Gravad lax, in Swedish, means "buried salmon". It is a marinated fish dish, to be served raw, which is prepared all over Scandinavia especially for Christmas. The recipe is very simple, and the result is sensational in terms of taste, appearance and effect. The reason for the curious name, which remains the same or almost the same in the other languages of the region, lies in the fact that, in the past, the fish was actually buried underground during the marinating process, which lasted much longer and had the purpose of preserving it rather than giving it its particular flavour.
