Did somebody say smörgåsbord? This Scandinavian classic, based off a recipe by Magnus Nilsson, is a versatile showstopper that’s amazing on its own or as part of your seafood spread. Eat it as is, with a squeeze of lemon, or create a multitude of hors d’oeuvres. It makes an epic bagel too with a smear of cream cheese topped with capers, thinly sliced red onion and dill leaves
Ingredients:
800g Ora King salmon side, skin on, pin bones, removed, patted dry
4 tbsp Mount Zero pink lake salt
4 tbsp of sugar
1 tsp of white peppercorns, coarsely crushed
1 tsp of juniper berries, coarsely crushed
1 bunch dill, stalks and fronds separated
1/3 cup of gin
Method:
Start by checking the salmon fillet for any bones. You can do this by running your finger across the flesh. Remove any remaining bones using a pair of tweezers. Pat the fillet dry.
Lightly crush the peppercorns and juniper berries and add to a bowl with the salt and sugar and mix well together. Rub the curing mixture all over the fish until evenly coated. Place the fillet, skin side down, into a ziplock bag and cover the flesh side with plenty of dill fronds. Carefully pour in the gin and close the bag, removing as much air as possible. Place on a plate and cover with something heavy, such as a cast iron pan, or a few plates, and place in the fridge for 24 hours.
After 24 hours remove the fish from the fridge. Take the fish out of the bag and scrape off as much of the cure as you can and discard. Give the fish a quick rinse under water and pat dry. Place into a new plastic bag, cover with the weight and return to the fridge for another 24 hours.
Fish prepared this way is either cut straight down, at a 90-degree angle relative to the chopping (cutting) board, in slightly thicker slices of 4 to 5 mm (1/8 to 1/4 inch) or else it is cut at a 45-degree angle into very thin and much larger slices.
