To give smoked salmon its unique flavor and texture, it is first cured with salt, sugar, and sometimes spices, and then hot- or cold-smoked. Cold-smoked salmon has a soft texture and buttery flavor, while the hot-smoked variety is more firm and dense. Savor smoked salmon for brunch with cream cheese and bagels or paired with eggs; in all kinds of dips, canapes, and other appetizers; or in salads, sandwiches, or pasta.

Smoked salmon mingles with capers, red onion, and horseradish in this cream cheese dip. Add color with a sprinkling of chopped parsley and serve with bagel chips.

These beautiful appetizers are remarkably easy to prepare. Spread toasted slices of rye bread with low-fat cream cheese and top with thin slices of English cucumber, red onion, smoked salmon, a few capers, and a squeeze of lemon juice.

White-wine cream sauce softens the salty edge of smoked salmon in this delectable pasta dish.

Buttery smoked salmon and crisp, bitter endive are a winning combination in these dainty tea sandwiches. The cream cheese-scallion spread can be prepared a few days in advance.

A light, crisp salad of thinly sliced fennel bulb and lemon zest is the perfect complement to buttery smoked salmon. In addition to the fennel, you could use cucumber and celery in this salad.

Give classic Cobb salad an unexpected twist by replacing the chicken with smoked salmon. Bacon, avocado, hard-cooked eggs, and a buttermilk-dill dressing brilliantly complement the salty fish.

Goat cheese and heavy cream give delectable richness to this dill and smoked salmon frittata. Slice into wedges and serve with scones, fresh fruit, and mimosas for a memorable special-occasion brunch.

Mix together chopped salmon fillets, smoked salmon, and fresh dill to make these out-of-the-ordinary burgers. The salmon patties will be delicate, so it's best to cook them in a nonstick skillet.

Smoked salmon replaces the ham in this elegant twist on traditional eggs Benedict. Use chewy crumpets instead of the usual English muffins for an extra-special brunch.

Top thick-cut potato chips with smoked salmon, sour cream, and dill sprigs to make this ultra-easy appetizer. These would also be delicious with homemade waffle-cut chips.

Smoked salmon replaces the ham in this classic French sandwich of cheese, fried egg, and bechamel sauce. Serve these for brunch as an elegant departure from eggs and toast.

What looks like a beautiful iced cake is actually a savory multilayered sandwich of pumpernickel bread, cream cheese, cucumbers, and smoked salmon. Decorate the top of this elegant appetizer with rosy salmon roe and black caviar for a dramatic finishing touch.

To make this perfect party appetizer, puree smoked salmon with sour cream and lemon juice, and thicken the mixture with unflavored gelatin. You can prepare this light spread up to a day in advance.

Arrange thin slices of russet potato in concentric circles in a cast-iron skillet and fry in clarified butter to make the crisp, golden galette. Top it with cream cheese and smoked salmon, and serve as an appetizer or light brunch or lunch.

This recipe stretches a modest portion of salmon to feed four people. Combine cream cheese, dill, and capers for a quick and easy sauce to dress farfalle pasta, red onion, and the fish.

Mix chives, dill, and lemon juice into softened butter to make the delicate spread for these sandwiches. Serve the sandwiches chilled so they maintain their shape.

The egg salad sandwich breaks out of the lunchbox and onto the breakfast table with the addition of smoked salmon and avocado. This recipe uses four egg whites but just one yolk to cut down on fat.

Sliced cucumbers stand in for bread in these bite-size sandwiches. Jalapeno, red onion, cilantro, and lime zest add spark to the smoked salmon filling.

Steamed, scooped out artichokes make edible cups for hollandaise-topped poached eggs and smoked salmon. Try this twist on the classic eggs Benedict for a special brunch.

Traditional hash gets a bit more refined in this version that combines smoked salmon, boiled red potatoes, peas, and dill in a creamy white wine sauce. Serve this dish for an elegant brunch or luncheon.

Buckwheat flour gives blini -- bite-size Russian pancakes -- their trademark flavor. Serve them warm, topped with smoked salmon, creme fraiche, and dill sprigs.

Mix fresh dill into soft goat cheese and spread on toasted ciabatta. Serve with smoked salmon as part of a holiday brunch buffet.

Capers and red onion season the cream cheese spread for these delicate smoked-salmon sandwiches. Use cookie cutters to make different-shaped sandwiches, or cut them into wedges.

For a special-occasion brunch buffet, arrange an assortment of hot- and cold-smoked salmon along with whitefish salad, salmon roe, caperberries, and flavored cream cheeses. Serve with bagels and black bread.