Salmon

Most smoked salmon sold in slices is ready to eat. Cold smoking does not cook the fish, while hot smoking cooks it through; keep either type chilled and follow its use-by date.

Cold-smoked salmon is silky and sliceable, with a fresh, lightly smoky taste; hot-smoked salmon is opaque, flaky and more like cooked fish. Use cold-smoked salmon for bagels and hot-smoked salmon for salads, pasta or fishcakes.

Pair it with cream cheese, dill, lemon, capers or sliced cucumber. It is also good with scrambled eggs, rye bread, potatoes or in a simple pasta dish.

Yes. Stir flakes of hot-smoked salmon through the sauce near the end, just long enough to heat them. Add sliced cold-smoked salmon after taking the pan off the heat, so it stays tender rather than turning tough.

Wrap it tightly or put it in a sealed container and keep it in the fridge; use it within two days of opening, or sooner if its use-by date comes first. You can freeze it, though thawed slices may be softer; defrost them in the fridge.

Cold-smoked salmon is not cooked, so choose cooked salmon instead, or heat the smoked salmon until steaming hot throughout. Hot-smoked salmon is cooked, but keep it chilled and eat it promptly after opening.