between 60 and 86ºF/15–30ºC The fish can then be sold as is, or the fillets repacked in cans or bottles, or ground and mixed with oil or butter into a paste Enzymes from the muscle, skin, blood cells, and bacteria generate many flavor components; and their concentration, together with the warm curing temperature, encourages early stages of the browning reactions, which generate another range of aromatic molecules The result is a remarkably full flavor that includes fruity, fatty, fried, cucumbery, floral, sweet, buttery, meaty, popcorn, mushroom, and malty notes This concentrated complexity, together with the way that the cured flesh readily disintegrates in a dish, has led cooks from the 16th century on to use anchovies as a general flavor enhancer in sauces and other dishes Gravlax and Lox Gravlax originated in medieval Scandinavia as a lightly salted, pressed form of salmon that was preserved by fermentation (p 235) and had a strong smell By the 18th century, it had evolved into a lightly salted and pressed but unfermented dish This new gravlax had a subtle flavor, a dense, silken texture that makes it possible to cut very thin slices, and a glistening, translucent appearance This refined version of gravlax has become popular in many countries Modern recipes for gravlax call for widely varying amounts of salt, sugar, and time Fresh dill is now the standard flavoring, probably a domestic replacement for the original pine needles, which are a delightful alternative The salt, sugar, and flavoring are sprinkled evenly over all surfaces of salmon fillets, the fillets are weighted down, and the container refrigerated for one to four days The weighting provides intimate contact between flesh and flavorings, presses excess fluid from the fish, and compacts the flesh Salt dissolves the major contracting protein ... sprinkled evenly over all surfaces of salmon fillets, the fillets are weighted down, and the container refrigerated for one to four days The weighting provides intimate contact between flesh and flavorings, presses excess...fermentation (p 235) and had a strong smell By the 18th century, it had evolved into a lightly salted and pressed but unfermented dish This new gravlax... varying amounts of salt, sugar, and time Fresh dill is now the standard flavoring, probably a domestic replacement for the original pine needles, which are a delightful alternative The salt, sugar, and flavoring are sprinkled evenly over all surfaces of salmon