Emiril and Bagels

I like to bake as many of you know.  Good old fashioned yeast, dough, and kneading.  I've only been doing it since I was a Mess Officer as a collateral duty in the Marines, about 30 years or so.  In all that time I never found a bagel recipe I liked.  I will admit that I am a little lazy and by the time I get to the 13th or 14th step in a recipe I say screw it and look for a new one.  So I googled easy bagel recipe and near the top of the list was one by Emiril.

Now most of the big time chefs have to show off their knowledge of complicated recipes using esoteric ingredients.  Otherwise, we common folk would think that we know how to cook and bake.  (I actually have a recipe for Babka, from the "old country" that says to let the dough rise overnight under your bed.  Remember that without central heat, the bedroom was the only room heated at night.)

From past experiences I know that most of Emril's recipes are a bit on the complex side.  You find a recipe for hot dogs and two hours, 16 ingredients, and $26.95 later you have a hotdog.  Much of the expense was for the lemon persimmon juice that only comes in pint bottles for $11.99 a bottle.  Of course those three drops that you need for the recipe are absolutely essential.  And you can always use the rest in the only other two recipes in the world that call for it; a recipe by Rachel Ray for tacos and a lasagna recipe by Bobby Flay.

Then the kids drown the hot dog in ketchup anyway so why bother?

I mention all of this just to say that I was fooled.  It is about as easy as a bagel recipe can be and the bagels come out great.  To be honest, I'm not even careful with the recipe so it is close to being foolproof.

I cut the recipe in half and utilizing Quantum, instead of Newtonian, techniques made eight bagels instead of six.  Try it.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/homemade-bagels-recipe/index.html