Ingredients

• 100g/4oz coarse rock salt
• 75g/3oz caster sugar
• 1 tbsp white peppercorns
• crushed
• 2 large bunches of fresh dill
• finely chopped
• 2 900g/2lb thick salmon fillets
• skin on
• scaled and pin bones removed
• rye bread
• to serve
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 egg yolk
• 150ml/¼ pint groundnut or vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• To make the curing mixture for the salmon
• place the salt
• sugar and crushed white peppercorns in a bowl.
• Add half the dill and stir to combine.
• Use cling film to line a large
• shallow
• rectangular dish which fits the salmon comfortably.
• Sprinkle a quarter of the curing mixture over the base of the dish and lay one of the salmon fillets on top
• skin side down.
• Sprinkle half of the curing mixture on top and cover with the other salmon fillet
• skin side up.
• Sprinkle the remaining curing mixture on top and wrap the salmon in cling film.
• Weigh the salmon down with some weights or cans to help squeeze out any excess liquid or moisture. Place in the fridge for 2-3 days
• turning the salmon over every 6 hours or so
• replacing the weights after turning.
• After 2-3 days
• unwrap the salmon. Rinse the curing mixture off the gravadlax using cold water and pat fish dry with kitchen paper.
• Lay a large piece of cling film on the work surface and place one of the fillets on top
• skin side down. Cover with the remaining fresh dill and place the other salmon fillet on top
• skin side up. Wrap tightly in cling film and chill for six hours.
• Meanwhile
• to make the sauce
• place the mustard
• sugar
• vinegar and egg yolk in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
• Add the oil drop by drop to begin with
• then in a steady stream
• whisking constantly
• until the sauce becomes thick and smooth.
• Stir in the dill and season to taste.
• To serve
• cut the gravadlax into thin slices using a sharp knife
• leaving the skin behind. Gravadlax is traditionally served sliced thicker than smoked salmon.
• Place three or flour slices on each serving plate and add a spoonful of the sauce to the side.
• Serve at once with rye bread.