Smoked Salmon Salad with Cream Cheese and Caper Dressing

This beautiful smoked salmon salad is sort of a deconstructed version of the breakfast favorite bagels and lox. It also has the distinction of being the first recipe I ever sold (for a whopping $5). There is quite the emotion when it comes to steadfast bagels and lox fans, so you may not want to mention the association.

Blend together cream cheese dressing. Set aside. Thinly slice a bagel into coins. I prefer onion bagels. Lightly toast the coins. Set aside.

Arrange salad plates with following:

Baby Spinach
Thinly sliced red onion
Fresh tomatoes in julienne slices
Smoked salmon stripped into bite-size pieces
Thinly sliced cucumber (optional)

Drizzle dressing over salad and top with toasted bagel coins.

Cream Cheese Dressing

 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. loosely packed parsley leaves
1/2 c. chopped scallion
1/2 c. loosely packed dill sprigs, coarse stems discarded
1 tbsp. vinegar
1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
2 tbsp. Half and Half
2 tbsp. capers, more if you really like them.

In a food processor blend the cream cheese, sour cream, parsley, and scallion, scraping down the side until the mixture is smooth. With the motor running add the vinegar, oil, Worcestershire sauce, Half and Half, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend the dressing until it is well combined. Add capers. (Makes 2 cups).