Stoked for Smoked Salmon

I’ve had a love hate relationship with salmon. Initially when I tried salmon I thought it tasted too fishy, too strong, and just too salmony (is that a word?). It seemed like everyone was touting its benefits though; rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, great source of protein, high in Vitamin B, anti-inflammatory, and low mercury levels. With all these positive benefits I halfheartedly forced myself to eat salmon once a week. But guess what happened? I started to actually like salmon. That pink fish somehow managed to swim its way into my heart (or in this case my taste buds and tummy).

I started making salmon wholeheartedly and looked forward to my weekly fish fix. Usually I keep it simple and dress it with a bit of olive oil, S&P, and when I have it on hand, fresh dill. Then throw the salmon on a grill or bake it in the oven until it’s done. However, this post isn’t about my go to salmon dish, it’s about a great way to use salmon (smoked salmon actually) in appetizer form.

I wanted to make an appetizer dish and loved the idea of smoked salmon with cream cheese, dill, capers, red onion, and a squeeze of lemon, but it was a process and too much work for someone to build snack-sized. I decided to put all those ingredients together and make a one-stop-shop dip that had the same flavors, minus the prep work. The concoction came together wonderfully and did the trick!

Since perfecting the recipe, I’ve been making this dip off and on for the past few years. One year I made it while my in-laws were in town from Kansas City. Neither of them cared much for salmon (that too salmony thing again), but they both enjoyed this dip and even ask for it occasionally when they come out to visit.

So if you’re a salmon skeptical like I was, give this dish a whirl. Who knows? Maybe that perfectly pink fish will find its way into your heart, just like it did mine all those years ago!

Ingredients:

4 ounces of smoked salmon

8 ounces of cream cheese softened

2 tablespoons of fresh chopped dill

3 green onions chopped

1/2 teaspoon of white pepper

1-2 tablespoons of capers

squeeze juice of half a large or all of a small lemon

salt to taste

Fork tear the smoked salmon until it’s broken up. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Place in the refrigerator and chill about 2-3 hours. Serve with crackers or bagel toasts. I usually double the recipe to feed a larger crowd.

Wine to pair?

Well let’s see here, what goes well with salmon? So you’ve all heard that we’re supposed to pair white wine with seafood, but I think salmon is the exception. Since it has a more complex flavor palate then your typical delicate white fish, I usually go with a red wine for this dish. Of course I’m going to say Pinot Noir because it’s salmon so that’s a no brainer for me, but I also like Grenache or even a Beaujolais. So whip up the dip, grab a cracker or two, swirl and sip the wine, and enjoy!