Ingredients

GIN & CUCUMBER PICKLES Makes approx 3 x 200g jars / preparation 15 minutes plus salting time & 3 days to pickle / cooking 5 minutes.
2 cucumbers, sliced into rounds
2 teaspoons flaky (non-iodised) sea salt
1 cup white wine vinegar
½ cup water
3 tablespoons sugar
6 juniper berries, lightly crushed
125ml gin or alcohol-free gin
2 teaspoons dried dill leaves
DILL OAT CAKES Makes approx. 50 / preparation 20 minutes / cooking 25 minutes
125g rolled oats (I used Harraway’s extra creamy Scotch oats)
â…› teaspoon salt
â…› teaspoon baking soda
1½ tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon dried dill leaves
25g butter (or lard, dripping or vegetable oil)
50ml water
SMOKED SALMON TERRINE Serves 6-8 as a nibble / preparation 20 minutes plus overnight chilling
100g cream cheese
½ teaspoon wasabi paste
½ teaspoon dried dill
finely grated zest of 1 lemon and 1 tablespoon lemon juice
90g hot-smoked salmon, flaked
180g cold-smoked salmon
fresh dill or chives to garnish

Dried dill tips or leaves have become something of an obsession of mine. I love fresh dill but it is unavailable for most of the year so I make full use of the dried when I have to. This
cracker, salmon and cucumber combination is a love letter to dill, which features as the minor player to the retro-inspired double salmon terrine. Do make the pickles; they keep for ages in the fridge and help to cut the richness of the salmon.
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Instructions

1.GIN & CUCUMBER PICKLES
2.This recipe makes more pickles than you need for the salmon crackers, but they will keep for a couple of months in the fridge. Also, they’re great for gifting. You could make these with vodka if you prefer.
3.Put the cucumber into a colander with 1 teaspoon of the salt, mix well and leave for a couple of hours.
4.Put the remaining salt, white wine vinegar, water, sugar and juniper berries into a saucepan and bring up to a simmer. Set aside to cool then add the gin and the dill.
5.Pack the cucumber into 3 x 200ml sterilised jars and pour over the brine. Remove any air bubbles and seal. Chill for at least 3 days before using. Best used within 2 months.
6.DILL OAT CAKES
7.Heat the oven to 160°C.
8.Put three-quarters of the oats into a food processor with the salt and baking soda. Blitz to a flour and add to a large bowl along with the remaining oats, flour and the dill. Stir well.
9. Heat the butter and water together in a pan (or in the microwave) and bring to a boil. Stir into the oats until it forms a reasonably sticky dough.
10.Roll out between layers of baking paper to 3-4mm thickness. Cut into rounds (I used a 6cm round cutter), squares or rectangles and put onto a couple of trays lined with baking paper. Any scraps can be re-rolled and if you find it is drying out just add a splash of water to the mix.
11.Bake for 25 minutes or until just colouring at the edges.
12.Cool and keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
13. SMOKED SALMON TERRINE
14.Mash the cream cheese with the wasabi, dill, lemon zest and juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mash the hot-smoked salmon through the mix.
15.Line a mini loaf tin with plastic wrap or baking paper (it’s easiest to do this by wetting the tin, then pressing the cling film against the base and sides).
16.Line the tin with slices of cold-smoked salmon, ensuring that there is some overlap.
17. Spoon in a thin layer of the hot-smoked salmon mix, pressing lightly so there are no air pockets. Add another layer of cold-smoked salmon. Repeat until you have used up all the ingredients. Fold the overlapping salmon over the top (if necessary cut the cold-smoked salmon slices to fit.
18.Cover with cling film, cut some cardboard to fit on top and weigh down with some cans and chill in the fridge overnight.
19.Just before serving, remove from the fridge and remove the plastic wrap or baking paper. Use a very sharp knife to cut into thin slices, wiping the blade clean between slices.
20.Put a slice of terrine onto each oatcake, top with 1-2 cucumber slices and garnish with dill.

Recipes & food styling Ginny Grant / Photography Aaron McLean / Styling Jessica Crowe