AS IT’S the New Year, I’ve been considering simplifying my menu choices and preparing more healthy, but tasty foods that still feel like a treat to banish those January blues.

The dish I’m sharing with you this month is incredibly simple to make, however, it is often overlooked due to its elegant, clean and fresh nature.

It’s sure to impress your family and friends, even those on a healthy eating regime!

Gravalax is a traditional Nordic dish of raw salmon cured in salt, sugar and dill; it was originally made by fisherman in the middle ages who salted salmon and buried it in the sand above the high tide line to let it ferment.

The word Gravalax derives from the Scandinavian word ‘Grava’ which means to bury and ‘Lax’ which means Salmon. In modern times the salmon is no longer buried and fermented of course, but it is cured in salt and sugar instead.

It’s traditionally served as a starter with rye bread, boiled potatoes and dill mayonnaise, and this variation incorporates cooked red beetroot which adds considerable flavour as well as a visually stunning colour!

The Gravalax is relatively easy to make, it’s perfect for lunch or dinner, and it is a great centrepiece for buffets and dinner parties too!

The reason to cure meat and fish is to draw moisture out of the flesh – it is the moisture that can harbour harmful microorganisms.

By drawing out the moisture not only do you improve the shelf life, you also season the flesh and create a new texture that is very pleasing to the palate.

Always make sure you use clean, dry equipment and keep your hands scrupulously clean; a sharp knife is essential as you want to slice it very thin like smoked salmon.

I’ve served my Gravalax with dill mayo (just add freshly chopped dill to mayonnaise), Melba toast and a homemade bouquet of celery, wood sorrel, parsley and pansy, wrapped together with a piece of cucumber.

Why not have a go at making an interesting serving suggestion for your Gravalax too?

History-wise, as early as 3000 BC the Mesopotamians were drying and curing fish and meats and it seems to have been a necessity from ancient times until the invention of refrigeration to salt and cure fish in order to keep it from spoiling it.

The fish could then be kept in storage for leaner times or transported inland to sell and trade.

Although we no longer need to salt and cure fish and meat it seems we still have a taste for it; smoked salmon, kippers (which are cured and smoked herring) bacon, smoked haddock and smoked mackerel are common household menu items.

We no longer make such things for ourselves at home – smoking fish at home is never a sensible idea, if you ever want to have house guests again or don’t want your home to be invaded by stray cats!

However, making a Gravalax is a ‘stink-free’ affair and it’s also unlikely you’ll be able to buy anything that will taste as good in the supermarket!