This Evening’s Guest

This evening, on our internet radio show we will be talking with Jeffrey Elliot and Salvatore Rizzo, at 8:00pm (Eastern Time). Jeff will be teaching the essential techniques of knife skills necessary for the home cook at De Gustibus this coming Tuesday from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. To sign up for the class, please go to the De Gustibus‘ website. A light Kosher meal will be served.

Jeffrey Elliot has a degree from the Culinary Institute of America and has cooked at prestigious restaurants such as Le Cirque, and Le Bernardin in New York. Since leaving the kitchen, he’s owned an antiquarian bookstore, received an MBA and worked as a stockbroker. He has also worked for Share Our Strength, a non-for-profit dedicated to eradicating childhood hunger in America, organizing Taste of the Nation events in 15 cities across the US and Canada. Currently, Jeffrey is the National Manager of Culinary Relations for Zwilling JA Henckels. He is a co-author of The Zwilling J.A. Henckels Complete Book of Knife Skills.

Salvatore Rizzo (“Sal”), is the Director/Owner of De Gustibus School of Cooking at Macy’s. The school’s mission is “To continue the tradition of serving the culinary community by showcasing the talents of established chefs, rising stars, and sommeliers to food and wine lovers, with the utmost in hospitality.”

Salvatore Rizzo acquired De Gustibus Cooking School in April 2008. He has been active in the culinary world for over 25 years, honing his skills as the consummate host and interlocutor of chefs. Sal was the Director of the Italian Culinary Institute where he managed chef events for several years, after which he became Director of House Operations and Events at the prestigious James Beard Foundation until 2007. A true master of hospitality and friend to many a chef, Sal’s passion involves promoting the culinary arts and creating an environment where people can come together and share incredible experiences centered around food and wine, something he was exposed to daily, growing up in a Sicilian household.

Meanwhile, in case you missed it, why not listen to our last last broadcast? Our guest was Dietitian and Nutritionist Bonnie R, Giller. It was a fun an informative show.

Please, listen to our show this evening at 8:00pm (Eastern Time) on BlogTalkRadio.com.

CS

This Coming Wednesday Evening’s Radio Show – Bonnie R. Giller

Our guest on Blogtalkradio.com, this coming Wenesday at 8:00pm (Eastern Time) will be Nutritionist Bonnie R. Giller. What are her credentials? Bonnie R. Giller, MS, RD, CDN, CDE, has published two cookbooks: Recipes to Remember – Heart Healthy Can Be Delicious and Passover the Healthy Way: Light, Tasty and Easy Recipes Your Whole Family Will Enjoy. She is now hard at work on a third cookbook which will contain over 300 recipes for healthy living.

She has been in private practice since 1987.  Her main message to people who are trying to lose weight is that Diets Don’t Work.  Bonnie would like to introduce the concept of Intuitive Eating which is eating mindfully and not mindlessly.

In her practice she also provides Medical Nutrition Therapy, which is treatment of various disease states through nutrition, as for example with diabetes.  Bonnie Giller is a certified diabetes educator and work extensively with people who have diabetes and pre-diabetes.  She provide nutrition services for those with gastrointestinal issues as well.

On these days when we hear so much about healthy eating habits, when the traditional Eastern European Jewish cuisine – while delicious – can actually be harmful, Mrs. Giller delivers the message that healthy eating need be neither boring nor unimaginative. As her books attest, you can eat healthy and still enjoy the wholesome flavor of myriads of dishes. The secret lies in the ingredients and the preparation.

Meanwhile, in case you missed it, why not listen to our conversation with Ladino‘s owner/Chef Alexandre Petard?

Don’t forget to tune us in this coming Wednesday at 8:00pm (Eastern Time), for a very interesting, informative, entertaining talk with Bonnie R. Giller.

CS

Passover The Healthy Way

The author of Passover The Healthy Way is a Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator and Certified Dietitian-Nutritionist. She provides Medical Nutrition Therapy for weight management, diabetes and other medical conditions to both adults and children. With such experience one would expect Bonnie R. Giller‘s cookbook to be filled with succulent and nutritious dishes. You know something? If that’s what you expect you will certainly love this cookbook!

It has gebrochs and non-gebrochs recipes (though the gebrochs outnumber the non-gebrochs). The featured dishes are divided into eight categories:

• Soups and Other Meats
• Fish
• Vegetables
• Side Dishes
• Kugels
• Dairy Dishes
• Desserts & Baked Goods

It includes 5 Appendixes:

• Measurement Equivalents
• Tips for Sodium Reuction
• Cooking and Baking
• Substitutions
• Food Labeling Terms

Mrs. Giller has graciously allowed us to share one of her poultry recipes:

Photo by the cookbook author: Bonnie R. Giller

Matzo Stuffed Chicken Cutlets

(Gebrochs) – Serves 10

10 (5 oz.) boneless chicken breasts

Stuffing:

1/2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
5 whole matzo boards finely broken
1/2 cup medium dry Concord wine
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 egg white
1/2 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. pepper

Sauce:

1/3 cup low fat mayonnaise
2 tbsp. ketchup
1 tbsp honey

1. Suate onion in olive oil until tender, but not browned.
2. Add broken matzohs and toast lightly.
3. Cmbine wine, egg white, seasonings, and chicken broth to matzoh mixture.
4. Mix well until matzoh is soft and mixture is heated through.
5. 5. Take 1/4 cup of stuffing, place in the middle of each chicken cutlet and roll. Secure with toothpick, if needed.
6. Combine mayonnaise, ketchup and honey in a bowl. Mix well. Spread on top of chicken cutlet rolls.
7. Bake at 350 F. for 30 to 40 minutes.

Serving size: 1 (4 0z.) stuffed chicken cutlet
Exchanges per Serving: 4 Meat, 1 Starch, 1/2 Fat

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 266                                                                                                 Cholesterol: 83 mg
Total Fat: 4.5 gm                                                                                                 Protein: 36 gm
Saturated Fat: 1 gm                                                                               Carbohydrate: 17 mg
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5 gm                                                                 Dietary Fiber: 2 gm
Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5 gm                                                                     Sodium: 198 mg

You may order this book at: www.passoverthehealthyway.com.Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Today’s Radio Show

This afternoon at 5:00 pm (Eastern Time), we will talk with Doris Schechter of My Most Favorite Food on BlogTalkRadio.com. Doris arrived on these shores in 1944 as part of a transport of refugees from Europe and as a guest of President Roosveldt. She eventually opened up My Most Favorite Dessert Company and in time moved her enterprise to its present location where it became a full service restaurant, combining a bakery and a cafe (beautiful and sedately elegant in its theme) – with superb fare – under the name My Most Favorite Food.

Doris is the author of two cookbooks available online and at the restaurant: At Oma’s Table and My Most Favorite Dessert Company Cookbook. She will talk to us about her coming to this country as a young kid, becoming an entrepreneur, cookbook author and succeeding at every endeavor.

Meanwhile in case you missed it, you can listen to the archive of last week’s show with cookbook author Lévana Kirschenbaum. We spoke about her newest cookbook, The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen and the concept behind “whole foods,” their health advantage and benefits.

Don’t forget to tune us in this afternoon at 5:00 pm (Eastern Time), we will talk with Doris Schechter of My Most Favorite Food on BlogTalkRadio.com. We’ll be waiting for you!

CS

The Kosher Scene’s Radio Show for this Week

This coming Wednesday evening (March 21, 2012), at 8:00 pm (Eastern Time), we will talk with Lévana Kirschenbaum about her newest book, The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen. The book was originally published as a paperback in November. While we praised the contents, we were nonplussed with the book’s production. This week the book makes its appearance in a larger, hard bound, format, with easier to read fonts and layout. The photography, by Meir Pliskin, has undergone a huge change as well.

While the appearance changed radically, while the new book is truly a pleasure to behold, the contents are the same. At the time, my co-blogger SYR wrote:

Though aesthetically the book’s layout is rather ordinary looking, the content is superb. It’s jam-packed with healthy mains, soups, salads, pastas, beads and desserts; aside from the general index, the cookbook includes a Passover index and a gluten-free index, with recipe notations indicating gluten free or gluten free adaptable. The recipes and text reflect a seasoned master chef who poured her culinary heart and soul into this cookbook. All content is meticulously organized and the format though visually lackluster nonetheless delivers the author’s usual witty humor and éclat in a most lively entertaining way.

Truly a hitchhiker’s guide to all things good-for-you and delicious, you’ll get never-ending use out of this comprehensive culinary work. The variations that accompany the recipes are awesome as are the tips and running commentary that weave through the pages. It’s like having a master chef or super balabusta mom right there with you preparing your best. Meir Pliskin’s photographs are tastefully done though the publisher’s cropping and cheap printing is somewhat disappointing. Lisa Young’s nutritional info though not revolutionary in content, serves as a useful reminder of healthy choices.

We will be speaking about the joys of whole food, this book is geared to the cook that wants healthy and delicious fares for her family but who doesn’t much care about the fuss of spending hours preparing the food.

Meanwhile, in case you missed them, please listen to the two shows we did last week: Alec Borenstein – Success Coach, Motivational Speaker and 9th Kosher Wine Extravaganza.

Don’t forget to tune us in this coming Wednesday evening (March 21, 2012), at 8:00 pm (Eastern Time) on BlogTalkRadio.com/kosherscene. We’ll be looking out for ya!

CS

An Author and Her Cookbooks – Part 1 – The Kosher Carnivore

June Hersh is one remarkable woman. She’s got this articulate impresario presence that combines wisdom and know-how in a Jewish Oprah/ Martha Stewart kind of way. Pick a subject matter and June will research, write and perfect a delightful, informative product that is instantly marketable. Here I am, a Holocaust survivor’s daughter internally struggling for years to articulate some memorial to my parents’ heritage and experiences while, American rooted, June comes up with a sensitive sideward entrée onto the experience through recipes and stories of Holocaust survivors. Her first book (Recipes Remembered: A Celebration of Survival) is compassionate to their plight, a paean to their survival and achievement in a new land.

I gave a copy to my mother and she began sharing some of her own kitchen experiences with her mother; the last of which was her locking the pantry the day they were taken away, her mother saying “Little one, you won’t need to lock the pantry anymore.” My family’s memoirs, though ever present, are still too raw to pen.

In June’s new cookbook The Kosher Carnivore, she again does thorough research and walks us through the kosher meat process; from the biblical origins of what makes an animal kosher or not, through the koshering and cuts of meat. The recipes present us with core popular, culturally mixed, dishes that bring out the best in the various cuts of meats described in her cookbook.

Ben Fink‘s photography is well done in warm tones that subtly speak of treasured old dishes and new favorites (I wish there was more of it!). The layout is very functional, easy to follow with “Behind the Counter” and “Side Note” tips, the cross-section of variety all make it a cookbook I will refer to again and again! I highly recommend it not just for audiences familiar with kosher but also for those who are just discovering the world of Jewish culinary traditions.

Choosing a favorite dish from the book, was no easy task, there were quite a few I had tried and so many more I can’t wait to try; but I thought this one – which I’ll be trying this evening on Shabbat – was an interesting update to a cut of meat of meat I’ve always loved.

Coffee-Crusted Hanger Steak

Why not save time and have your coffee with your dinner rather than after? Freshly ground espresso beans and lots of companion spices combine to give a little jolt to the seared crust of this full-flavored steak.

Serves 2
Start to Finish: Under 30 minutes

• 2 tablespoons espresso or strong coffee beans, freshly ground
• 1  teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground ancho chilli pepper
• 1 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika (pimentón)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (1 to 1 1/2 pound) hanger steak, halved
• Canola Oil

Detail from Ben Fink's photo in The Kosher Carnivore

Preheat the grill or a stovetop grill pan. Grind the coffee and then the spices in a spice or coffee grinder and pour the ground mixture out onto a large plate. Let the steaks come to room temperature, then coat them in oil and roll each steak in the ground-coffee-and-spice-mixture. Grill about 15 minutes for rare to medium-rare, turning the steaks to brown on all sides. Let rest for 10 minutes, loosely covered in foil, then cut into large slices on the diagonal.

Feedback
Did you know that the humble jar of paprika, which many people think is reserved for sprinkling on deviled eggs, not only provides a great splash of color, but also a terrific flavor boost? Your pantry probably holds a jar of sweet supermarket paprika, but let me tempt you to invest in the Hungarian variety, which will wake up most dishes with its earthy and slightly peppery flavor. Paprika was first processed in Hungary and is derived from red peppers, and can have a bit of a bite. For a spicier kick, try using hot paprika, and if you want that mellow smoky taste then reach for Spanish paprika, also known as pimentón.

Enjoy!

SYR

A Conversation with June Hersh

This evening on our radio show we will talk with June Hersh, author of Recipes Remembered: A Celebration of Survival and Kosher Carnivore. June is teacher, writer and passionate home cook.

In Recipes Remembered she not only gives us some great recipes of yesteryear, but the author brings us  the personal stories of Holocaust survivors, or their children, with memories of their childhood, their struggle for survival, ultimate success and each one’s personal favorite recipe. It is a book filled with love and admiration, as only someone who understands life and is passionate about food could write. In a way it is as a record of Jewish life as it was, a glimpse of what we lost…

In Kosher Carnivore, the author gives us her favorite meat recipes but teaches us how to buy meat, which cuts are best for what type of meal, she also talks about wine and food pairing. Both her books are beautifully written, both are more than just cookbooks!

We will be speaking to her this evening at 8:00pm (Eastern Time) on BlogTalkRadio.com. June Hersh is an exceptional writer, a superb storyteller we a passion for all things Jewish. As we speak to her tonight, her charm, her warmth, her genuineness, will shine trough, enveloping each and every listener.

If you missed last week’s broadcast about The Peppermill, you can hear it right here.

Please tune us in this evening at 8:00pm (Eastern Time) on BlogTalkRadio.com. We’ll be waiting for you.

CS

The Peppermill & this Evening’s Radio Show

Earlier today I attended Geila Hocherman‘s cooking demo and book signing (of her Kosher Revolution) at The Peppermill (5015 16th Avenue, Brooklyn – Tel: 718.871.4022) in Borough Park.

On 16th Avenue in Boro Park

Amidst shelves, racks and baskets filled with interesting cookware and a plethora of exotic ingredients barely seen or hardly even found in kosher stores (THEY HAVE CHOLOV YISROEL…. DULCE DE LECHE!!!!! I haven’t seen that since I left Uruguay in 1962!), Geila demonstrated four dishes to an enthusiastic audience.

A view of the front, a partial view of the back.

She started with Surimi Crab Cakes with Red Pepper Mayonnaise (Kosher Revolution, Page 72)…

...frying the crab cakes

She then followed with Fried Pea and Parmesan Ravioli (page 43) and Shiitake-Tofu Dumplings (page 42)….

Straight out of the steamer and ready to serve.

The crab cakes were incredibly tasty, the ravioli crisp and perfect, the shiitake dumplings were superbly delicious, but the best was yet to come!

The demo ended with Pistachio- Crusted Tuna with Wasabi Mayonnaise (page 78), delicious, perfect… frankly neither of those two words do it justice. While some preferred it well done and fully browned, I preferred it where you could still the red color. Truly a great way to crown a demo where unusual combinations of ingredients, and dishes one would not have thought of as part of the kosher diet were de rigueur. Verily, a Kosher Revolution, but… you expect nothing less from Geila.

The staff, all comprised of members of one family, was knowledgeable and helpful. I’ve been to many a store, many a foodie haven, and The Peppermill (5015 16th Avenue, Borough Park in Brooklyn – Tel: 718.871.4022) ranks among the best.

Two of the sisters-in-law, part of The Peppermill‘s team (Chayale Braver and Rivkie Braver) will talk about their unusual store on our internet radio show this evening at 8:00pm (Eastern Time), be sure to listen in to what promises to be an interesting and entertaining show.

Meanwhile, if you missed it, give a listen to last week’s show when our guest was Gary Landsman from the Royal Wine Corporation.

Hoping you will be listening,

CS

Persian Food From The Non Persian Bride and Tomorrow’s Internet Radio Show

Reyna Simnegar‘s Persian Food from The Non-Persian Bride is a beautifully produced book, with many a mouthwatering  recipe. The accompanying text is well written regaling us with tidbits of Persian and Sephardic tradition, the photography with its generally darkish background lures us into wanting to discover more of its mystical, delectable promises.

Many of the recipes also have variations, to accommodate every taste and every cook’s level of comfort. The Appetizers and Side Dishes section is subdivided into Persian Breads, Dips and Salads; Fish and Soups follows, then come Poultry and Meat, Persian Stews and Sephardic Shabbat Stews. A long section on Persian Rice is next, followed by Dairy food, Egg Dishes and Persian Snacks subdivided into Persian Breakfast and Persian Snacks, Persian Beverages and Desserts comes next.

After the recipes comes a section on Persian Holiday Tutorial, it briefly explains various holiday traditions and suggest traditional Persian menus. This section end with The Laws of Tarof – And Other Persian Peculiarities I Happen to Love, written with humor and obvious deep love for her newly acquired customs. The book ends with a Glossary and a Culinary Glossary. Advanced or beginning cooks, this cookbook has something for everyone!

I always liked the diminutive Cornish hens, one of my favorite delicacies. Here Mrs. Simnegar takes a recipe and dresses it up in Persian trappings:

Stuffed Cornish Hens With Rose Petals

This dish doesn’t really exist in Persian cuisine, but you it totally sounds Persian! Even Persians will think it comes from an ancient Persian cookbook! In fact, I got this recipe from the book Like Water from Chocolate, by Laura Esquivel,  but I reinvented it with a Persian flair. The rose petals look stunning next to the poultry, but I use them only for garnish. If you want to eat them you need edible roses, which come free of pesticides and you must also the check the petals for bugs — way too much work for me!

4 Cornish hens or 2 whole chickens or 2 cut up chickens

Marinade

• 2 garlic cloves, pressed or 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon cardamon
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Stuffing (optional)

• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed or 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1/4 cup dried barberries (optional)
• 1/4 cup currant raisins or regular black raisins
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• pinch saffron powder
• 1 cup leftover rice
• 1 teaspoon salt

Rose Petal Sauce

• 1 cup pan juices
• 1/2 cup rose jam or quince jam
• 1 tablespoon  olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 lemon, juiced or 1 teaspoon lemon concentrate

Garnish

• Fresh Rose petals (from about 2 roses)
• 1/4 cup slivered pistachios

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Combine all marinade ingredients and rub all sides of the Cornish hens. Place into a dish and marinate for 2 hours, overnight, or not at all.
3. Meanwhile, make the stuffing. In a small saucepan, saute the oil, onion, garlic, barberries, raisins, slivered almonds, lime juice, and saffrons for 1 minute. Mix in the rice and remove from heat. Check seasoning and add 1/2 teaspoon salt if necessary. Stuff the poultry; there is no need to sew the cavities.
4. Bake, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is no longer pink and an instant-read thermometer reads 160 F when inserted in the thickest part of the thigh. If the hens still look pale, put under broiler for 5 minutes or until desired color is reached.
5. Mix all ingredients for the rose petal sauce and drizzle over the hens. Garnish with fresh rose petals and slivered pistachios.

Yield: 4 to 8 servings, depending on the size of the hens.

Tomorrow evening at 8:00pm, (Eastern Time) Reyna Simnegar will be the guest on our BlogTalkRadio.com show. We will discuss her cookbook, how she adapted to her new culture and a lot more. In case you missed it, last week we had an interesting conversation with Rukhl Schaechter, the news editor of the Yiddish Forverts. You can catch the archived show right here.

Meanwhile… enjoy, gentle reader enjoy!

CS

Soup – A Kosher Collection

Soup is the perfect winter comfort food, warming us after a cold walk or simply enjoyed… because. In all its myriad incarnations, and ingredient variations a good soup warms the heart and soul as it satisfies the palate.

As Ms. Reiss puts it in her Introduction to Soup – A Kosher Collection

I'll be coming back to it again and again

Nothing beats a hot bowl of aromatic homemade soup on a cold winter day. It’s a great starter to a meal. It can be elegant or rustic, simple or extravagant, a light beginning or a filling main course. Most often it’s even better reheated the day after you make it…

[..]A simmering soup can fill a house with wonderful, inviting aromas. It can invoke memories of childhood dinners, surrounded by family, which none of us seem to have time for anymore.

From Parve/Vegetarian Soups like Everything But the Kitchen Sink, or Beet Borsht to Dairy Soups like Baba’s Break the Fast Soup, or Beer Cheese Soup; from Fish Soups like Saffron & Garlic Fish Soup, Soupe de Poisson au Provence to Meat Soups like Za’atar Chicken Soup, or Lamb & Fruit Soup, from Fruit and Dessert Soups like Pear Soup with Feta, Pecans & Balsamic Reduction or Chocolate Soup to Accompaniments like Matzo Balls with Fresh Herbs, or Parmesan Croutons this cookbook has it all. Every recipe shows its nutritional values which is great for any weight conscious foodie. With over 150 soup recipes and 6 accompaniments, this is the perfect book for the perfect comfort food! First published in 2004, it is now in its second edition with over 20 new recipes. Pam Reiss is constantly improving her work making it bigger and better.

It was hard to choose which recipe to feature here, but I settled on a dessert soup. I will make it this Shabbat:

Just looking at the photo makes my mouth water. Photo, from the book, by: Chris Freeland

Chocolate Soup

This creamy soup makes a great dessert. Serve it with a little fresh-whipped cream and some sliced strawberries, or use it as a cold chocolate fondue. Guests will be surprised when you serve this one!

•  6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 2 cups 2% milk
• pinch of salt
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

In a mixing bowl, wisk together the granulated sugar and the egg yolks until frothy and butter colored.

Using a double-boiler (or place about 2 inches of water in a saucepan, bring to a light simmer and place a metal bowl over it), heat the half-and-half, milk, salt, chocolate and cocoa powder until all of the chocolate is melted and the mixture has warmed through.

Slowly add some of the hot chocolate mixture, about 1/2 cup, into the egg/granulated sugar mixture, whisking as you pour it, so that the hot liquid is incorporated right away and the eggs don’t scramble. Slowly poutr this mixture back into the hot chocolate, whisking as you pour. Continue to heat the soup until it has thickened slightly, 3 to 5 minutes, whisking continuously. When you dip a wooden spoon into the soup, then drag a a fingertip through the coating on the spoon, the line should remain clean.

Transfer the soup to a bowl or container, cover with waxed paper and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or until the soup is completely chilled.

We’ve reviewed Pam Reiss‘ Passover – A Kosher Collection on these pages before, at the time I wrote, the lady can cook!!! The current book strongly reinforces that notion.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS