Thursday 17 December 2009

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR


To all of you who are following and reading my blog I wish you

A very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Be inspired and decorate with black and white and make big ginger cookies and write a nice Christmas greeting with icing.

To find the recipes go to my "old blog" www.ankan.blogmaestro.com where you will find a lot of Swedish and English Christmas recipes.

Tuesday 15 December 2009

SAFFRON GRAVAD LAX - YOUR START TO CHRISTMAS LUNCH



Surprise your guests and present them with homemade Gravad Lax. Saffron is a very "Chrismassy" spice in Sweden, so here we are giving the Gravad Lax some Christmas treatment. To be sure that there is no parasites in the raw fish it needs to be in the freezer below -18 degrees for approx 10 days before or after the cure! For 6-8 people you need:

1 kilo salmon fillets with skin on
2 tsp mixed peppercorns
4 tbsp sea salt flakes (Maldon)
4 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp honey
big bunch of dill

Crush the peppercorns in a pestle and mortar together with the salt and sugar. Rub 1/3 of the mix into the salmon. Cover the fillets with plenty of chopped dill and put on the rest of the salt/pepper mix. Put the fillets together fleshy side against flesh and thick side against thin, and place them in a plastic bag. Seal the bag thoroughly and put on a plate which you put in the fridge. Leave for 2 days and 2 nights, turning them a couple of times. After the 2 days pour away the liquid. Can be kept in the fridge for about one week, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

When serving - take away most of the dill and pepper and cut into fine slices. Serve with Gravlaxsås or some crème fraiche that you spice with some mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, runny honey, salt & pepper.
This is how you make the Gravlax Sauce

3 tbsp mustard (mix English and Dijon)
1 tbsp sugar
1 pinch of salt
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
100 ml chopped dill
100 ml sunflower oil

Mix everything but the oil and the dill. Slowly add the oil and whisk it in slowy, it should get quite thick! Mix in the dill and serve!