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

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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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And the Winner Is…

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And this Year’s Winner Is…

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A Roundup of Our Shavuos Recipes

Spaghetti with Ricotta

Anyone who’s been following this blog knows that I am a hardcore carnivore, but I also like pasta with cheese. With the Nine Days fast approaching, it’s time to look for some succulent dairy recipes, here’s one that is easy to make and delicious.

(Adapted from The Big Book Of Pasta)

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 12 oz dried spaghetti
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh-flat  leaf parsley
• 1 1/2 cups freshly ground almonds
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• pinch of grated  nutmeg
• pinch of ground cinnamon
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup pareve broth*
• 1 tbsp pine nuts
• salt and pepper
• fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs, to garnish

Directions

1. Bring a large, heavy bottom pan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti, return to a boil, and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until tender but still firm to the bite.
2. Drain the pasta, return to the pan, and toss with the butter and chopped parsley. Keep warm.
3. To make the sauce, mix the ground almonds, ricotta cheese, nutmeg, cinnamon, and sour cream together in a small pan  over low heat to form a thick paste. Gradually stir in the olive oil. When the oil has been fully incorporated, gradually stir in the stock, until sauce is smooth. Season to taste with pepper.
4. Transfer the spaghetti to a warmed serving dish, pour over the sauce, and toss together well. Sprinkle over the pine nuts, garnish with the parsley sprigs, and serve warm.

* Parve Chicken Free Broth

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 parsnip (8 – 12 inches)
• 1 large carrot
• 1/2 large red onion
• 1/2 medium sweet onion
• 1/2 clove garlic
• 1 stalk celery
• 4 oz mushrooms
• 1/4 tsp tumeric
• Seasonings to taste

Directions

1. Take out a pot large pot. This will allow room for boiling, stirring and simmering without making a spill on the stove top. Chunk up the parsnips, carrots, and onions. Coarsely chop the garlic, mushrooms and celery. Pour the water into the pan. Turn heat on to medium high flame.
2. Add all vegetables. (You can run everything through the food processor using the shredding blade. This goes a lot faster and reduces the simmer time as it increases the surface area of the veggies). When the water becomes warm stir in the turmeric. Bring to boil and boil for 2 – 3 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer. (If you are using an electric stove top you can bring everything to a boil and immediately reduce heat to simmer as it will take 2-3 minutes for the temperature to fall to a simmer)
3. After about 15 minutes begin to add your seasonings – pepper, rosemary, ginger – whatever you like but IN SMALL AMOUNTS as you can always add more but cannot take it out. Be sure to get your seasonings set within the first 45 minutes. This will allow the seasonings to blend and incorporate into the soup. Let simmer for a total of 2 – 3 hours.
4. Strain through a professional kitchen sieve or use a colander lined with coffee filters. Use the broth just like you would chicken broth.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Penne with Creamy Mushrooms

Last evening I had pasta, it was absolutely delicious! I like to cook with wine and this was just a perfect experiment that succeeded fully.

Penne With Creamy Mushroom

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter (or margarine if you prefer to keep it pareve or will use use during a meat meal)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 shallots, sliced
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup Velouté sauce (or MimiCreme if you prefer to keep it pareve)
• 2 tablespoons Port wine
• 4 ounces sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
• pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 12 ounces dried penne
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnishing

Directions

1. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large, heavy bottom skillet. Add the shallots  and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally , for 4 to 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook over low heat for an additional 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, sprinkle in the flour, and cook, stirring for 1 minute.
2. Remove skillet from heat and gradually stir in the Velouté sauce (or MimiCreme) and Port wine. Return to the heat, add the sun-dried tomatoes and grated nutmeg, and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large bottom pan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, return to a boil, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain the pasta well and add the mushroom sauce, cook for 3 minutes, then transfer to a warmed serving dish. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy; I did!

CS

Vichyssoise

It can be served cold or hot, but I prefer it cold; it’s perfect for summer and… perfect for Shavuos!

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 3 large leeks
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 lb potatoes, chopped
• 3 1/2 cups vegetable stock *
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• pinch of ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 egg yolk
• 2/3 cup light cream
• salt and white pepper
• freshly snipped chives, to garnish

Directions

1. Trim the leeks and remove most of the green parts. slice the white part of the leeks very finely.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the leeks and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, without browning.
3. Add the potatoes, stock, lemon juice, nutmeg, coriander, and bay leaf to the pan, season to taste with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, until all the vegetables are very soft.
4. Let the soup cool a bit, remove and discard the bay leaf, and then press through a strainer or process in a food processor or blender until smooth. Pour into a clean pan.
5. Blend the egg yolk into the cream, add a little of the soup to the mixture, and then whisk it all back into the soup and reheat gently, without boiling. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Cool and then chill thoroughly in the refrigerator.
6. Serve the soup sprinkled with freshly snipped chives.

–oOOoOOo–

* Vegetable Stock

Yield: 8 1/2 cups

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons sunflower or corn oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped leek
• 2/3 cup finely chopped carrots
• 4 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup finely chopped fennel
• 1 small tomato, finely chopped
• 10 cups water
• 1 bouquet garni

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and leek and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the remaining vegetables, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add the water and bouquet garni, bring to a boil, and simmer for 20 minutes,
2. Strain the stock into a bowl, let cool, cover and store in the refrigerator. use immediately or freeze in portions for up to 3 months.

Since I was a kid this soup was a favorite of mine, considering that very few dishes were deemed acceptable to my palate, that’s saying a lot about Vichyssoise. Try it, and you’ll be hooked too.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Dairy Beet Borsht

Growing up in Uruguay, I always used to look forward to Borsht Soup. Whether hot or cold, it was always a treat! I never got my mother’s recipe, but I made this one last night and it brought back some sweet memories of my childhood. With Shavous almost here, I thought I’d try a dairy version (parve, also given)

Beet Borsht

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 lb 8 oz small tender beets
• 1 large chopped onion
• 15 cups of water *
• 1 teaspoon salt
• pepper
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• chopped fresh dill to garnish
• sour cream (optional, do not use if you prefer a parve soup)

Directions

1. Cut tops from beets leaving a bit of the stems attached, wash thoroughly to remove any sand or grit. Peel the betts and grate them. Transfer to a heavy pan. You might want to wear rubber gloves to prevent your hands being stained.
2. Add the onion to the pan and cover with the water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer partially covered for about 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Take off from heat and allow the vegetables to cool slightly.
3. Ladle the liquid into a food processor and process until smooth. Rinse off the pan and put the soup back in it.
4. Bring to a boil over medium heat and add salt, pepper (to taste), lemon juice and sugar. Simmer for 3 minutes and taste, it should have a sweet and sour taste. If necessary add a little more sugar or lemon juice, if it’s a bit thick, thin out by adding a little bit more water.
5. Serve hot with a swirl of sour cream. Sprinkle with dill. You may also serve it cold if you refrigerate it covered, but you thin out the soup as it will thicken when chilled.

(Sometimes you may find a similar recipe using vegetable stock instead of water, I’ll have to do that next time.)

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy. I did! I tied hot, I can’t wait to try it cold.

CS

Chocolate & Raspberry Vacherin

Fernando Pessoa, a Portuguese poet, writer, literary critic and translator often referred to as one of the 20th century’s most significant literary figures, once wrote: Look, there’s no metaphysics on earth like chocolates. Chocolate is one of those heavenly foods almost everyone carries on either a secret or an open love affair with. Much has been written on the subject of chocolate. Tens of thousands of recipes have been developed to harness the flavor, to enhance other ingredients by making the combination the human equivalent of fabled celestial fare.

It is all too easy to become a chocoholic; taste a high quality chocolate once and you will forever be under its spell! Writer, journalist and psychoanalysis researcher Judith Viorst said: Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands – and then eat just one of the pieces. I can personally attest that such a feat requires almost herculean will in resisting the temptation to eat them all!

In our everlasting quest to bring you delicious recipes, we have found the following mouthwatering masterpiece in Jacqueline Bellefontaine‘s What’s Cooking Chocolate:

Photo by: St John Asprey, from What's Cooking Chocolate - Copyright: Thunder Bay Press 1998

Chocolate and Raspberry Vacherin

A vacherin is made of layers of crisp meringue sandwiched together with fruit and cream. It makes a fabulous dessert for special occasions.

Serves 10-12

Ingredients

• 3 egg whites
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 ounce dark chocolate, grated

Filling

• 6 ounces dark chocolate
• 2 cups whipped cream
• 2 cups fresh raspberries
• a little melted chocolate to decorate

Directions

1. Draw three rectangles, 4 by 10 inches, on sheets of parchment paper and place on 2 cookie sheets.
2. Beat the eggs whites in a mixing bowl until standing in soft peaks, then gradually beat in half the sugar and continue beating until the mixture is very stiff and glossy.
3. Carefully fold in the rest of the sugar, the cornstarch and grated chocolate with a metal spoon or spatula.
4. Spoon the meringue mixture into a pastry bag long fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip and pipe lines across the rectangles.
5. Bake in a preheated oven at 275 Ffor 1 1/2 hours changing the positions of the cookie sheets, halfway through. Without opening the oven door. turn off the oven and leave the the meringues until they are completely cold, then peel away the paper.
6. To make the filling, melt the chocolate and spray it over 2 0f the meringue layers. Leave the filling to harden.
7. Place 1 chocolate-coated meringue on a plate and top with about one-third of cream and raspberries. Gently place the second chocolate-coated meringue on top and spread with half the remaining cream and raspberries
8. Place the last meringue on the top and decorate with the remaing cream and raspberries. Drizzle a little melted chocolate over the top and serve.

Many a moon ago someone told me, nine out of ten people like chocolate, the tenth one is a liar. I’m starting to believe that may just be the case…

Meanwhile, enjoy gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Chopped Vegetable Salad with Lemon-Garlic Dressing

David Lebovitz, is one of my favorite food bloggers. the San Francisco Chronicle named him one of the Five Top Pastry Chefs in the Bay Area, he’s been featured in every major food publication and most of the big newspapers. In 1999 he left the US and moved to Paris to write books (he’s written six, so far) and enjoy great food. I quoted his blog before about something I grew up with in Uruguay, something which if one of my South American cousins wouldn’t have sent me from time to time (until I found the recipe!) would have turned me into a desperate junkie in search of a fix. Yes, gentle reader, I confess I am a hopeless Dulce de Leche addict.

Today as I scoured David Lebovitz‘ blog, which I do periodically, I found a great salad recipe (which I made some slight changes to so as to make it kosher):

Photo by: David Lebovitz

Two servings

I guess I’m more French than I thought because I’m not a fan of very hard vegetables raw, like broccoli, cauliflower, or green beans. So if I use them, I blanch or steam the vegetables lightly, to make them a bit more palatable.

For the dressing:

2 cloves garlic, peeled and grated or minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup (60ml) olive or grape seed oil, or another favorite oil

For the salad:

6 cups (700g) mixed chopped vegetables and other additions, such as:

-Crumbled Morningstar Farms Veggie Bacon Strips or Bacos, (both products are kosher certified by the OU)
-Diced avocado
-Batons of baked tofu
-Crumbled feta, goat, or blue cheese
-Shredded romaine, radicchio, or gem lettuce
-Sliced or quartered radishes
-Grated or julienne-cut carrots
-Shredded red cabbage
-Minced parsley or chives
_Lightly steamed or blanched broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, or asparagus
-Diced hard-cooked eggs
-Pumpkin seeds
-Quartered cherry tomatoes

1. In a large salad bowl, mix together the garlic, lemon juice, salt, and mustard with a fork

2. Add the olive oil and stir with the fork until the dressing is well mixed. (I don’t emulsify the dressing as I feel it gets too heavy and thick.)

3. Add the salad ingredients and toss well.

I fully realize that after the Nine Days a nice meat recipe, rather than a dairy one, would have been far more welcome, but this one is simple to make, healthy and delicious!

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

Mamaliga, Mammelige!

I full well know that Jews were not the first to come up with this cornmeal dish, but among my earliest memories of my youth in Montevideo, Uruguay – from various relatives with Romanian spouses – was the aroma, the taste of Mamaliga (which some pronounced: mammelige)  I full well know that Mamaliga is not even a Yiddish name, yet there was also something very Jewish about the word, at least to my childhood mind, especially so, since my Italian friends’ mothers would call it polenta.

Elizabeth Wolf Cohen, in her Perfect Jewish, gives us the following recipe on page 154:

Romanian Mamaliga with Cheese

Serves 6 – 8
Cornmeal, made from maize  was introduced to Europe from the newly discovered Americas in the 16th century. Known as polenta in Italy, cornmeal became so popular in Romania that it was eaten as a porridge for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Ingredients

• 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal or polenta
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 cups water
• 4 tablespoons butter or pareve margarine
• 1 cup cottage cheese, drained and strained

Mamaliga, mammelige... polenta?

Directions 

Put the cornmeal and salt into a medium bowl and stir in 1 cup of the cold water and smooth. Bring to a large pan filled with 4 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Gradually pour the the wet cornmeal into the boiling water stirring to prevent any lumps forming. 

Cook stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, over medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes, or until the cornmeal forms a mushy porridge and the water is absorbed.

Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and the strained cheese. Leave to stand for 1 minute. Stir and spoon into a serving bowl.

——)xoxox(——

Alternatively cook the cornmeal as above, reducing the water by 1 cup. Stir in only half the margarine and omit the cheese. Pour into a greased 9x5x3,5 inch loaf pan and leave to cool. Refrigerate, covered for 2 – 3 hours, or until firm and chilled.

Run a shar knife around the edges of the pan and unmold on to a cutting board. Cut into thin slices.

Heat the remaining butter in a large, heavy bottom skillet over medium-heat. Working in batches, add the cornmealslices and cook for 2 minutes, or until heated through  and crisp and golden. Carefully turn and cook for 1 minute more. Serve with roasted poultry or stew.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

The Winning Recipe Is…

On May 12th, we announced this year’s Shavuos Contest, as a result we received 26 entries. Some were great, others mediocre. We agonized over which deserved to win, but in the end SYR and I agreed that Pessy Haskelevich‘s entry was the best.

Here is her prize:

The prize basket consisted of all cholov Yisroel N&K cheeses: Slices of Cheddar, Pepper Jack, Swiss, Horseradish Cheddar, Smoked Provolone, Part skim Mozzarella, Muenster, 8 oz chunks of Cheddar, Muenster, Pepper Jack and Mozzarella, 2 tubes each of Fresh Plain Goat cheese and Cranberry Pecan Goat cheese, shredded Pizza, Part Skim Mozzarella and Mexican Blend; sticks of Mozzarella Sticks and Variety Pack and 12 slice packs of White American and Yellow American (Photo by: Anderson International Foods)

Who is Ms. Haskelevich? She’s a food and wine specialist and private chef. She’s catered numerous wine pairing dinners, done Shabatot at hotels, she also does cooking demos for adults and cooking clubs for kids. While talking to Pessy through email I found her very creative, witty and knowledgeable about wine and the delicate nuances of food. You may contact her at: anatomyof taste@gmail.com.

Beet and Asparagus Crostatta

Whether sweet or savory a crostatta is less fussy than a traditional tart and offers a more crisp crust. Use your imagination to change it up throughout the year; butternut squash and red onions in winter, tomatoes and corn in summer and this can easily be dessert if you add ¼ cup sugar to the dough and fill it with fresh fruit.

Photo by: Pessy Haskelevich

Ingredients

Pastry:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 4-6 tablespoons ice-cold water
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Filling:

• 2 pounds beets, cut in half and thinly sliced
•  1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
•  3 tablespoons olive oil
•  20 mint leaves chopped
•  salt and pepper to taste
•  4 stalks asparagus cut into 3 inch pieces
•  4 oz ricotta or soft goat cheese (optional)
•  ¼ cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Directions

Dough

1. Pulse flour and salt in the food processor. Add the butter and pulse 10 times or until mixture resembles a coarse meal. 
2. Drizzle ice water evenly over mixture and pulse until it just forms a ball. (Do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough.) 
3. Gently press dough into a 5-inch disk and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.

Filling

1. Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle.
2. Toss beets with vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and mint.  Set aside

Crostatta

1. Roll out dough into a 13-inch round on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin. 
2. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with slightly greased parchment paper.

Final Instructions

1. Distribute the chopped walnuts in the center of the dough leaving a 2-3 inch border.  
2. Leaving the juices behind arrange the beets with the asparagus on top of the walnuts.  If using cheese, dot the top of the crostatta with small pieces of ricotta or goat cheese.  
3. Fold dough in on itself to cover outer rim of filling, pleating dough as necessary. 
4. Drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil and freshly ground pepper all over top of the crostata.  
5. Brush pastry with beaten egg and bake galette until crust is cooked through and golden on edges, 40-45 minutes. 
6. Cool on baking sheet on a rack 10 minutes before serving.

Well, gentle folks, this recipe is more than just award winning delicious. So… enjoy!

(On the coming week, we  will feature the two runner up recipes)

CS