Salmon Gravlax

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Remove the zest of the lemon with a vegetable peeler in fat strips and toss it in a bowl. Add the salt, sugar, and dill; toss to combine. Lay the fish in a large glass baking dish. Pack the salt mixture on and around the salmon. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours to cure the fish.

   Step 2

   To make the blini, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk and then let it proof for 10 minutes. Sift the all-purpose flour, buckwheat flour, salt, and sugar together in a bowl. Pour the yeast mixture into a blender along with the dry ingredients. Puree on high until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the blender, add the melted butter and egg yolks (reserve the whites), and process again until combined. Pour the batter into a large bowl, cover with a towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours.

   Step 3

   Just before you are ready to cook the blini, beat the egg whites until stiff; then fold them into the batter. Place a griddle or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and brush with a little melted butter. Pour 1 tablespoon at a time of batter into the pan to make pancakes about 3 inches in diameter. Cook for about 30 seconds, then flip them over with a spatula and cook for another 30 seconds. Stack the blini on a platter and wrap them in a cloth napkin to keep them warm.

   Step 4

   Combine the ingredients for the crème fraîche.

   Step 5

   Scrape the salt mixture off the salmon and lightly rinse the fish under cool water. Pat dry with paper towels. The cured salmon will be firm but pliable. To set up the presentation, lay the salmon on a large wooden cutting board. With a very sharp knife slice the salmon New York Deli–style: paper-thin and on a slight angle. (The whole fish looks great as a centerpiece on the table, so slice only a quarter of the salmon at a time.) Serve the salmon with the blini and condiments on the side. This is an interactive hors d’oeuvre: Let your friends attack it and then slice more as needed. Always a huge hit.