Ess-a-Bagel "Muriel" Baked Salmon & Muenster Melt
Chapter 4 — Lunch Bagels
When you step into Ess-a-Bagel, you aren't just ordering lunch; you are participating in a New York ritual. The Muriel—named for the sister of the shop's founder—is a towering testament to the appetizing tradition. It takes the old-world preservation of hot-smoked kippered salmon, binds it with just enough mayonnaise, and throws it under the broiler with mild, gooey Muenster and a salted beefsteak tomato. It is rich, smoky, unapologetically decadent, and exactly what you want when a simple schmear just won't cut it.
Before you start
Salt the tomatoes to draw out moisture.
Lay the thick tomato slabs on a double layer of paper towels, sprinkle lightly with kosher salt, and let them sit for 10 minutes before patting dry to prevent a soggy sandwich.
Bake the fresh salmon to simulate hot-smoked kippered fish.
Preheat the oven to 375°F, place the fresh fillet skin-side down on parchment, brush with olive oil, season heavily with salt and white pepper, and bake 18 to 20 minutes until it hits 145°F before cooling and discarding the skin.
Formulate the salmon salad.
Flake the cooled baked salmon into rustic chunks with a fork, then gently fold in the chopped Nova, mayonnaise, celery, red onion, lemon juice, and onion powder until cohesive but chunky, and chill for at least an hour.
Ingredients
- fresh Atlantic salmon fillet1 lb
- cold-smoked Nova salmon4 oz
- olive oil1 tbsp
- mayonnaise1/3 cup
- celery1/4 cup
- red onion2 tbsp
- lemon juice2 tsp
- onion powder1/2 tsp
- kosher salt2 tsp
- white pepper1/4 tsp
- everything or pumpernickel bagels4 large
- beefsteak tomatoes2 large
- American Muenster cheese8 oz
Method
- 01
Lightly toast the halved bagels.
A brief preliminary toast ensures the bread won't turn into a steaming, soggy mess under the intense heat of the broiler.
- 02
Apply a generous mound of the chilled salmon salad.
Spread about three to four ounces evenly across the bottom half of each bagel, taking it right to the edges like a professional.
- 03
Layer the salted tomatoes.
Lay two drained tomato slices directly atop the salmon salad.
- 04
Drape the Muenster cheese over the assembly.
Place two slices of cheese over the tomatoes, ensuring the edges hang over the sides to completely blanket the goods.
- 05
Melt under a hot broiler.
Place the loaded bottom halves on a baking sheet and broil on high for 60 to 90 seconds, watching obsessively until the cheese is bubbling and lightly browned.
- 06
Close, cut, and serve.
Crown with the top half of the bagel, press down slightly, and cleave firmly in half with a serrated knife.
Notes
Do not drown the fish in mayonnaise.
Kippered salmon is exceptionally rich on its own; the mayonnaise acts purely as a structural binder, not a flavor mask.
Source authentic kippered salmon if you can.
If you live near a real appetizing shop, buy one and a quarter pounds of real hot-smoked kippered salmon and skip the fresh bake entirely.
The magic of the chopped Nova.
For the rest of us without a local appetizing counter, mixing a little cold-smoked Nova into baked fresh salmon perfectly mimics that essential deli smoke profile.