Peter's Yard on the next food trend

By Wendy Wilson-Bett, Peter’s Yard

Since the release of films like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and television series such as The Bridge, Borgen and The Killing, Scandi chic has skyrocketed. It seems you can’t open an interior design magazine without being presented with inspiration for understated minimalist style in your home.

So, it was only a matter of time before Scandinavian food was thrust into the spotlight. Traditional eateries are being set up in many of the UK’s major cities. Our bakery, Peter’s Yard in Edinburgh, is just one example. Our ethos is typically Scandinavian – we never compromise on quality and our recipes are authentic and traditional.

Restaurateur Martin Wishart has chosen our artisan Swedish crispbreads to serve with cheese at his Michelin-starred restaurant in Edinburgh and Signe Johansen, author of Scandilicious: Secrets of Scandinavian Cooking, recommends using them in her salmon gravadlax recipe (see recipe below). It’s a delicious cured fish dish that’s perfect for a lazy weekend brunch or it would make the perfect starter for your next dinner party.

Throughout Scandinavian history, food preservation was key because of the long, dark, cold winters. Just as crispbreads were made with a hole in the middle to hang and stay dry over the winter, salmon was cured in salt to ensure it lasted longer.

Salmon gravadlax recipe – by Signe Johansen

This makes enough for 12-14 starters or 6-8 smorgasbords for brunch.

Ingredients: 
- 1½kg salmon fillet halved
- 1 tbsp white peppercorns
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds
- 100g granulated sugar
- 75g sea salt
- 3 x 15g packs of chopped dill for the cure
- 1 x 15g pack of chopped dill to serve
- 1 x 15g pack of chopped dill for the sauce
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp white wine or cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp demerara sugar
- 3 tbsp mustard
- ½ tsp of salt

Method: 
- Dry the salmon, check for bones and place both halves side by side, skin down. 
- Crush the coriander and white pepper then mix in a small bowl with the sugar and salt.
- Spread the 3 packs of chopped dill over the skinless side of the fillet halves, then spread the spiced sugar and salt mixture on top. 
- Sandwich both fillets together so the spiced salt mixture is in the middle and the skin is on the outside. 
- Wrap both fillets tightly in two layers of cling film, place in a small roasting tin to catch the brine that escapes as it cures. Refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours and up to 48 hours.
- For the dill mustard sauce just whizz up all the remaining ingredients in a blender. 
- When the gravadlax has cured, remove the cling film, wipe the fillet halves clean of the spiced salt with a paper towel. 
- Pat the fish dry and put on a board, skin side down. 
- Put a layer of fresh chopped dill on the skinless side of each fillet and press down as much as you can without squashing the fish. 
- Slice on the diagonal from the tail towards the middle of the fillet. 
- Serve with Peter’s Yard crispbreads and the dill mustard sauce.

Peter’s Yard has Swedish bakeries at Quartermile and in Stockbridge, Edinburgh. Visit www.petersyard.com for more information.