Lox

I love cured salmon of any kind, and when I first read that you could make it at home, I was intrigued! At the time, I didn't know the difference between smoked salmon and lox; I thought they were interchangeable. Turns out lox is just cured but not smoked—a.k.a. even easier to make yourself! Despite this, I think I was intimidated for a long time by the fact that it's raw salmon/might not be food-safe—as well as the 3-day wait period lol—so I put it off for many, many years. 7 years, it looks like!

After temporarily moving to the PNW (a.k.a. salmon central) recently, though, I had no more excuses not to make it. Unfortunately, it was already too late in the season to get wild salmon that was fatty enough for good lox (or so said the folks at the local fishmonger's). Fortunately, however, it turns out Costco salmon does the trick xD It was quite delicious, and I can't wait to make it again with actual in-season wild salmon!

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. salmon (preferably wild)
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 bunch dill, chopped finely
• (optional) Freshly ground black pepper
• (optional) Several bay leaves

Instructions

1. Line a large casserole dish (9x13 or thereabouts) with plastic wrap, leaving long overhangs on each side for wrapping the salmon afterwards.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the salt, sugar, dill and optional seasonings together until combined.
3. Rinse the salmon and pat dry with paper towels. Using clean tweezers, remove the pin bones by pulling them in the same direction they are facing (to minimize tearing).
4. Cut the salmon into two halves, and place one half skin side down on the plastic-lined casserole dish.
5. Dump all of the salt/sugar/spice cure onto the surface of the salmon half, making sure the edges are coated evenly wth the mixture. Place the other salmon half flesh side down onto the cure, so that you're forming a kind of salmon sandwich.
6. Wrap the salmon "sandwich" tightly with the remaining plastic wrap, leaving a small opening at one end for any liquid to leak through. Place something heavy (I filled a large Pyrex container with water) on top, and put in the refrigerator.
7. Check every 12 hours to drain any excess liquid and flip the sandwich over to evenly distribute weight.
8. On Day 3, unwrap the salmon and rinse/wipe off all the cure. Slice thin slices on a bias.
9. Portion any leftovers into ziploc bags and freeze.
10. Enjoy :)

Eat this with...

• A bagel, duh
• Cream cheese
• Capers
• Quick-pickled onions (slice some onions and mix them with vinegar, sugar and salt)

(recipe adapted from Use Real Butter and My Jewish Learning)