Halloumi Cheese

Ever since I tasted a Halloumi Salad – pictured below – almost 3 years ago, at u café (1436 Lexington Avenue, Bet E. 93rd E. 94th St, New York, NY 10128 – In Manattan’s Upper East Side – Telephone: 212.427.8223), I’ve been looking for this particular cheese.

Having tasted it, I understood why this is a favorite in the Eastern Mediterranean basin. I finally found some at Pomegranate Supermarket and here’s is what I concocted early evening:

Deep-fried Halloumi

Serves 2

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil for deep-frying
• 5 ozs halloumi, cut into slices
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 eggs
• milk
• 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs

Directions

1. Pour enough in a large pan to fill about a third and heat it. Dip the halloumi rectangles in flour.
2. In a bowl whisk the eggs and a bit of milk together. Dip the floured cheese in the egg mixture.
3. Put the breadcrumbs in a bowl and coat the halloumi with them.
4. Deep fry the breaded cheese in the oil for about 3 minutes, until faintly golden. Use a slotted spoon as you take them out of the hot oil and drain on paper towels. Put them on a preheated toaster oven grill for about 30 seconds.
5. Arrange the slices on a serving plate and serve with melted butter (as I did), tomato sauce, or salsa.
6. I added some sliced cherry tomatoes and cucumbers on the side, but I might even more if I had the halloumi slices with roasted peppers.

In Cyprus and Greece they like to grill these slices, they are a favorite summer fare, especially when partnered with watermelon. Since it is quite salty, the cheese should be rinsed, before use, to wash away some of the excess.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy. I did!

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!

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

This Evening’s Radio Show and a Recipe

Right before Pessach we did a two hour show featuring various wine experts and distributors, talking about kosher wines from around the world. It ended with a half hour conversation with Chef Jeff Nathan of Abigael’s.  You can listen to the archived show here.

This evening our internet radio guest will be Chef Sarah Lasry. Mrs. Lasry is Food Editor at Binah Magazine, author of The Dairy Gourmet and The At Home Gourmet. For eight years she owned and operated Tastebuds, a very successful dairy restaurant in the Howell/Lakewood area in New Jersey. You can hear our conversation, at 8:00pm (Eastern Time) on BlogTalk Radio. To talk to our guest, or to comment, you may call in at: 714.333.3357, we will be on from 8:00 – 8:30pm.

Looking through her latest of cookbook, The At Home Gourmet, I found it well organized and easy to follow. It’s divided in seven sections (Amazing Appetizers, Simple Soups, Zestful Salads, Lazy Lunches, Delicious Dinners, Waist Watchers, Basic Desserts) )and has a well organized Index. Quite a few of its recipes are destined to become new favorites, among them some of the very decadent desserts.

While I’m a carnivore to the core, those who follow this blog also know that any recipe that calls for cheese is sure to get my attention. Therefore, out of the many mouthwatering recipes in this book, I thought the one below would be perfect…

So Cheesy Onion Potato Gratin

• 1 large onion sliced thin
• 2 tbsp.extra virgin oil
• 2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced into thin rounds
• 2 1/3 cups heavy cream
• 2 tsp. Kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 1 cup grated Mozarella cheese
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 4 tbsp. melted butter
• Extra shredded Cheddar or Mozzarella for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a skillet over med-high heat, saute the onions in olive oil until they have browned (about 4-5 minutes). In a sprayed 9 x 13 baking pan, layer the bottom with the fried onions. Then layer the potatoes over the onions, covering them completely and overlapping the potatoes one on top of the other.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk the heavy cream, salt, black pepper and both cheeses together. Pour the heavy cream mixture over the potatoes. In a separate bowl, add the crumbs and melted margarine, mix well and then spread generously over the top layer of potatoes. Sprinkle with a little more cheese and bake the gratin until it becomes bubbly, the top is brown and the potatoes are completely soft, about 20-30 minutes. Let gratin rest for about 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy! As for me I plan on pairing it tonight with a well chilled Balma Venetia 2006 Muscat Beaumes de Venise… can’t wait!

CS

Les Petites Fermières – Goat Cheese Medallions

Chèvre or goat cheese is white colored and somewhat tart in flavor. The West has popularized cow’s milk whereas in the rest of the world goat’s milk is preferred. As a rule, because it is usually manufactured in areas with little refrigeration, it is preserved with salt. As a result, most people believe that goat cheese is naturally far saltier than cow cheese. Perhaps the best known goat cheese in the US is Feta, which is qite salty as a result of being brined, having tasted the latest offerings from Les Petites Fermières, I can assure you that goat cheese also comes with more subtle flavors. The higher proportion of fatty acids such as capric acid present in goat’s milk, gives it that characteristic tartness.

I tasted all three of their available flavors: Goat Cheese Medallions with Fine Herbs and Garlic, Goat Medallions with Cranberry and Maple Syrup, Goat Cheese Medallions. My favorite was the last one, though I thoroughly enjoyed the other two as well.

I came up with the following easy recipe to go with these type of cheese:

Herb and Garlic Goat Cheese and Onion Dip

Ingredients

• 2 packages Les Petites Fermières Goat Cheese Medallions with Fine Herbs and Garlic
• ⅔ cup low fat sour cream
• 3 onions, chopped

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in a blender.
2. Pulse 1–2 minutes until well combined but not completely pureed.
3. Refrigerate several hours or overnight to allow flavors to blend.
4. Adjust salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Makes about 1¼ cups.

I also crumbled some of these cheeses into a salad and enjoyed it with a Baron Herzog Sauvignon Blanc 2008. When CS had the cholov Yisroel Chèvre from N&K, he paired them with a Chilean Alfasi Malbec-Syrah 2009, a perfect and inexpensive choice for someone who grew up on the Northern shore of the Rio de La Plata (River Plate, for us gringos).

SYR

Some New Cheeses from Natural & Kosher

N&K's newest selections

I may be a carnivore to the core, but I’m also a cheese lover. Thus, over the last seven days I’ve been trying some of Natural and Kosher‘s latest selections. These included: Horseradish Cheddar, Olive Cheddar, Part Skim Mozzarella, Goat Kashkaval, Sharp Goat Cheddar, Goat Mozzarella with Red Peppers, Goat Mozzarella with Fine Herbs, Cranberry Pecan Chèvre Goat Cheese, Fine Herbs Chèvre, 2 types of American Slices, Cheddar Cubes, Mexican Blend (Shredded blend of Monterrey Jack, Cheddar and Asadero) and a superb Fitucci Grated Parmesan Cheese. I found them all to be delicious choices. Feeling adventurous I decided to do a white omelette. SYR had been telling me about an omelette without yolks, made with only the egg whites. What’s the point you ask? A drastic reduction in calories and the elimination of almost all the cholesterol with no sacrifice of taste!

SYR‘s Hearty White Omelette

Delicious and filling!

Yield: 2 servings

Directions

• olive oil
• 1/2 medium sized onion, chopped
• 1/3 green pepper, chopped
• 1/3 red pepper, chopped
• 1/3 yellow pepper, chopped
• 3 Baby Portobello mushrooms, chopped
• 6 egg whites
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 slice N&K Horseradish Cheddar
• 1 slice N&K Olive Cheddar
• Fitucci Grated Parmesan
• 1 medium tomato
• Parsley flakes

Directions

1. Saute onion and peppers in a sprayed or lightly greased coated pan till light brown.
2. Add in chopped mushrooms. and saute for another few minutes till onions are golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Toss egg whites into pan on low-medium flame till lightly golden add salt and pepper to taste- flip
4. Add in suated onions, pepper ch0pped parsley mushrooms and cheese.
5. When cheese melts, fold in half and slide onto plate.
6. Garnish with tomato slices and sprinkle the whole with parsley flakes and grated Parmesan cheese.

What did we do with the yolks?!? With Purim coming up in a few days they were used for baking, of course.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Sugar River Cheese Co.

Europeans have long laughed at the pretentiousness of American cheeses (especially kosher ones), but, judging by the latest entries into the field, that situation will soon change. I’ve seen quite a few interesting cheeses at the Pomegranate isles, among them some intriguing flavored ones from the Sugar River Cheese Co. Having tasted these delicious cheeses we just had to contact them and interview Mark Rosen, the company’s President.

I found Mr. Rosen very personable, witty and a true foodie. Besides being a fountain of information on cheese making processes, he also told us some amusing stories about himself, stories that gave us a glimpse into the make up of his love of food and pursuit of quality. That carefully nurtured quest for the best led him to start this company in 2002 with the aim of bringing “natural, terrific tasting, unique, kosher Wisconsin Cheeses to the kosher consumer.” Judging by what we tasted, he certainly succeeded.

The superb tasting Sugar River cheeses we've sampled...

The Sugar River cheeses we’ve sampled were: Parmesan (aged 18 months, my personal favorite), White Cheddar (aged 18 months), White Cheddar with Roasted Garlic and Green Onion, White Cheddar with Chipotle, Prairie Jack with Parsley and Chive,  Prairie Jack with Green Peppercorns, Monterrey Jack with Jalapeno and Cilantro, Monterrey Jack With Roasted Garlic And Basil (second place award in the Flavored Monterey Jack judging category at the 23rd Annual Competition and Judging by the American Cheese Society‘s (ACS) held July 22, 2006 in Portland, Oregon. The first time Sugar River cheeses ever entered a competition and the first time a kosher cheese ever won!) and Monterey Jack With Tomato And Olive.

SYR, thought this cheeses would go perfectly with some of her favorite pasta recipes. Here’s one she tried which turned out terrific:

SYR‘s Easy Penne Alla Romana

YIELD: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 package of penne
• water to fully cover the pasta

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 chopped garlic
• 6 chopped pearl onions
• 1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
• 1/2 cup zucchini, cubed
• 10 shitake mushrooms
• 1/4 cup oyster mushrooms
• salt and pepper to taste
• 10-15 chopped leaves of fresh basil
• 2 sprigs of fresh parsley

• 1/2 package Sugar River White Cheddar with Roasted Garlic and Green Onion
• Sugar River Parmesan

Aaahh... the aroma, the taste!

Pasta

1. In a medium size pot pour in water to two thirds height (enough to cover the pasta).
2. Add the penne and cook until it is al dente (still firm, not hard).

Vegetables

1. Pour the oil into a medium shallow pan.
2. Sauté the chopped garlic and onions.
3. Add the tomatoes when the above show some golden brown.
4. After 30 seconds add the zucchini and mushrooms.
5. Let it all cook for 1 minute and add basil and parsley.
6. take off fire after 2 more minutes.
7. Add mixture to drained penne

Cheese

1. Cut the Sugar River White Cheddar with Roasted Garlic and Green Onion into small cubes.
2. Add the cubes into the mixed penne and vegetable. Continue mixing until cheese is mostly melted.
3. Sprinkle with shavings of Sugar River Parmesan.
4. Serve while still hot.

Please remember, by using the 18 month aged Parmesan you have to wait six hours before you can eat meat.

Enjoy, gentle reader, Enjoy!

CS

It Isn’t Just for Kids Anymore

As a kid I used to love macaroni & cheese, my kids loved/love it, so do my grandkids AND… I still like it! Looking at one my favorite Chef’s blog (Chef Laura Frankel), Laura’s Kosher Kitchen, I came across her adult version of a lifelong favorite:

Let me have it, let me have it! (Photo by: Elle239 on BlissfullyDomestic.com)

Macaroni and Cheese Casserole

Serves 6 generously

Ingredients

• 1 pound macaroni or favorite pasta shape
• 3 tablespoon butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 shallot, minced finely
• 2 cloves garlic minced finely
• 2 cups of milk (I use whole milk for this)
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese-grated (I use White Sharp Cheddar)
• 1 cup Emmentaler or Swiss cheese-grated
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 cup of sour cream
• ½ cup bread crumbs-Panko* is perfect for this
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Pre-heat oven to 350. Bring a large saucepan with water to boil. Cook the pasta until al dente (about 10 minutes depending upon size of pasta). Drain and set aside.
2. Place a large sauté over medium low heat. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Add chopped shallot and garlic and sweat the vegetables until they are very soft (about 2 minutes). Add flour and stir together. Cook the mixture for several minutes to remove the raw flour flavor.
3. In a separate pan heat the milk until simmering. Add all at once to flour mixture. Whisk to prevent lumps. Add the hot sauce and cook until thickened (about 3-5 minutes). Remove from heat. Add grated cheese and stir until melted and incorporated.
4. Stir sour cream with cooked pasta. Add cheese mixture and stir to combine. Place in a lightly greased casserole.
5. Stir bread crumbs with melted butter and sprinkle on top of casserole. Bake at 350 until bubbly and golden (about 30 minutes).

As Chef Laura explains in her intro to this dish:

Use the best quality cheese you can find-do not skimp and by all means, have some fun with it and try your favorite cheeses. I have made this dish with a sprinkling of Blue cheese for an adult version. I also have substituted whole wheat pasta instead of the traditional semolina pasta and no one complained. Attention all comfort food cravers-Skip the box and go for the good stuff-we are after all adults even if we need a bit of comfort now and then.

After a hard, tiring day at work, on any cold day, I find that macaroni and cheese just warms one up as it recharges the batteries…

Enjoy!

CS

Les Petites Fermières plus Organic and Kosher

A small selection of Les Petite Fermieres and Organic And Kosher cheeses

I like cheeses, as does CS, I use them in cooking, I use them in sandwiches and even in between wines at wine tastings. Thus I was happy to find that Les Petites Fermières (distributed by Anderson International Foods in Mineola, NY), has an interesting collection of available cheeses and most can be found at supermarkets and kosher groceries throughout the US and Canada. Some of my favorites include Gouda, Fontina, Havarti and Havarti with Dill.

Gouda is a distinctively flavored cheese, first developed in Gouda (Netherlands), as it ages it develops a slight caramel like taste.

Fontina, like Gouda, is made from cow’s milk and it originated in Italy’s Valle d’Aosta. Today, however it is also made in the US, France, Denmark and Sweden. Les Petites Fermières’ selection is softer and creamier than its fully aged, darker, Italian sibling.

Havarti was first made in the mid 19th century in an experimental farm, just north of Copenhagen, Norway. It has a subtle flavor that makes it perfect for slicing, grilling or melting. I also like its sibling Havarti with Dill, which has a somewhat stronger yet delightful taste due to the herb.

When I want something sharper I go for their Cheddar or the Mediterranean Jack. Frankly, I found all of them delicious! I like a cheese omelette for breakfast, so I made one using various cheeses.

CS’ Simple Cheese Omelette

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup of Les Petites Fermières Chef’s Blend (natural cheddar and pizza style blend) Shredded Cheese
• 1 slice of Mozzarella
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Roland Oven Roasted Tomatoes (optional)

Preparation

1. Melt the butter in an 8” inch skillet, over a medium flame, until it starts sizzling. Tilt skillet until bottom is completely covered.
2. Drop in the two eggs and tilt the skillet to cover as much as much of it as possible.
3. Sprinkle the Chef’s Blend cheese on top of the eggs liberally. Within a few seconds it will melt.
4. With a spatula reach under the omelette and fold it over itself.
5. Immediately cover the top with slice of Mozarella.
6. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. I also added a couple of oven roasted tomatoes over of the Mozarella. Do not overcook.

Sometimes I also add other spices, when I mix the eggs, prior to folding them into the skillet. Delicious!

For those of you who prefer organic food, Anderson International Foods also distributes Organic and Kosher. If you love cheese you’ll notice the difference between organic and regular cheeses. I did and absolutely liked the difference.

SYR

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