Bagels and Gravalox

 This week I got adventurous with my baking (and cooking) and wanted to make a true NYC breakfast. And I have to say... I didn't blow it! The bagels could've been cooked a bit less and the gravalox with a bit less pepper but, not bad for my first rodeo!

Bagels and Gravalox

(Original recipes)

BAGEL RECIPE

Yields: 6

Prep Time: 24 hours

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 day 1 hour

Ingredients:

DOUGH

1 1/8 cups lukewarm water

1 tbsp barley malt syrup 

1 1/8 tsp active dry yeast (1/2 packet)

3 1/4 cups bread flour

1 tbsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt OR 1/2 tbsp Morton kosher salt

Neutral oil

ASSEMBLY: 

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/8 cup barley malt syrup (plus more as needed)

Toppings (if desired)

Directions:

1. Pour 1/4 cup luke warm water into a small bowl. Whisk in barley malt syrup and yeast until both dissolve. Let sit until mixture foams (about 5 minutes) 

2. In a large bowl, combine bread flour and salt.

3.  Make a well in the center and pour in yeast mixture and remaining water. Mix. (The dough should be shaggy)

4. Knead the mixture in the bowl several times then turn onto a clean work surface, kneading for about 15-20 minutes until you have a stiff but very smooth dough

5. Gather dough into a ball, lightly dust with flour, and put in a large clean bowl with seam side down. Cover with a damp towel and let the dough rise until it has doubled, about 2 hours.

5. Lightly punch dough down to knock out the air. 

6. Cut the dough into 6 equal pieces

7. Preshape the bagels into tight balls. Then gather one ball at a time, pinching irregular edges into tear drop shape. Then cup your hand down and over the top in a loose grip, moving your hand in a circular motion dragging the dough across the surface until it has a high tight dome.

8. Repeat with all pieces then cover with a damp towel and let rest for 5 minutes.

9. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush with oil then set aside.

10. One piece at a time, roll out a ball into a 9 inch rope. Then wrap the rope around one hand and seal the ends together. Slip the ring of dough off your hand and stretch to even out thickness, until you have a ring that measures about 4". Then add to sheet. 

11. Once all are shaped, cover baking sheet with plastic and damp towel then put in the refrigerator to chill 4-24 hours.

12. 2 hours before you want to serve the bagels, preheat oven to 450. 

13. Fill large Dutch oven halfway with water and set a wire rack next to it. 

14. Prep bagel toppings in a plate on the side. 

15. Remove baking sheet from the refrigerator. Fill a small bowl of room temperature water and put a ring into the bowl. If the ring floats, it is ready to be boiled and baked. If it sinks, dry it off and let the rings sit for about 30 minutes and then check again. 

16. Set Dutch oven over high heat and bring to a boil. Whisk in baking soda and barley malt syrup. (You want the water to look like a strong black tea. Add more syrup until it does.) 

17. Bring to boil and skim any foam off the surface. Then maintain a gentle boil.

18. Add bagels into the Dutch oven (as many that will fit)

19. Boil for 1 minute, turning halfway through.

20. Transfer to wire rack then add topping, if using.

21. Remove parchment from baking sheet and put bagels on sheet.

22. Bake 20-25 minutes, rotating the sheet after 12 minutes.

23. Enjoy!

GRAVALOX 

Yields: 1 filet (1 lb)

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time/Cure Time: 5 days

Total Time: 5 days 10 minutes

Ingredients: 

1lb salmon filet

1/4 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup sugar

1/8 cup black pepper

1 bunch dill (about 1 cup)

Directions: 

1. Lay salmon skin side down in a baking dish.

2. In a small bowl, combine salt sugar and pepper. 

3. Put mixture oven salmon evenly until fully covered as if under a blanket of snow (use it all).

4. Spread dill on top to make a thick grassy carpet.

5. Lay plastic wrap or parchment over salmon to cover and press down. Then place a heavy weight on top. 

6. Refrigerate without disturbing for 5 days, except turn salmon over midway through the cure (Day 3).

7. Remove salmon from cure (which has now become liquid), brush off dill, and set on cutting board.

8. With a knife, slice tilted at an angle, stopping short of cutting though the skin and starting a few inches from the tail. Then run your knife between the skin and flesh to release. Transfer to parchment until ready to serve. 

9. Enjoy!