Ingredients/Smoked Salmon Lollipop 10 oz smoked salmon 8 oz cream cheese 2 Tbsp scallions, sliced thinly on the bias 1 tsp capers 2 tsp lemon juice Method/Smoked Salmon Lollipop Combine 6 oz smoked salmon, cream cheese, scallions and capers; mix in a stand mixer with a paddle until ingredients are combined. Place the mixture in the refrigerator until firm. Remove mixture from refrigerator and roll into 10 balls. Place these on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and put back in the refrigerator to firm, about 4 hours. Cut the remaining 4 oz of smoked salmon into 10 1⁄4- inch julienne strips and reserve. Put a strip of smoked salmon around each of the cream cheese-smoked salmon balls. Ingredients/Bagel Dust 1 plain bagel salt and pepper to taste Method/Bagel Dust Slice the bagels into thin, paper-like pieces. Place the slices on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake at 325o until dried, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Once bagel slices are cool, pulse them in a food processor until they are in small, pebble-like chunks. Put the chunks in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Assembly (Need 10 6-inch lollipop sticks for assembly.) Push lollipop sticks into smoked salmon balls. Roll in bagel crumbs, using enough pressure to make sure that bagel “dust” sticks to the salmon balls. Chef Notes The lollipop can be made 2-3 days ahead of time. Be sure to cover in plastic to keep from getting dry. You can use seasoned breadcrumbs or crushed tortillas instead of the bagel dust for a different flavor profile. Variations You can make the cream cheese mixture with a homemade salsa and roll it with chopped fajita-style chicken for a Southwest flavor. Or, mix blue cheese into the cream cheese base, roll the lollipops in chopped crisped bacon and serve with a pipette filled with a port reduction.