History
Gravad laks, literally buried salmon, goes back to the Middle Ages, when fishermen salted salmon and lightly fermented it by burying it in the sand above the high-tide line. Today the fish is cured in a dry mix of salt, sugar and dill for between twelve hours and a few days, and in Denmark it comes with a mustard and dill sauce called rævesovs. Restaurant Sankt Annæ serves gravad laks with rævesovs on its smørrebrød menu.
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Common allergens: Fish, Mustard
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 1 whole salmon side, around 1.5kg, pin-boned, skin on
- 150g flaky sea salt
- 150g caster sugar
- 2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons white pepper
- 2 large bunches fresh dill, roughly chopped
- 100ml aquavit or vodka (optional but traditional)
- For the mustard-dill sauce: 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons Skansk sweet mustard (or honey mustard), 2 tablespoons caster sugar, 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 6 tablespoons sunflower oil, 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill, salt
- Rugbrød to serve
Method
- Pat the salmon thoroughly dry. Check for pin bones with your fingers and tweeze out any remaining.
- Mix the salt, sugar, black pepper and white pepper in a bowl.
- Lay a large sheet of cling film on the counter. Spread half the chopped dill across the centre, sized to the salmon.
- Sprinkle a third of the cure mixture over the dill. Lay the salmon skin-side-down on the dill. Drizzle aquavit over.
- Cover the flesh with the remaining cure and dill. Wrap tightly in the cling film, then in a second layer.
- Place in a deep dish, set a board on top with a 1kg weight (a couple of tins or a casserole), and refrigerate 36 to 48 hours, turning daily.
- Whisk the mustard-dill sauce ingredients except the oil; drizzle in the oil while whisking to emulsify. Stir in the dill and season.
- Unwrap the salmon, brush off the cure and dill, pat dry. Slice paper-thin on the diagonal starting from the tail end.
- Plate on slices of rugbrød with a smear of mustard-dill sauce, more dill, and a wedge of lemon.
Tip from the editors. Use a very fresh, sushi-grade whole salmon side from a trusted fishmonger; this is uncooked fish.
Where to eat gravlax (dill-cured salmon)
Gravlax (dill-cured salmon) in Copenhagen
Restaurant Sankt Annæ ★ 4.3
Restaurant Sankt Annæ is a Danish lunch restaurant at Sankt Annæ Plads 12 serving smørrebrød, in a room of understated charm, dating from 1894.
Why locals goA lunch restaurant from 1894 a stone's throw from the Royal Palace, serving on blue fluted porcelain with starched napkins and ironed tablecloths.
TipOrder open sandwiches or hot dishes, or have dishes delivered to eat at home.
Gravlax (dill-cured salmon) in Stockholm
Lisa Elmqvist ★ 4.4
Lisa Elmqvist at Östermalms Saluhall in Stockholm has run a fishmonger and counter restaurant since 1926; oysters, Toast Skagen and the saluhall shellfish.
OrderThe shellfish platter for two and a glass of dry Champagne.
TipThe restaurant is closed on Sunday and closes at 19:00 on Monday, 22:00 Tuesday to Thursday and 23:00 on Friday and Saturday.
Wedholms Fisk ★ 4.5
Wedholms Fisk on Nybrokajen in Stockholm's Norrmalm cooks the canonical Swedish seafood menu; sole meunière, smoked salmon and Janssons frestelse on a single.
OrderWhole sole filleted at the table with the house Janssons frestelse on the side.
TipClosed Sunday and Monday. The corner window seats look across the bay to the Royal Palace.
Sturehof ★ 4.4
Sturehof at Stureplan in Stockholm's Östermalm is the 1897 brasserie locals run on; oysters, Toast Skagen, herring boards and a 365-day kitchen until 02:00.
OrderToast Skagen and a half-dozen oysters at the counter; the snaps tray is the table ritual.
TipThe bar counter is walk-in until late. The Vita Bar room is the quieter sit-down table.
Operakällaren 1 ★ ★ 4.5
Operakällaren in Stockholm's Royal Opera House has cooked classical European food since 1787, with one Michelin star and Emanuel Tärnqvist's tasting room.
OrderThe classic tasting in the main dining room; the Operakällaren wagon of cheese is part of the table service.
Book2 weeks ahead
TipCloses 2027 for a five-year Opera House renovation. Book before December if you want the heritage room before it goes dark.
Den Gyldene Freden ★ 4.3
Den Gyldene Freden on Österlånggatan in Stockholm's Gamla Stan opened in 1722 and remains the oldest restaurant in continuous operation under the same name.
OrderWallenbergare with pea purée, lingonberry and brown butter potatoes.
TipClosed Sunday and Monday. The vaulted cellar is the heritage room; the upstairs table runs quieter.
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