Pre-Kosherfest Kosher Feast 2013

This past Monday, October 28th, my co-blogger SYR and I attended the Pre-Kosherfest Kosher Feast 2013. It was held at J Soho -formerly Jezzebel (323 West Broadway, off Canal Street, New York, NY 10013 – Tel: 646,410.0717) – and was organized by Roberta Scher (Koshereye) and Esti Berkowitz (Primetime Parenting). The beautiful, contemporary, decor would have made it a perfect venue for the event.

I seem to remember different faces in Leonardo Da Vinci’s original, I’m sure neither Woody Allen, nor Albert Einstein, nor Daniel Radcliffe and the others were there. Hmmnn… maybe my memory is just playing tricks on me?

The evening started at 5:00 pm with networking and a wine tasting presented by the Royal Wine Corporation under the able guidance of Shlomo Blashka. Throughout the evening, both for SYR and I, the undisputed favorite wine was Pacifica‘s Cabernet-Merlot 2011. It shows blackberry, dark chocolate, toast and a hint of vanilla, on the palate it offers a soft structure with firm tannins, silky smooth and a long finish. The awardees were called out during the meal… Old friends, familiar faces and the faces behind famous names were just some ingredients contributing to the evening’s success.

Lévana, SYR, Shifra Klein (Joy of Kosher Magazine), Alessandra Rovati (Dinner in Venice) and Gil Marks (Encyclopedia of Jewish Food)

Awards were given to some of the pioneers in the kosher industry such as: Susie Fishbein, Laura Frankel, Norene Gilletz, David Herzog, Gil Marks, Lévana Kirschenbaum, Menachem Lubinsky, Joan Nathan and more.

Lara Frankel (Shallots – Chicago and New York) currently Executive Chef at Spertus Kosher Catering Featuring Cuisine by Wolfgang Puck at the Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies in Chicago

Susie Fishbein

Old and new friends, good conversation, superb wines a perfect recipe for a meal and a memorable evening.

CS

Horseradish Crusted Standing Beef Roast

When I first moved to the US, as a teenager in 1962, I discovered that American Jews – except for Passover – only ate horseradish with gefilte fish. Back in Uruguay, where I lived prior to immigrating to these shores, we would have horseradish with meat at almost any time we ate meat (daily!). In America that suddenly wasn’t cool… Arguing with Americans on this was futile… ahh, the American Jewish palate seemed so uneducated at that time. Fast forward 49 years… and we caught up with the rest of the world, we adapted all their seemingly strange foods and often improved them. When I came across this recipe, by Laura Frankel, it brought back some great memories and I knew i’d have to try it tonight.

Detail of photo from: theheritagecook.com

Serves 6-8

Something wonderful happens to horseradish when it is cooked. The pungent root vegetable so tearfully familiar during Pesach becomes sweet and savory once cooked and slathered all over gorgeous beef. The king of all meat cuts is a perfect celebratory gorgeous hunk of meat. It looks intimidating-but is actually really easy and can be done ahead of time and kept warm.

Ingredients

• 1 4-rib roast (about 9 pounds), cut from the small end or first cut with the chine bone cut off (ask your butcher to tie the bones on to the roast)
• 2 onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 red peppers, coarsely chopped
• 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
• 3 plum tomatoes, cut in half
• 4 tablespoons fresh cracked black pepper
• 6 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 cup prepared white horseradish
• 2 bulbs of garlic, roasted and the soft garlic squeezed out
• 1 750 ml bottle dry red wine (I prefer Cabernet Sauvignon)

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

1. Lay the rib roast, bone side down, in a large heavy duty roasting pan. Scatter the vegetables around the roast. These will be the base for wine sauce later.
2. Season the roast with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Mix the horseradish and roasted garlic together.
3. Generously smear the mixture over the rib roast. Place the prepared roast in the pre-heated oven and roast for 20 minutes. Lower the temperature of the oven to 325 and roast for an additional 60 minutes.
4. Insert a meat thermometer into the the thickest part of the roast and when the temperature registers 115 (for rare-medium rare)-remove the roast. Loosely tent the meat with foil and allow to rest for 20 minutes. This will allow the final temperature to be around 125-130. The internal temperature will continue to rise in a process called carry-over cooking.
5. Remove the meat and place the roasting pan over a burner at medium heat. Add the wine and gently scrape up any brown bits with a wooden spoon. Continue cooking until the wine has reduced by ½. Strain out the vegetables and discard. Adjust seasoning with salt and fresh cracked pepper.
6. Remove the bones and slice the meat. Serve on a platter with wine sauce and sautéed mushrooms if desired.
7. To hold the meat for Shabbat-once the meat has reached the desired temperature, turn off the oven and remove the meat as in step 4. After the meat has rested and any carry over cooking is finished-return the meat back to the warm oven-allow the door to stand slightly open and the meat will stay warm for another 30 minutes or more.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Olive Oil

Ever since this past Kosherfest, we are getting quite a few questions about olive oil. There were a few olive oil producers at the show and apparently people got very interested in their products. Just as we finally thought we’d better blog, explain and demystify olive oil, we came across this superb post by Chef Laura Frankel – who explains it far better than we could – on her blog:

From lauraskosher.com, Chef Laura Frankel's blog

OLIVE OIL 101

Olive oil is the fruit oil obtained from the olive. Commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, soaps and fuel for lamps, olive oil is grown and used throughout the world but especially in the Mediterranean.

Olive oil is produced by grinding or crushing and extracting the oil. A green olive produces bitter oil and an overripe olive produces rancid oil. For great extra virgin olive oil it is essential to have olives that are perfectly ripened.

Purchasing olive oil and knowing how to use it can be confusing. Add to that, the kashrut factor and it is no wonder that consumers and home cooks are bewildered by the array of products on supermarket and specialty market shelves.

Here is a summary of olive oils and their uses:
• Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) comes from virgin oil production only, contains no more than 0.8% acidity. Extra Virgin olive oil accounts for less than 10% of oil in many producing countries. The superior fruity flavor makes this oil best used for vinaigrettes, drizzling on soups, pastas for added richness and a fruity taste and for dipping breads and vegetables. Extra virgin olive oil does not require hashgacha (even for Pesach) as it is cold pressed.
• Virgin olive oil comes from virgin oil production only, has an acidity less than 2%. This oil is best used for sautéing and for making vinaigrettes. It is generally not as expensive as the extra virgin olive oil but has a good taste. Does require hashgacha.
• Pure olive oil. Oils labeled as Pure olive oil or Olive oil are usually a blend of refined and virgin production oil. This oil is perfect for sautéing. It does not have a strong flavor and can be used for making aiolis and cooking. Does require hasgacha.

Extra virgin olive oil is the highest quality olive oil. It is typically more expensive than other olive oils. Extra virgin olive oil is typically not recommended for high heat cooking. Every oil has a smoke point. A smoke point refers to the heat temperature at which the oil begins to break down and degrade. An oil that is above its smoke point not only has nutritional and flavor degradation but can also reach a flash point where combustion can occur. You can observe this when you have a very hot pan and hot oil and food is added to the pan and it produces a bluish and acrid smelling smoke or worse yet, catches fire.

Extra virgin olive oil has a very low smoke point of 375. I use my best extra virgin olive oil for making vinaigrettes, adding luxurious fruity flavor to pasta dishes, garnishing foods, baking and dipping breads.
Extra virgin olive oil has a long list of health benefits from reducing coronary artery disease and cholesterol regulation.

My favorite extra virgin olive oil is an unfiltered oil from Spain. It is rich, luscious and smells like artichokes and tomatoes. I recently tasted an oil from France that was rich and buttery. Olive oils like wines have a distinct taste or terroir depending upon where they are grown. I urge home cooks to shop the specialty and gourmet shops for their olive oil. The supermarket oils are often lacking in flavor and are frequently misleading in the origin of the olives. The bottle may say that the oil was bottled in Italy but not mention where the olives were grown. The olives could have come from many different countries and in different stages of ripeness which yields an off tasting oil.
Estate grown oils are picked at the perfect stage of ripeness and pressed right after harvest. This ensures a balanced oil that is luscious.

Baking with olive oil is easy and yields a moist delicious cake. I use Meyer lemons in this recipe. Meyer Lemons are a cross between a tangerine and a lemon. They are sweet and very juicy. They are in season now and can be found at most markets around the country.

MEYER LEMON-OLIVE OIL POUND CAKE

• 1 cup olive oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 eggs
• 1 tablespoon Meyer Lemon zest
• ¼ cup Meyer Lemon juice
• ¾ cup
• 3 cups flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a tube pan and set aside.

1. Whisk together olive oil, sugar, eggs and milk.
2. Gently stir in flour, salt and baking powder until a thick batter forms.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 50-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Lemon Glaze

• 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup Meyer lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup or brown rice syrup
• ½ teaspoon vanilla bean, scraped

1. Simply combine all ingredients together in a large and heavy saucepan. Stir constantly over low heat until the mixture reaches 110 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
2. Pour evenly over cooled cake and allow to harden before serving.

Enjoy the cake recipe and your use of olive oil whether in your salads or anything else.

CS

RELATED POST

Olive Oil Orange Cake

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

Summer Soup

[Just because I’m not fully recovered yet from my last reported “Not Quite The Waldorf Astoria” stay – in fact I was in for 8 hours again, this past Tuesday – does not mean that The Kosher Scene’s faithful readers have to suffer.  I therefore will regale your faithfulness and patience with an absolutely delicious recipe for a summer soup – and superb variations – by none other than one of my favorite chefs, Laura Frankel. CS]

GAZPACHO 101

(HOW TO KEEP YOUR COOL WHEN THE SCHVITZ IS ON)

When the heat is on and you cannot bear the thought of turning on the oven-keep your cool with refreshing gazpacho. Gazpacho originated in Spain as an afternoon snack. The true Andalusia version has almonds, bread, grapes, olive oil, vinegar and salt. Sometimes, anchovies are added. It is peasant food that utilizes leftover ingredients. The bread is soaks up water, and then the mixture is pounded with a mortar and pestle. The gazpacho is creamy and refreshing.

The gazpacho that we know came after Columbus when he brought peppers and tomatoes to Spain. The secret to great gazpacho is not to let any one ingredient be more pronounced than any other. The whole dish should be in harmony and very subtle and delicate in flavor.

Be sure to use your best olive oil for gazpacho. Because the gazpacho is not cooked, the flavor of the oil is very important. I use an unfiltered, organic Spanish extra virgin olive oil. It is delicious and I only use it for salads, cold soups and finishing sauces.

When the weather is hot and you do not feel like cooking, you can still entertain with style. Whirr up several gazpachos, pour some sangria and enjoy.

Recipes adapted from my book JEWISH COOKING FOR ALL SEASONS (John Wiley and Sons)

Tomato Gazpacho
This is a version of the soup that we commonly eat here in America. It is refreshing and delicious

4 garlic cloves
2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 red bell pepper-seeded and de-veined
1 small English cucumber-peeled and seeded
2-3 pounds very ripe tomatoes
1 cup of soft bread torn into pieces-left over challah trimmed of crust will work nicely
¼ cup rice vinegar
Splash of sherry (optional)
1/3 cup Extra Virgin olive oil-use your best tasting oil here
2 cups unsalted tomato juice
1 teaspoon pimenton*
Salt and pepper

1. Place all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until very smooth and the mixture is peach colored.
2. Cover the gazpacho and chill it completely before serving. Adjust slat and pepper to taste.
3. Garnish with: herbed croutons, chopped cucumber, fresh parsley, chopped egg, Extra Virgin olive oil, hot chilies, roasted peppers. Use your imagination!

• **Pimenton is a Spanish smoked paprika. It is really not comparable to the paprika found in most grocery stores. It has a wonderful sweet smokiness essential to Paellas, chorizo and other Spanish delicacies. Pimenton can be found readily on-line or at specialty markets and at The Spice House on-line.

White Gazpacho (Ajo Blanco)
This is a version of the classic gazpacho from Andalusia. I love this version. It is beautiful in a glass bowl or a wine glass.

4 cloves garlic
1 quart of ice cold water
2 cups soft bread-crusts removed
6 ounces blanched almonds
2 cups of green grapes-peeled
¼ cup rice vinegar
Splash of sherry
1/3 cup Extra Virgin olive oil-Use your best tasting olive oil
Salt and pepper

1. Place All of the ingredients in a food processor or blender and the process until very smooth. Add the reserved water to adjust the consistency.
2. Chill the gazpacho until it is very cold. Garnish with toasted almonds, grapes and flat leaf parsley.

Green Gazpacho (from Axarquia in Malaga)
This is a gazpacho that really highlights the vegetation of the mountains in Malaga. This version is a “shepherd’s gathering soup”. I love the herbaceous flavor and bright green color. I feel cool and refreshed just looking at this gorgeous concoction.

2 cloves garlic
1 small bulb of fennel-fronds removed and saved for garnish
2 cups watercress leaves or favorite lettuce
¼ cup flat leaf parsley leaves
¼ cup mint leaves
¼ cup rice vinegar
Splash of sherry (optional)
1/3 cup Extra Virgin olive oil-use your best tasting olive oil
1 quart of ice cold vegetable stock or water
Salt and pepper

1. Place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process until the gazpacho is completely smooth. Adjust consistency if necessary.
Chill the gazpacho completely before serving.
2. Garnish with fresh aioli, chopped mint, diced cucumber, reserved fennel fronds.

Gazpacho
This version is pure American and playful. I love cold food and am always looking for new ways to show off the flavors of food when chilled.

2 cloves garlic
3 pounds yellow tomatoes-or favorite heirloom tomatoes, roasted, peeled and seeded
1 cup yellow watermelon
1/3 cup Extra Virgin olive oil-Use your best tasting olive oil
¼ cup rice vinegar
Splash of sherry
1 quart ice cold water
Salt and pepper

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Chill thoroughly before serving.
2. Garnish with watermelon cubes, diced tomatoes, aioli, flat leaf parsley.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!!!

CS

Pizza, Pizza!

Since I was a kid, pizza has always been a favorite. Laura Frankel, has been one of my favorite Chefs since I discovered Shallots, years ago here in New York, on the very location that is currently Solo. Now I found an interesting recipe by Laura Frankel, a perfect summer dish, could anything be better?!?

GET YOUR DAIRY ON

Pizza Rustica is a traditional Italian savory pie. The name means “rustic pie”. Traditionally served cold-this delicious pie is perfect for Shavuot or any time you want a light lunch or dinner. Plan to make the pie one day ahead to allow plenty of time to chill the pie completely.

4 large egg yolks and 2 whole eggs, lightly beaten
2 pounds whole milk ricotta (look for deli style-hand packed. It is rich, dense and slightly sweet)
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup chopped sundried tomatoes
½ cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
½ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
1 recipe pastry dough (recipe follows)
Egg wash: 1 egg lightly beaten with 2 tablespoons water

Directions

1. Position a rack on the bottom third of the oven, and preheat to 375 F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, ricotta and Parmesan cheese, mixing well. Add the mozzarella cubes
3. Remove the pastry dough from the fridge. If it is too hard to roll, let it rest for about 5-10 minutes. Roll out the larger piece of dough on a lightly floured surface into a 16-17 inch round. Transfer the dough to a 9 or 10-inch spring form pan. Gently press the dough to fit the inside of the pan and the sides. Trim the overhanging dough to about 1-inch. Save the scraps for patching up any holes.
4. Spoon the filling into the dough-lined spring form pan.
5. Roll out the remaining piece of dough into a 12-inch round. Place the dough over the filling. Pinch the edges together to seal, and fold the edges of the dough inward and crimp with your fingers or the tines of a fork. Brush the egg wash over the entire pastry top, and cut several slits in the top to let the steam escape.
6. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the pie comes out clean and the crust is golden brown, about 60-75 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and set on a cooling rack. Let pie cool for at least 20-30 minutes before refrigerating until chilled all the way through.
8. Release the pan sides and transfer pie to a platter. Cut into wedges and serve.

Dough for Pizza Rustica

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
2 sticks (1 cup) very cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
4 large eggs, beaten lightly

Directions:

1. Whisk the flour, sugar, salt, pepper and zest together in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times.
2. Add the cold pieces of butter into the flour mixture and pulse until the butter is broken down and the mixture resembles a coarse, sandy meal.
3. Drizzle in about half of the beaten eggs and pulse several times until the dough holds together when pinched. Process a few more seconds, until the dough forms into one big clump. The dough should be smooth and soft, but not sticky. If it looks crumbly or dry, add a few drops of water or cream. If it’s sticky, add a tablespoon or two more flour.
4. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into two disks, one about 1/3 larger than the other. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but my mouth is already watering…

CS

Kosher Cooking Demos

De Gustibus is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year and the Spring 2010 season has some stellar Kosher classes to offer. Chef Laura Frankel will delight us with her healthy and delicious Kosher cooking & Chef Jeff Nathan is back to share his contemporary, and always yummy Kosher fare. Having attended a class there myself, recently, I can attest to the high quality of teaching and the delectable food. And back by popular demand- we are also offering a Knife Skills class with Jeffrey Elliot, where only Kosher food will be served. Whether you are new to cooking, or if you are an experienced cook looking to hone your knife skills or learn some new tricks, we highly recommend your taking this class! As usual, these classes are filling up quickly, so please call or visit the De Gustibus website to make your reservations soon (De Gustibus Cooking School; 151 West 34th Street, 8th Floor; NY NY 10001; Telephone: 212.239.1652; Fax: 212.494.4741)

INSPIRED KOSHER COOKING

Chef Demonstration Classes
Series of 2 $180 or $95 per class if available

Tuesday, March 16, 2010 | 1 – 3:30 PM
LAURA FRANKEL, executive chef for Wolfgang Puck Kosher Catering in Chicago, formerly of Shallots, and author of two cookbooks, most recently Jewish Cooking for All Seasons, returns to demonstrate healthy and delicious kosher fare inspired by greenmarkets.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010 | 1 – 3:30 PM
JEFF NATHAN, executive chef of Abigael’s on Broadway, author of Jeff Nathan’s Family Suppers, and chef-host of public television’s New Jewish Cuisine, brings globally influenced, contemporary kosher fare that is always sophisticated and beautifully presented.

Hands-On Knife Skills
Single class $140, limited enrollment

Tuesday, April 27, 2010 | 1 – 4 PM
JEFFREY ELLIOT is the National Manager of Culinary Relations for Zwilling J.A. Henckels.Jeffrey returns to teach the essential techniques of knife skills necessary for the home cook. Kosher food will be served and knives will be provided by Zwilling J.A. Henckels.

We’d be grateful if you mentioned where you saw it!

CS