Cafe Society: Bagels and Lox Recipe
BOBBY: Oh yeah, that’s right, you live in New York. What do you do there?
KAREN: I run a modeling agency.
BOBBY: Oh really? Hey, are there more beautiful girls in Hollywood or New York?
KAREN: Why? Is that how you all decided where you’ll live?
BOBBY: No, no, I’m just curious.
KAREN: There’s more out here. I’m sure you’ll have no trouble finding suitable companionship.
BOBBY: Unfortunately, most beautiful woman I’ve met out here already has a boyfriend.
KAREN: That’s life. That’s whyRodgers & Hart get rich.
BOBBY: Sorry, I think I’m a little drunk. I’ve never mixed champagne with bagels and lox.
CAFE SOCIETY, 2016
Cafe Society: Bagels and Lox Recipe
I’ve never been a big fan of Valentine’s Day. I honestly think it’s because my strong dislike for color pink or maybe because it’s the holiday that replaces all the Christmas decorations. Can you believe Valentine’s Day is less than a month away? I’m honestly still trying to take all my Christmas decorations down! I started a small series of recipes last year inspired by love movies and I thought it would be fun to do the same this year.
I love Woody Allen films and I was so excited to watch Cafe Society when I first heard about it. I’m really sad to say I was actually quite disappointed with it. If any of you have Amazon Prime accounts, Cafe Society is actually for free! Go watch it if you haven’t a;ready and I would to love know what you think of it.
The recipe inspired by this movie are bagels and lox. This recipe can be as easy as picking up a few items at the store but I thought I’d try making lox for the first time. It’s something I always see at breakfast buffets and I honestly didn’t think it was that simple to put together. While there isn’t much work to these recipes, it does take quite some time for the salmon to cure and the bagels to retard in the refrigerator. I highly suggest you give it a try and I hope you enjoy it!
Cafe Society: Bagels with Lox
Ingredients
Bagels
- 4 cups bread flour (22oz / 624g)
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp molasses
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 1 1/3 cup warm water, 110F (10.5oz / 298g)
Lox
- 1 - 1 1/2 pound salmon
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (3.5oz / 100g)
- 1/2 cup kosher salt (3.5oz / 100g)
Garnish
- cream cheese as needed
- thinly sliced red onions as needed
- capers as needed
Instructions
Lox
- To prepare the salmon, mix the sugar and salt together until combined. Place the salmon in a dish with plastic wrap large enough to wrap around the fish later. Pour half of the sugar and salt mixture on the fish and pat it on gently. Turn the fish over and pour the rest of the mixture on. Make sure the sides of the salmon are covered with the mixture as well. Wrap the salmon with the plastic wrap and place it back in the dish. Weigh the salmon down by placing another place on top. You can weigh it down with a can or anything else that is heavy. Place it into the refrigerator for 12-24 hours depending on the thickness of the fish.
- Rinse the fish in cold water when it is done curing. Pat dry and and slice thinly to serve.
Bagels
- In a stand mixer fitted with a dough attachment, mix the flour and salt together until combined. Add your yeast and water to the mixer on low speed until it starts to form a shaggy dough. Turn the mixer up to medium high and mix until it forms a smooth ball of dough. It should be quite tough.
- Turn the dough onto a clean work surface and divide it into 8 equal pieces (4oz each). Roll each portion into a ball and place it onto a lightly floured sheet tray. Cover with a towel and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Create an hole in the center of each ball with your fingers. This will create the ring shape we want. Gently expand the hole and make sure the bagel is quite even on all sides. Repeat with the rest of the balls. Place the rings onto a a lightly oiled sheet tray and cover with plastic wrap. Place it into the refrigerator for 12 hours.
- Take the dough out 30 minutes before you're ready to make the bagels. Preheat the oven to 450F. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Gently lay the bagels in the boiling water. Gently press it down it make sure it is submerged in the hot water. Each bagel should only take about 40 seconds in the water. Transfer to a parchment lined sheet pan. At this point, you can add any toppings to the bagel if you want. Repeat with the rest of the bagels.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the bagels are golden.
Serve
- Slice each bagel in half and spread a generous layer of cream cheese. Top with the thinly sliced lox and finish with thinly sliced onions and capers.
