Lox and a Schmear, Emeril-Style

I love this recipe! It looks so pretty and tastes so good, this is one of my comfort foods! I don't need an Emeril recipe to prepare lox and cream cheese but it just that it hits the right spot with the right amount of ingredients! Make the Dilled Cucumbers first because they need to be put in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse, 2002. Televion Food Network, 2003.

• Ready In: 16 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Dilled Cucumbers

• 1  cucumber, peeled, split lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced
• 1  tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1  teaspoon sugar or 1  teaspoon Splenda sugar substitute
• 1  teaspoon  chopped fresh dill
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

• Cream Cheese Mixture with Lox

• 3⁄4 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1  tablespoon  chopped capers
• 1  tablespoon  chopped parsley
• 1  teaspoon fresh lemon juice, no substitutes
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon white pepper
• 8  slices smoked salmon
• 4  bagels, halved
•  butter or  margarine, softened
•  dilled cucumber
• 1  small red onion, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Make Dilled Cucumbers:
2. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
3. Prepare Lox and a Schmear:
4. Place cream cheese, capers, parsley, lemon juice, salt(if using), and pepper in a small bowl and mix to combine.
5. Place 2 slices of the salmon in a cross pattern on a flat surface.
6. Place 1/4 of the cream cheese mixture in the center of the cross.
7. Fold the flaps over to form a package approximately 2x2" wide.
8. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
9. Spread each bagel half with softened butter or margarine.
10. Place the package on a bagel half and top with 2 Tablespoons of filled cucumbers and red onion.
11. Top with the other half of the bagel and make a sandwich.