American

Bagel schmears

Name: Bagel schmears recipe
Yield: 6
Cuisine: /american
Ingredients: 6 bagels; 500.00g cream cheese, softened; 20.00 ml milk; 3 long green shallots, white and green parts thinly sliced, plus extra, thinly sliced, to serve; Small handful of chopped dill, plus extra, chopped, to serve (optional); 40.00 ml pureed chipotle in adobo sauce (from supermarkets and specialty grocers; puree your own if you can only find canned whole chipotles in adobo); 20.00 ml runny honey; 30.00 ml extra virgin olive oil; 4 Asian (red) eschalots (from Asian grocers, substitute eschalots), finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 tsp caster sugar; 250g salted butter, chopped, softened

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by Yasmin Newman

CHEF

May 02, 2025

“How do you eat a bagel in New York? The first step is choosing the type: plain, salt, sesame, poppyseed, onion, garlic or everything. Next, untoasted or toasted. If it’s fresh – and the best bagels are ideally still warm – you don’t need to toast. Finally, topping. Following Jewish kosher tradition, dairy and meat can’t be combined, which gave rise to the classics: butter, cream cheese ‘schmear’ (Yiddish for spread), and cream cheese with ‘lox’ (Yiddish for salmon). Today, you can choose between beloved sandwich fillings and a range of schmears.” – Yasmin Newman. This is an edited extract from EAT NYC by Yasmin Newman, published by Smith Street Books, AUD$65.00. Photography by Alan Benson.

6 bagels

Shallot and dill cream cheese schmear

250g cream cheese, softened
1 tbs milk
3 long green shallots, white and green parts thinly sliced, plus extra, thinly sliced, to serve
Small handful of chopped dill, plus extra, chopped, to serve (optional)

Honey chipotle cream cheese schmear

250g cream cheese, softened
2 tbs pureed chipotle in adobo sauce (from supermarkets and specialty grocers; puree your own if you can only find canned whole chipotles in adobo)
1 tbs runny honey

Caramelised shallot and garlic butter schmear

1½ tbs extra virgin olive oil
4 Asian (red) eschalots (from Asian grocers, substitute eschalots), finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp caster sugar
250g salted butter, chopped, softened

Method

1.

To make the shallot and dill cream cheese schmear, place the cream cheese and milk in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until light and smooth. Add shallot and dill. Season and beat until well combined. Transfer to a small bowl and scatter with extra shallot and dill, if desired.
2.

To make the honey chipotle cream cheese schmear, place the cream cheese in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until light and smooth. Add chipotle and honey, season and beat until well combined. Transfer to a small bowl.
3.

To make caramelised shallot and garlic butter schmear, heat the oil in a frypan over medium heat. Cook the eschalot, stirring, for 4 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic, season and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Reduce heat to medium-low, sprinkle the sugar over and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until shallot and garlic are caramelised. Remove from pan and allow to cool completely. Place butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until light and fluffy. Add the onion mixture and beat until well combined. Transfer to a small bowl.
4.

Now, simply split a bagel and spread generously with your chosen schmear.