Graflax

Ingredients

1.     1 fillet of salmon (700 g). Boneless.

2.     6 peppercorns

3.     ½ lemon

4.     4-5 tbs dill

5.     200 g salt

6.     2 tbs water

7.     1 tbs of pickled salmon/fish herbs

8.     Brown sugar- 200 g

1.     Put a fillet of salmon into a square serving dish.
2.     Mix salt, peppercorn, brown sugar and water into a blender. Pour the mixed ingredients into a salmon and rub it into the salmon.
3.     Add one spoon of pickled fish herbs
4.     Put the spice evenly onto the fillet.
5.     Chop the dill finely and sprinkle it over.
6.     Grate the skin of half of a lemon. Sprinkle this lemon zest over the salmon in the end.
7.     Put a plastic film over the serving dish and weigh it down. (for example put a cutting board on top of it).
8.     Keep salmon for 24-48 hours.
9.     Flush the fillet with cold water. Dry it before. Serve it with fresh dill and good sauce. 

Simple gravlax sauce:

Ingredients
250 g mayonnaise 
1 tbs mustard 
1 tbs honey 
1 tsp dill 
salt and ground pepper to taste

Mix together mayonnaise, mustard and honey. Add dill, salt and pepper, or pickle mix from the gravlax. If using dried dill, allow the sauce to stand for at least 10 minutes before serving. 

Deluxe gravlax sauce:
2 tbs sweet mustard 
1 tbs Hot mustard
1 tbs sugar 
1 tbs vinegar 
1 egg yolk (optional - makes the sauce smoother) 
salt and white pepper to taste
1/2 cup vegetable oil 
fresh dill, chopped, to taste (use plenty)

Mix together mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper and egg yolk (if using). Add the oil slowly, while beating constantly. Continue until the sauce is creamy and smooth. Add the dill. 
If you don't like dill, leave it out of the sauce, and scrape it off the fish before eating.

Main course

Traditional Icelandic Meat Soup

Preparation time: 15 mins

Cooking time:  90 minutes

This is traditional Icelandic Meat Soup, made with lamb and vegetables – a life saver when food was scarce and energy was needed to battle the elements.The soup is conventionally made with potatoes, rutabagas and carrots. It can also contain leeks, onions, and dried herbs.

Here is our quick and simple twist on this classic – swapping the dry herbs for some fresh ones and adding fresh leek and cabbage in place of oatmeal or rice, the traditional thickening agents.

Ingredients:

1     Large Yellow Onion
2    Green Cabbage
3     Large Potatoes
4    Large Carrots
5    Large Rutabagas
6     Large Leek
7    Lamb Shanks (You can use shoulder if you are making your own stock)
8    Handfuls of fresh herbs
9   Tablespoon of butter and enough lamb bouillon to handle three litres of water.

 Directions:

1.   In a large pot, sear the bottom of the lamb shanks. Chop the large yellow onion, add butter t the pot, and toss in the chopped onion. Cook until the onion is soft and just starting to brown.

2. Dice the leek. Add 3 litres of water to the pot and toss in the leeks.

3. Peel and chop the rutabagas and potatoes and toss them in the pot.

4. Chop the carrots and add them to the pot.

5. Finally chop the cabbage and add it to the pot.

6. Mix in the bouillon. Chop your fresh herbs and add them to the pot.
Let simmer for about an hour.

7. Use a large fork to shred the lamb off the bone into the soup. Serve with a garnish of fresh herbs and sour milk (lactic acid is a traditional flavouring in Iceland). 

Vanilla Skyr Cake

Ingredients

Bottom:
 1 packet of cinnamon biscuits
   Butter as needed
 Filling
 1 large (500 ml) can of Vanilla Skyr
  ¼ liter of cream (whipped)
   200 ml of sour cream
   Fruit: strawberry, blueberry or kiwi 

1.    Crush the biscuits into a baking tin (30 cm wide).  Mix melted butter together – press it down into a form.   Put sour cream into a bowl. Stir a bit. Mix whipped cream together with it and finally add Skyr.  Spread Skyr cream over biscuits. Cool it. You can keep it a fridge for some day. You can serve it with fresh fruit : strawberry, blueberry, kiwi.