From the Chef: Delicious and nutritious

Do you have SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)? If medical terms scare you, you can also just say you've got the winter blues, and in this rainy, overcast weather, who would judge you?

Exercise and diet, of course, always seem to boost energy and make you feel better, and the latest trendy nutrient - Omega 3 acids - promises to do just that. Nutritionists claim that Omega 3s not only improve cardiovascular health but help correct mood imbalances and give you a shinier coat (that last one is a joke). One of the best ways to get a dose of this fatty acid is from oily fish, and the best among those is salmon.

This recipe originated in the Middle Ages in Scandinavia and is a way of preparing and preserving salmon without smoking it. The word "gravlax" comes from the words "grav," which means grave or hole in the ground, and "lax," which means salmon. Fisherman used to salt the fish and bury it in the sand above the tide line, but these days the process has been simplified to a dry salt, sugar and dill marinade, which cures the fish. Here is a recipe from the Marriot's executive sous chef, Richard Filip, for presenting gravlax with complementary flavors such as anise, cumin and fennel.

- Richard Filip is executive sous chef at the Marriott's Brasserie Praha. V Celnici 8, Prague 1-Old Town. Tel. 222 888 888.

Marinated fennel and gravlax

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 medium-size fennel bulb

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 piece star anise

4 cloves

1 tablespoon cumin

2 pieces green anise (optional)

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 stalks of fresh thyme

50g sun-dried tomatoes

150g marinated salmon

2 stalks of fennel leaves for garnish

1 L water

Directions

Put first 11 ingredients into the pot and bring to boil, simmer until the fennel softens, but be careful to not overcook.

Remove the fennel and place into a shallow container, pour just enough liquid over to cover the fennel and add all the remaining spices and tomatoes.

Cover with plastic film and leave to cool at room temperature. You can keep it in the refrigerator for several days. For best results, serve on the second day.

To complete the dish, place one or two wedges of fennel on the plate and arrange the marinated salmon over the fennel.

Top with marinade from the shallow container.

Chop sun-dried tomatoes, and garnish with fresh fennel stalks.

Serve with toasted rye bread.