GRAVLAX WITH PICKLED CUCUMBER, HERBED CREAM CHEESE, EGG AND RYE BREAD
SERVES 6 For the gravlax
750g salmon fillets, skin on 150g coarse sea salt
180g caster sugar
20g dill, finely chopped
For the pickled cucumber
1 large cucumber
3T sweet white-wine vinegar 2T caster sugar 1T finely chopped dill 1T finely chopped herb
fennel (optional)
For the herbed cream cheese
140g cream cheese
1T finely chopped chives 1t lemon juice loaf of rye bread, sliced 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and
finely chopped
Put the salmon skin-side down in a nonmetallic baking dish, deep tray or plastic container large enough to fit the fish with a little room around the sides. Mix the rest of the gravlax ingredients together and pour them over the salmon so it is submerged. Smooth the surface, cover with cling film and lay a flat object over the top, to act as a weight. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours, turning the fish once or twice during this time, making sure that it is always submerged.
Top and tail the cucumber, then remove strips of the skin with a peeler and discard it.
Cut in half lengthways and use a teaspoon to scrape out the seeds. Lay the cut halves flat side down and slice into thin slivers, on an angle. Mix the rest of the pickling ingredients and salt together in a bowl to dissolve the sugar and salt, and add the sliced cucumber. Stir well and leave to sit for at least 15 minutes (or up to one day in advance). Mix the cream cheese, chives and lemon juice together in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper (this can be done up to a day in advance). Remove the salmon from the cure and discard the solution. Pat the salmon with kitchen roll to remove any excess salt and lay it skin-side down on a board. Cut the fillet width ways into slices that are about 1/2cm thick, stopping at the skin. Lay your knife flat against the skin and cut under the slices in a smooth movement to separate them from the skin. Spread each piece of rye bread generously with the cream cheese and lay 3 or 4 slices of salmon over the top. Add a few slices of pickled cucumber and top with chopped boiled egg, and serve any remaining cucumber and egg in a dish on the side.