Recipe Manuscript

Inlagd Lax

Name: Inlagd Lax
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT20M
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1–1.5 kg fresh salmon (cleaned and scaled); 500 ml water (for poaching); 2 tbsp salt; 1 tbsp whole allspice (or substitute with black peppercorns if unavailable); 2–3 bay leaves; a handful of parsley stems; 10 g gelatin (about 3–4 sheets, or powdered as available); 1 egg white (for clarification; optional); Fresh parsley or greens for garnish; Sharp sauce or vinegar for serving

"Pickled Salmon"

1889

From the treasured pages of Praktisk, illustrerad kok-bok för Svenskarne i Amerika

Written by C. A. (Charles A.) Vallentin

Age of Gastronomy (1800 - 1900)American European Intermediate Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1889

Original Manuscript(circa Age of Gastronomy, 1800 - 1900)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Inlagd Lax

"— Lax, salt, kryddpeppar, lagerblad, persiljestjelkar, några blad gelatin. Laxen rensas, fjällas och sönderskäres i små eller stora stycken och kokas i kort spad med garnering af salt, hel peppar, lagerblad och persiljestjelkar. När den är kokt upptages den och ordnas på ett djupt fat. Spadet inkokas och silas öfver laxen, eller också lägger man några blad gelatin deri och klarar det med ägghvita. När det är klart silas det öfver fisken. Sedan laxen blifvit kall, anrättas den och garneras med fiskgeleen jemte grönt. Serveras med skarp sås eller ättika."

English Translation

"— Salmon, salt, allspice, bay leaf, parsley stems, a few sheets of gelatin. The salmon is cleaned, scaled, and cut into small or large pieces and boiled in a small amount of broth with seasoning of salt, whole pepper, bay leaf, and parsley stems. When it is cooked, it is taken out and arranged on a deep dish. The broth is reduced and strained over the salmon, or one can also add a few sheets of gelatin to it and clarify it with egg white. When it is clear, it is strained over the fish. After the salmon has cooled, it is prepared and garnished with fish jelly together with greens. Serve with a sharp sauce or vinegar."

Note on the Original Text

Recipes of this era were composed with sparse detail and great reliance on the cook's intuition. Quantitative measurements (such as exact weights or times) are rare; cooks were expected to understand concepts like 'kort spad' (short stock) and 'klarar det med ägghvita' (clarify with egg white) from context or prior experience. Swedish terms such as 'lagerblad' (bay leaf) and 'kryddpeppar' (allspice) are retained, sometimes without further explanation. Spelling and sentence structure reflect late 19th-century norms, and ingredient options would often be interpreted flexibly by the reader based on available resources.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Praktisk, illustrerad kok-bok för Svenskarne i Amerika - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Praktisk, illustrerad kok-bok för Svenskarne i Amerika (1889)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

C. A. (Charles A.) Vallentin

Era

1889

Publisher

Svenska bok-och musikhandelns förlag

Background

A practical and charmingly illustrated Swedish cookbook tailored for immigrants in America, this 1889 volume serves up a delightful array of recipes and culinary wisdom, blending Old World tradition with New World ingredients.

Kindly made available by

Library of Congress

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe is drawn from 'Praktisk, illustrerad kok-bok för Svenskarne i Amerika,' a Swedish-language cookbook published in Minneapolis in 1889. It was a crucial part of the culinary toolkit for Swedish immigrants in America, eager to preserve traditional flavors in a new land. Dishes like inlagd lax, or jellied salmon, allowed families to celebrate festive meals while drawing on old-world preserving methods. The cookbook aimed to assist Swedish-Americans in recreating the familiar taste of home, even when ingredient substitutions or new cooking environments were necessary, preserving Swedish food culture across the Atlantic.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Back in the 1880s kitchen, this recipe would have relied on a sturdy pot, a slotted spoon or fish slice for removing delicate fish, a sieve or muslin cloth for straining and clarifying the broth, and a deep serving dish to mold the fish and broth together as it set. Wood-fired stoves or simple coal ranges would have heated the pot, and kitchen knives and boards were used for cleaning and portioning the fish.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

2.2–3.3 lbs fresh salmon (cleaned and scaled)
2 cups water (for poaching)
2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp whole allspice (or substitute with black peppercorns if unavailable)
2–3 bay leaves
a handful of parsley stems
0.35 oz gelatin (about 3–4 sheets, or powdered as available)
1 egg white (for clarification; optional)
Fresh parsley or greens for garnish
Sharp sauce or vinegar for serving

Instructions

Start by cleaning and scaling a side of fresh salmon (approx.
2.2–3.3 lbs).
Cut the salmon into smaller fillets or chunks, as desired.
Place the fish in a wide pot and add just enough water to barely cover it (about 2 cups).
Season generously with 2 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoon whole allspice, 2–3 bay leaves, and a handful of parsley stems.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the salmon is just done and flakes easily (about 10–12 minutes).
Carefully lift the fish pieces out and arrange them neatly in a deep serving dish.
Boil down the cooking liquid by about half.
Optionally, add 3–4 sheets or 0.35 oz of gelatin softened in cold water.
To clarify, beat an egg white and mix into the hot stock, then strain through a fine sieve or muslin cloth.
Pour the hot, clarified, and gelatin-rich stock over the salmon.
Leave to cool completely in the refrigerator until set.
Decorate with sprigs of parsley or other greens, and serve with a sharp mustard or vinegar-based sauce.

Estimated Calories

300 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing and chopping the salmon and ingredients takes about 20 minutes. Cooking the fish and reducing the liquid adds another 20 minutes. Chilling in the refrigerator until set takes a few hours, but hands-on work is about 40 minutes. Each serving is around 300 calories, and you get about 6 servings from this recipe.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.