The DIY Pantry (18 page)

1. Mix the salt and the spices together in a bowl until evenly mixed.
   
2. Place a long strip of plastic wrap on a baking sheet just long enough to accommodate the salmon.
   
3. Place one fillet of salmon face-up on the plastic wrap. Pour half of the salt mixture over the fillet; then lay the other fillet face-down on top of the first.
   
4. Pour the rest of the salt mixture over the fillets and pull the plastic wrap up and over the salmon as tightly as you can. If the fillets are small enough, place the wrapped fillets in a resealable plastic bag. Otherwise, place the fish in a baking pan or on a baking sheet long enough to accommodate the entire salmon. You don’t want the fish to lose any of its brine!
   
5. Place the salmon in the refrigerator and weight it with a plate or a brick on top of it. Cure the salmon for 3 days, turning the salmon stack over once a day.
   
6. To serve, brush off the salt and spices and slice thinly or dice.
   
7. Store the lox in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
   

Switching to homemade condiments may be one of the most satisfying ways to start eating healthy, whole foods because you’re making little changes that actually impact your health in big ways. Often, we assume that we’re stuck with the products we find in stores, or assume that a certain condiment is simple enough that it must be made with real ingredients, but neither is true. With more and more companies including additives in their foods, it’s becoming harder and harder to find condiments that are truly all-natural and good for you. The following recipes include the must-haves you’ll use time and time again, as well as a few surprising sauces you won’t be able to resist!

Everyone loves the bottled ketchup that comes from the store, but there’s no reason why you can’t make it at home! This homemade recipe is as close to the real, store-bought thing as you can get, and it’s so easy to make that even a young child could help out. While you can serve it immediately, the flavor is best after sitting in the refrigerator for 2–3 days.

1. Place all ingredients in a large saucepan and stir together with a whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat and bring to a boil; then reduce to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
   
2. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool. You may serve the ketchup immediately, but the flavor greatly improves after 2–3 days. Pour into glass jars or leftover glass ketchup bottles and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
   

Whether you’re slathering it on hot dogs, scooping it up with freshly baked pretzels, or serving it with bratwurst, mustard is a standard condiment in most households. This homemade version is so good that you’ll never know that it didn’t come out of a squeeze bottle, except that it’s even tastier than its store-bought counterpart. One of the best parts of this recipe is that its yellow hue comes from a liberal use of ground turmeric. Not only does turmeric add that beautiful, golden color to the mustard, it is known to have a wide range of health benefits, including slowing the progression of cancer and assisting in weight loss!