We found ourselves with an unusual amount of smoked salmon on hand recently. My father and I had smoked fresh salmon for a dip for Leo’s baek-il party on New Year’s Eve, and we fell in love with how easy, cheap, and intensely delicious it was. We smoked several pounds after that, yet my love of smoked salmon started waning after one too many meals centered around smoked salmon dip and whole-wheat toast points. This salad catapulted me right back into full-blown obsession with smoked salmon. I emphasized the smoky flavor in this salad, which is balanced wonderfully by the cool and creamy garlicky ranch dressing. Smoked gouda is my favorite, but you could use regular gouda or even shredded mozzarella here, if you want. I also recommend fresh smoked salmon, which is way easier to make than you’d think! Check out this video to learn how. You can, of course, use packaged, cured smoke salmon, though! You’ll love how the salty, smoky salmon melts into the crisp bacon and creamy smoked gouda, one big explosion of flavor. The tender egg and buttery avocado balance out the heady smokiness perfectly. You’ll love it, and it’s so easy to make!
