The Sunday on the Upper West Side Bagel with Lox

Soak the thinly sliced red onion rings in a bowl of ice water for at least 10 minutes while you prepare everything else. This mellows the raw bite and sharpness significantly, leaving the onion crisp and sweet. Drain and pat dry with paper towels before assembling.

If using regular cream cheese instead of whipped, let it sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes until it spreads easily. You can also microwave it for 10 seconds at a time until pliable, but do not melt it.

Slice each bagel in half horizontally with a serrated knife using a gentle sawing motion. Toast the bagel halves cut-side down in a toaster oven, under a broiler, or in a dry skillet over medium heat until the cut surface is golden and lightly crisped but the outside remains chewy, about 2 to 3 minutes. You want warmth and crunch on the inside, not a dried-out cracker.

While the bagels are still warm, spread a generous and unapologetic layer of cream cheese on each cut half — about 1 ounce per half. The cream cheese should be thick enough that it does not fully disappear into the bread. This is the mortar that holds the whole construction together.

Arrange the smoked salmon slices on the bottom halves of the bagels, draping and folding them into loose ruffles rather than laying them flat. Ruffled lox creates pockets that catch the capers and onions and gives each bite textural variety.

Scatter the drained capers over the salmon. Lay the soaked and dried red onion rings on top, followed by a slice or two of tomato and several rounds of cucumber.

Tear the fresh dill fronds and distribute them over each open-face bagel. Finish with a generous crack of black pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice directly over the salmon.

Place the cream-cheese-spread top halves on gently, or serve open-faced for a more dramatic presentation. Serve immediately with extra lemon wedges on the side.