Smoked Salmon - Popular uses for smoked salmon

by Claudia Bachman

Smoked salmon is one of the most versatile foods. It can be a great accompaniment to any number of dinners. There are many popular uses for smoked salmon around the world, such as:

Seafood Smorgasbord

In Scandinavian countries, particularly in Sweden, a seafood smorgasbord will often be laid out for a big family occasion. There are a number of dishes you will frequently find on the table. One is gravadlax. The Swedish fish delicacy, flavored with aniseed and dill, is gaining a following on fashionable dinner tables around the world. You will also frequently find caviar, possibly Beluga caviar on the finest tables. This will often be served as a starter alongside smoked wild salmon and a slice of lemon on a piece of rye bread. You will rarely find French delicacies like foie gras as part of a Scandinavian smorgasbord, the focus is very clearly on dishes which can be caught locally, such as herring, prawns and crayfish.

Bagel

The smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel is a staple of New Yorkers' diets. Delicious in its simplicity, the smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel is a fantastic snack and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or even brunch. The best smoked salmon for a bagel will usually come from a local fishmonger but could easily sourced from an online fishmonger. New Yorkers swear by them!

Christmas dinner

For many years, the only time Britons would see smoked salmon would be at Christmas dinner, alongside turkey, sausages and roast potatoes. Salmon farming methods have definitely brought the meal into the mainstream. Britain is now one of the world's largest consumers of smoked salmon. No longer reserved only for Christmas Day, we now enjoy smoked salmon alongside ham and pate at many weddings, funerals and other social events. Indeed, many wedding photographers are constantly dieting as they are bombarded with delicious food every weekend!

Smoked salmon has gone from being one of the world's great delicacies to being a populist dish which anyone can grab on their lunch break. The quality of salmon has suffered, but the good stuff is available at a price. As prices tumble and sushi looks set to be the next great fast food, you can expect to be eating much more salmon in the near future!