Recipe: Gravlaks wrapped in lefse with sweet mustard sauce
News of Norway, issue 2, 2004
With make-up in his face, a microphone on his collar and four cameras pointed at himself, the young Norwegian had to get accustomed to a new role — that of a TV chef.
“Aaaaaaand... action!”
Producer Dan Corrigan (seen to the left on the center photograph below) gives the orders as director Larry Herskowitz watches the activties on a monitor in a neighboring room.
Corrigan and Herskowitz are in a hurry; although they arrived at the Residence at 6:30 a.m. they need to work fast in order to wrap the entire kitchen scene by the end of the day.
Three dishes are on the menu: a gravlaks starter, a bacalao main course and a dessert featuring Norwegian krumkaker. The gravlaks is described underneath, while the other two dishes have been featured in the past two issues of News of Norway.
The taping of Selvaag’s kitchen magic is part of the Norwegian episode of Embassy Chefs, a series on the Goodlife TV network hosted by Christopher Kent.
“The show is so much fun,” Kent says, “although I wish I could participate a bit more in the cooking. I only get to watch.”
He has already hosted 13 shows under the direction of Larry Herskowitz, of which 11 have been aired.
“This is definitely one of the most beautiful sets we’ve been at,” says Herskowitz between two takes.
“And Frode is such a nice person to work with.”
The show will air on the Goodlife TV network in April.
Gravlaks wrapped in lefse with sweet mustard sauce
Since making a good gravlaks takes several days, it is a good idea to make a big portion. This recipe calls for one large salmon, enough for about 20 people if used as an appetizer.
Gravlaks
2 3lb. fillets
2 cups finely chopped fresh dill
2/3 cup salt
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. Aquavit (optional)
Sweet mustard sauce with red onions
6 Tbsp. sweet grainy mustard
3 Tbsp. dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 Tbsp. finely chopped dill
2 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. brine from the gravlaks pan
Rinse the fillets in cold water and pat them dry with a paper towel.
Combine the salt and sugar and rub the mix on the fleshy side of the fillets.
Place one fillet skin side down in a deep dish. Sprinkle over the dill and Aquavit and place the other fillet, flesh side down, on top.
Cover with plastic wrap and put a plate on top. Place a heavy object, approximately. 5 lbs., on top of the plate. Leave the salmon in room temperrature for an hour and then place in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Turn the fish every day and baste with the brine that accumulates.
Before you serve the fish, make sure to remove the brine and the dill. Place a fillet on a cutting board and make thin slices with a carving knife. Cut the rest of the fish into sizes of your choosing and place in the freezer after wrapping them in plastic foil.
To prepare the sauce, mix all the ingredients together and stir well until they form a firm, thick sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.
To assemble the fish as seen above, you need lefse. If you can’t find it or bake it, it is perfectly acceptable to use a fresh potato tortilla.
Spread the sauce over the lefse and cover 3/4 of it with thinly sliced gravlaks.
Roll the lefse as tight as possible. Leave for two hours to three days in the refrigerator.
Cut the roll into pieces of about 2 inches. Serve with the rest of the sauce.