One of the gastronomical phenomena that I most yearn for when I am dwelling deep in the rural wilderness of south central Alaska is a good old fashioned Jewish delicatessen. The delicate and savory broth from a bowl of steaming, homemade matzo ball soup. A well-toasted bagel with just the right schmear. The crunch of a sour pickle between bites of mustardy-rye perfection. Flavors that pack as much flavor as they do nostalgia.
Luckily, when I find myself longing for such nosh-talgic fare, wild-caught Alaskan seafood perfectly helps to fill the void. Smoked sockeye salmon, in particular, is a standout for me. I can be thousands of miles away from the nearest Jewish deli counter, but if I have a pack of smoked sockeye salmon in my fridge, I’m immediately transported to the front of the deli line. I’ll take smoked salmon with cream cheese on a well toasted bagel, please.
The salty-creamy-carby combination of smoked salmon on a bagel is so culinarily platonic that it’s been absorbed into the broader American tradition of breakfast and brunch. Which, selfishly speaking, is great: the more widely my favorite Jewish deli orders are embraced by the popular palate, the more likely I’ll be able to find a variety of Jewish-American flavors in far flung places like rural Alaska.
As an ode to the ubiquity of the smoked salmon bagel — and as part of a grander paean to Jewish-American heritage and its influence on American culture — we have three new recipes up on our blog this week that draw their inspiration from this quintessential deli offering.
First up is a recipe for Smoked Salmon Toast with Avocado and Feta. It’s one of my anytime-of-the-day snacks when I have a nice, ripe avocado on my counter, or when I’m in a location where a good bagel is hard to find.
The next recipe I want to highlight is Matzo Brei with Caramelized Onions and Cold Smoked Sockeye, our savory take on a comforting breakfast hash enjoyed by many Jewish-American households. Flecked with salty pops of cold smoked sockeye and sweet, caramelized onions, it’s an amped up version of this humble meal. If you’ve never had it before, or have never even heard of it, you’re in for a real treat.
Finally, if you’ve got a shaker of “everything bagel spice” in your pantry, check out our recipe for Baked Salmon with Everything Spice Crust. It’s made with regular portions of salmon rather than our cold smoked sockeye, but the seedy, salty flavor profile is strongly reminiscent of a Jewish deli. It’s an incredibly easy meal to make, and one that I think you’ll enjoy if you’re the breakfast-for-dinner type.
I’d love for you to try out some of the recipes I’ve shared with you today, so I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention you that you can add two (8-ounce) packs of Cold Smoked Sockeye to your upcoming boxes by visiting the Add-Ons tab on your homepage. That way, you can keep your freezer and fridge well-stocked with this Wild Alaskan offering — truly, one of my favorites.
Live Wild,
Monica
Pictured above: A hearty scoop of matzo brei (pronounced mat-zah bry) for a savory breakfast that lets you savor the morning. The matzo is mixed in with ribbons of cold smoked sockeye and golden, caramelized onions. A scattering of crunchy green scallions adds just the right pop of freshness.
