Smoked Salmon with Fennel Recipe

Place salmon in shallow dish or plastic bag. Combine water and salt in a saucepan. Heat and stir until salt is dissolved. Cool and pour over salmon. If not sufficient to cover fish, prepare more brine. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove salmon from brine and let dry on rack over waxed paper until glossy. This will take about 45 minutes, long enough to get the fire going.

Thinly slice fennel from top to base. Place fennel slices on rack of smoker. Place fish on fennel, place cover on smoker, and smoke 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until salmon is no longer wet to the touch, just moist and slightly oily. Remove from smoker and cool, or serve warm, sliced or flaked, on thin French bread or crackers. Wrap leftovers in plastic film, and store in the refrigerator up to one week.