A Scandinavian smorgasbord of pickled cucumber and radishes, new potatoes and salmon gravlax with a dill and gin sauce makes an impressive centrepiece for easy entertaining. Prep the pickles ahead of time, lay it all out, and let guests help themselves
Place all the ingredients for the pickling liquid in a saucepan with 300ml water and bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse. Bring a pan of water to the boil and blanch the carrots for 2-3 minutes, until just tender. Drain and place in a bowl of iced water to prevent them from cooking any more.
Place the carrots, fennel and radishes in a large mason jar with a tight-fitting lid and pour over the pickling liquid. Leave this in the fridge for at least 6 hours, or up to 2 days.
Place the cucumber circles in a sieve placed over a bowl, then sprinkle over the salt. Leave to sit for 1 hour, then run under cold water to remove the salt. Place the vinegar, sugar and mustard seeds in a saucepan over a medium heat with 125ml water until the sugar has dissolved. Pour this over the cucumber and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving.
Combine the beetroot, apple, sour cream, lemon juice, mayonnaise and dill in a bowl and season. Set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.
Combine the honey, mustard, white wine vinegar, gin and dill and season. Place in the fridge until ready to serve.
Bring a pan of water to the boil, then add the new potatoes. Cook for 15 minutes or until just cooked, then drain and leave to cool slightly.
To serve, spread the salmon, new potatoes, crispbread, rye bread, salad, cucumber, pickled vegetables and sauce out on a large board or plate. Garnish with the chicory leaves, radishes, dill leaves and lemon wedges.