When Nick LaRosa of Nook Kitchen put together his menu, he wanted to do a spinoff on bagels and lox. Then, he had a great idea: “Why not put everything bagel seasoning on salmon?” LaRosa tried different preparations and decided pan seared and finished in the oven would be the best way.

Once you make up a batch of Everything Bagel Spice, you can use it for all sorts of dishes, LaRosa says. “You can put it on everything – toast, salad, chicken, rice, hummus or dips – anything and everything. It’s so versatile.”

In December, Nook Kitchen in Arcadia moved a half mile down Indian School Road to more spacious digs, which includes a bigger seating and bar area plus a pizza counter where guests can watch pizza chefs in action.

Everything Bagel Spice Salmon

Ingredients

½ cup white sesame seeds, roasted
½ cup black sesame seeds, roasted
¼ cup dried garlic pieces
¾ cup dried onion pieces
1 cup poppy seeds
1 tbsp. caraway seeds measured and then crushed
¼ cup salt
1 tsp. fennel seed, measured and then crushed

Preparation

Mix all spices together and put in container. Will last for several months.

Salmon preparation

Put Everything Bagel Spice on a plate and press salmon into the spices. Pan sear skin side down (seasoning side up), and then finish in a 350-degree oven until firm. The spices will form a crust on the salmon.