Smoked Salmon Spread
Servings: the world’s your oyster! Go as big you’d like by scaling up the quantities.
Like our sandwich platter, this smoked salmon spread is basically a choose your own adventure situation - everyone can customize their bagel and plate as they please. And, as with the sandwich platter, this is another moment for the sheet pan, which is the perfect serving and traveling vessel for this platter.
I've been bringing some variation of this smoked salmon spread to fam gatherings for years: it's colorful, impressive, and it punches above it’s weight since it’s both a meal and a snack: you could nosh or you could gress. And, this spread is appropriate for a variety of occasions, though it’s especially good in the summer, when tomatoes are in-season. We like to bring it to brunch or a picnic, but it’s also classic for breakfast on Yom Kippur.
If you’re transporting this spread, assemble it at home, then wrap tightly in aluminum foil.
Kid tips:
Let your littles try their hand at arranging the platter, once you’ve prepped all the ingredients. Have them wear gloves when handling the lox, if you don’t want them to smell like fish for days.
Essential Components:
Salmon: Look for something thin sliced and high quality, since it’s the star of the show! Figure a minimum of 2 ounces pp.
Microgreens: We’re constantly looking for ways to increase our veggie intake, and these happen to top our bagel perfectly.
Sliced tomato: Get a nice, thick slicing tomato (heirloom for some interest and color) and use your serrated knife to cut it into horizontal slices. Figure 2 slices of tomato pp.
Cucumber: you know we love it. Figure half a mini cuke pp.
Shallot or red onion: Adds a nice little bite. We prefer shallot since it’s less pungent, but some would say that’s sacreligous.
Radishes: either red or watermelon. Again, adds a nice little bite.
Fresh dill sprigs: for garnish and freshness.
Lemon slices: also for for garnish and freshness.
Whole capers: a little umani bomb.
Optional:
Avocado: Again, some would say it’s sacrilegious, but we’re no purists.
Black olives: a controversial classic addition.
Thin sliced hardboiled egg: unneccessary, but appreciated.
Other smoked fishes: say a white fish salad or some herring if that’s your thing.
Juice: for whatever reason, some nice OJ hits the spot with this.
Fruit platter - optional, but why not.
Accompaniments:
Cream cheese: we like whipped, and we like to offer two varieties - a plain, and then either chive or veggie for a lil fun. And, lightly toasted bagels, obviously.
Assembly:
Bring your salmon to room temperature, by placing it on your counter while you prep your veggies.
Prep your veggies: thinly slice your tomato with a serrated knife, then thinly slice your cucumber, your radish, shallot and lemon using your mandolin.
Drape your salmon in a row on your sheet pan. Then, arrange everything on your sheet pan as desired.
Follow along as we arrange our salmon spread here.