Gravlax Sauces

My family’s gravlax sauces are all mayonnaise based and for the most part we just buy commercial mayo. I however, do not like the commercial variety very much and in any case prefer my mayonnaise to be olive oil based not your basic vegetable oil used in most commercial varieties. In addition to the mayonnaise these sauces all contain a mustard, something sweet and an herb usually dill. I’ve recently started using the leaves of the celery plant and like that effect a great deal.

Ingredients:

For the Mayonnaise:

1. 1 egg yolk;
2. large dollop of Dijon mustard (I really do mean a dollop as the quantity is actually a matter of taste but somewhere between a teaspoon and a tablespoon)
3. 1 bottle extra virgin olive oil
4. teaspoon white vine vinegar

Mix the egg yolk and mustard in a (preferably) steal bowl that is large enough to whisk in. Slowly poor in the oil while whisking constantly until the desired consistency is achieved which you will recognise if you’ve ever used mayo. One egg should absorb about 100ml of oil. Add the vinegar to taste, basically the mayonnaise should be thick without tasting fatty but as this mayonnaise is being made specifically for a fish sauce it should taste more of the vinegar than a normal commercial one would.

To make the sauce mix the mayo with either a tablespoon of sweet mustard or half a tablespoon each Dijon and honey and your herb of choice. In Iceland we always use rather horrid Danish sweet mustard (which then produces the traditional taste) but I am not a fan. I prefer grainy mustard that’s been sweetened with honey or if I can not find that Dijon and honey. It is best to use fresh herbs finely chopped but dried herbs will do fine.