Lox Without the Bagels

DEAR SOS: I’ve looked high and low for a recipe for lox. I’ve got the bagels.

--THERESA

DEAR THERESA: We’ve got the recipe. Gravad lax (as it is called in Sweden) is ready for your bagels, or a holiday spread.

SCANDIA’S GRAVAD LAX

1 (2-pound) piece salmon

3 tablespoons salt

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon crushed peppercorns

1/2 bunch dill

Mustard-Dill Sauce

Thaw salmon, if frozen. Cut salmon in halves lengthwise. Remove bones. Combine salt, sugar and peppercorns. Rub half spice mixture over 1 salmon half and place fish, skin side down, in baking dish. Spread dill over.

Rub other half of salmon with remaining spice mixture and place skin side up, on first salmon half. Cover with foil. Place plate on top of fish and weight on top of plate.

Refrigerate 48 hours. Turn fish over every 12 hours, separating fillets slightly to baste with pan liquid.

When ready to serve, scrape away dill and seasonings. Place fillets, skin side down, on cutting board. Cut salmon diagonally in thin slices away from skin. Serve cold with Mustard-Dill Sauce. Makes 24 appetizer servings.

Mustard-Dill Sauce

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons vinegar

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/3 cup oil

3 tablespoons chopped dill

Combine mustard, sugar, vinegar and dry mustard. Slowly beat in oil until thick. Stir in dill. Chill. Makes 3/4 cup.

DEAR SOS: Last year at holiday time, I requested that you reprint the recipe for pineapple-cranberry bread made with crushed pineapple and cranberries. Hope you can help this year.

--LYNNE

DEAR LYNNE: Why not?

PINE-CRAN BREAD

2 cups sifted flour

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 (8 1/4-ounce) can crushed pineapple

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped cranberries

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Discard 2 tablespoons pineapple syrup and mix remaining syrup and pineapple with orange zest, melt butter and egg. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Stir in pecans and cranberries.

Turn batter into greased 9x5-inch loaf pan, then push batter into corners of pan leaving center slightly lower. Bake at 350 degrees 1 hour or until wood pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool. Wrap in foil and store overnight for best flavor and easy slicing. Makes 1 loaf.