You say holidays, and I say gravlax. In our Danish-American home, the winter holiday season is not complete without making home-cured salmon gravlax. It’s simple to make and an easy, elegant appetizer or addition to a brunch table. All you need are two important things to make gravlax: fresh sashimi-grade salmon and time. The salmon is rubbed with a dry cure and stowed in the refrigerator to brine for two to three days. When ready, all you need to do is unwrap and remove the cure, then slice the salmon and drape it over bread. The flavor, presentation and simplicity are the essence of Nordic cuisine: elegant, minimal and clean.

In Danish tradition, gravlax is an important ingredient in the parade of courses during the celebratory dinners (ironically called Julefrokost, or Christmas lunch) leading up to Christmas. Gravlax (gravlaks in Danish and Norwegian or gravad laks in Swedish) literally means salmon in a grave or hole. During the Middle Ages, fisherman would salt salmon and let it ferment by burying it in a hole above the high-tide line.

Nowadays, it's not necessary to bury salmon in sand, but rather in salt and sugar and banish it to the refrigerator. It will cure for several days, during which the salt and sugar will turn into liquid and create a brine. Salt and sugar are necessary ingredients for curing, while fresh or dried herbs, peppercorns, citrus or spirits are often added for additional flavor. This recipe includes dill, fennel, peppercorns and akvavit, a Danish snaps.

To serve gravlax, thinly slice and arrange on bread. While pumpernickel is sometimes suggested for serving, Nordic tradition expressly uses white bread, not dark rye bread, with salmon. Accompany the salmon with a squeeze of lemon, fresh dill sprigs and a dollop of homemade honey-mustard sauce.

Salmon Gravlax

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 to 3 days for curing

Yield: Serves 8 to 10

1 side sushi-grade wild-caught salmon with skin, 2 to 2 1/2 pounds, pin bones removed

1 tablespoon white peppercorns

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 cup kosher salt

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 large bunch fresh dill sprigs

1 cup fennel fronds, chopped

3 to 4 tablespoons akvavit or vodka

Honey Dill Mustard

1/3 cup Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup grapeseed oil

2 tablespoons chopped dill sprigs

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Rinse the salmon under cold water and pat dry. Refrigerate, uncovered, while preparing the spice rub.

Lightly toast the peppercorns and fennel seeds in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until aromatic, about 1 minute. Transfer to a mortar and finely grind. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the salt and sugars. Rub the fish all over with the spice mix.

Line a long baking pan or dish with plastic wrap. Place half of the dill sprigs and half of the fennel fronds over the plastic wrap. Arrange the salmon skin-side down on the herbs. Sprinkle the akvavit over the salmon. Top with the remaining dill and fennel. Cover with additional plastic wrap, sealing the fish. Place a heavy pan or tray on the fish and weigh down the pan with cans or bottles. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 days.

Before serving, whisk the mustard, vinegar and honey in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil to emulsify and then stir in the dill and black pepper.

Remove the fish from refrigerator. Remove and discard the plastic wrap. Pour off the collected juices and wipe off the excess brine and dill with paper towels. Slice the fish diagonally from one corner of the salmon toward the center of the fillet.

Fold a slice of gravlax on toasted brioche bread or white bread. Squeeze a few drops of fresh lemon juice and smear a spoonful of Honey Dill Mustard on the fish. Garnish with a dill sprig. Gravlax may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Thanksgiving has passed, but that’s no reason to stop eating cranberries. These pert and tart berries are a welcome addition and decorative garnish throughout the year, and especially brighten up a winter table during the frosty holiday season. Their bright ruby color practically screams celebration, livening up salads and sauces, desserts and cocktails, and their pucker-y tartness easily complements sweet and savory dishes.

Need inspiration?

While a good ol’ cranberry sauce is the go-to accompaniment to turkey, you can also add cranberries to chutneys, salsas and relishes. Blitz or cook them down with savory ingredients, such as peppers, onions, ginger and dried fruit to accompany red meat, game and pork.

Blitz cranberries into marinades. Their astringent tartness will work wonders as a flavorful meat tenderizer.

Add tart cranberries to fruity desserts, such as pies, crisps and cobblers. They pair well with apples, pears, quince and dried fruit. Their tartness will make the dessert pop, and nicely balance the sugar and sweetness of the fruit.

Did anyone say chocolate? Cranberries love chocolate (who or what doesn’t?). Fold them into dark chocolate cakes, bark and bars, or simply dip and coat them in chocolate for a dangerously easy nibble to eat.

Add them to cocktails and mock-tails. Use them to flavor simple syrup, infuse vodka, muddle into mixed drinks, or simply float a few berries as a colorful garnish.

And while we’re on the subject of drinks, this is a bright and festive cocktail that will carry you through the holiday season. The berry’s cheek-sucking tartness provides contrast to the warmth and spice of honeyed bourbon, acting as a natural bitter, if you will. The berries are incorporated in three ways: in a cinnamon-infused syrup, muddled with citrus and mint, and then added in frozen form for colorful bling.

Cranberry-Bourbon Citrus Smash

Makes one cocktail

Cranberry-Orange Simple Syrup:

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick

2 strips orange peel

Cocktail:

3 to 4 fresh or frozen cranberries

3 to 4 mint leaves

1 lime quarter

1 orange slice

1 1/2 ounces bourbon

1/2 ounce Cointreau

1 ounce Cranberry-Orange Simple Syrup

1 ounce fresh lime juice

Ice cubes

Make the simple syrup:

Combine the syrup ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the cranberries break down, about 15 minutes. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve, pushing down on the cranberry pulp. Discard the solids. Cool the syrup to room temperature. (The simple syrup may be stored in a glass container in the refrigerator for up to one month.)

Make the cocktail:

Combine the cranberries, mint, lime and orange slice in a cocktail shaker and muddle. Add the bourbon and Cointreau, and then add the remaining ingredients. Shake vigorously and pour into a tall glass or strain into a rocks glass. Serve with whole fresh or frozen cranberries, lime wedges and mint sprigs.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Bring on the layers when it’s cold outside. And before you reach for your fleece or parka, let’s be perfectly clear: We’re talking about salads. That’s right, salads have a place in the fall and winter, and when the brisk seasons invite layering hefty, nourishing ingredients into our meals, this principle also applies to salads. They can handle it.

This vibrant salad is a perfect example. It’s layered with toothsome nutty black rice, juicy-crisp radicchio leaves, and spice-roasted delicata squash rings. Each ingredient brings flavor, texture and nutrients to the salad party, and when composed together in a serving bowl and drizzled with a thick balsamic vinaigrette, they produce a unified and highly decorative salad that will please and wow everyone at the dinner and holiday table.

Delicata squash is a winter squash that is often bypassed for the ubiquitous butternut squash. Delicata is a small oblong squash with green and yellow striated skin that is edible, so there is no need to peel it. It cooks quickly, and roasting is an easy method that amplifies its mildly sweet and creamy flavor. The squash can be halved lengthwise and roasted, or better yet, sliced into thin rings, which resemble decorative flower shapes.

If you need any further encouragement to make this salad, note that it can be easily prepped ahead of serving, since the rice and squash rings should be cooked and cooled to room temperature. The final assembly takes minutes, which is a cook’s gift during the busy holiday season.

Delicata, Radicchio and Black Rice Salad

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes, plus rice cooking and cooling time

Yield: Serves 4

Dressing:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 small garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup black rice, rinsed

Salt

1 large delicata squash, scrubbed clean

1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 large head radicchio, cored, leaves torn into shards

3 scallions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley leaves

2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds (or pomegranate arils)

Whisk the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.

Cook the rice until tender, according to package instructions. Season to taste with salt and set aside to cool to lukewarm or room temperature.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the squash crosswise in 1/3-inch-thick slices and scoop out the seeds. Place the rings in a large bowl. Add the oil, 1 teaspoon salt, the cumin, paprika and black pepper and toss to coat. Arrange the squash rings on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment. Transfer to the oven and roast until golden brown in spots and tender, about 25 minutes, flipping once. Remove from the oven and lightly brush with the dressing. Cool to lukewarm or room temperature.

Spread the radicchio in a wide shallow serving bowl. Stir the scallions into the rice and then spoon the rice over and around the radicchio. Arrange the delicata rings around the salad, tucking some of the rings under the radicchio leaves. Sprinkle the parsley and pumpkin seeds (or pomegranate arils) over the salad. Drizzle with the remaining dressing.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS