lox at home

Making lox is much easier then ever imagined and yields amazing results at home. This recipe requires very little time to set up and a weeks worth of patience for the curing. Sliced thin and served on bagels for holiday brunch or with champagne and caviar for New Years.


Basic Gravlax

1 skin on fillet of salmon (2-3 pounds)
½ lemon juiced
1 oz gin
1 cup kosher salt
3/4 cup white sugar
2 Tb fresh ground black pepper

Remove pin bones from salmon and place it skin side down on cheese cloth on a perforated pan or screen with a drip pan under. Combine the gin and lemon juice and brush the mixture onto the salmon fillet. In a bowl mix salt, sugar and black pepper. Pack the dry mixture on to the fleshy side of the salmon. Wrap the cheese cloth around the top and place a sheet pan with a 1 lb weight onto. Place in the fridge for three days. (If your fish is extremely thick it will take a day or so longer). When you remove it on the third day most of the dry cure will have melted into the fish. If any dry bits are left brush them off and you are ready to slice the fish. Slice at an angle as thin as possible and avoid cutting into the skin. After the cure is removed the lox will last a week plus in the fridge.

Empanadas

As fall becomes winter and the outdoor activities of warmer months become indoor ones, group projects involving food become all the more practical. These little treats are fun made as a group sitting around the table and talking. I have many fond memories of making empanadas with friends down south and drinking coffee while we wait for them to bake or fry. They can always be frozen before baking and baked at a later date if you end up with to many.


Empanadas with caramelized onion and goat cheese

Filling
8 large yellow onions thinly sliced
4 shallots medium diced
1 bunch flat leaf parsley chopped
2 cloves garlic
3 TB olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 ½ cup fresh goat cheese

Filling heat a large frying pan with the olive oil, when hot add in garlic and shallots and sliced onion, season. When transparent and light brown remove from heat and cool in the fridge. Add the goat cheese and parsley to the mix when it has cooled.


Dough
7 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 TB sugar
12 TB vegetable shortening
3 sticks butter
1 cup and 4 TB ice water

Egg wash
1 egg beaten with 1 TB water

Dough In kitchen aid mixing bowl with the paddle attachment add in all of the dry dough ingredients, then add in the chilled fats, blend on low until it is grainy and is evenly mixed. Add in the ice water slowly. As soon as the water is incorporated remove from the mixer (do not over mix). Set in the fridge for 10 min and let the dough rest wrapped in plastic. Divide the dough into 1 inch balls and roll them out to be 1/8 inch thick and as round as possible. Fill one side with the cooled filling and fold in half and seal. Brush with egg wash and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment. Bake in an oven heated to 375 until golden brown. Yields about 24