Bourbon Smoked Salmon Toast | S Recipe
cold smoked alaskan salmon, toasted everything bagel, pimento cream cheese, capers and housemade pickled veggies
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Ingredients
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Toast & Base
Smoked Salmon
Pimento Cream Cheese
Pickled Veggies
Garnish & Finish
Method
Pickled Veggies
Combine apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, and 0.25 tsp kosher salt in a small jar or bowl and stir until sugar and salt dissolve.
Place sliced cucumber, red onion, and julienned carrot into the jar or a shallow container and pour the pickling liquid over them so vegetables are submerged. Press down to remove air pockets.
Let sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes to quick-pickle (or refrigerate for up to 24 hours for a milder flavor). Drain briefly before assembling.
Pimento Cream Cheese
In a medium bowl, combine softened cream cheese, chopped roasted red pimentos, finely chopped scallion, lemon zest, smoked paprika, 0.5 tsp kosher salt, and 0.25 tsp black pepper.
Mix with a spatula or electric mixer on low until uniformly smooth and pimentos are evenly distributed. Taste and adjust salt or lemon zest if needed. Keep chilled until ready to use.
Smoked Salmon
Place the thin-sliced cold-smoked Alaskan salmon in a shallow dish. Drizzle 1 tablespoon bourbon over the salmon and 1 tsp fresh lemon juice; gently toss to coat. Let rest for 5 minutes — the bourbon will add aroma without cooking the fish.
Season with 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. If slices are large, portion them into 4 portions (2 oz per serving) for easier assembly.
Toast & Assembly
Spread 1 tablespoon of softened butter on each toasted bagel half while still warm (about 8 halves total).
Generously spread about 1 heaping tablespoon (approximately 1.5 tbsp) of the pimento cream cheese on each buttered bagel half.
Top each cream-cheese–coated toast with 1–2 oz (2–3 slices) of the bourbon-marinated smoked salmon, folding the slices for height and texture.
Divide the quick-pickled vegetables evenly over the salmon (about 1 tbsp per toast), and sprinkle each toast with roughly 0.5 tsp capers.
Finish with a light sprinkle of chopped fresh dill, a pinch of coarse sea salt, and a crack of freshly ground black pepper to taste.