It wasn’t until we moved to Houston, Texas that I had my first truly memorable bagel. The smell coming from inside New York Bagel & Coffee Shop enticed us before we opened the door. The long line moved at a rapid pace, so I never really had time to choose amid the dozens of flavors. Usually I opted for the choice of indecisives everywhere: an Everything with garlic, salt and every seed imaginable with a bit of cream cheese inside. The result: a warm toothsome exterior that gave way to a soft fluffy inside smeared with just-melted cream cheese – an irresistible Yiddish yin yang.
I admit, I was nervous about writing this piece. What right did I – a Midwest Catholic better acquainted with post-Mass doughnuts and Christmas cookies – have to tackle the elusive homemade bagel without any prior knowledge or Jewish grandmother for guidance? After all, plenty of professional bakeries haven’t mastered this breakfast staple. While I’m sure this gentile still has a long way to go before perfecting the art of the bagel, this is one of the most requested Weekend Projects to hit our table at home.
And how do you make a perfect bagel even better? Add an unctuous layer of gorgeous lox. It seems extravagant, but the reality is much simpler. Just pack salmon fillets with sugar, salt and herbs, wrap tightly, compress and let it cure in the refrigerator for two days. Then remove, rinse and slice for a decadent economical treat.
Since the bagel dough only requires a short rise, this Weekend Project is perfect as the weather begins to cool and you can once again approach your oven for baking. Grab a jar of capers and some thinly sliced red onion for a delicious brunch treat that will easily stretch into next week’s breakfast.
The Gameplan Day 1: Prepare the lox.
Day 2: Turn the lox.
Day 3: Prepare the bagels. Slice the lox and serve.
The Shopping List* 1 lb. center-cut salmon or other fatty fish
½ cup chopped dill
1 lemon
4 cups bread flour
1 package (2¼ tsp.) active dry yeast
2 Tbsp. barley malt syrup or 1 Tbsp. honey
1 to 2 tsp. desired toppings (salt, Creole salt, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, cinnamon-sugar, etc.)
Cream cheese, capers and thinly sliced red onion for serving
*This list assumes you have kosher salt, an egg and sugar at hand in your kitchen. If not, you will need to purchase those items, too.
Lox Makes 1 pound
1 lb. center-cut salmon or other fatty fish
½ cup kosher salt
½ cup sugar
½ cup chopped dill
4 to 5 thin lemon slices
12 Bagels (recipe follows)
Cream cheese, capers and thinly sliced red onion for serving
? Day 1: Mix the salt, sugar and dill together in a small bowl and set aside.
? Rinse the salmon and pat it dry with a paper towel. Check for any small bones that may remain. Place a long sheet of plastic wrap on the counter, then place the fish on top, skin-side down.
? Pack the sugar-salt mixture evenly over the fish, covering all exposed areas. Place the lemon slices on top, then wrap tightly in plastic, pressing out all the air. Wrap the fish in a second layer of plastic.
? Place the fish on a rimmed tray, then place another on top and weigh it down with a large can or heavy object. Place the whole set-up in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
? Day 2: Drain any collected liquid and flip the fish. Return the top tray and weights and refrigerate another 24 hours.
? Day 3: Remove the fish from the plastic and rinse any remaining salt or sugar with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels and taste a small slice. If too salty, continue rinsing. If too bland, add more salt-sugar mixture, wrap in plastic with let cure another 24 hours.
? Slice thinly and serve on bagels with cream cheese, capers and thinly sliced red onion
Bagels 12 servings
1½ cups lukewarm water (about 110 degrees)
1 package (2¼ tsp.) active dry yeast
2 Tbsp. barley malt syrup or 1 Tbsp. honey
4 cups bread flour
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 large egg
1 to 2 tsp. desired toppings (salt, Creole salt, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, cinnamon-sugar, etc.)
? Day 3: In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the water, yeast and barley malt syrup. Let stand 10 minutes, until bubbles begin to form and the mixture smells yeasty.
? Add 1 cup flour and mix on low speed to incorporate the flour, 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add 2 cups flour. Mix on medium speed until the flour is fully integrated. Add the salt and the remaining 1 cup flour and mix on medium speed until the dough is fully mixed and creates a well-formed ball.
? Raise the speed to medium-high to knead the dough 10 minutes. Remove the bowl, cover with a clean dry towel and let rise 20 minutes. The dough will expand, but not double in size.
? Bring 2 quarts water to boil in a wide shallow pot over high heat. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
? Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured, clean work surface. Use a sharp knife to slice the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each dough ball into an 8-inch rope. Wet the ends with water and twist them tightly together to form a 3-inch wide ring. Place the rings on a floured surface and cover with the towel to rise 10 minutes.
? Drop 3 to 4 bagels into the water, taking care not to crowd them, and boil 1½ minutes, then flip them gently with a slotted spoon and let boil another 1½ minutes. Remove and place on a rack to dry. Repeat with the remaining dough. Place 6 bagels each on parchment-lined baking sheets.
? In a small bowl, beat the egg and 1 tablespoon water to form an egg wash. Brush the tops of the bagels liberally and season with desired toppings.
? Bake 15 minutes, then rotate the pans and bake another 10 minutes, until the bagels are golden brown. Bagels will keep in a paper bag at room temperature for a few days or frozen in plastic up to 6 months.
-photos by Michelle Volansky
This article appears in October 2015.