Lox And Schmear from Ron and Marsha

Ingredients:
Schmear:

• 16 sushi-grade salmon slices
• 4 fresh bagels, sliced in half
• 3/4 cup Philadelphia Cream Cheese, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp capers, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• Butter, softened
• Dilled Cucumbers, recipe follows (optional)
• 1 bottle of good vodka (Russian, Kazakh, Polish or Scandinavian). Some suggestions include Russian Standard, Tsarskaya, Kremlin Award, Kalashnikov, Fris, Finlandia, Absolut, Grey Goose, Chopin, Sobieski, Wyborowa and Żubrówka.

Dilled Cucumbers:
from Emeril Lagasse

• 1 cucumber, peeled, split lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp chopped fresh dill
• 1/2 tsp salt

Preparation:

1. 1 day before serving, place vodka in the freezer.
2. If using dilled cucumbers, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
3. Place the cream cheese, capers, parsley, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and mix to combine.
4. Toast bagel slices until light brown. Spread each bagel half with some of the softened butter
5. Arrange 2 bagel halves per plate. Drape 2 salmon slices over each bagel half in a cross pattern. Place a full tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture in the center of the cross.
6. Arrange 2 tablespoons of the dilled cucumbers and red onion on the side.
7. Serve with a large shot of freezing-cold vodka.
8. YIELD; Serves 4.