A recipe for crucified salmon

Next-level barbecue for summer's end

First, an apology. I am once again asking you to look at my stupid face this week.

Yes, it is time for another of my video recipes. Hopefully you’ll think it’s worth it.

One of the great joys of becoming a part of a Finnish family has been learning about a different food culture and tradition. I’m not exaggerating when I say that if you want to find out how to pick wild mushrooms that won’t give you liver failure, having a Finnish mother-in-law is a very efficient option. Finns seem to be born with this knowledge “a priori”.

I’m going to talk a little bit about my favourite mushrooms next week. This week, however, I want to share a traditional Finnish open-fire cooking technique that, though I haven’t perfected yet (as the end of my video shows), I love to do every summer.

This technique, called ristiinnaulittua kalaa (crucified fish) in Finnish, gives a very special smoky flavour to the fish. But best of all in my opinion, the slow cooking actually dries the surface of the fish just enough that the fat and juices remain locked inside. It is absolutely delicious.

So, click below and join me at our family summer cottage here in south-west Finland, and watch me present a recipe for crucified salmon…