Smoked Salmon Plate Recipe

Prepare cure

In a bowl combine kosher salt, granulated sugar, crushed black pepper and lemon zest. Mix and stir in chopped dill.

Cure the salmon

Place a large sheet of plastic wrap on the counter. Pat the salmon fillet dry. Sprinkle half of the cure mixture on the plastic wrap, place salmon skin-side down on the cure, then spoon the remaining cure over the flesh side of the salmon, pressing lightly to adhere. Wrap tightly in plastic, place in a rimmed dish to catch liquid and weigh it with a second dish or cans. Refrigerate for 12–24 hours (12 hours for a lightly cured texture, 24 hours for firmer).

Rinse and rest

After curing, unwrap salmon and rinse thoroughly under cold water to remove the cure. Pat dry with paper towels. Place on a rack, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 1–2 hours to form a tacky pellicle (this helps smoke adherence) or use immediately if not smoking.

Cold-smoke (optional) or finish raw

If you have a cold smoker: smoke the cured salmon at 80–90°F (27–32°C) with mild wood (alder or apple) for 1–3 hours until desired smoke level. If you do not cold-smoke, you may serve as gravlax-style cured salmon — slice thinly on the bias. Note: hot-smoking is not recommended here because it will cook the fish and change texture.

Slice

Using a very sharp, long knife, slice the salmon thinly on the bias against the grain into 1/16–1/8-inch slices. Keep chilled until plating.

In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with a spoon or hand mixer until smooth. Fold in chopped chives, lemon juice, salt and pepper. If you prefer a slightly lighter texture, fold in the optional 2 tablespoons of sour cream or Greek yogurt. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a piping bag or small bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Place thinly sliced red onions in a heatproof jar or bowl. In a small saucepan, combine apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, salt and optional red pepper flakes. Heat just until sugar and salt dissolve (do not need to boil). Pour the warm brine over the onions, pressing them down so they are submerged. Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (preferably 1 hour) before serving. These will keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

Halve the cherry tomatoes and thinly slice the cucumbers. Place in small bowls and season lightly with a pinch of sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Rinse capers under cold water and drain. Cut lemon into wedges. Keep dill sprigs whole for garnish.

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet. Brush each slice lightly with olive oil (or butter for richer flavor). Bake 6–8 minutes until edges are golden and crisp. Remove from oven and, while still warm, rub each crostini with the cut side of the garlic clove for a subtle garlic note. Cool slightly.

Arrange components on a large serving platter or individual plates. Place a spoon or dollop of chive cream cheese on the platter. Fan out thin slices of the cured/smoked salmon nearby. Add small piles of pickled red onions, halved tomatoes, sliced cucumbers and drained capers. Add crostini to the platter. Garnish with dill sprigs and lemon wedges. Finish vegetables and salmon with a light sprinkle of sea salt and a few turns of freshly ground black pepper.

To serve: encourage guests to spread chive cream cheese on crostini, top with a slice of salmon, a few pickled onions, some cucumber or tomato and a few capers, then squeeze a touch of lemon. Leftover salmon and components can be refrigerated separately for up to 3 days (cream cheese up to 2 days).