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Making your own trout gravadlax this Christmas is something most people would shy away from as being too complicated, but actually it’s extremely simple, and always far better homemade. All you need is good quality ingredients, and you will have a stunning starter or party piece that everyone can help themselves to.

Whole Steelhead Trout fillets, which are larger than a river trout and grown sustainably in Scottish sea waters, are perfect for making gravadlax – there is more meat on them than a smaller fish (yet more manageable than a huge salmon), and they are a lean, athletic fish, absorbing the cure without becoming too oily – the result being a beautifully delicate cure.

Here’s a great gravadlax recipe:

Scottish Steelhead Gravadlax

Created by Shelagh Cannon, who after 50 years of marriage to a trout farmer, knows how to produce an enviable gravadlax party piece!

Preparation time: 48 hours (can be done up to 5 days in advance).

Serves: A crowd at a party.

Ingredients

2 x 1kg fillets of fresh, Scottish Steelhead Trout

Marinating Ingredients                                                                

  • 3 tbsp Blackthorn Sea Salt
  • 4 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 1 tsp your favourite malt whisky
  • Lots of ground black pepper
  • 3 tbsp fresh chopped dill

Mustard Dill Sauce:                                                                                                        

  • 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 150ml sunflower oil
  • Salt & ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp fresh chopped dill

Method

  • Mix the marinating ingredients together in a bowl.
  • Lay the trout fillets skin side down, and spread the flesh with the marinating mixture, making sure to cover them completely, (if you don’t feel you have enough, or your fillets are extra large, just make up a little more of the marinade).
  • Sandwich the fillets together, skin side out. Wrap tightly in double foil, and lay them carefully in a large, shallow dish. Place weights on top – a couple of tins will do. I find it easier to put another large dish on top of the fillets and then balance the weights on the top.
  • Refrigerate for at least 48 hours, or up to 5 days, turning the fillet parcel every day. Over this time, the marinating ingredients will dissolve together and produce a salty, sweet, sticky liquid which will turn the trout fillets into gorgeous, tasty gravadlax.
  • To serve, unwrap the fillet parcel, and discard the marinating liquid. If you wish, freeze for 1 hour to firm the fish, then cut slices – a little thicker than you would for smoked salmon – at an angle to the skin.
  • To make the mustard and dill sauce, simply whisk the mustard, sugar, vinegar and egg yolk together in a bowl. Then incorporate the oil, whisking well. It should have the consistency of mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the dill. The sauce can be made up to 6 hours ahead, and should be kept in the fridge, tightly covered with cling film.

The gravadlax will keep in the fridge, wrapped in clingfilm, for up to 5 days.  It also freezes extremely well (wrap each marinated fillet separately in clingfilm), for up to 2 months.

Thanks to Kames: https://kames.co.uk/

If you like this recipe, you might also like this version of Trout Gravadlax

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