Smoked Salmon Bagel Stack

Smoked salmon and cream cheese are nothing less than a match made in heaven. The smokiness of the fish pairs so well with the creaminess and tangy undertones of the cream cheese. This recipe is an extremely simple one, but nothing short of delicious as well as aesthetically beautiful.

I'm not sure where this recipe came from.  My family is muslim and celebrates a religious, biannual holiday called Eid.  Eid Al Fitr is the first of the two. It is a celebration of the end of Ramadan; a month in which we fast from sunrise to sundown. You can imagine that after fasting for a month, our Eid feast is sure to impress.  My family has adopted our own tradition of serving salmon locks atop a bagel with cream cheese spread.  An array of toppings runs down the table, and we get our game faces on for the tastiest "build-your-own" bagel stacks of the year.

This tradition has carried on for as long as I can remember.  For years, we resisted the temptation to have this meal for any other occasion other than celebrating Eid.  We all craved this and were so good about not giving in... until we weren't. Locks and bagels are now a regular thing in our household, and we have absolutely no regrets.  They're just as tasty as they are on Eid.

Must have toppings include sliced vine ripened tomatoes, slivered red onion, and smoked salmon. Any other toppings are fair game, especially when so many go well with the stack.  I like to incorporate a nice rainbow of toppings to contrast with the coral color of the salmon. Some toppings that have paired really well with this dish are avocado, sliced radish, arugula, capers, cucumber, and dill.  Some choose to forego the cream cheese for a lower fat option, but i'm a sucker and truly can't resist. This meal is really a reflection of whatever you prefer and a chance to see how different flavors and textures work together. 

Smoked salmon bagel stacks make for quite a balanced meal at really any time of the day.  I made these most recently when my mom had a friend over for brunch.  It was a gorgeous sunny day, and probably one of the best brunches I have had in a while.  My mom made a delicious filo dough, egg, and turkey bacon quiche, a bright mixed berry salad, and soft boiled eggs.  I picked up some fresh squeezed orange juice and pastries from our nearby supermarket, quickly layered up these lox and bagel stacks, and we set the table with the most impressive brunch. Of course, there were no left overs. 

Prep time: 5 minutes

Servings: 4 

Calories: ~270 

Ingredients:

4 Whole Wheat Thin Bagels

8 ounces of smoked salmon

1 large firm tomato

1 small red onion

1 cup arugula

4 Tbsp 1/3 fat cream cheese

Instructions:

1. Halve the bagel things and lay them on a baking sheet. Place into the oven on medium broil for about 2 minutes, or until lightly toasted.* Place tray to the side to let bagels cool.

2. Thinly slice tomato and sliver onion.

3. Spread a thin layer (or about 1/2 a tbsp) of cream cheese onto a bagel half. Top with tomato, onion, a piece of smoked salmon (about 1 ounce), and some arugula.  Serve face up. Serving size is 2 bagel halves per a serving. 

*Take caution in this step as if temperature is too high, bagels can easily burn.