Happy Birthday Dad! For your birthday, I am announcing to the Internets: I LIKE LOX! *
I have not always liked smoked salmon, a.k.a. lox. But after a few salmon and avocado sushi rolls, I realized that I was actually eating, and loving, something really quite similar. This is not unlike an epiphany I had toward the end of college; that is, although I had never enjoyed pop** because of the carbonation, if I liked to drink beer, I could probably handle a Diet Coke now and then in a pinch.
Oh, sorry Dad. I also like beer. But I digress.
At a recent party at my place, I served a neat little dish consisting of a small corn cake topped with smoked salmon, dolloped with a Greek yogurt accent sauce. {The corn cakes were decent, but need a few tweaks before posting.} For that dish, I purchased a Costco package of salmon, and the second half of that two-fer package had been staring back at me from my freezer for too long.
Because a butterfly flapped its wings***, I sometimes receive a magazine in the mail called Eating Well. In the March/April 2015 issue, there is a “Classic Scones Master Recipe.” One of the suggestions is a play on lox-and-bagels-with-fixins, and calls for smoked salmon, finely chopped red onion, and fresh minced dill.
Most people are more familiar and comfortable with sweet scones, like these Cherry-Coconut Scones, or just plain ol’ scones served with a side of lemon curd. But if you are a lox person, and/or have not tried a savory scone, please take this recommendation.
I halved the suggested recipe and made just six scones, and I think it was a great size for a smaller crew, because the taste is not neutral – it is very distinctive. But I didn’t halve the recommended measurement of lox because the proportion seemed low to me to really get the experience of the lox.
If you are up for baking, these Lox, Red Onion, and Dill Savory Scones are a perfect brunch dish. For another serving option, split one of the scones in half, and top with more lox, more red onion, and some dill yogurt sauce, for a Monday lunch to bring you back to flavors of the weekend. I need more protein in my breakfast, but if you are the pastry-for-breakfast type, add this recipe to your rotation. Reheat them at 300 degrees, if you prefer them warm (yum).
The flavor of the lox permeates the scone, while the red onion provides a surprising but recognizable taste and texture. It’s not too strong; if you eat red onion at all, ever, you will likely appreciate this addition. The dill provides a beautiful visual effect distributed throughout the scone, and of course, palate-wise, it complements the lox and onion.
My dad is the purest of purests, and he is probably wincing right now, at the thought of both savory scones and lox mixed into something rather than in its traditional role for him, on a pumpernickel bialy flagel (with extra caraway seeds) and homemade chive cream cheese, but, nonetheless, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Love you Dad.
* Also, we got you cufflinks. But I know you prefer the lox announcement.
** Why yes, I am Midwestern. Thank you for noticing!
*** Butterfly flap: I used a random online coupon code for my face moisturizer from some random website where it was 20% off that day. As a bonus it came with two magazine subscriptions. Because there were no magazine options particularly in my wheelhouse, I bit the bullet and picked Better Homes and Gardens. Periodically, it comes bundled with Eating Well. VOILA! Lox, Red Onion, and Dill Savory Scones, served up for you and me both.
- .75 c flour (plus a little more for the end, when you are forming the scones)
- .5 c + 2 T whole wheat flour
- 2 t baking powder
- 1.5 t sugar
- .25 t kosher salt
- 2.5 T unsalted butter, very cold, and cut into small cubes
- ⅓ c chopped smoked salmon (2 ounces)
- 3 T very finely chopped red onion
- 2 T minced fresh dill
- .5 c buttermilk*
- 1 egg white
- Heat oven to 400, and place a silpat or parchment paper on a small baking sheet (or coat a baking sheet with cooking spray).
- In a large bowl, stir or whisk together the flours, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
- Place the butter cubes in the bowl and smush the butter between your fingertips (yes!) together with the flour until the butter pretty much disappears into the dry ingredients.
- Stir in the salmon, red onion, and dill, making sure to evenly distribute it.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg white.
- Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients, and stir just until combined.
- Sprinkle a little flour on the dough and knead it in the bowl a few times until it's less sticky and you can handle it. Add a little more flour if you need to.
- Form the dough into a circle on the prepared baking sheet and pat it down until it is 5 to 6 inches in diameter.
- Using a bench scraper or butter knife, cut the circle in half; then cut each of the halves into three wedges, so you have six wedges total. Separate them a bit from each other so they have room to expand and brown on all sides.
- Bake at 400 until firm to the touch, which will take about 18 to 24 minutes.
Adapted from: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/smoked_salmon_dill_scones.html (Note: the print version is formatted much differently from the online version.)
Tell me what you think!