Gravlax Potato Gratin Laxpudding Food

LAXPUDDING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160 fan/gas 4. In a large saucepan, mix together the creams and the milk, and bring to just under the boil. Add the potatoes and cook gently for 5 mins, carefully turning the potatoes over from time to time.
• Season well and spoon one-third of the potatoes into a greased deep dish. Put half the gravadlax and dill on top, then add another one-third of the potatoes, then the rest of the gravadlax and dill. Finish with a final layer of potatoes.
• Bake for 1 hr 10 mins or until the vegetables are completely tender. You may need to cover the top with foil after 1 hr to stop it becoming too dark. Serve with a green salad with a sharp dressing (the laxpudding will benefit from something clean to contrast with the richness of this dish).

HOMEMADE GRAVLAX

Steps:

• Combine the dill, sugar, vodka, salt and lime zest in a small bowl and stir until well mixed.
• Spread the mixture over the salmon flesh. Cut the side of salmon in half crosswise. Fold each piece in half so the flesh is touching and the marinade is on the interior. Wrap the pieces tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 days.
• Slice the salmon thinly on a bias and serve.

GRAVADLAX

Steps:

• Pat the salmon dry with kitchen paper and run your hands over the flesh to see if there are any stray small bones - if there are, use a pair of tweezers to pull them out. Set the salmon fillets aside.
• Tip the salt, sugar, peppercorns, lemon zest, juniper and dill into a food processor and blitz until you have a bright green, wet salt mixture or 'cure'. Unravel some cling film but keep it attached to the roll. Lay the first fillet of salmon skin-side down and then pack the cure over the flesh. Drizzle with gin, if using and top with the 2nd fillet, flesh-side down. Roll the sandwiched fillets tightly in cling film to create a package.
• Place the fish in a shallow baking dish or shallow-sided tray and lay another tray on top. Weigh the tray down with a couple of tins or bottles and place in the fridge for at least 48 hrs or up to 4 days, turning the fish over every 12 hours or so. The longer you leave it, the more cured it will become.
• To make the sauce, tip all the sauce ingredients into a blender. Blitz until you have a thickened dressing.
• To serve, unwrap the fish and brush off the marinade with kitchen paper. Rinse it if you like. You can slice the fish classically into long thin slices, leaving the skin behind, or remove the skin it and slice it straight down. Serve the sliced fish on a large platter or individual plates with pumpernickel bread, dill and mustard sauce.

CREAMY POTATO GRATIN WITH SMOKED AND FRESH SALMON

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit/240 degrees Celsius. In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of boiling water with the saffron and set aside for 20 minutes (longer is fine).
• Cook the potatoes: In a large bowl, use your hands to mix the potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and plenty of pepper. Spread out on 2 large parchment-lined baking sheets (baking trays) and roast for 20 minutes, or until soft and caramelized. Set aside to cool.
• Cook the greens: In a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the anchovy and garlic and fry just until the garlic is starting to brown, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add half the spinach, stir through for a minute to wilt slightly, and then add the remaining half. Cover for 1 to 2 minutes to wilt some more, then remove the lid and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until all the moisture has evaporated and the spinach has begun to dry out. Raise the heat as needed to cook off the liquid. Turn off heat and stir in herbs. Stir in half the capers and set aside.
• Using your hands, mix the fresh and smoked salmon with 1/3 teaspoon of salt in a bowl, separating the layers of smoked salmon in the process. Set aside.
• Make the custard: In a medium saucepan, whisk together the saffron and its soaking water, egg yolks, cornstarch (cornflour), lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper until smooth. Pour in the milk and cream and whisk until combined. Place over medium heat and cook, whisking continuously to prevent the custard from scorching or sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until steaming and starting to thicken. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• When ready to bake, heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit/200 degrees Celsius. To assemble, start by layering half the potatoes at the bottom of a baking dish. (A deep 8-by-8-inch square, 9-inch round, or 20-by-30-centimeter rectangle will all work.) Top with half the spinach mixture followed by all the salmon. Top with the remaining potatoes and then the spinach. Pour the custard over evenly and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the custard has set and is starting to brown. (If your custard seems dangerously close to the top of the pan, place it on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch any drips.) Remove from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes.
• In a small saucepan, combine remaining capers with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over high heat. (The oil should just cover the capers, so you may need to add a touch more oil, depending on the size of your pan.) Fry the capers in the oil for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the capers have opened up and become crisp.
• Spoon the fried capers over the gratin, garnish with fresh dill, and serve warm with lemon wedges.

LAX PUDDING

Steps:

• Casserole: Place potatoes in a large pot, and cover with 2 inches water. Add salt and dill stalks. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until you can just pierce potatoes with a fork, 7 to 10 minutes. Pour off water, and discard dill stalks. Place paper towel across top of pot (not directly on potatoes), and let potatoes steam and cool 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel potatoes, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a saute pan, and saute onion until softened, about 10 minutes.
• Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Layer potatoes and gravlax, beginning and ending with potatoes, sprinkling each layer with chopped dill, sauteed onion, and pepper.
• Whisk together eggs, half-and-half, and cream; season with pepper. Pour egg mixture over potatoes and gravlax, and dot with remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Bake until golden on top and bubbling around the edges, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Dill butter: Meanwhile, mix all ingredients together, and roll into a log.
• Let casserole cool slightly, 5 to 10 minutes, and serve warm with dill butter.

GRAVADLAX TEMPTATION

Steps:

• Peel potatoes and cut into very thin chips. A mandolin makes this easy; otherwise thinly slice, stack them and cut through the stack into sticks. Put the chips in a bowl and cover with cold salted water.
• Cut the gravadlax into wide strips. Finely chop the onions. Melt a large knob of butter in a small pan, add the onion and fry for 5 mins. Butter the inside of a shallow ovenproof dish, about 1.2 litre capacity. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5.
• Drain potatoes and spread one third over the dish. Season well. Scatter half the gravadlax and onion on top, then cover with another third of the potatoes. Scatter over remaining gravadlax and onion. Cover with remaining potatoes and season well. Warm cream and milk in a small pan until it simmers, then pour over the potatoes. Dot the top with butter and bake for 1 hr until potatoes are tender and the top golden. Cool for 5 mins before serving with a green vegetable such as broccoli or snap peas.