Scottish Smoked Salmon Recipe

Combine rice vinegar, water, sugar, salt and freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl and whisk until sugar and salt dissolve.

Place the thinly sliced cucumber and shallot in a shallow bowl or jar. Pour the pickling liquid over them, pressing down so the vegetables are mostly submerged.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours. For service, drain the pickles briefly, reserving 1 tablespoon of the pickling liquid to adjust the crème fraîche if desired.

In a small bowl combine the crème fraîche with finely chopped fennel fronds, lemon zest, orange zest, lemon juice, kosher salt and white pepper.

Stir until smooth and taste. If the mixture is too thick, add up to 1 tablespoon of the reserved pickle liquid (or a teaspoon of cold water) to loosen, then re-taste and adjust salt, lemon or zest as needed.

Cover and chill the crème fraîche for at least 10 minutes to let the flavors meld (you can make this up to 4 hours ahead).

On a chilled serving platter or individual plates, lay out the cold-smoked salmon slices in an attractive overlapping pattern.

Scatter the thinly sliced fennel over and around the salmon for crunch and anise aroma.

Using a small spoon or piping bag, dot or pipe teaspoons of the fennel & citrus crème fraîche across the salmon (about 1 tablespoon per serving total).

Drain the cucumber and shallot pickle and distribute evenly over the salmon—aim for a few slices per portion so each bite gets a little pickle.

Sprinkle the reserved dill fronds and the chopped microgreens or arugula lightly over the dish.

Scatter the rinsed capers and drizzle the extra-virgin olive oil sparingly over the salmon (about 1 tsp per serving). Finish with a light dusting of everything bagel seasoning or flaky sea salt.

Grate a little fresh lemon zest over the top and serve with lemon wedges on the side. Serve immediately while salmon is chilled.