Wild Thistle Kitchen: Bagel Brunch Board with Kvarøy Salmon
By • December 17, 2020 0 1324
This is the ultimate salmon bagel brunch board. I am thrilled to be partnering with Kvarøy Salmon to bring you this post, as I truly believe in their mission and admire their sustainable farming practices.
I’ll tell you more about them below and some of the wonderful things they do. But first, let’s talk about this board! Not one, not two but three kinds of salmon grace this epic bagel board. It is just such a fun, choose-your-own adventure brunch experience — perfect for these brunching-at-home days and totally perfect for the holidays.
You all know I love putting together all kinds of boards. I love the abundance and the wow factor. I love that there is something for everyone. This bagel brunch board is no exception. I used Kvarøy Salmon’s smoked salmon, salmon burgers and salmon hot dogs, which are all available at Whole Foods. I’ll give you the step-by-steps of how I built this board, but first I’d like to teach you about this generous company and share some news that will make your heart happy.
Kvarøy Arctic is a third-generation, family-owned farm raising Atlantic salmon with the merroir of Norway’s cold, clear waters, with delicate marine flavors and slight brininess.
It is the only farm-raised salmon with the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check seal. Kvarøy Arctic is also ASC, BAP and GLOBALG.A.P. certified and uses IBM’s blockchain technology for traceability in the supply chain.
Why is this important?
Because the Olsen family is ushering in a new era of sustainability for salmon farming. Their practices are leading the way in sustainable farming, reducing food waste and ensuring the fish you’re eating is accurately labeled.
Kvarøy Arctic is currently available for national delivery from fultonfishmarket.com and at most Whole Foods Market locations with the designation “Whole Foods Atlantic Farm Raised Salmon — Product of Norway” in the fresh case.
If you have been here for long, you know I only work with companies that I believe in — companies that align with my values and that I am proud to serve to my family. Well, as a part of this partnership, Kvarøy Arctic is not only sponsoring this post but also donating up to 2,000 pounds of salmon products to a local food bank or charity of my choice. Talk about some feel-good holiday spirit!
I chose Fauquier FISH, which is working with the Piedmont Environmental Council to organize a distribution event with a network of our local area food banks. I’m not kidding when I tell you that I cried when I told my husband all of these details. There is nothing better than giving back — especially this time of year, and especially THIS year.
The donation program has been a huge part of the brand’s effort this year. Kvarøy Arctic started doing this at the beginning of the pandemic and has continued with donations of its nutritious fish to at-need communities across the country nearly every week. I am so grateful and so inspired by Kvarøy’s generosity and so honored to be a part of this project.
Now that you know more about this incredible company, let’s make a bagel brunch board!
Smoked salmon mini bagels. Photo by Anita Parris Soule. Courtesy Wild Thistle Kitchen.
Smoked Salmon Mini Bagels
To me, nothing says “brunch” like smoked salmon and bagels, so I started there. I spread a generous layer of herbed cream cheese on some toasted mini bagels, topped with thin cucumbers, smoked salmon and fresh dill. I left these open-faced because I wanted that beautiful color to show.
Salmon hotdog and roasted potato brunch skewers. Photo by Anita Parris Soule. Courtesy Wild Thistle Kitchen.
Salmon Hotdog and Roasted Potato Brunch Skewers
Next, I roasted some baby potatoes and pan-fried some slices of Kvarøy salmon hotdogs until golden brown to make the cutest little brunch skewers. Some grainy mustard for dipping was the perfect finishing touch. These savory skewers were quite possibly my favorite part. With a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, a dip of grainy mustard and a crunchy cornichon, they just hit all the right notes.
Salmon burgers. Photo by Anita Parris Soule. Courtesy Wild Thistle Kitchen.
Salmon Burgers
Finally, I made some epic everything-bagel salmon burgers to round out this bagel brunch board. Herbed cream cheese on both sides, thinly sliced tomato and red onion, fresh greens … served with some lemon wedges and fresh dill, these were totally irresistible. I sliced them in quarters so it was easier for my family to take a little bit of everything.
That’s it! Those are all the details on this beautiful bagel brunch board. Feel free to make it your own and add things you LOVE. Some soft-boiled eggs would be nice. Use your favorite bagels and toppings. I hope you will give Kvarøy Arctic a try. The company’s Fulton Fish Market page is linked HERE. Keep an eye out for them at your local Whole Foods, too.
Enjoy! xo — Anita
Bagel Brunch Board with Kvarøy Salmon
Ingredients
1 package Kvarøy Smoked Salmon
1 package Kvarøy Salmon Burgers
1 package Kvarøy Salmon Hotdogs, sliced into 4 pieces each
16 baby potatoes
2 everything bagels
2 mini plain bagels
8 oz. herbed cream cheese
1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
1 lemon, sliced into thin wedges
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tomato, thinly sliced
1 tomato, sliced into wedges
A bunch of cherry or grape tomatoes
Several bunches of fresh dill
2 cups fresh baby greens (such as spinach or arugula)
¼ cup mini pickles or cornichons
2 tablespoons capers packed in brine
2 tablespoons grainy mustard
Flaky sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Photo by Anita Parris Soule. Courtesy Wild Thistle Kitchen.
Instructions
First, toss potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper and place in a 400-degree oven for about 20 minutes until roasted and tender throughout.
While potatoes are roasting, cook Kvarøy Salmon Burgers using the stovetop instructions on the package. Next, in the same pan, cook Kvarøy Salmon Hotdogs over medium heat until browned on all sides.
Assemble skewers by placing 1 potato, 1 slice of salmon hotdog and 1 more potato on each skewer. Repeat until all ingredients are used.
To assemble smoked salmon bagels, spread herbed cream cheese on each toasted mini bagel, top with thin slices of cucumber, then top with smoked salmon.
To assemble everything-bagel salmon burgers, spread herbed cream cheese on toasted everything bagels and top with salmon burgers, sliced red onion, sliced tomato, baby greens and a spritz of lemon juice. Then top with remaining bagel slices that have been spread with herbed cream cheese.
Once all is prepared and assembled, arrange on a large platter, board or baking tray. I like to start with the largest items — in this case, the burgers. I sliced them in quarters and placed them on opposite diagonal edges. Then I put the skewers on another corner and the smoked salmon bagels slightly toward the center. The gaps get filled in with small dishes of mustard, cream cheese, capers, cornichons. Finally, place veggies and other items around, keeping in mind what goes well together. For example, the mustard and pickles go well with the skewers, so I placed them nearby.
Don’t stress — just have fun with the process and it will come out beautifully. And, most important, it will be delicious!
