I was never very fond of salmon right up until the first time I ate the Scandinavian masterpiece called gravlax. I had eaten salmon boiled, baked and of course grilled, but the fatty fish never impressed me in the same way that halibut or turbot did.

Gravlax is very simply cured salmon. The important ingredients are salt, sugar and fresh dill. Pepper is sometimes used, also liquor (Pernod, aquavit, Cognac). The salmon is made ready and then spends the next few days curing in the fridge. Gravlax is traditionally served in thin slices with a sweet mustard-based sauce. And it is delicious!

Picture a tall, blond Scandinavian fisherman in camo, salmon fishing in an ice cold stream. He ate breakfast a few hours ago, flat bread and cheese, and now, right before lunch, he warms himself with a litte nip of aquavit. And then: Bam! For the next half hour he struggles with the 8-kilo monster and in the end finally reels the salmon into his net.

Side note: Our wise camo-clad Viking is of course so resourceful that he has brought his Weber, some charcoal and some wood chips. Of course he does.

Since our fisherman is only here for one more day he cleans his catch of the day and cooks this grilled twist on gravlax. Of course he does.

Here is the recipe using a whole side of salmon. You can also used smaller salmon filets, though you will need to reduce the cooking time.

Grilla gravlaks
Gjør klar et dobbelt lag med aluminiumsfolie. Pensle foliens overflate godt med matolje. Da skal laksen ligge på folien under grillingen. Dette vil gjøre det lettere å få fisken av og på grillen. Og så lenge du har hatt nok olje på folien er det lett å flytte laksen (forsiktig) over til et serveringsfat.

1 hel side laks med skinn
1,5 dl grov fransk sennep
1 dl amerikansk sennep (alt. dijon-)
3 ss akevitt (alt. Cognac eller Pernod)
3 ss finhakket dill
3 Tbs brunt sukker
Havsalt
Kvernet sort pepper
Mer dill

VED GRILLEN
Bruk hickory-, eple- eller kirsebærchips (se tips på XX).

1. Ha havsalt og kvernet pepper på laksen (kun kjøttsiden).
2. Bland sammen begge typer sennep, akevitt, dill og brunt sukker i en bolle. Smør laksen med sennepblandingen på kjøttsiden.
3. Ha mer finhakket frisk dill oppå sukkeret.
4. Legg laksen med skinnsiden ned på den kjølige delen av grillen (indirekte grilling). Ha på lokk.
5. La laksen ligge på grillen til den er gjennomstekt og passe fast i fisken (ca. 20 minutter). Bruk et par stekespader til å ta laksen forsiktig ut av grillen.

Tips: Behold sausen som er igjen og server den ved siden av den ferdige laksen.

Grilled gravlaks
Make a double layer of aluminium foil to put the salmon on. Brush liberally with a neutral oil before placing the salmon on the foil. The foil makes it easier to put the salmon on the grill, to remove it, and lastly, as long as their is enough oil, easy to move the salmon from the foil to a serving platter.

1 side of salmon filet, skin on, pin bones removed
1/2 cup coarse-ground French mustard
4 Tbs ballpark mustard
3 Tbs aquavit (alternavite Cognac or Pernod)
3 Tbs finely-chopped fresh dill
3 Tbs brown sugar
Salt
Freshly-ground black pepper
More fresh dill

Wood chips
This dish works very well with the smoky flavors from the grill. Use wood chips (hickory is fine but also apple or cherry).

1. Season the cut side of the salmon with salt and pepper.
2. Blend the mustard (both), aquavit, dill and brown sugar in a bowl. Cover the cut side of the salmon with a thin-ish layer of the mustard sauce. Keep the rest of the sauce to serve with the finished dish.
3. Top the mustard sauce on the salmon with more fresh dill.
5. Cook the salmon on indirect heat with the grill´s lid in place.
6. Cook the salmon until done (I prefer medium rare). You will need roughly 20 minutes, less for smaller pieces of salmon. Remove the fish carefully from the grill. Use a couple of spatulas to move the fish from the grill to a serving plate.

Tips: Keep any of the mustard sauce that is left over and serve it with the salmon.