Hot smoked salmon, niçoise-style salad

Whisk the salt and sugar into two kilograms of room temperature water.

Brine the fish two hours in the refrigerator.

Drain and set on a sheet tray to dry in the fridge overnight so a pellicle forms.

Cut soft wood scraps down and soak overnight so they smoulder instead of burning.

Set the fish over a tray of ice.

Fill a chimney starter about a quarter full and fire it, about 15 minutes.

Dump the coals into the left side of the grill, put the soaked cedar on top, and tuck the salmon over the ice on the right side.

Check five minutes later that it is not burning too hot; spray the coals with water to drop the temperature about a hundred degrees.

Hot smoke about 30 minutes.

Hard boil the eggs 11 minutes for a gelled centre, then cool under cold running water.

Slice the red onion thinly and drop it into the pickle brine; ready by the time it cools.

Cook the potatoes at a rolling boil about 15 minutes, then cool completely.

Whisk the mustard with salt, pepper and red wine vinegar, then whisk in the olive oil; taste for balance.

Assemble the greens, smoked salmon, potatoes, pickled onion, eggs and dressing.