Beef Patties in Red Wine

I always liked to cook with wine or liqueur, therefore I constantly experiment. When I come up with a dish where the wine actually helps the taste and transforms it into something better, the new variation becomes a favorite.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 6 tbsp margarine
• 2 red onions, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 lb 7 oz ground beef
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, plus extra to garnish
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup all’purpose flour
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Melt 2 tbsp of the margarine in a skillet. Add the onions, add the garlic, and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until softened.
2. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the ground beef, oregano, parsley and egg. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix well with your hands until fully combined.
3. Shape the mixture into 4 patties, about 1/4″ thick each. Dust with flour, and gently shake off the excess.
4. Melt another 2 tbsp margarine with the oil in the skillet. Add the patties and cook for 4 minutes on each side. Remove the patties to a serving dish, using a spatula. Keep them warm.
5. Pour off the fat from the skillet, then add the wine and bring to a boil over medium to high heat. Boil until reduced to about half. Dice the last 2 tsbsp margarine. Remove the skillet from the heat and whisk in the margarine, 1 piece at a time. Wait for each piece to be fully incorporated before adding the next. Pour the sauce over the patties, garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

 

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Vanilla Mint Julep

Summer’s is almost at the door, the weather’s just perfect for flavorful adult drinks. This one’s refreshing and delicious!

A delicious summer drink, a vanilla infused variation on the classic mint julep.

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 1 ounce plain vodka
• Dash of fresh lime juice
• Dash of sugar syrup *
• 3 mint sprigs
• 1 cup cracked ice
• 2 ounces Vanilla Bourbon **

Directions

1. Combine the vodka, lime juice, and sugar syrup in a shaker.
2. Add 2 of the mint sprigs and the cracked ice. Pour in the bourbon and stir, gently bruising the leaves.
3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the remaining mint sprig.

–xOx–xOx–xOx–

* Sugar Syrup

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups granulated sugar

Directions

1. In a small saucepan add the water, then the sugar. Bring the water to a boil while stirring.
2. Reduce the heat and continue stirring until the sugar dissolves.
3. Cool to room temperature.
4. Select a clean container and using a funnel, pour the sugar syrup into the container, seal and store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

Usage Hints

The sugar syrup must be completely cooled before adding to the infusion, lest you burn off some of the alcohol and affect the flavor. I prefer to use bottled water rather than tap water.

–xOx–xOx–xOx–

** Vanilla Liqueur

Ingredients

• 1-750 ml of vodka, or bourbon
• 2 vanilla beans, split lenghtwise
• 1/2 cup sugar syrup (optional)

Directions

1. Decant the spirits into a clean 2 quart glass container with a tight-fitting lid.
2. Add the split vanilla beans, including the seeds, to the spirits. Allow the spirits to infuse away from the direct sunlight and intense heat for 1 month. Shake the container a few times a week.
3. When satisfied with the intensity of flavor, strain the liqueur through a coffee filter into a bowl. Discard the solids. Strain again if needed. Add the sugar syrup to taste, if desired.
4. Using a funnel, pour the liqueur into the original bottle. Label with the name of the liqueur and the date. Age the liqueur for one month, away from light and heat.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

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Chicken Cobbler

As someone who spent his childhood through mid-teens in Uruguay, the beef capital of the world, chicken was not a favorite growing up. After coming to the US, however, I finally discovered the delights of poultry; the following recipe – which my mother used to make – is more than worthy of being shared:

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite size chunks
• 2 tbsp margarine
• 1 large leek, sliced
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 orange bell pepper seeded and chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 3/4 cup white wine
• 3/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper to taste

Cobbler Topping

• 1 1/2 cups self rising flour plus extra for dusting
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• pinch of salt
• 3 tsp margarine
• 5 tbsp soy milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Put the flour in a bowl with salt and pepper  to taste. Add the chicken  and toss the flour to coat. Reserve any remaining flour.
3. Melt the margarine with the oil in a large flameproof casserole, add the chicken  and cook, stirring, until the chicken is browned all over. Lift out with a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate and set aside.
4. Add the leek, scallions and garlic to the casserole and cook over medium heat, stirring for 2 minutes, until softened. Add the carrots and bell pepper and cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the remaining seasoned flour, the tomato paste, and turmeric. Pour in the wine and stock, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cook over low heat, stirring, until thickened. Return the chicken to the pan, add the bay leaf, cover. then bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking powder, turmeric and salt into a mixing bowl. Rub in the margarine until the mixture resembles the breadcrumbs, then stir in enough of the soy milk to make a smooth dough. Transfer to a lightly floured board, knead lightly, then roll out to a thickness of about 1/2 inch. Cut out circles using a 2″ cookie cutter.
6. Remove the casserole from the oven, discard the bay leaf.Arrange the dough circles over the top, then return to the oven and bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until the cobbler topping has risen and is lightly golden.

Enjoy, gentle reader. Enjoy!

CS

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Nobody

On Shavuos, which starts this evening, we read Megillath Ruth. Among the many lessons the Scroll of Ruth teaches us, aside from King David‘s genealogy, one particularly stands out in my mind… We read: U’Boaz alah hasha’ar vayeshev sham. Vehinei hago’el over, asher diber Boaz, vayomer, ‘sura shva po Ploni Almoni’ vayosar vayeshev. - Boaz, meanwhile, had gone up to the gate and sat down there. Just then, the redeemer of whom Boaz spoke passed by. He said, “Come over, sit down here, Ploni Almoni.” (Ruth 4:1).

Undoubtedly, as a relative, Boaz knew the name of the man he had just addressed, why then is he referred to here as Ploni Almony (Unnamed, or Anonymous One)? It is obvious that the author of the scroll meant this anonymity as a rebuke. What was the Unnamed One’s grievous sin, that caused such a castigation? He certainly had every right to refuse to marry Ruth, besides, he broke no halachic ruling by doing so, but… was he right?

He refused to marry Ruth “lest I imperil my inheritance (Ruth 4:5).” He refuses to marry her out of purely selfish reasons, as the Midrash explains, “Machlon and Chilion died only because they married Moabite women, shall I then go and take her?” Ruth, had not only converted to Judaism, but did forsake her land and her royal family to follow Naomi and became a poor gatherer of sheaves, but to Ploni Almoni she was still a “Moabite.”

Ruth, the convert, was destined to become the ancestress of King David and the Royal House of Israel, the ancestress of Moschiach, but Ploni Almoni was too blind, too wrapped up with himself to understand what was the right thing to do. Sometimes one must go above and beyond the minimum required by law; in Ploni Almoni‘s case, though he didn’t break any laws, though he was within his right… he was wrong. He was wrong to the point where Rabbeinu Yoel Sirkis in his commentary - Be’er Mayim – brings down that the Unnamed One forfeited his p0rtion of olam haba, the world to come!

The lesson that must be learned, therefore, is that when an occasion presents itself to perform a good deed, one must not think of just him/herself; the individual must rise to the occasion and step outside the area of personal comfort and attend to the other’s needs as if they were his/her own. Then and only will one cease to be a Nameless Nobody, then and only then will one truly honor Hakadosh Baruch Hu, and he/she will then honor the Creater far more than with all the prayers and fasts. By helping another with all one’s heart and without a shred of selfishness, not only will one actually become a Somebody, not only will one honor the Almighty, but one will accelerate the coming of Moschiach Tzidkeinu bimheiro vyomeinu!

At this time of receiving the Torah, may each one of us cease to be a Nobody, may each one of us become a somebody worthy of one’s name!

CS

Chag same’ach – A guttn yonteff!!!

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Meyer Lemon Cheese Pie Cheesecake

A great variation on the theme of cheesecakes, from none other than Marye Audet‘s Restless Chipotle blog:

Photo by: Restless Chipotle

Go to Marye’s blog for the recipe…

By the way, we’ve reposted one of Marye’s recipes before, Roast Chicken with Citrus and Aromatics. Everytime we make it, the taste and the aroma get better and better!

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!
CS

Queso Blanco Pull Apart Bread

In scouring the web for some great recipes we’ve come across one that we know you’ll love. From Evil Shenanigans:

RECIPE AND PHOTOS © 2013, EVIL SHENANIGANS

Queso Blanco Pull Apart Bread

Author: Kelly Jaggers
Recipe type: Bread
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Prep time:  40 mins
Cook time:  30 mins
Total time:  1 hour 10 mins
Serves: 8

Photo by: Evil Shenanigans

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
• 2 serrano peppers, seeded and minced
• ½ medium onion, finely chopped (about ⅔ cup)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon coriander
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¾ cup beer, heated to 110F (any ale will do)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1¼ teaspoons dry active yeast
• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
• ½ cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese

Directions

1. In a medium skillet over medium heat add 1 tablespoon of butter.
2. Once the butter foams add the diced peppers and onions. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to soften, about 1 minute. Add the chili powder, cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika and cook until the spices are very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Divide the mixture in half, placing one half in the work bowl of a stand mixer and the other half in a medium sized mixing bowl. Allow to cool to room temperature.
3. In a small bowl combine the beer, water, and yeast. Let the mixture stand until very foamy, about 10 minutes. Pour the yeast mixture into the work bowl with the pepper mixture along with 2 tablespoons of melted butter, flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix with the dough hook for 3 minutes on low speed. Check the hydration – the dough should form a smooth ball that is fairly sticky. Add additional flour if needed to achieve the right consistency. Increase the speed to medium and continue mixing for 5 minutes.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a smooth ball. Place the ball into a bowl that is lightly coated with non-stick cooking spray. Spray the top of the ball lightly, cover and let the dough proof until double in bulk, about 2 hours.
5. Once the dough has proofed turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Dust the top of the dough lightly with flour, and with the palm of you hand lightly press out any large air bubble. Roll the dough out into an approximately 18×12-inch rectangle.
6. Melt the remaining butter and brush half of the melted butter on the dough. Spread over the remaining pepper mixture and both the shredded cheeses. Slice the dough into 8 strips and place the strips into two stacks of four strips each. Cut each stack into 4 equal pieces.
7. Brush the inside of a 10-inch loaf pan with the melted butter. place the stacks into the buttered pan so the cut sides face up. Pour over any remaining butter, cover, and let rise until the dough holds a finger mark when gently pressed about 1½ hours.
8. Heat the oven to 350 F. Bake the bread for 25 – 30 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when gently thumped on the top. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool. Serve warm.

Photo by: Evil Shenanigans

Since the shape of this is very different from traditional breads, there is little chance to forget that it is a dairy rather than a parve product.
Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

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Kusa b’Jibn: Zucchini-Cheese Frittata

I found the following delicious recipe in Poopa Dwek‘s Aromas of Aleppo:

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 pounds zucchini or yellow squash chopped (about 5 cups)
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 eggs, beaten
• 1 pound Muenster cheese, grated
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon butter, cut into 6 pieces

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a large skillet saute the squash and onion in the vegetable oil for 8 minutes, or until the squash is crisp-tender.
3. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, cheese, squash-onion mixture and salt. Stir well
4. Pour the contents into a 2-quart baking dish. Dot the top of the mixture with butter. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes or until lightly browned.

Enjoy, gentle reader. Enjoy!

CS

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Something to Break Today’s Fast With

//

Beer Cheese Soup

With Shavuoth fast approaching what better than a delicious dairy soup? From Pam Reiss‘ Soup – A Kosher Collection:

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1/2 small yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 small carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cups beer
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 lb grated cheddar cheese
• 1 cup, air popped popcorn for garnish

Directions

Use whatever beer you like to drink. Using a lighter beer will make the flavor of the soup subtler  than a dark beer. It’s a rich soup, so go easy!

Over medium low heat, sweat the vegetables in olive oilfor 12 to 15 minutes, until they are wilted but not brown.

Add the beer and bring it to a simmer. Allow the soup to simmer gently for 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, milk and half-and half. Whisk the this mixture, along with the salt and pepper, into the soup and bring the soup back to a simmer. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, allowing the flour to cook and the soup to thicken.

Using a whisk, add the cheese to the soup slowly, mixing well. Whisk until the cheese is completely incorporated

Serve the soup with popcorn for a garnish.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

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A Night of Art, Wine, and More – Part 2

Last evening, May 7th, Igal Fedida‘s gallery (1482 First Avenue, New York, NY – Tel: 310.466.3916) was filled with people, delicious cheeses, fruits, and good wine. People were coming in throughout the evening, enjoying the art, talking or listening to Igal explain what his art expression is about, and tasting the food and wine.

Details from three of the paintings in the gallery.

Among those visiting the gallery were people of every age group, in many cases you would never have expected these individuals to have much in common with each other, yet all were attracted by Igal’s art. At moments there were as many as 60 people filling the narrow gallery.

Eli Shemesh, from Anderson Foods International…

Eli Shemesh, surrounded by art and cheese

…presented two of Anderson’s lines of cheeses – the brand new Sincerely, Brigitte. and Natural & Kosher. Three of the six Sincerely, Brigitte flavors were represented (Garlic Basil, Tomato Olive, Parsley Chive); while I loved all three, but, my favorite was the Parsley Chive because of the subtle flavors herb flavors. The majority of the people, however, seemed to prefer the Tomato Olive. All three flavors disappeared as the gallery visitors gobbled them up, together with Natural & Kosher‘s selection of three goat cheeses; my favorite, among the latter, was (you guessed it!!) Fine Herbs.

The wine selections consisted of Ben Ami Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Alfasi Cabernet Sauvignon; the eight bottles did not last very long, a fitting testimony to their delightful flavors.

Partial views of the gallery, before the start of the evening and at one point when Igal Fedida spoke about his creations.

It was a wonderful evening of art, wine, cheese and superb conversation.

CS

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Poached Nectarines

Summer is fast approaching, so what could be better than this recipe adapted (by Kosher Revolution‘s author Geila Hocherman) from Dede Wilson‘s Unforgettable Desserts?

Poached Nectarines with Rosé Granité and Frozen Sabayon

Serves 6 to 8

INGREDIENTS

Poached Nectarines

• 1 1/2 cup slightly fruity rosé wine
• 1 1/2 cup of water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 6 ripe nectarines

Granité

• 1 cup slightly fruity rose
• 1 cup poaching liquid

Sabayon

• 6 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup slightly fruity rosé wine
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup MIMICREAM HealthyTop
• 1 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 cup chilled warm water

Photo by Alexandra Grablewski – Page 264

DIRECTIONS

For the poached nectarines – Stir together the wine, water, and sugar in a narrow , deep saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Add the fruit; the liquid should cover the fruit. Simmer just until the fruit is tender when pierced with a knife tip, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the poached fruit from the liquid with a slotted spoon and set aside on a cutting board. Measure out 1 cup of the poaching liquid and set aside. Boil any remaining poaching liquid until it reduces and becomes thick and syrupy. Cool and then pour into an airtight container. Once the fruit is cool, chop into 1/2-inch dice, discarding the pits. Scrape the fruit into the container with the syrup. Refrigerate until chilled or for up to 3 days.

For the granité – Stir together the wine and the 1 cup reserved poaching liquid in a 8-inchmetal baking pan. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap. Freeze until solid or for up to 3 days.

For the sabayon – Whisk the egg yolks and wine together in the top of a double boiler (or deep bowl for a makeshift double boiler). Whisk in the sugar. Set over boiling water that just touches the bottom of the bowl and whisk constantly until very thick and almost tripled  in volume. The mixture should form a ribbon when you lift the whisk; this will take 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and immediately set over a bowl of ice water. Whisk the mixture until it is completely cool. Whip the HeathyTop in a separate clean bowl until soft peaks form, add the unflavored gelatin (diluted in the water) and then fold into the egg mixture. Scrape into an airtight container and freeze until solid or for up to 3 days.

For the assembly – Have 6 to 8 clear wine goblets available. Right before serving, scoop a layer of fruit into the bottom of the glasses. Top with a scoop of sabayon. Use a fork to make course, icy flakes of granité and scoop them onto the sabayon. Repeat the layers, ending with the granité, and serve immediately.

- TIP -

The sabayon will freeze pretty solid. In theory, it is best after it has softened at room
temperature for about 5 minutes. The reason I don’t suggest taking it out ahead of time is
that because by the time you have all of the desserts assembled, it will have come to the
proper temperature and consistency.

Delicious snack, perfect at any time. Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS