So how, exactly, do you get to a place where Dijon-mustard ice cream on gravlaks seems like a delicious, logical—some might say inevitable—idea for a first course? Food editor and stylist Paul Grimes, who would be the first person to argue that the words classic and playful are not mutually exclusive, started by free-associating flavors in order to morph something sweet into something savory. “I am not a fan of honey mustard,” he stated. “But its popularity got me thinking about other sweet ingredients that would work with mustard, and brown sugar came to mind.” Okay, that makes sense. There’s something very Scandinavian about the whole spicy-sweet thing, he added, and from there, it was a nimble hop to the cold-sauce-on-fish idea, and then a bolder leap to a scoop of ice cream on gravlaks, which Grimes feels is cleaner and brighter than smoked salmon. Crisp, earthy rye or wheat crackers bring texture you’d miss if it weren’t there. (Editor’s note: This recipe is solely the creation of Paul Grimes and has not been formally tested by the test kitchen.)
Watch the Test Kitchen Challenge video that features this recipe.
