This gravlax tartine is my copycat recipe of the beautiful and delicious Smoked Salmon Tartine from Tartine Bakery. Though I never pegged myself as a fish-for-breakfast gal, the combination of savory, rich salmon, hearty toasted bread and bright, crunchy, acidic onions won me over.
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If you get a chance, stop by a Tartine location in either Northern or Southern California. You will fall in love with their spectacular breads and baked goods. Because of my mild obsession with this menu item, I often have all of these ingredients on hand.
So, what is gravlax anyway? Gravlax is a Scandinavian dish of dry-cured salmon marinated in herbs, mostly commonly dill. It is similar in flavor and texture to smoked salmon.
This tartine is super easy to make. Pickle the onions and mustard seeds, then it's really just assembly. First toast bread, then add cream cheese, salmon, and an arrangement of colorful onion, lemon and mustard seeds.
What You'll Need
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- Gravlax or smoked salmon
- Cream Cheese
- Preserved Lemon If this is not available at your local grocery store, they are available on Amazon here.
- Bread Something sturdy is needed to make sure the tartine stays intact. I have done this with a nice sourdough or with porridge bread. This is my favorite.
- Red Onion See here for my recipe to pickle it!
- Mustard Seeds I pickle these mustard seeds as above
How to Make
This is very easy to pull together if you have pickled onions and mustard seed already made.
If not, quick pickles are super easy to make. My Mixed Pickles recipe only requires vegetables, unseasoned rice vinegar, salt and sugar.
Substitutions
If you can't find gravlax, smoked salmon is a great substitute. They are similar in flavor and texture. I use both with great success.
To mimic the herbs that will be missing, feel free to add some chopped or picked fresh dill (by picked I mean taking the smaller leaves off of the larger stem for bite-sized pieces).
If you are not a fan of pickled onion, try very thinly sliced red onion instead. Submerge them in a bowl of ice water for a few minutes and then pat dry if the flavor is still too sharp.
If you can't find or don't like mustard seeds, try adding some capers for something salty and crunchy.
How to Store
This gravlax tartine is best served immediately after preparation. Store your ingredients per package directions.
How to Serve
I serve this tartine as a standalone dish. It's a stunning addition to a weekend brunch or you can cut it into smaller pieces as finger food for a gathering.
Invite a few friends together, then wow them with this beautiful tartine.
Looking for more ideas to fill out the table? Try these Bacon Blue Cheese Deviled Eggs. You can also make some Roasted Cherry Tomatoes on the Vine, which are great paired with Almond Pesto. Top it all off with a Classic Bloody Mary!
You can serve this with a simply dressed salad for lunch or dinner or as part of a breakfast spread. I have always been a big proponent of tomatoes with breakfast. If you've never tried it, I definitely recommend the roasted cherry tomatoes linked below.
Other Recipes You'll Love
The pickled onions in this recipe come from my Mixed Pickles recipe. These are a great balance of tartness, salt and slight sweetness.
This tartine would be great in a breakfast spread with some Roasted Cherry Tomatoes on the Vine.
Want to try your hand at gravlax? Try this gravlax recipe.
📖 Recipe
Gravlax Tartine
Ingredients
- 5 slices pickled onion or more
- 5 slices preserved lemon sliced thin
- 1-2 teaspoons pickled mustard seed
- 3-4 pieces gravlax or smoked salmon
- 1 slice thick toasted bread
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese
Instructions
- Set all of your ingredients out to assemble the tartine.
- Place the toasted bread on your plate.
- Spread the cream cheese.
- Add the gravlax or smoked salmon.
- Add the pickled onions, pickled mustard seed and preserved lemon.
- If the ingredients seem out of balance, add or subtract onions, mustard seed and lemon as you see fit.
Notes
- Gravlax can be replaced with smoked salmon.
- If you use smoked salmon, you can make up for the missing herbs by adding some fresh chopped or picked dill.
- If you do not like pickled onions, try slicing regular onions thinly. If they are too sharp, place them in ice water for a few minutes and then pat dry.
- If you can't find or don't like mustard seeds, I recommend adding some capers in their place. It will be a different dish, much more like something from a bagel shop, but it will be tasty.
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