This open-face Scandinavian sandwich is topped with gravlax, a dish that looks impressive, and couldn’t be easier to make. The salt and sugar cures the raw salmon by drawing liquid out and rendering the fish tender and flavorful. Gravlax can cure for as little as one day, but develops a silky, melt-in-your-mouth texture if it’s done for a little longer.

Directions

1. Set aside a few sprigs of dill to use in the mustard crème fraîche.

2. In a small bowl, combine salt and sugar.

3. Slice the salmon in half crosswise. Place one half skin-side down in a casserole dish. Sprinkle with half of the salt and sugar mixture and top with dill.

4. Sprinkle the rest of the salt and sugar mixture over the dill and top with the remaining salmon piece, skin-side up.

5. Cover the dish with aluminum foil. Weigh down the covered dish with a heavy pot or plate. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 days, turning the salmon once a day to ensure that it cures evenly throughout, and baste with the liquid that collects at the bottom of the dish.

6. Remove salmon from dish and place skin-side down on a cutting board. Discard dill. Using a sharp knife and cutting on the diagonal, cut the salmon into long, thin slices.

7. Finely chop reserved dill sprigs. In a small bowl, combine crème fraîche, mustard, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon chopped dill. 8. Serve gravlax on dark rye bread topped with a dollop of mustard crème fraîche, capers, and red onion.