Schmear Food

ROASTED GARLIC SCHMEAR

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 400°.
• Cut the tops off of your heads of garlic, sprinkle with salt and drizzle with the olive oil, and wrap tightly in foil; roast for 40-45 minutes, or until garlic is soft and golden; unwrap from foil and allow the heads to slightly cool just until they can be handled; then, squeeze the cloves from their papers and mash with a fork or knife into a paste; set aside.
• Add your softened cream cheese into a bowl, then add to it the cooled roasted garlic paste, along with a couple of pinches of salt and cracked black pepper, plus the minced chives and chopped dill; using a spatula, gently fold the ingredients together until well-combined, and store the schmear in a covered container in your fridge for as long as you would regular cream cheese.

SCHMEAR (CREAM CHEESE WITH LOX SPREAD)

Steps:

• In a food processor, work the cream cheese until it is smooth, turning off the motor and scraping down the sides of the work bowl several times.
• Add the scallions, lox, salt and pepper. Continue working the cream cheese mixture until it is blended (by the way, it is okay if there are some chunks of salmon in the mixture).
• Remove cream cheese mixture to a pretty container or small bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. Schmear on bagels, matzoh, or toasted pumpernickel or rye bread, or whatever you like.

STRAWBERRY BALSAMIC "BLT"

Steps:

• Arrange an even layer of strawberry slices on 4 slices of bread. Pile shaved iceberg on top. Place 3 pieces Bacon on top of each. Spread a nice crust-to-crust schmear of the Balsamic Black Pepper Mayo on the remaining slices of bread. Top with another even layer of strawberry slices, right on the mayo. Close sandwiches, slice in half and eat!
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Line a sheet tray with parchment paper overlapping each side by 1 to 2 inches. Place the bacon on the sheet pan. Bake, rotating once, until desired crispiness, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the bacon and let drain on paper towels.
• Whisk together the mayo, balsamic glaze, basil and pepper in a bowl. Season to taste with salt.

MARINATED FLANK STEAK WITH BLUE CHEESE SCHMEAR

Steps:

• Trip steak of any excess fat or silver skin.
• Place steak in large zip lock bag.
• Combine marinade ingredients and pour over steak.
• Close bag& press out any air.
• Move steak around in the bag to marinate.
• Refrigerate over night, or at least six hours.
• Mix schmear ingredients in a small bowl until smooth.
• Refrigerate schmear.
• Bring schmear to room temperature one hour before serving.
• Prior to cooking, remove steak from marinade& drain well.
• Grill steak over HOT fire, about 5 minutes a side for rare.
• Place steak on a platter with the side just off the grill up and IMMEDIATELY top with the schmear.
• Spread schmear over steak.
• Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
• Thinly slice at an angle across the grain.
• Spoon sauce& juices back over meat when serving.

LOX AND A SCHMEAR, EMERIL-STYLE

Steps:

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