Name: Dill scones with smoked salmon & cucumber relish
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Makes 7-8 scones
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 200g plain flour plus extra for dusting; 200g wholemeal plain flour; 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 20g pack dill half finely chopped; 50g unsalted butter very cold and cut into cubes; 300ml milk warmed, plus extra for brushing; 1 tsp poppy seeds; 200g pack smoked salmon slices and 300g pack soft cheese, to serve; 1 tbsp caster sugar; 100ml rice wine vinegar; 1 large cucumber peeled; half red onion very thinly sliced; 1 mild red chilli deseeded and finely chopped (optional)

Dill scones with smoked salmon & cucumber relish

200g plain flour
plus extra for dusting
200g wholemeal plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
20g pack dill
half finely chopped
50g unsalted butter
very cold and cut into cubes
300ml milk
warmed, plus extra for brushing
1 tsp poppy seeds
200g pack smoked salmon
slices and 300g pack soft cheese, to serve

For the pickle

1 tbsp caster sugar
100ml rice wine vinegar
1 large cucumber
peeled
half red onion
very thinly sliced
1 mild red chilli
deseeded and finely chopped (optional)

Method

step 1
For the scones, heat oven to 230C/210C fan/gas 8 and lightly flour a baking sheet. Mix the flours, bicarb, chopped dill and 1 tsp fine salt in a large bowl, then rub in the butter until it disappears. Tip in the milk and stir briefly to a sticky dough.
step 2
Scrape the dough onto a floured surface, dust the dough and your hands with more flour, then fold the dough over 2-3 times to smooth a little. Pat into a 4cm-deep round. Use a 7cm cutter to stamp out scones (see tip, below). Press trimmings together and repeat. Brush with milk, scatter with poppy seeds, then bake for 15-18 mins or until golden and well risen. Cool on a rack. As with all scones, these are best eaten on the day.
step 3
For the pickle, stir sugar into vinegar until dissolved. Halve and deseed the cucumber, slice thickly, then toss with the vinegar, onion and chilli. Leave for at least 15 mins in the fridge. Can be made up to 24 hrs ahead. When ready to serve, tear remaining dill over the relish. Split scones, spread with soft cheese and top with a ribbon of salmon and a little relish.