Should you host a party this weekend, home-cured fish is always a crowd-pleaser, rather simple to make, and worth buying a whole salmon for (it's often cheaper than buying fillets)! And this beautiful Cognac Cured Salmon pairs wonderfully with Champagne! Happy Friday!

Ingredients (serves six to a dozen):

3 cups coarse sea salt

3 cups caster sugar

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

1 teaspoon dried dill

half a large salmon (about 900 grams/2 pounds), filleted

4 tablespoons good quality Cognac or Brandy (like Jules Gautret VS Cognac)

In a large bowl, combine coarse sea salt and caster sugar. Crush black peppercorns roughly with a pestle in a mortar, and add them to the bowl, along with the dried dill, stirring well to mix. Set aside

Unwrap a large portion of cling film, without cutting it. Arrange about a third of the salt and sugar mixture onto it, and sit salmon halve, skin-side down firmly onto it. Drizzle generously with Cognac.  Top with remaining two thrids of the curing mixture, fold cling film over and wrap tightly. Place in the refrigerator for at least 48 hours.

Remove cure, and wash salmon under cold water. It now has taken a deeper pink hue, and the flesh is harder to the the touch. Pat salmon dry with paper towels.

A delicious and hearty Winter warmer, generous with delectable seafood, this Mussel and Scallop Chowder is the perfect dinner on a cold and misty Friday! Have a good one!

Ingredients (serves 3):

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion

1 small shallot

1 small Garden Leek

1/2 teaspoon dried dill

2 large Garden Potatoes 

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 cup frozen mussels

1 cup frozen scallops (without coral)

1 heaped teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoon plain flour

1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Bourgogne Aligoté or Entre-Deux-Mers

2 cups water

1/3 cup double cream

Melt butter with olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.

Peel and finely chop onion.

Once the butter is just foaming, stir in the chopped onion, and cook, a couple of minutes until softened.

Peel and finely chop shallot. Stir into the pot, and cook, 1 minute more.

Thoroughly rinse Garden Leek under cold water. Thinly slice Leek, keeping just a bit of its tender green part. Stir Leek slices into the pot. Cook, another couple of minutes.

Season with dill.

Peel and dice Garden Potatoes, and stir them into the pot, coating in herbs and fat.

Add butter to the pot. Once it is just foaming, stir in frozen mussels and scallops. Season with coarse sea salt and black pepper. Cook, 3 minutes.

Sprinkle generously with flour, and give a good stir, to coat seafood and vegetables. Cook, one minute more.

Deglaze with Bourgogne Aligoté, gradually stirring it in. Then, stir in water, and bring to the boil.

Once boiling, cover with the lid, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove the lid, and stir in double cream. Increase heat back to medium-high, and boil rapidly for a few minutes, until slightly thickened.

thinly slice reserved green part of Garden Leek, and sprinkle liberally on top.

This Cognac Cured Mackerel also is a delicious entrée, the aged spirit giving the flesh of the fish a hint of sweetness. Rather delightful!

Ingredients (makes 1):

1 cup coarse sea salt

1 cup caster sugar 

1/2 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon dried dill

one beautiful mackerels, gutted (about 300 to 350 grams)

3 tablespoons good quality Cognac (like Jules Gautret VS Cognac)

In a large bowl, combine coarse sea salt and caster sugar stirring well to mix. Crush black peppercorns, and add them to the bowl, along with dried dill. Give a good stir. Set aside.

With a sharp knife, cut open mackerel, like a book.

Unwrap a large portion of cling film, without cutting it. Arrange about a third of the black pepper and dill salt and sugar mixture onto it, and sit mackerel, skin-side down firmly onto it.

Drizzle Cognac generously over the mackerel. Top with remaining two thrids of the curing mixture, fold cling film over and wrap tightly. Place in the refrigerator for at least 48 hours.

Remove cure, and wash mackerel under cold water. The flesh should now be harder to the the touch.

I am quite fond of Sill Potatissallader, and while I often make them in the Summer, there are no reason for not enjoying them warm, in the Autumn. I made this delicious Apple Herring Potato Salad with apples we collected in an orchard last weekend, and the crisp sweetness of the fruit pairs wonderfully with the saltiness of the herring and the tang of the dressing. Happy Thursday!

Ingredients (serves 1):

a large potato, thoroughly scrubbed

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1/2 small red onion

1/4 teaspoon dried dill

1 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons caster sugar

1 heaped teaspoon Dijon Mustard

1/2 teaspoon whole-grain Dijon Mustard

1 ½ tablespoon olive oil

Half a large apple or a whole small one, rinsed

60 grams/2 ounces smoked herring

a small bunch Garden Chervil 

Cut large potato in four and add to a small pot. Add coarse sea salt, and cover with water. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium, and cook potato until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the dressing. Thinly slice red onion and spoon into a medium bowl. Add dried dill, and drizzle with apple cider vinegar. Toss until the onion becomes bright pink.

Stir in caster sugar until dissolved. Add Dijon and whole-grain Mustards. Finally, whisk in olive oil, until perfectly blended.

Core and dice apple, and stir into the bowl, coating well in dressing.

Cut smoked herring into chunks, and add to the bowl. Toss gently to coat in dressing.

Once the potato is cooked, drain thoroughly. Allow to slightly cool, a couple of minutes, peel, and carefully cut into cubes. Add potato cubes, whilst they are still hot, and toss once more to combine and coat in dressing. 

Finely chop Chervil.

These tasty Pickled Cucumbers are easily made and ready to add their bite, crunch and tang to your meat, fish, smörgås or crispbread in under half an hour!

Ingredients (serves 2):

1 1/2 heaped tablespoon caster sugar

3/4 teaspoon fleur de sel or sea salt flakes

1/4 teaspoon dried dill

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/3 large cucumber, rinsed

In a small bowl, combine caster sugar, fleur de sel and dill. Give a good stir. Stir in apple cider vinegar, until sugar and salt are completely dissolved. 

Cut cucumber into thin slices, and stir them into the vinegar mixture. Press the cucumber slices gently so that they are submerged in pickling mixture. Allow to sit, at room temperature, at least half an hour.

This hearty and fragrant Pea and Leek Soup makes a tasty dinner on a foogy and wet day. To enhance its Scandinavian flavours, serve it with Sill Senap and knäckerbröd, and light a candle or two! Happy Monday!

Ingredients (serves 2):

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small Garden Leek

1 cup frozen garden peas

1 medium potato

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried dill

2 1/2 cups water

In a large saucepan, melt butter with olive oil over medium-high heat. 

Thoroughly rinse Garden Leek, and cut into thick slices.

Once the butter is just foaming, add sliced Leek and frozen peas to the saucepan.

Peel and dice potato, and add to the saucepan as well. Cook, a couple of minutes, until Leek has softened but not browned. Season with coarse sea salt, black pepper and dried dill. Cook, 1 minute more.

Stir in water, and bring to the boil. Then, reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer, 20 minutes.

Using a stick blender, process until smooth.