Time to put last week’s recipe to good use. If you didn’t catch it, it was all about making simple and tasty bagels at home. It’s become my new foodie obsession. So, of course I had to dig out a family favourite recipe using the delicious and chewy bagels.
“Kitchens are made for bringing families together.” – Unknown
Years ago, my mother served a recipe that quickly became a family favourite at our Easter table, specifically for Good Friday or an Easter Sunday brunch. Given it’s so super delicious, we couldn’t wait a whole year to taste it again so it recently became a favourite at Christmas time, any excuse really.
I’m talking about bagels with smoked salmon and white fish salad. It’s from my Mom’s absolute favourite foodie, Ina Garten.
Honestly, I don’t think there’s ever been a bad recipe that came from this women. She’s truly the best. Her light-hearted personality and humor doesn’t hurt either. She’s worth a follow on social media.
Back to the bagels with smoked salmon and white fish salad. Smoke-curing is one of the ancient methods of food preservation.
A technique with which Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are well-acquainted. First, the fish is dried and salted to remove the moisture and then slowly smoked, providing a delicious and unique flavouring. The level of smoking is a personal preference. Some like to smoke just enough so the fish is left with a bit of moisture, others like it as tough as leather.
This recipe calls for six servings but you can cut down on the ingredients if you only require two or four. For the white fish salad, you’ll need one and a half pounds of smoke white fish, skinned and boned. You can use any smoked white fish, such as cod or haddock.
We got our smoked cod at one of our favourite local shops, Skippers in Mount Pearl. In addition to the smoked white fish you’ll need half a cup of minced red onion, half a cup of celery, one cup of mayonnaise (Hellman’s all the way, or homemade), one and a half tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice and pepper.
“WTF. Where’s the fish?” — Unknown
And you thought I was being bad with that acronym.
First thing first, using paper towels, pat the smoked whitefish to soak up any excess moisture. Using your hands, flake the smoked whitefish in a bowl and discard of any bones or tough skin. Combine the smoked whitefish with the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. I only put in half a cup of mayo as I don’t like the salad to be filled with liquid. If you find it’s a bit too wet for your liking, drain the excess liquid.
When your white fish salad is made the next step is to prep your bagels by slicing them in thirds (horizontally). You’ll also need one pound of smoked salmon, cream cheese and sliced tomatoes.
The fun part is the layering. After toasting your three bagel slices, take the bottom bagel slice and spread it with cream cheese, add a layer of smoked salmon, then tomato and top with the middle bagel slice. Add another layer of cream cheese on the bagel, then a couple of hefty spoonful’s of the smoked white fish salad. The last step is the easiest - placing the top of the bagel.
“If you can think of a better fish pun … let minnow.” — Unknown
I won’t lie. This is not the easiest bagel to consume. It’s like eating a messy hamburger but it’s worth every bite. All you need is a good cuppa to wash it down.
If you have any white fish salad leftover, you can serve it the following day as a snack or appetizer with crackers, rye or pumpernickel bread. You can also serve it as a dip inside a hollowed tomato or pepper with crackers or sliced cucumbers as dippers.
I hope you and your family enjoy this recipe as much as we do. Bagels with smoked salmon and white fish salad are definitely fit to eat. Enjoy foodie friends.
Erin Sulley is a self-confessed foodie who lives in Mount Pearl. Instagram: @erinsulley
