I like to have a few good things around to take the heat out of Christmas cooking: those cut-and-come-again recipes that can sit quietly in the kitchen until you need them. Recipes like the pork and hazelnut terrine in last month's OFM, or perhaps a china dish of chicken liver paté studded with pistachios and served with thin curls of retro-style melba toast. The tricky thing is that although the dishes must be deeply practical and useful, they must also be sparkling enough to earn their place on the Christmas table.
The fish counters I became so entranced by in Helsinki last month held some brilliant ideas for Christmas eating. Among the standard smoked salmon and salted herrings were sides of salmon as bright as jewels, flavoured with everything from fresh dill to juniper berries. While those with pink peppercorns, orange and lemon zest tempted, my favourite was the sweet and earthy beetroot cure whose dazzling shades of orange, pink and green seem more than appropriate for the festive table.
A large piece of fish seems so extravagant, but thinly sliced with my longest, skinny knife it will go along way. Brought to the table with some dark and interesting rye bread it will go even further, serving up to adozen of us.
It is so easy to buy gravadlax, the lightly cured salmon with its customary fringe of chopped dill. But I do find the commercial versions often taste identical and the accompanying mustard sauce can be overpowering. I decided the salmon I had in Finland, which had been marinated in finely grated beetroot, coarse salt and lemon zest, was worth having a go at in my own kitchen and if successful would see me through the starters and snacks with which Christmas eating is punctuated.
You need a decent-sized tray or a large dish long enough to hold the fish. (You can cut the piece of fish in two if needs be, but it will lack the majesty of a whole fillet brought to the table.) Raw grated beetroot, sea salt and citrus zest are needed, too, and as so often in Finnish or Scandinavian recipes, some fresh dill is required. The only real hands-on work comes in grating the roots and patting the marinade over the fish. You will, however, need to secure a reasonable amount of space in the fridge. Until it has finished marinating, your piece of fish will need a whole shelf to itself.
Lightly cured salmon is good on shattered sheets of crispbread and perfect as a yule sandwich stuffer (try it with crisp bacon and red-flecked winter salad leaves), but also as alight, elegant starter. For this it needs something else on the plate – perhaps a crunchy, bracingly sour salad to nuzzle up against the silky folds of golden fish. I put one together last week with a thick dressing containing all of the salmon's best friends – capers, soured cream, orange zest, mustard and dill. As a nod to the grated root vegetable in the marinade, I paired the dressing with thin slices of crisp white celeriac. I can't tell you how many Christmas problems it's solved.
Those who get a taste for curing salmon might like to take a look at Lindy Wildsmith's new book, Cured (Jacqui Small, £30). There is abeetroot gravadlax like the one below, which was a good starting point for my own cure, plus every possible recipe for the home curer, from a marinated spiced tuna loin to salted pork with lentils. A useful stocking filler for the more serious cook.
SALMON MARINATED WITH BEETROOT, DILL AND ORANGE
Ask your fishmonger to scale and bone the salmon, but to leave the skin on. It is worth checking it over for any tiny bones when you get it home.
Serves 8-10
a side of salmon boned, about 800g
demerara sugar 100g
coarse sea salt 175g
black peppercorns 10g
vodka 4 tbsp
dill a large bunch, about 30g
lemons 2
finely grated orange zest 2 tbsp
raw beetroot 600g
Check the salmon for any remaining bones,keeping an eye open for the tiny, almost invisible pin bones. These can be removed with tweezers. Lay the salmon skin-side down on a stainless steel enameltin or glass dish. If the fish is too long, cut it in half.
Put the demerara sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Roughly grind the peppercorns and add the sugar and the vodka. Roughly chop the dill and its stems, and add to the marinade. Finely grate the lemon zest and add to the sugar mixture with the grated orange zest. Peel and grate the beetroots, then stir into the other ingredients.
Spread the mixture over the fish and rub in well with your hands. Wrap a piece of clingfilm over the fish and place a heavy weight on top. (A small chopping board with a few cans on top will work.) Refrigerate for between 48 hours and four days.
Pour off and discard any liquid that has seeped from the marinade. Remove the cling film and scrape away the marinade.
Slice the fish thinly, as you would smoked salmon, and serve with the celeriac salad below.
CELERIAC, MUSTARD AND SOURED CREAM SALAD
If celeriac is a step too far, then try cucumber or lightly steamed and cooled potatoes instead. The point is to keep the flavours sharp and crisp to contrast with the sweet earthiness of the salmon. This recipe will appeal to anyone who doesn't like their Christmas starters too rich.
Serves 4-6
soured cream 300ml
gherkins 4
capers 1 tsp
wholegrain mustard 2 tsp
zest of half a lemon
orange zest, finely grated 2 tsp
caster sugar a pinch
dill, finely chopped 2 tbsp
celeriac, coarsely shredded 400g
Spoon the soured cream into a bowl. Roughly dice the gherkins and stir into the dressing with the capers, mustard and grated lemon and orange zest. Stir in a little salt, the sugar and the finely chopped dill.
Peel the celeriac and slice the flesh thinly (about the thickness of a pound coin will do). Cut these into small pieces. Toss the celeriac with the dressing. (If you do this immediately after the root is sliced then it won't discolour.) Leave for an hour or more for the flavours to marry, stir and serve with the fish. This will keep for 24 hours.
Email Nigel at nigel.slater@observer.co.uk or visit theguardian.com/profile/nigelslater for all his recipes in one place
