Smoked salmon

Saumon fumé

What it is

Cold-smoked salmon as we know it is a London invention of the 1880s: immigrants from the Baltic brought a heavy salt cure meant for fish that had to survive a journey, met Scottish salmon that did not, and cut the salt right back. The trade still calls it the London cure, though almost none of it is smoked there now.

In the kitchen

Slice on a long flat blade held almost parallel to the board, tail towards head, and never through the dark band under the skin — that line is bitter. Take it out of the fridge twenty minutes ahead or the fat stays mute.

Goes with

Lemon Dill Crème fraîche Rye berries Cucumber Red onion Capers Horseradish

Same species

Salmon Sea trout Trout

Also used with

Camelina oil Garden cress Nasturtium capers Pink peppercorn Fleur de sel de Guérande

Something wrong here, or missing? Tell us