Curing salmon or trout is fun, simple and absolutely delicious. Johanna Kindvall adds an enchanting summer twist to this Scandinavian classic.
By Johanna Kindvall
Every summer I collect elderflowers to make cordial for my summer drinks. I especially like the cordial with gin and some fresh mint from the garden. To make elderflower cordial is easy, just pick 40 flower clusters and place them in a bucket together with four lemons (sliced). Dissolve 2 kg sugar in two liter (8 1/4 cup) of boiling hot water. Add 30 gram citric acid to the water and pour over the flowers. Let stand covered for 3-4 days in a cool place. Strain and pour into glass bottles. Keep the bottles in a cold place. To store longer I recommend freezing the cordial. Dilute the cordial with still or sparkling water to your own taste. 
Another successful treat I make, is to add the flowers as a flavor while curing trout. Its the same method and ratio as when you make gravlax.
for the curing you will need
1 kilo (2 lb) trout fillet
1 teaspoon crushed pepper
4 tablespoons salt
4 tablespoons sugar (brown or regular sugar)
8-10 clusters of elder flowers
bunch of dill
I really recommend to fillet the trout your self, as the remaining parts (except the guts) together with bay leaves, carrot, celery, dills stalks and onions makes a great fish stock.
Rinse and clean the fish. Fillet the fish and leave the skin still on. If necessary pull out the remaining bones with a pair of pliers.
Mix together salt, sugar and pepper. Rub the fillet with some of the mixture and sprinkle the rest on top of the fillets. Wash the Elderflowers carefully and separate the tiny flowers from the stalk by using a fork or a pair of scissors. Place the flowers and some dill on top of the of the fish. Put the fillets together, meat against meat with the flowers in between. Wrap the fish in a plastic foil. Let the fish cure in the fridge with something heavy on top for two days. Turn them now and again.
After two days, unwrap and clean the fillets. Start to slice the gravlax at the end of the fish into thin diagonal slivers using a fillet knife (or any other suitable knife). Gravlax can be stored in the fridge for almost a week and longer in the freezer.
If elderflower is not in season you can use some tablespoons of Elderflower Cordial instead.
The trout should be frozen at least 24 hours before you start (just in case there are parasites in the fish). If using whole fish I recommend to fillet the fish before freezing.
Serve the cured trout on hard bread or a flat bread like Maria Laitinen’s Rieska. Topp the sandwich with some classic Gravlax Sauce or what we call in Sweden, Hovmästarsås (= Butler Sauce).
Hovmästarsås: Stir together 3 tablespoons mustard, 1 egg yolk, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon brown sugar with plenty of chopped dill. Slowly start dripping in 100 ml (little less than a 1/2 cup) olive oil into the mixture while stirring continuously (just like you make mayonnaise). If you add the oil too quickly the mixture can separate. The result should be a thick sauce. Season with salt and fresh grounded pepper. Enjoy!
Johanna – underbart!! Love your drawing and this recipe is very nice – i cure salmon all the time but it is about time i try another fish.
Tack Ewa! I’m looking forward to cure some mackerel this summer. I have never done it but I really like the sound of it.
Such a lovely curing method, and the elderflower cocktail sounds divine as well :)
Fantastic article!
Thanks Alisha! Yes drinks and cocktails with elderflower is fantastic!
1st I’d like to ask you if you can cure freshwater trout. I know char,steelhead,salmon etc are sea run. But the Brown Trout & Lake trout I catch in NY are strictly fresh water.
2) I’d like to share a Elderflower/St Germain libation with you. In a shaker, pour 2 oz fine Gin (Hendricks/Nolet/Bombay Sapphire,etc) and 1 oz of St. Germain. Add 4 pieces of cucumber the size of silver/half dollars & half a lemon cut into 2 wedges. Muddle vigorously for a minute. Grab a cocktail strainer & pour this beautifully muddled mix into a highball filled with ice. Top with Club Soda & garnish with a cucumber.
People who don’t think they like gin love this drink, very refreshing !
Hi Peter,
It should work fine to cure a freshwater trout. I’m pretty sure that was what I used in this recipe.
And thanks for the lovely cocktail recipe, I will definitively try it out. I love the combination of Elderflower Cordial and gin so your cocktail sounds perfect for my taste buds.
I have been experimenting with curing bacon and fish for some time but wanted to see if other recipes used less salt so searched the internet and came across your recipe. I found that you use exactly the same quantities as I do except I have not added elderflowers, so as they are coming into bloom shortly, I will try it..
I have been using rainbow (freshwater) trout which a friend catches for me and they work well.
I love curing bacon from pork loin and make my own sausages too. Thank you.
Lawrie, It sounds lovely with cured rainbow. I hope you will like the addition of elderflowers. I certainly do.
I love making my own fresh sausages. But I’m just a beginner when it comes to curing meats. / best Johanna Kindvall