This amazing smoked salmon dip recipe is a knock-off of the spread used in the salmon bagel at the Lazy Otter in Whittier, AK. After taking a bite of Captain Jim’s salmon bagel, I was sold. Last weekend (August 2024) we were told there was an abundance of salmon berries so my friend Michelle and I decided to head there to see what we could find and Captain Jim wanted to meet us. Perfect! Captain Jim, having run a charter fishing company out of Whittier for more than a decade, pretty much knows the town and its trails like the back of his hand. Well, on this day the berries were already gone. Michelle found a handful and that was it.
So… Off to the Lazy Otter for respite and to wait for the tunnel to open in our direction. (Those of you who don’t know, there is a one-way tunnel into and out of Whittier that is coordinated with vehicles going either in at one time or out at a different time and a train). Captain Jim just had to have the salmon dip on a bagel. I figured I could skip the bagel or serve it with Carolyn’s amazing and gluten-free french bread baguettes. Here you go.
I don’t know whether the Lazy Otter uses smoked salmon or just baked for their salmon dip, I’m sure either will work I just like the added flavor of smoked salmon. Plus, I have an abundance of this year’s Sockeye (red salmon) filets, some still from last year (they last when vacuum sealed and frozen), and… it turns out, a couple of filet’s from two summers ago, I decided to smoke the older filets and use smoked salmon Recipe here.
The traditional salmon dip relies on cream cheese and sour cream and the salmon bagel is a white bagel. As you know, I would never use cream cheese or other dairy, or serve this spread on white bagels. What to do? Check out any of my many alternate flour quick-bread recipes here, serve this over lettuce and cucumbers, or just use the cucumbers as a dipping tool, or underneath a Tablespoon or so as an elegant appetizer…—and Simple Mills Rosemary and Sea Salt almond flour crackers are a lovely pairing.
Ingredients
Make ahead “English” muffins a la Michelle, or Paleo sandwich bread. Both recipes are fairly simple, pop them in a toaster oven. Or use cucmbers for dipping. Excellent over lettuce…
2 small or one large salmon filet, about 5oz give or take; smoked, skin removed, and flaked
4 oz goat cheese (I couldn’t find a non-dairy alternate—nor could I find a non-flavored alternate which turned out to be a boon because I chose the lemon flavored then skipped adding lemon juice, otherwise use plain goat cheese plus lemon)
¼ Cup plain nutmilk yogurt, I used coconut
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried
¼ Cup finely chopped red onion
Capers to taste or as garnish
Fresh dill for garnish if you used fresh
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
- In a small bowl combine goat cheese, yogurt, lemon juice, and dill. Mix well. It should be creamy but not runny.
- Add the flaked smoked salmon and red onion, mix well.
Decide what you want to serve this with and serve.
And while you are smoking salmon, smoke more than you need for this recipe and make my smoked salmon chowder. I’m proud to say this is one of the most favorite recipes I’ve published.
If you made this, please post your thoughts, below.
