Smoky Tomato Freekah Soup with Red Lentils

I love soup, I love using whole grains and legumes, and I especially love foods that have a smoky taste to them.  This recipe combines several elements to build a (vegetarian) smoky taste -- the freekah itself (more about that later), fire-roasted canned tomatoes and smoked paprika.  (I give alternatives if necessary).

Freekah is an ancient way of processing green wheat. It is roasted while still in its chaff (straw) which is what gives it a smoky taste which can vary very mild to somewhat stronger. It is used throughout the Middle East, the Arab world and North Africa. Find it boxed in some supermarkets or in bags or bulk in Middle Eastern and other speciality stores.

This recipe calls for the whole kernel, not cracked. Cracked freekah is broken into pieces ranging from very fine to large. If you can only find the cracked, use the largest variety you can find in place of the whole but note that timing and other variables may change. 

A special shout out to Jill Levine, whose love of freekah inspired this recipe.

Smoky Tomato Freekah Soup

Serves 4

1/2 cup whole, raw freekah 

1/2 cup red lentils

2 Tbs. olive oil plus more as needed

1 cup chopped onion

1 tsp. minced garlic

1/4 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. smoked or regular paprika plus additional for garnish if desired

1/4 tsp. salt or to taste

About 5-6 cups vegetarian broth or stock, divided (plus additional if needed)

28 oz. can fire-roasted or regular diced tomatoes with liquid

2 Tbs. tomato paste plus more if needed

Sugar and or lemon juice as needed

1/2 cup chopped cilantro, parsley or mint, divided

1/4 cup plain yogurt (use non-dairy to keep vegan)

1/4 cup chopped red onion

Rinse and soak freekah in cold water. Pick out any floating or other debris. Drain. Pick over lentils, rinse in cold water and drain and towel dry.

Heat 2 Tbs. oil over medium heat in large pot. Sauté onions until soft and beginning to color. Add garlic. Sauté until golden. Add cumin, paprika and salt. Sauté 1 minute then add drained and dried freekah, turning until coated in oil (add more oil if needed). Sauté for 2 minutes then add broth. Bring to boil, then simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add lentils. Simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with liquid, 1 cup broth and 2 Tbs. tomato paste. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until lentils and freekah are cooked through but not mushy (about 30 minutes but timing may vary greatly). Add stock as needed if soup is too thick. Add more tomato paste by tsp. as needed if it is too liquid and simmer a few minutes more. Taste and add salt if needed. If the soup is too sweet, add lemon juice by tsp. If it is too tart, add sugar by the 1/4 tsp. Stir in half the cilantro. Top servings with dollop of yogurt and a sprinkle of cilantro, onions and paprika.

Pick a Peck of Oven-Fried Peppers This Chanukah

This Chanukah try oven frying/roasting shishito or padrone peppers. Rinse and dry then toss in a bowl with lots of olive oil and coarse sea salt to taste. Pour peppers with oil on ungreased, rimmed baking trays. Place in preheated 450 degree oven. Roast, turning occasionally until soft and the peppers are blistered and browned on all sides

Let cool slightly and serve warm or at room temperature. 

These peppers have a slight bite and a nice grassy/herbaceous taste. Sometimes you will bite into one that's a bit milder or hotter. 

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Hanukkah, Hanukah 

Pumpkin Hummus Redux -- Putting This Hummus in a Pumpkin Shell Does Very Well for Thanksgiving

I love this recipe for pumpkin hummus.  It's perfect for Thanksgiving.* It's easy.  It's tasty.  It is always well received.  I've included it in recipe demos, I shared it in my j weekly column and here in Blog Appetit.

Despite how much I love this recipe, I couldn't resist tinkering.  First I thought it would do very well in a pumpkin.  Which it did -- just look at the beauty above.  Then I amped the taste by adding about 1 tsp. of smoked paprika to the hummus when I added the pumpkin puree.

Other changes:  I made sure the za'atar mix had plenty of time to soften in the olive oil before blending half into the pumpkin hummus.  I drizzled about a third of what was left over the top of the dip and drizzled the rest in batches as the top layers of the dip were consumed.

I also garnished the spread with roasted pumpkin seeds saved from when I cleaned the squash out to make the dip container.  I cleaned, rinsed and dried the seeds and then roasted with lots of sea salt and smoked paprika on a well oiled tray in 325 degree oven, turning occasionally to make sure seeds were coated on both sides, for about 20-25 minutes.

Here's the original recipe including the smoked paprika addition above. The version shown in the pumpkin is a double recipe which I served with jicama sticks and thin, toasted slices of a pretzel baguette.

Pumpkin Hummus with Za’atar Drizzle Makes 8 appetizer servings

7-8 oz. container of unflavored hummus
1 cup canned or fresh pumpkin puree (do not use canned pumpkin pie filling)
1 tsp. smoke paprika
 2 Tbs. za’atar seasoning mix (or use 5 tsp. ground oregano, 1⁄4 tsp. of cumin and 1 tsp. sesame seeds)
1/4 cup olive oil
6-8 flatbreads or pita breads

Mix hummus with pumpkin puree and paprika. In a separate bowl, combine za’atar with olive oil and stir well. Heat flatbreads or pitas in dry fry pan or griddle until warm and toasted. Either serve as a topped flatbread or dip. To serve as a flatbread, spread the pumpkin hummus on the bread, drizzle with za’atar mix and cut into triangles. To serve as a dip, stir half of the za’atar into the hummus until just combined and you can still see “streaks” of the herb oil mixture. Drizzle the remainder on top of the pumpkin hummus. Cut the warmed breads into triangles and serve with dip.
*It's also lovely for Halloween or Day of the Dead parties, or really any time!

If Your New Year's Resolution is to Learn to Cook, Then Susie Fishbein Has a Design for You!

Asparagus Fries Ready for the Oven

The New Year is traditionally the time to start thinking about resolutions and if your vows for 2013 include learning kitchen basics or tackling some new recipes, Susie Fishbein’s “Kosher by Design Cooking Coach” (Artscroll) can take you from vow to wow.  

Fishbein’s new book, the latest in her Kosher by Design series, is not just for the novice.  The popular cookbook author has designed a book that works for any level by starting each chapter out with a “game plan” that covers the basic knowledge as well as more advanced techniques the home cook will need for appetizers, soup, salad, poultry, meat, fish, desserts and more.  She also includes information on kitchen equipment such as choosing and sharpening knives, stocking a pantry and planning menus.  Fishbein also has a chapter that lists ideas for repurposing leftovers for most recipes.

The cookbook is also not just for kosher or even Jewish cooks.   Fishbein’s recipes reflect America’s wide-ranging palate with dishes including Slow-Roasted Shiitake Asparagus Salad, Kansas City Ribs, Tandoori Salmon, Kale Chips, Chocolate Peanut Butter Molten Cakes and Thai Sticky Rice and Mangoes.   Jewish-inspired recipes include Vegetable Stuffed Cabbage, Yemenite Beef Soup, Israeli Eggplant Pepper Salad, Lamb Couscous, Shakshouka (a tomato and egg dish), Sweet Spaghetti Squash Kugel, and Chocolate Babka Meltaway.

Thanks to her clear and straight forward directions and the full-color photos of techniques and finished dishes, the recipes I tried were easy to follow and delicious. 

I really enjoyed her Green Bean and Asparagus Fries (although I skipped the dipping sauce in favor of a garlic aioli) as an appetizer or hors d'oevere.  For a main course, try the Pomegranate-Honey Chicken.  Be sure to line the pan with foil for easy clean up.  I would add a little salt and pepper to the recipe, but it was delicious even without it.  Leftovers made a scrumptious casserole with the chicken pulled off the bone and mixed with pomegranate molasses, sauteed onions, garlic and carrots and cooked wild rice mix then baked until heated through.

The recipes for both dishes are below and are from “Kosher by Design Cooking Coach: Recipes, Tips and Techniques to Make Anyone a Better Cook” by Susie Fishbein  (Artscroll Mesorah Publications/October 2012) The recipes have been edited for space.  The recipes are used with permission.  A version of this article appeared in j weekly.

Kosher by Design Cooking Coach’s Pomegranate-Honey Chicken
Serves 8-10

I used the silan (date honey) which added a lot of dimension to the sauce.

12 chicken parts, bone-in, with skin (legs, thighs, breasts) 1/2 cup silan (date syrup) or honey 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup pomegranate juice
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1 tsp. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs. margarine
Fresh pomegranate seeds, for garnish

Use foil to line a broiler-safe baking dish that holds the chicken snugly.  Arrange the chicken in a single layer.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a small pot over medium heat, wisk the silan, brown sugar, juice, terikyaki sauce, cornstarch, tomato paste, thyme and garlic. Bring to simmer for a minute or two until thickened.  Whisk in margarine. Reduce heat slightly.  Cook for 1 minute.  Generously brush the mixture on each piece of chicken.  Drizzle additional sauce over the top of each piece.

Bake uncovered 45 minutes until chicken is no longer pink at the bone (dark meat may take longer, if so remove white meat to a platter and cook dark until done).  Brush the chicken with the sauce in the baking pan every 15 minutes while cooking.  After 45 minutes, turn on broiler and broil chicken until skin is brown and crispy; keep a close eye on it.  Transfer to platter, baste again with pan sauce.  Garnish with seeds and more pan sauce.

Kosher by Design Cooking Coach's Green Bean and Asparagus Fries with Dipping Sauce
Serves 8-10

4 large eggs, whisked well
1 3/4 cups panko bread crumbs
1 lb. green beans, stem ends sliced off
1 bunch (20-28 spears) medium-thick asparagus, bottom 2”cut off
Non-stick oil spray
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbs. yellow mustard
1 tbs. finely chopped dill or Israeli pickles
2 tsp. pickle juice

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Place eggs in large bowl, bread crumbs in a second.  Dip a small handful of green beans at a time into eggs and then panko, patting to adhere the panko to the vegetables.  Place in a single layer on large baking sheet(s).  Repeat with remaining green beans and asparagus.  Spray non-stick cooking spray over vegetables.  Bake, uncovered, for 12 minutes, until crisp and light golden brown.  In the meantime, prepare dipping sauce by whisking together mayonnaise, mustard, chopped pickle and pickle juice.  Serve fries with dipping sauce.

Almost Ethiopian Food -- Recipes for a Kinda Doro Wat (Chicken and Egg Stew) and Kale and Mushroom Saute

Kay's vintage cookbook.

I find my friends Welch and Kay Warren very inspiring in so many ways, but their recent visit to Ethiopia really had a major impact on me. They brought back stories about people, places and food that were vivid and involving. Their connection with Ethiopia goes back decades, since Kay had been among the first Peace Corps volunteers there in the 1960s. She generously shared an Ethiopian-American cookbook she brought back from that experience with me that really added insight into traditional ingredients and techniques.

I've made some adaptations in those traditional ways, however. Berebere, a basic spice mixture, can be hard to find, although more and more markets are carrying it and it is available online from a variety of resources.  Just in case you are like my friend Sam and live far from a specialty market, you can't wait for the spice to be delivered by UPS or you get the urge to cook this when the stores aren't open, I've given an alternative based on chili seasoning.  

An important component of any Ethiopian meal is injera, the teff-based, fermented flat bread used as a platter as well as a way to scoop up the food and eat it.  (Traditionally, Ethopian food  is eaten with one's hands.)  It is available in some specialty stores and can be bought to-go from Ethiopian restaurants, but these dishes taste just as good served with crusty bread, ladled over rice or millet and eaten with a fork.

My local resource for Ethiopian products also has a thriving mail order business for spices and other ingredients and I recommend Brundo very highly.  If you are in the Oakland, CA, area, try Brundo's affiliated restaurant, Cafe Colucci and consider attending one of the organization's excellent Ethiopian cooking classes.  The Brundo website also has many Ethiopian recipes.   I buy my injera from them as well.  I have noticed that local Whole Foods and other specialty supermarkets have started carrying a packaged brand of injera (sometimes spelled enjera) from Sheba Foods of Oakland (watch for the opening of Sheba's online store).

The recipes below were adapted to celebrate the Ethiopian Jewish holiday of Sigd (celebrated earlier this week) which commemorates the acceptance of the Torah.  Accordingly the recipes have been adapted to not mix meat with dairy products.  The chicken recipe is my verison of a wat (also spelled wot), or stew.  The kale dish is based partly on some the the vegetable dishes I've eaten at Cafe Colucci and elsewhere and Welch's description of a dish he ate with gusto during their recent trip to the country.

Chicken and Egg Stew
(Kinda Doro Wat)
Serves 4-6

Although a more authentic recipe would use spiced clarified butter and not offer a substitute for the berbere, this very satisfying dish is firmly rooted in Ethiopian seasonings and cooking technique. 

3 lbs. chicken thighs, bone-in
Juice of 1 lemon
6 cups chopped red onion
1/2 cup water
2-3 Tbs. spice mix (see recipe below) or berbere
2 tsp. minced fresh garlic
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1/4 cup spice oil (see recipe below) or canola oil
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. plus 1 Tbs. tomato paste
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled

Place chicken in bowl, add lemon juice and cover with water.  Let sit 1 hour.  Place onion in a Dutch oven over medium heat.  Cook, stirring frequently, for 10-15 minutes until onions are softened and beginning to color. (Yes, you cook the onions without oil at first.) Add 1/2 cup water, spice mix, garlic, ginger, spice oil, pepper, salt and 1 Tbs. tomato paste. Mix and add drained chicken (discard lemon water) and stock.  Stir.  Raise heat to high, bring to a simmer, cover and adjust heat.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.  Uncover and keep at simmer.  Mix in 1 Tbs. tomato paste.  Prick eggs with fork, add to stew.  Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is done. (If necessary, remove chicken and eggs. Boil down sauce, stirring frequently, until it is thick but still a bit soupy.)  Remove chicken skin before serving if desired.

Kale and Mushroom Sauté
Serves 2-3 as main course, 4-6 as a side dish

Beef this vegan dish up by adding 2 cups of cooked lentils when you add the water and tomato paste, adding additional tomato paste and water to taste. 

2 cups chopped red onion
1/2 cup plus 1 cup water
2 Tbs. spice mix (see recipe below) or berbere
1/4 cup spice oil (see recipe below) or canola oil
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
2 tsp. minced fresh garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 lb. small brown or white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
1 Tbs. tomato paste
1 bunch (1/2 lb.) kale, chopped
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes

In a large skillet, cook onions until softened and beginning to color, stirring often.  Add 1/2 cup water, spice mix, spice oil, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper.  Mix well.  Add mushrooms and sauté until just softened.  Add 1 cup water and tomato paste.  Stir. Add kale.  Sauté until cooked through.  Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes.  

Spice mix --  Mix together the following ground spices:  4Tbs. chili seasoning powder, 2 Tbs. paprika, 2 tsp. cayenne pepper, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. each cardamom, dried ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, cloves, black pepper and allspice.  Store in airtight container.

Spice oil -- Heat 1/2 cup canola oil until hot.  Turn off heat.  Add 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger, 1 tsp. chopped fresh garlic, 2 Tbs. chopped onion and the following ground spices: 1/4 tsp. turmeric, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, 1/8 tsp. cardamom.  Once cool, strain, discarding solids.  Store in airtight container.
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Adapted from my column which originally appeared in j. weekly.

Turkish-Inspired Stuffed Eggplant Recipe a Delight

This is a version of an eggplant dish I first ate during a visit to Istanbul.* Like most stuffed vegetable dishes, this one does have a lot of steps, but the entire dish can be made ahead and served reheated or at room temperature. The rich lamb is tempered by the onions, garlic, tomatoes and fresh herbs and its eggplant casing becomes silky soft and delectable as it bakes. Serve with rice, couscous or a small pasta such as orzo on the side.

I should point out that when this recipe first appeared in the j.weekly, a reader from a Turkish background took me to task for saying you could serve this dish at room temperature.  Lamb is never served at room temperature in Turkey I was informed.  That is true so if you want to eat it at room temperature, please do, but understand most folks would not do so in Turkey. I do not recommend eating it cold or chilled, however.

Friends have said they don't eat lamb and asked for substitutions.  Try it with dark meat ground turkey or beef, or make it vegetarian like the dish that inspired this recipe (called the Imman Fainted).  You may want to use more tomatoes to make up for the absence of the lamb.  Or you can chop, cube and fry the eggplant that was removed when you hollowed the vegetables out and add when you would mix the lamb in with the tomatoes and onions.

Afiyet olsun! (Or bon appetit in Turkish.  If you speak Turkish and that's wrong, please let me know!)

Turkish-Style Stuffed Eggplant

Serves 6-8

1 tsp. salt
4 cups very thinly sliced onions (no thicker than 1/8”)
1 Tbs. canola oil
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1 lb. ground lamb
1 lb. medium tomatoes, peeled and seeded (see note)
2 Tbs. tomato paste
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. sugar
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh dill
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh mint
2/3 cup finely chopped fresh, flat leaf parsley
4 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 medium eggplants (1 lb. each)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup water
Chopped dill, mint and or parsley for garnish, optional

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, sprinkle salt over onion slices, toss well. Heat 1 Tbs. canola oil over medium high heat in large sauté pan. Add garlic and sauté until golden. Add lamb and sauté, stirring and breaking up any clumps, until just browned, about 2-3 minutes. Drain and discard any excess liquid and add lamb to onions. Cut tomatoes into 1/2” chunks and add with tomato paste, paprika, pepper, sugar, dill, mint, parsley and lemon juice, mix well.

Prepare eggplants. Trim off leaves, but leave stems. Slice in half lengthwise. Use a paring knife or vegetable peeler to remove 3 lengthwise strips (each about 3/4”-1” wide) of eggplant skin from each half, starting at the stem end and leaving the skin intact between strips, creating a striped pattern. If needed, slice a bit off the rounded bottom to stabilize. Use a large spoon to hollow out the eggplants, being careful not to pierce to skin. Leave 1/2" of flesh all around. Reserve scooped out eggplant pieces for another use or discard.

Pack each half with the filling and mound more on top, covering the surface of the eggplant to the edge. Place eggplants skin side down and side by side in a 14” x 9” baking pan. Drizzle olive oil over tops. Pour water down the sides of the pan. Loosely cover with aluminum foil. Bake for about 60 to 75 minutes (timing can vary greatly, so it may take more or less time), until onions are tender and eggplants are very soft. Check every 30 minutes, basting with cooking liquid and adding more water to the pan if necessary. When done, baste once more and remove from the pan, discarding cooking liquid. Sprinkle with chopped herbs if desired. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Note: To peel tomatoes, cut a cross into the stem end about 1/8” deep. Place in pot of boiling water to cover. Let simmer 2-3 minutes until skin is loosened. Remove, let cool and rub or peel off skin. To seed, slice in half and gently squeeze out seeds.
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*I am long overdue for writing up more about my trip to Istanbul last year, including the cooking class were I first made the vegetarian version of this dish.  I'll update this post with a link to those experiences when I finally do the write ups.

A Tisket, A Tasket - I Like Vegetables Grilled in a Basket

 



I like to grill cut  up vegetables in my grill basket. Shaped like a saute pan or flat-bottomed wok, it is quicker than threading all the veggies on skewers and gives me all the char and taste.

This batch combines goodies my husband, Gary, scored from the farm stand -- baby eggplants and small, colorful hot peppers -- with onions and whole garlic cloves. You do need to stir and toss the veggies as they grill to prevent them from burning and to get them to cook evenly.

 Once the eggplant was tender and charred, I mixed the vegetables above with a batch of cherry tomatoes (also from the farm stand) I had previously cooked on the barbecue until they were soft and smoky in the grill basket.  I drizzled olive oil to taste, added salt, pepper, minced lemon zest and chopped basil and served as a side dish to my red-wine marinated grilled tofu and the guys' red-wine marinated flank steak.

 I used the marinade from this post.

To cook the tofu, I cut the block of tofu in half lengthwise and then in half crosswise, scored it deeply and marinated, turning often for about an hour before grilling on a greased rack.  I recommend cooking down the marinade and serving as a sauce otherwise it would be a bit dry.

To cook the flank steak, I did as directed in the post.  Be sure to let the steak rest 10 minutes or so before slicing it very thinly against the grain.

For an alternate version of the eggplant dish (made up more like a salsa with a slightly different flavor profile, plus ideas for other variations), please see my post here.

A Simple Dinner to Eat Outdoors - Grilled Steak, Grilled Lettuce and Brownies (And Maybe Toasted Marshmallows)

I‘ve always enjoyed grilling and eating outside. It somehow seems so special, especially if there is another couple or two, to have a meal outdoors watching for the first signs of sunset (and maybe if there are children involved toasting a few marshmallow over the coals as we waited).

To me the secret of cooking and serving outside is to organize the menu so there is no running back and forth from the kitchen to the grill.  I recommend cooking the steak and salad on the grill, baking some potatoes ahead of time to wrap in foil and reheat on the grill, and making Karen’s Very Chocolate Brownies for dessert (maybe topping them with some of those toasted marshmallows).

Be sure to let the meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing as thinly as possible against the grain (cutting perpendicular to the long meat fibers) for the juiciest and most tender results. The steak can also be cooked indoors under a broiler or in a grill pan or on an electric grill. Last time I tested this recipe I used London broil, but my favorite is with flank steak.  Skirt steak also works well. The marinade also works well on Portobello mushrooms if you are looking for a vegetarian option, but maybe you'd want to switch out the potatoes with a filling and protein-packed side dish such as quinoa

Red Wine Marinated Grilled Steak
Serves 6-8

1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup red wine
4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried oregano, crumbled fine
2 lbs. flank steak,London broil or skirt steak
Vegetable oil

Mix the olive oil, wine, garlic, pepper, salt and oregano. Reserve 1/4 cup. Place the steak in a glass dish or plastic zipper storage bag. Add remaining marinade. Marinate for 2 hours, turning occasionally. Before preheating grill, brush rack with vegetable oil. Preheat grill to medium high heat, place steak on grill and discard the liquid it marinated in. Grill steak, turning and basting occasionally with the previously reserved marinade. Timing will depend on your grill and the cut of meat you are using. Cook to just slightly less done than you prefer (since it will continue to cook while it rests), remove meat to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting into very thin slices against the grain.

Grilled Lettuce Salad
Serves 4-6

Head of romaine lettuce
Vegetable oil
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper (or to taste)
2 Tbs. lemon juice (or to taste).

Separate and wash lettuce leaves. Shake off excess water and dry. Grease grill rack with vegetable oil. Heat grill to medium. Mix olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss with lettuce until coated. Lay lettuce flat on grill rack. Check and turn regularly until slightly wilted and charred. Take off grill, cut into bite-sized pieces and toss with lemon juice.

Karen’s Very Chocolate Brownies
Serves 12-16

1 cup vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing pan
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten
2 tsp. vanilla
1 -12 oz. package of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 11x14” baking pan. Melt unsweetened chocolate and set aside to cool slightly. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Without stirring, add the oil and the eggs to the center of the flour mixture. Add the vanilla and melted chocolate. Now stir, starting slowly, then beating well until smooth and dark brown. Add chocolate chips and mix well. Pour batter into pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until edges look crisp and have shrunk slightly away from the sides of the pan. Place pan on rack and let cool. Cut into bars or squares.
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A version of this post first appeared in j. weekly.

Lentil Stuffed Peppers, Near Eastern Bean Stew & Killer Garlic Sauce for Purim or Any Time (Plus They Are Vegan)

Queen Esther is probably the most famous Jewish vegan. That’s because she is said to have only eaten beans, lentils and similar foods while she was in King Ahasuerus’ court in order to observe Jewish dietary law.

Even if you are not celebrating Purim, these recipes are delicious, but for Purim they would be very special. The stew features pomegranate molasses for a sweet-tart flavor that is a traditional component of Purim foods to recognize the threat and redemption the Jews of Persia experienced. The stuffed peppers fulfill the tradition of having foods with a filling to recognize the many hidden intrigues and twists and turns of the Megillah (or the telling of the story of Esther).

Pomegranate molasses is available in Middle Eastern and other markets. For the lentil-stuffed peppers, the tomato and garlic sauce play together very nicely, but you can skip the garlic sauce if you’d like. If the garlic sauce flavor is too strong for you, stir in some regular or non-dairy yogurt to taste.

Lentil-Stuffed Peppers with Two Sauces
Serves 4-6

I like the lentil-bulgur stuffing piled into a pita and drizzled with garlic sauce if you are not up to making the full recipe!

8 medium-large red bell peppers
2 Tbs. oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1 cup chopped carrots
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup dried brown or green lentils
2 1/2 to 3 cups of vegetable stock
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 cups (packed) chopped chard
1-15 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup cooked bulgur or couscous
1 recipe tomato sauce (below)
1 recipe garlic sauce (below)

Cut tops and a thin slice off the bottom of the peppers to level, reserve. Core peppers. Place in dish with 1/2 cup water in bottom. Microwave on high for 5-8 minutes, until the peppers are tender. Drain. Chop scraps and tops and reserve.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic, sauté until golden. Add carrots, celery and chopped bell pepper. Sauté 2 minutes. Stir in lentils. Add 2 1/2 cups of stock. Stir in spices. Bring to simmer, stirring occasionally. After 10 minutes, add chard. Stir. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes until lentils are cooked, adding more stock if needed. Stir in tomatoes and bulgur. Stuff bell peppers. Spoon tomato sauce atop peppers. Bake 50 minutes. Drizzle each pepper with about a tsp. of the garlic sauce. Heat and pass remaining tomato sauce.

Tomato sauce: Combine 16 oz. tomato sauce with 1 Tbs. olive oil, 1/2 tsp. paprika, 1/2 tsp. sugar and salt and pepper to taste.

Garlic sauce: Combine 20 cloves of garlic (peeled), 1/3 cup lemon juice and 1/3 cup olive oil in a blender. Blend until creamy. You'll only need a few tbs. for the peppers, store the rest in a sealed container in the fridge for other uses. It will add zip and zing to almost everything.

Near Eastern Bean Stew
Serves 4

2 Tbs. oil
2 cups chopped leeks (white and light green parts)
2 Tbs. plus 1 Tbs. minced garlic
2 cups sliced carrots
2 cups chopped turnips
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 cups chopped eggplant
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dried ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
1 1/2 to 2 cups vegetable stock
1-15 oz. can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup pomegranate molasses
1/4 cup minced fresh dill
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 Tbs. minced fresh mint

Heat oil in a large, oven-proof pot over medium high heat. Sauté leeks and 2 Tbs. garlic sauté until light brown. Add carrots, turnips, red bell pepper and eggplant. Sauté for 3 minutes. Add spices and 1 1/2 cups of stock. Stir well. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Add beans. Stir well. Cover and keep at a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetable are cooked through, adding more stock if needed. Dish should be moist but not soupy. Stir in pomegranate molasses and dill. Have broiler heated. Combine 1 Tbs. garlic with breadcrumbs and mint. Scatter across the top of stew. Place under broiler until top is browned.
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A version of this article first appeared in j. weekly

Photos at an Exhibition Inspire White Bean, Kale and Cauliflower Salads with North African Flavors

The photography show that inspired these recipes is over now, but the San Francisco Jewish Community Center's "Harissa, Honey & Hyssop: Photos of North African Food" featured the colorful and evocative the work of Nelli Sheffer, an Israeli who specializes in food photography.

The show appealed to me not just for the vivid portrayal of the food but for the life and feeling that seemed to emanate from the people in the photos with the grilled corn, roast lamb and other foods featured in Sheffer’s photographs.  (To see info on this exhibit, please go the JCC's Katz Gallery site. To read a write up about the exhibit with some photos, please see this jweekly article. For Sheffer's site, go here.)

I’ve recreated some of the North African flavors of the exhibition in several cooked vegetable salads, a feature of many of the cuisines of the region.

Briefly cooking the kale in the Kale Salad and Garlic Salad with Lemon helps tame its assertiveness. The cauliflower salad uses the Tunisian condiment harissa in the dressing. Harissa, a chili-garlic paste, is available in many supermarkets and in specialty stores. If you would like to make your own, here’s my recipe. The white bean dish features radishes and carrots, frequent ingredients in Moroccan salads.

 

Kale Salad with Garlic
Serve s 4-6

1 large or 2 small bunches of Tuscan kale (also known as dino or black kale)
1-2 tsp. minced garlic
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp., packed, minced lemon zest
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. paprika
1 tomato, chopped into 1/4” pieces

Remove tough bottom stems from kale. You should have about 12 oz. of leaves. Immerse in boiling water. Return to boil. Cover and cook kale for 2 minutes. Kale should be pliable and somewhat tender. Immediately remove from pot, rinse with cold water and drain well. Pat leaves dry with paper towels.

Blotting, rolling and slicing kale

Stack 6-8 leaves. Roll from tip of leaf to stem. Gently squeeze bundle to remove any excess water. Slice into 1/4” strips. Repeat with remainder of kale. Place in large bowl, tossing to untangle kale strips. Dry again with paper towels if there is a lot of moisture.

Combine garlic, juice, zest, oil, cumin, sugar, salt, pepper and paprika. Mix well and toss with kale strips. Garnish with chopped tomato. Serve at room temperature.

Cauliflower Salad with Harissa
Serves 4-6

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. harissa (Tunisian chili-garlic paste)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt plus additional if needed
1 medium cauliflower
1/2 cup 1/4" chunks of red onion
3 Tbs. finely chopped fresh mint
3 tsps., packed, minced lemon zest

Mix juice, harissa, oil and 1/4 tsp. salt. Set aside. Core cauliflower and cut into 1 and 1/2” florets. Steam over boiling water for 4-6 minutes until tender but not cooked through. Immediately toss with harissa mixture and red onion. Mix in mint and lemon zest. Taste and add additional salt if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature.

White Bean Salad with Radishes and Carrots
Serves 4-6

1 and 3/4 cups cooked white kidney beans, rinsed and drained (15 oz. can)
1 cup 1/4" cubes of red bell pepper
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (white and light green part only)
1/4 cup 1/8” pieces of red radish
1 cup 1/4" chunks of carrot
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp. salt plus additional if needed
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. finely chopped parsley

Combine beans, red bell, green onions, radish pieces and carrot chunks. Mix lemon juice, 1/8 tsp. of salt, paprika, cumin, garlic and olive oil. Combine with beans and vegetables. Stir in parsley. Taste, adding more salt if needed. Serve at room temperature.
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A version of this post appeared in the j. weekly.

Tomatoes, Basil, Olive Oil and Silken Tofu

The above is not ricotta or mozzarella, it's Hodo Soy brand silken "soy custard" tofu with sliced heirloom tomatoes, basil, sea salt, fresh ground pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. I made it my whole dinner one recent hot night, but it would make a lovely appetizer.  The Hodo tofu comes in a tub and is not "pressed" into a cake.  You can also find tofu like this in some Asian markets. (Hodo's tofu is handmade and is really only available now in northern California and is worth seeking out.)

Delicious, simple, healthy and good.

A Celebration of Six Years - Thai Vegetable Curry Cooked Inside a Pumpkin

This is Blog Appetit's sixth blog-o-versary. I like to mark my blog's anniversary with either mawkish sentiment or a celebration recipe.  This year I did both. You can read the sentimental part here. Now on to the recipe.

There's a lot of background on this pumpkin curry dish. First I love Thai pumpkin curry in all of its guises and wanted to create my own version.  Next I love baking things in pumpkins -- to date I've made custards, South American corn stew, turkey chilis and soups in pumpkins, so I've got a theme going on. (Unfortunately, none of these dishes are on the blog. Yet.)  I also like cooking with pumpkins and winter squash so you'll find lots of recipes and how tos on the blog for that.  And when it comes to cooking savory dishes in a pumpkin my preference is for the tasty, nutty flesh of the kabocha, also called Japanese pumpkin and a type of winter squash that is reportedly used in Thailand.

Also, aside from whacking off the pumpkin "lid" and cleaning out those pesky strings and seeds (really it should just take you a few minutes), it is a very easy recipe but has a wonderful wow factor making it a perfect celebration dinner dish.  Like for a blog-o-versary.

Thai Vegetarian Curry Baked in a Pumpkin
Serves 4-6

You may be able to “harvest” the cup of squash chunks for the stir fry during your pumpkin prep. If not, use the sweet potato pieces instead. (If you need tips on cutting and cleaning a pumpkin, please check out my pumpkin "boot camp" post.) If you are avoiding animal products, be sure to read the ingredient label of your red curry paste. Some are made with shrimp and many have fish sauce. The level of spiciness varies between brands of curry paste, so you may need to increase or decrease the amount accordingly. This recipe will serve about 4 people if it’s the only main dish but more if there are other entrees or a lot side dishes. I served this over red jasmine rice, but regular white or brown jasmine or other rice would work well.

1 large kobacha pumpkin
15 oz. can regular or light coconut milk
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 ½ cups chopped onion
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1 large carrot, cut into ¼” rounds
1 cup of ½” red pepper chunks
2 cups of ½” chunks of Asian, Thai or Italian eggplant (unpeeled)
1 cup ½” winter squash or sweet potato chunks
2 cups quartered button or crimini mushroom caps
1 Tbs. (or to taste) prepared red curry paste
2 cups ½” cubes of wheat gluten and or pressed, firm tofu
½ cup fresh Thai or Italian basil, divided.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut top off pumpkin, reserve. Clean out seeds and strings. Pour can of coconut milk into pumpkin. Cover with reserved lid. Put on a rimmed baking dish or pan. Bake for 35-45 minutes until just tender.

While the pumpkin is baking, make the curry. Heat oil in wok or large fry pan. Sauté onions, garlic and ginger until the onions are beginning to brown and soften. Add the carrots and peppers and stir fry or sauté for a few minutes until slightly charred and browned. Add eggplant and squash chunks. Stir fry or sauté until eggplant and squash have begun to soften and brown. Add mushrooms. Stir fry or sauté for a minute then add the red curry paste. Mix well. Add the wheat gluten or tofu and continue to stir fry or sauté for a few minutes. Take off heat and reserve until the pumpkin is ready.

Once the pumpkin’s flesh is just tender (test with a fork), remove the baking pan from the oven, but keep the oven on. Wearing oven mitts, remove top and carefully pour coconut milk into stir fry vegetable mixture. Be careful not to rip or tear the pumpkin shell. Bring vegetables and coconut milk to a simmer, stirring frequently until the vegetables are almost cooked through and the liquid has reduced to a thick sauce. Taste and add more red curry paste if desired. Stir in ¼ cup of the basil, cooking for an additional minute. Spoon curry inside pumpkin until packed, replace pumpkin lid and return to the baking dish and place in the oven for about 30 minutes or until pumpkin flesh is soft all the way through and curry is heated through. To serve, remove the lid, sprinkle with remaining basil and scoop out some of the pumpkin flesh with the curry.

A note about pumpkin size and integrity. If your squash proves to be too small (which has happened to me), just reheat your extra veggie curry and serve alongside the pumpkin encased version, or refill your pumpkin as the contents diminish. I did have an unfortunate tear when I poured out the coconut milk from the pumpkin in the photo above but was able to “mend” the rip with skewers and the squash held together admirably during cooking.

Recipes for Side Dishes from Pre-Packaged Produce - Broccoli Slaw, Kale and Bean Salad, Sweet and Sour Squash



Sweet and Sour Butternut Squash

These side dishes were developed to be easy and portable for potlucks or family dinners.  I got the idea for using prepackaged produce as a starting point for some colorful, flavorful and tasty recipes from my friend Yen, who served me a version of the Broccoli Slaw Salad below.

Container sizes vary between brands and small variations won’t matter, but if there is a difference of more than a few ounces adjust the amount of the other ingredients. If you prefer, skip the prepackaged ingredients and cut and prep your own veggies for the recipes. The recipes all multiply well. Larger batches of the kale should be sautéed separately and then combined.

These recipes can be made a day or two in advance and store well in the refrigerator. I think they taste best at room temperature, though.

Sweet and Sour Butternut Squash
Serves 4 as a side dish

If you can make this a day in advance, the flavors have a real chance to meld.

1 lb. package fresh, peeled butternut squash cubes
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 and 1/2 cups thinly sliced onions
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. salt or to taste
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. dried mint flakes
1/2 tsp. sugar or to taste

Cook squash according to package directions. Soak raisins in vinegar for 20 minutes. Heat oil in sauté pan and cook onions over medium low heat, stirring often until very soft, sweet and darkened to golden brown. Add cooked squash, raising heat to medium high and sautéing for a few minutes. Add raisins, vinegar, red pepper, salt, black pepper and mint. Sauté, stirring occasionally until flavors have melded and squash and raisins are heated through. Taste. Add sugar as needed and correct seasonings. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Kale and White Bean Salad
Serves 6-8 as a side dish

I love this with cooked cranberry beans if you have the time to cook some up. The beans have an almost chestnut-like earthy flavor to them that works well with the strong-tasting greens and garlic.

10 oz. package pre-cut kale
2 Tbs. oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
15 oz. can of white kidney (cannelloni) or great northern beans
1 Tbs. minced lemon zest
1/2 cup red wine vinaigrette salad dressing

Rinse kale and let drain. Heat oil in large fry or sauté pan over medium high heat. Sauté garlic until just golden. Add kale, stir well until coated. Add in 1/2 cup water, stir, cover and let kale steam until leaves are cooked through but not limp or soft and stems still have a bit of crunch, adding more water if needed. Remove lid, add salt, black pepper and red pepper and cook stirring occasionally until water has evaporated. Let kale cool. Rinse and drain beans. Mix drained beans, lemon zest and vinaigrette with kale and gently stir to combine. Serve at room temperature.

Yen’s Broccoli Slaw Salad
Serves 4 as a side dish

When Yen served this salad, I just couldn’t stop eating it. She had adapted the recipe on a container of the shredded broccoli stem and carrot mix and I tweaked it a bit more. Pomegranate seeds are sometimes available packaged if you don’t want to tackle seeding a whole fruit. Dried cranberries make a quick and tasty substitute.  I used a light, low-calorie salad dressing and the agave when I made this last.

1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
1 Tbs. honey or agave syrup
1 small Fuji apple
8 oz. package of broccoli slaw (shredded broccoli stems and carrots)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds OR dried cranberries

Combine salad dressing with honey and mix well. Cut unpeeled apple into 1/2” chunks (about 1 cup). Toss with dressing. Add dressing and apples to slaw mix. Stir in walnuts and cranberries if using (if using pomegranate seeds instead, stir in just before serving). Serve cold or at room temperature.

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A version of this post appeared in j. weekly. The recipes were created to for easy transportation and serving under the sukkah, part of the Sukkot celebration.

Recipes for Rosh Hashanah 5772 -- Jewish New Year's Recipes



Leek-Potato Patties

 Here are the various recipes I developed for this year's Rosh Hashanah celebration.  For more on Blog Appetit's Rosh Hashanah 5772 coverage, please click here.  Many of these recipes have appeared in the j weekly, the San Francisco Bay area's Jewish newsweekly.

Leek-Potato Patties
Makes 8-3” Patties

These savory pancakes make a good starter course (perhaps served with a smear of Sriracha or other chili paste sauce and or a dab of mango chutney) or a wonderful accompaniment to roast chicken, pot roast or other main course.

Leeks are included in the Rosh Hashanah Seder because their name in Hebrew is similar to the word for cut off and symbolizes defeating our enemies.

1 lb. Yukon gold or similar potatoes
1 Tbs. plus 2 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts only
1/2 tsp. plus 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. plus 1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. or to taste, minced jalapeno (seeded), optional
2 eggs, beaten

Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water until tender. Cool. Peel if desired. Mash or rice until smooth.

Heat 1 Tbs. oil in fry pan. Add leeks, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Sauté over medium high heat until softened and browned. Combine with mashed potatoes. Add remaining salt and pepper, jalapeno (if using) and eggs. Mix well. Heat 2 Tbs. oil in a large fry or sauté pan. Oiling hands if desired, take 1/4 cup of the mix and form into a patty about 3” in diameter. Place in hot oil. Repeat until potato mixture is used up. Fry over medium heat about 4-5 minutes a side, until both sides are browned and the pancake is firm when you touch it. (Fry in batches if needed.)

Tzimmes with a Twist -- Savory-Sweet with Chicken
Serves 6

A sweet tzimmes with carrots is a traditional dish. Carrots are symbolic of prosperity. The sweetness is a reminder of the wish to have a sweet New Year. This tzimmes is lighter in color and not as sweet or heavy. Serve over noodles or potatoes.

1 cup dried apricot halves
1 cup dried, pitted prunes
2 cups boiling water
2 and 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 Tbs. canola or other vegetable oil
1 cup thinly sliced onions
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 cup 1/4” thick carrot slices
1 and 1/2 Tbs. soy sauce

Cover apricots and prunes with boiling water. Let steep until softened (about 20 minutes depending on fruit). Drain, reserving liquid.

Cut chicken into 1 1/2” chunks. Add oil to large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium high heat. Brown chicken chunks, working in batches if necessary. Remove from pan and reserve. Add onions, put heat on medium low and cook, stirring occasionally until softened, well browned and caramelized about 25 minutes. Raise heat to medium high, add garlic and sauté until golden. Add red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper, cumin, carrots, soy sauce, apricots, prunes, and reserved soaking water and stir well, incorporating any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer. Add chicken pieces and any accumulated juices. Stir well. Cover and keep at a simmer, stirring occasionally until chicken and carrots are cooked through (about 30 minutes). Taste and correct seasoning. For thicker sauce, remove solids and keep warm and raise heat under sauce and cook uncovered until reduced.

Chicken with Chard and Green Beans

Chicken with Chard and Green Beans
Serves 6

This dish is packed with tasty Rosh Hashanah symbols – chard which represents our asking that our enemies be removed, green beans which have come to mean a wish that God will increase our merits and more. It can also be made ahead and reheated just before serving.

2 Tbs. plus 1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 cup plus 1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 Tbs. plus 1/2 Tbs. minced garlic
1/8 tsp. plus 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. plus 1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. plus 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1/4 tsp. dried, ground turmeric
1 cup of 1/2” chunks of zucchini
1 cup of 1” pieces of green or string beans
4 cups, packed, of roughly chopped red or Swiss chard
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup small cherry tomatoes
1/2 tsp. sugar or to taste, as needed

Heat the 2 Tbs. of oil in a large fry or sauté pan over medium high heat. Add 1/2 cup onion and 1/2 Tbs. garlic, 1/8 tsp. of red pepper flakes, 1/4 tsp. of salt and 1/4 tsp of ground black pepper. Sauté until golden. Add chicken thighs, browning on both sides and cooking until almost cooked through, about 7 minutes. Remove from pan with juices and any brown bits. Set aside, covering with foil to keep warm.

Add remaining oil to pan if needed. Heat over medium high heat. Add remaining onions, garlic, red pepper, salt, black pepper, the ginger and turmeric. Sauté about 2 minutes until onions are softened and golden. Add zucchini. Sauté for 2 minutes, add green beans, sauté 2 minutes. Stir in chard, sauté for a minute then add chicken broth, stirring up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add cherry tomatoes, stir well and sauté, stirring occasionally until the chard is softened and the liquid is somewhat reduced, about 10 minutes. Taste and correct seasoning, adding sugar if the greens are too bitter.

Return chicken, juices and cooked onion mixture to pan with vegetables. Stir well. Cook until chicken is thoroughly reheated and cooked through. Serve over rice or couscous.

To Make Ahead and Reheat. Don’t cover the cooked thighs with foil. Store the cooked vegetables and chicken separately in the refrigerator. Allow to come to room temperature before reheating. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place vegetables in baking dish. Place chicken on top of vegetables. Spoon any juices and cooked onion mixture over the chicken. Cover with foil. Cook for about 30-50 minutes until thoroughly reheated and chicken is cooked through.

Black-Eyed Pea Salad
Serves 4-6

Black-eyed peas are an important part of Sephardic and North African Rosh Hashanah tradition, symbolic of our wish that God multiply our merits. If using canned black-eyed peas, no need to cook them, but be sure to rinse and drain them well.

1/2 cup 1/4" dice carrots
½ cup 1/4" dice celery
1/2 cup 1/4” sliced scallions
1/2 cup 1/4” dice red bell pepper
2 cups cooked black-eyed peas, drained
1 Tbs. grated lemon zest
4 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
4 Tbs. canola or other vegetable oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. (or to taste) siracha, harissa or other chili paste sauce

Combine the carrots, celery, scallions, red bell pepper, black-eyed peas and lemon zest. Mix. Make the dressing in a separate bowl, combining juice, oil, salt and siracha. Mix well. Stir into vegetables. Taste and correct seasonings. The salad should not taste “hot” but should have a slight zing. Serve at room temperature.

Parve Cinnamon-Almond Chocolate Truffles
Makes About 24 Truffles

Round foods are symbolic of wholeness and continuity.   Parve foods contain neither meat nor dairy.  This recipe is also vegan.

3 oz. plain unsweetened soy milk
3 Tbs. parve margarine, cut into small chunks
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. almond extract
5 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
Cocoa powder, optional

Simmer soy milk over medium heat. Add margarine, stirring until dissolved.  Stir in cinnamon and almond extract.  Reduce heat to very low. Add chocolate, stirring constantly until thoroughly melted. Refrigerate covered for several hours until the mixture is solid but pliable (it may be a bit crumbly).  Oil hands and measuring spoon if desired.  Spoon out about 2 tsp. of the chocolate mixture and using hands and fingers press or pinch into a rough round. Roll in cocoa powder if desired. Repeat. Store covered in refrigerator and take out about 20 minutes before serving.

Pumpkin-Date Filo Tart

Pumpkin and Date Filo Tart
Serves 8

This parve tart features pumpkins and dates, both foods mentioned in the Talmud as part of the Rosh Hashanah food celebration. Pumpkins symbolize our good deeds being called out as well as the plea for any harsh judgments to be torn up and disregarded. Dates symbolize an end to hostility or ill will.

If you are using canned pumpkin puree, be sure you are not using the pre-spiced pumpkin pie filling mix.

2 cups cooked pumpkin puree
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/3 cup pitted, roughly chopped Medjool dates (about 8 large chopped into about a ¼” dice)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
7 sheets of filo dough
1/4 cup (approximately) vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl combine the pumpkin puree, eggs, juice, sugars, cinnamon and ginger. Mix well. Add the dates and walnuts and stir until evenly dispersed through filling. Set aside.

Make the filo crust. Have ready a package of defrosted filo leaves. Set seven aside covered with a damp paper towel. Repackage and refreeze remainder. Brush the bottom and sides of a 9” round cake pan with vegetable oil. Take out one filo sheet (leaving others covered). Center in the cake pan and brush surface with oil. Take out another sheet, rotate it so the overhanging edges are offset with the first sheet. Brush with the oil. Repeat with four of the remaining sheets. Shred the seventh sheet and scatter across the bottom of the crust.

Fill the crust with the pumpkin mixture. Fold the overhanging edges of the filo back over themselves and tuck into the tart. They should cover the edge of the cake pan and create a bit of an edge. Brush exposed filo with oil.

Place in center rack in center of oven. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until exposed filo crust has turned golden brown. Cover exposed crust with strips of aluminum foil. Bake tart for about 50 minutes more or until center is set and a knife inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Remove foil strips and let cool to room temperature before serving.

Spices Make Global Local -- Recipes for Bahrat Tomato Sauce with Okra, Quick Zucchini Pickles and Roasted Asparagus



Quick Zucchini Dill Pickles

 When you try to cook local but eat global, authentic spices are often what you need to translate international recipes into home cooking.  The earthy whiff of cumin, the sweet smell of cinnamon or the tingle of ground peppers all bring the world to my dining table.

I recently interviewed two San Francisco Bay area spice purveyors (who happen to offer most spices with  kosher certification) for a recent article in the j. weekly.  from Bay area spice purveyors who have found that a hechsher (symbol of kosher certification) is good for business.  One of the companies, Whole Spice, was also featured the following Sunday in the San Francisco Chronicle food section. 

Whole Spice, based in Petaluma, specializes in ethnic flavors and seasoning mixes with a “special touch to make them more flavorful,” according to Israeli-born Ronit Madmone, co-owner of Whole Spice. Whole Spice’s freshly ground spices can be found in the company’s Napa store and online or call (707) 778-1750 for more information.

Another Bay area spice company is American Natural and Organic Spices, based in Fremont. John Chansar, senior customer service manager is proud of bringing the wide world of spices to everyone as well as the company's social values.

“We are also a green company and donate a portion of or sales to charities to support homeless children,” he said.

The company’s Spicely brand is widely available in the Bay area as well as online. For more information or for retailers, call (510) 440-1044.

Both companies also feature gluten-free and organic products. Below are recipes to take advantage of the wonderful spice mixes they offer. Substitute similar products from other manufacturers if desired.

Bahrat Tomato Sauce with Zucchini or Okra
Serves 6

Baharat means “spices” in Arabic. Whole Spice’s version of the traditional mix contains nutmeg, black pepper, coriander seed, cumin seed, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, paprika, and chili. This recipe is adapted from the Whole Spice website.

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. baharat spice mix
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. tomato paste
1 Tbs. fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 Tbs. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 lb. zucchini OR fresh okra, sliced
1 cup vegetable broth

In a large cooking pot, heat the oil and add the chopped onion, frying until golden brown about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes or until tomatoes are soft. Add paprika, black pepper, baharat, cumin, bay leaves, and salt. Mix well and cook for a couple of minutes to combine flavors.

Add tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add parsley, cilantro, and okra or zucchini; mix all ingredients well. Add vegetable broth and mix. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer over until vegetables are soft. (Okra will take longer than the zucchini). Add water if sauce is getting too thick. Taste and correct seasoning. Remove bay leaves. Serve over rice.


Quick Zucchini Dill Pickles
Makes about 1 quart

Sometimes it’s hard to find good pickling cucumbers, so that’s when I make this recipe. Pickling spice mix usually contains coriander, mustard seed, and black pepper among other seasonings.

4-5 small zucchinis
4 garlic cloves, cut in half
1/4 cup dill sprigs, washed
1 1/2 cups of vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. pickling spice mix
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Wash and rinse well one quart or larger glass jar. Fill with boiling water and set aside.
Wash zucchinis well. Slice into ¼” rounds. You should have about 5 cups. Put vinegar and ½ cup water in a sauce pan with salt. Bring to a simmer.

Pour hot water out of glass jar. Layer cucumbers or zucchini, garlic and dill in jar. Scatter pickling spice and red pepper flakes in jar. Pour warm vinegar mixture to fill, making sure the vegetables are totally covered with liquid. Cover with airtight lid and store in refrigerator. Chill overnight before serving. Keep refrigerated.