Gravlax with Spicy Mustard Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 small bunches dill
• coarsely chopped
• 1/2 bunch chervil
• chopped
• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
• chopped
• 1 bunch lemon balm
• chopped
• 2 salmon fillets
• about 1 1/2 pounds each
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons cracked black pepper mustard
• store-bought or homemade
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon mustard powder
• 1 tablespoon gin or aquavit (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine the sugar, salt, and pepper in a bowl to make the sugar mixture.
2. In another bowl, combine the dill, chervil, parsley, and lemon balm to make the herb mixture.
3. In a third bowl combine all the ingredients for the mustard sauce and stir to mix.
4. Cover the bowl and refrigerate.
5. Place 1 salmon fillet skin side down in a shallow bowl.
6. Sprinkle half of the sugar mixture over the fillet, then half of the herb mixture, the rest of the sugar mixture, and the rest of the herb mixture.
7. Place the second fillet on top of the first, flesh to flesh, and wrap with plastic wrap.
8. Place the wrapped fillets in a shallow pan and weigh them down with something heavy, like a cast iron skillet filled with a couple of bricks.
9. Refrigerate for 24 hours, then flip the fillets, weigh them down, and refrigerate for another 24 hours.
10. Thinly slice the salmon; serve with rye or black bread and the mustard sauce.