightly dehydrates the salmon while enhancing its flavor, all while preserving its natural freshness.
Gravlax has established itself as a holiday specialty in Nordic countries, particularly in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, where it is often served alongside a sweet mustard sauce known as hovmästarsås. Today, it adorns tables around the world, reinterpreted by chefs exploring culinary fusion, sometimes incorporating ingredients like beetroot or whisky to elevate its flavor.
My Beetroot Gravlax Salmon Has Won Over My Children
My original recipe features pomegranate molasses (a type of pomegranate vinegar similar to balsamic vinegar) and vodka. In this version, we will use beetroot, also paired with vodka. I chose beetroot mainly for its vibrant coloring power. Indeed, it does not impart a strong flavor to the salmon.
Surprisingly, my children, who don’t typically like beetroot, devoured this beetroot gravlax salmon!
The Benefits of Beetroot
The red beet, with its striking color, boasts natural coloring properties due to betalains and is an essential ingredient in a variety of fields, including food, cosmetics, and the arts.
In the food industry, beetroot is valued for its ability to dye foods without relying on artificial additives. Known as additive E162 (beetroot red), it colors many products such as candies, juices, ice creams, and dairy items. Unlike chemical colorants, often criticized for potential health effects, beet pigment is natural, non-toxic, and suitable for a healthy, sustainable diet.
Beetroot thus stands out as a versatile and eco-friendly resource. And I appreciate that! The resulting salmon is visually stunning with its gradient of red to orange—a true show-stopper when served at the table.
It’s also an ultra-simple recipe that can be prepared in advance, and we love that!!
The Necessary Utensils:
A cutting board,
A good paring knife,
A marinating dish,
Some cling film,
And ideally a mortar for crushing the pepper.
There you have it! I’ve shared everything you need to know. So let’s put on our aprons and head to the kitchen to make my beetroot gravlax salmon!
The recipe is ready, chef!
Beetroot Gravlax Salmon
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Loading...Ingredients
- Gravlax
- 1 raw beet
- 100 g coarse sea salt from Guérande
- 80 g brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon pepper berries
- 1 teaspoon Timur berry
- 50 g Vodka
- Zest of one orange
- Zest of one lime
- 800-900 g of raw skinless salmon fillet
- A few sprigs of dill
- Sauce
- 125 g mascarpone or thick cream
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- Zest of lime
- 4-5 sprigs of dill
Instructions
Gravlax
Peel the beetroot and then grate it quite finely. Put it in a salad bowl.
Add the coarse salt, brown sugar, pepper, and roughly crushed Timur berries and mix.
Finally, add the vodka and the orange and lime zests, and mix.
Cover your marinade dish with two layers of cling film, leaving enough film to cover the salmon later.
Place half of the marinade in the marinating dish.
Place your salmon fillet on top.
Cover with the rest of the beetroot mixture and seal the cling film tightly.
Place in a dish and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Turn the fillet one to two times during this time, so that the marinade is evenly distributed over the fillet.
Before serving, remove the marinade, rinse quickly under cold water, and dry with paper towels.
Place on your serving dish and add a few sprigs of dill.
Sauce
Mix the mascarpone, mustard, lime zest, and chopped dill.
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