Name: Arctic Char Gravlaks with Cucumber Jelly
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 1/2 days (includes curing fish)
Yield: Makes 6 first-course servings
Ingredients: 1 (1 1/4-lb) center-cut piece arctic char fillet with skin, pin bones removed; 1/2 cup sugar; 1/4 cup kosher salt; 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper; 3 cups coarsely chopped fresh dill (from 2 large bunches); 3 seedless cucumbers (usually plastic-wrapped; 3 lb total); 3/4 teaspoon table salt; 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin (from 1 envelope); 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar; 1 tablespoon tiny fresh dill fronds; Accompaniment: thin Scandinavian crispbread such as Kavli

Arctic Char Gravlaks with Cucumber JellyMartyn Thompson

Gravlaks — fish cured with salt, sugar, and dill — is usually made with salmon, but we like the milder flavor of arctic char for this particular dish.

Keep in mind before starting to cure your fish that you will need to turn it every 12 hours for a total of 36 hours.

Cooks' notes:

• Cured gravlaks can be drained, scraped, and wrapped in clean plastic wrap, then chilled up to 5 days. • Jelly can be chilled up to 4 days

Recipe notes

Caramelized Onion Pasta

Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

Béchamel Sauce

This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.

Okonomiyaki Tater Tots

Crispy tots topped with savory-sweet sauce, mayonnaise, furikake, scallion, and katsuobushi.

Butternut Squash–Kale Salad With Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.

Sheet-Pan Chicken Souvlaki

Tender, juicy chicken skewers are possible in the oven—especially when roasted alongside spiced chickpeas and finished with fresh tomatoes and salty feta.

Mascarpone Cheesecake

An extra-silky filling (no water bath needed!) and a smooth sour cream topping make this the ultimate cheesecake.

Crispy Salmon With Avocado Sauce

You’ll want to put this creamy (but dairy-free) green sauce on everything and it’s particularly sublime under crispy-skinned salmon.