Ingredients

• 85g/3oz caster sugar
• 70g/2½oz flaky sea salt
• 2 tbsp schnapps
• gin or vodka
• 2 tsp freshly ground white pepper
• 100g/3½oz fresh dill
• 500g/1lb 2oz centre-cut salmon fillet
• skin on
• bones removed
• 1 large cucumber
• peeled
• thinly sliced
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• freshly ground white pepper
• 1-2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
• squeeze lemon juice
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 1-2 tsp dried dill
• salt and pepper
• 2-3 tbsp sunflower oil

Directions

• To cure the salmon
• blend together the sugar
• salt
• alcohol
• white pepper and dill in a food processor to make a paste.
• Place half of the mixture into a container that will accommodate the fish snugly (say the plastic container the fish was bought in). Lay the salmon on top of this flesh-side down
• press it down
• then cover with the other half of the mixture
• smearing it well over the surface of the fish. Secure with a lid or cling film and leave to chill in the fridge for 48 hours
• turning the fish occasionally
• until firm to the touch.
• For the cucumber salad
• mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and leave to macerate for an hour in the fridge. Drain off the liquid
• put the cucumber into a serving dish and chill in the fridge. The salad should be served really cold.
• For the sauce
• mix the mustard
• lemon juice
• sugar
• salt
• pepper and dried dill in a bowl until well combined. Gradually whisk in the oil until you have a loose
• thick dressing. You may need a little more oil. Pour into a small serving bowl.
• Carefully rinse the fish under cold running water
• but not so much that no remnants of dill remain. Dry with kitchen paper.
• Thinly slice the gravad lax at an angle and present on a large serving dish. Serve alongside the cucumber salad and the mustard sauce with buttered rye bread.