KosherGirl: An Ex-WASP's Kosher Kitchen Adventures

Cross-Post: The Intentional Torte at EagleiOnline

2008-10-26T21:47:00.003-04:00

Hey Folks,

Not that most of you don't already know this, but I've been writing a weekly column for the BCLS independent newsblog, EagleiOnline. My column, the Intentional Torte, features both recipes and "local color" on the culinary/foodie scene here in Boston. You have to have a BC email address to comment, but I believe you can view the site without it.

Would love to hear feedback on the columns (there have been about a half dozen so far) and any suggestions you might have for future recipes. I am not cross-posting in reverse because I don't want random strangers reading about my more embarrassing moments.

Oh, wait, I write about them on a blog, which is accessible to anyone and everyone with an internet connection.

Well, I never wanted to run for public office anyway. :0)

In the meantime, I am going to write a non-EiO entry soon. In the meantime, check things out on the other site!

Haymarket Redux

2008-09-18T19:09:00.002-04:00

My CSA is (finally) started to wind down - I got only one bag of produce this week, which is great because my freezer is stuffed and I don't have any tupperware left to house the dozens of containers of soup, chili, etc, even if there were freezer space left.

In addition to my (smaller) CSA pickup, I was feeling antzy and wanted to go apple picking this past weekend but my plans fell throug. Instead, I went to Haymarket. Haymarket is a large outdoor market in downtown Boston that is pretty much the antithesis of a farmers' market. The produce at Haymarket is the antithesis of farmers’ markets. The produce there is not local or organic; it is not fresh; you do not meet the people growing your food, and its carbon footprint is probably enormous.

However, it is cheap. CHEAP Cheap cheap. Ten bananas for $1. Four pounds of peaches (slightly bruised) for $2. A box (probably 40) slightly mushed Roma tomatoes for $8. It is not pretty but it is cheap and T-accessible and has a certain strange charm in that dirty, noisy, rude Boston kind of way. And I love it.

While I was there, I bought 4 lbs of not-squished roma tomatoes and 4 lbs of slightly squished peaches, and 1 lb of white mushrooms and 5 heads of garlic and 2 pints of raspberries and 1 bunch of thick-ish asparagus with slightly mushed tops. I spent about $15 and could barely stagger home under the weight of my groceries.

When I got home, I took the tomatoes and 1 head of the garlic (roasted) and some home-dried herbs and made a vat of tomato sauce (which cooks down to a depressingly small amount, to be honest). And then I made another batch of corn chowder with the leftover corn from last week. I then threw half the mushrooms and some of the garlic and all of the asparagus into a yummy risotto and then, two days later, threw another head of the roasted garlic, the rest of the mushrooms, along with some other veggies, into a homemade tomato sauce that was awesome. That pasta sauce went with (shockingly) pasta, and Austin and Arianna came over and had that, along with a Greek salad for dinner. For dessert, I made something super-easy with the peaches, which had been ripening for a couple days in a brown bag on the counter. The peaches from Haymarket do not have the lovely texture of local peaches, but they are perfect to cook with. I used some puff pastry to make the recipe below – frozen puff pastry is super-easy, lives well in the freezer when you don’t need it, and cooks up very quickly in the oven while you’re doing other things.

Peach Turnovers

6 6”x 6” squares of puff pastry
1 tbsn unsalted butter
2 medium peaches, pitted, skins removed, sliced into ½” chunks
1 tbsn cornstarch (or other starch)
1 tsp. lemon juice
3 tbsn sugar
~1/2 tsp. cinnamon
~1/4 tsp. ground cloves (to taste)
~1/2 c. water
1 egg + 1 tbsn water

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a non-stick pan with vegetable oil-based cooking spray. Take out puff pastry from freezer and thaw.

2. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add cornstarch, lemon juice,2 tbsn. sugar, cinnamon, and water. Stir until mixed, butter is melted and mixture is starting to bubble. Add peaches and cook, stirring regularly, until peaches are soft and sauce is thickened and peach-tasting. Adjust spices as needed.

3. Prick thawed puff pastry squares all over with a fork (set fork aside for a second). In the middle of each square, place about a tablespoon of peach mixture (chunks and sauce). Gently fold the squares diagonally in half. With the fork, crimp down the diagonal edges. Repeat with all six squares. (If you have extra peaches, eat them with a spoon out of the saucepan - they are that good).

4. Mix the egg and 1 tbsn. water in a glass or pinch bowl. Brush each pastry with the egg wash and check edges again. Pop in oven and bake about 20 minutes or until browned on top and bubbly. Serve warm with ice cream or cold for breakfast.

Veggie-Mania

2008-08-26T21:40:00.005-04:00

The CSA is going full tilt even as the leaves are starting to turn. I have been completely inundated with corn and tomatoes and have no idea what to do with myself. The fridge is a vegetable minefield. I have no freezer space left, even after giving away food right, left and center. My friends are starting to say "no" to the vegetables. Well, some of them, anyway. The other friends have their mouths full, so they can't say no.

In all of this chaos, the only thing to do is make soup. I've become completely enamored of homemade soup, as I have previously posted, but I have to say that my soups have really gotten to the next level this summer. Mark Bittman wrote about the joys of preserving summer produce in soup form in one of his recent NYTimes posts, and the recipe below is adapted from his corn chowder recipe. I like that it is simple but not Johnny-One-Note on the corn. Without the half and half, this soup freezes incredibly well. Thaw before reheating - otherwise the veggies will get all starchy from the microwave.

Corn Chowder with Potatoes and Peas

1 tbsn butter
1 medium onion in 1/2" dice
4 cups water
4 cups vegetable stock (homemade or whatever)
4 ears corn, husked and cleaned of thread, kernels planked (retain cobs)
1/2 package (about 1 1/2 cups) baby peas
5 medium-size yukon gold potatoes in 1/4" dice
2 cups baby carrots in 1/2" pieces
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. liquid smoke (optional, and only if you would otherwise want to add some kind of smoked meat to this recipe. You know who you are).
half and half, for serving (optional, or go for fat-free)

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Saute onion until golden and translucent. Add water, stock, and corn cobs. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes.

2. After 45 minutes of simmering, add the potatoes and carrots. Bring back up to a boil and boil briskly (carefully avoiding boiling over) for about 15 minutes. Reduce to a simmer, remove cobs and check potatoes and carrots - they should be done but not totally mushy. Add corn kernels and peas and stir for about 5 minutes more. Remove from heat and let cool 15 minutes. Using an immersion blender, puree about half of the soup (don't burn yourself) in the pan, then stir to further blend. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Serve as is or with a dollop of half and half (I use fat free) to bring it all together. Great with a crusty piece of bread.

Enjoy!

Notes from the Eastern Shore

2008-08-12T16:48:00.009-04:00

Dear Blogosphere,

This post is coming to you from the beautiful Eastern Shore of Maryland. It is late afternoon and I am taking a break from editing Beloved Professor's new con law article to bring you this late breaking news flash:

Life is good.

How is it good, might you ask? It is good in many ways. Last week was a little stressful for me. I was studying for (and, consequently, took) a standardized test that is a pre-requisite for sitting for the bar exam. More importantly, I was waiting around, trying not to be impatient, while Big Boston Firm took its time to evaluate my summer work and its own needs/wants/desires to determine whether it would like to give me a job. The additional good news is that they decided to make me a permanent offer. Yay! Very exciting news (particularly given the law school loans and the downturn in the economy). Think of how many cooking gadgets a first year associate salary could buy!! The mind boggles.

In any case, the shore has been a great respite from the stress, particularly because every type of delicious produce known to man is in peak season. The corn - OMG! - it is amazing! The peaches are the earthly embodiment of the Divine - the most delicious things in the world. The tomatoes are so fresh, they melt in your mouth. To that end, I used the veggies at hand as they were intended to be used - as close to fresh-picked as possible.

To that end, I made a frittata with the fresh produce and some fresh herbs from the farmers' market that I thought was pretty groovy. This is NOT a traditional frittata (which means "fried" in almost all Romance languages) because it is not cooked on the stove and finished in the oven, but is primarily cooked in the oven. This is because I am not capable of doing a frittata in an oven-safe AND range-safe pan. I spend hours scraping charred egg out of my lovely cast-iron, and I therefore refuse to do the whole stovetop-to-oven thing. You could add corn shaved from the cob to this recipe and it would also be good. Or green beans. Or spinach. Really, any veggies you have on hand that go well with salt (so, not beets or carrots) would work well here. It's a great meal for dinner when paired with a salad and some rolls, or for lunch or breakfast as-is.

More postings later - hope you all enjoy the produce.

That's A Lotta Frittata

1 large or 2 medium ripe tomatoes, sliced in 1/4" horizontal slices
2 large zucchini or yellow squash, also in 1/4" slices
1/2 medium onion in 1/4" dice
2/3 c. shredded low-fat sharp cheddar or other cheese with a bite
8 eggs or equivalent fake egg product (I like EggBeaters, but whatever works for you)
1/4 c. chopped fresh herbs (I like a mix of thyme, oregano and basil, but whatever you have handy would work)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. butter
1 tsp. EVOO or cooking spray
1 small frying pan
1 non-stick pie tin or tart pan

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Thoroughly grease the pie tin/tart pan with cooking spray or EVOO. In the frying pan over medium heat, cook the onions until beginning to turn golden brown (about 7 minutes). Add the butter and cook until a nice deep golden color has developed. Remove from heat and place in medium mixing bowl (set aside to cool).

2. Spray the skillet with cooking spray. Mix the grated cheese and chopped herbs together. Layer the veggies and cheese in the following order: zucchini, 1/2 cheese, tomatoes, 1/2 cheese.

3. When the onions are cool enough to handle (lukewarm), crack the eggs into the bowl (beware of shell fragments) and whisk the eggs, 1/4 c. water, a generous pinch of both salt and pepper, and the onions together. Pour into the baking tin. Make sure that the upper layer of cheese is submerged (you may press down on the veggies/cheese to achieve this).

4. Pop in the oven (to avoid burns, try doing so on the baking sheet) and bake for 35-45 minutes. If the top seems to be browning too quickly, cover with foil. Watch the frittata after the first 30 minutes. It is done when the center is set and the top is golden brown and slightly crispy. Serve warm or cold, depending on the occasion.

CSA Heaven/Hell

2008-07-21T11:14:00.003-04:00

Hello Friends,

It's been a few weeks since I posted, and what a few weeks it's been. My CSA has been going strong (yay) and my remaining tomato plants have little green tomatoes that are (slowly) growing toward fruition. All of this is wonderful, except for the part where, as a result of my job at Big Boston Firm, I am never home. I am almost to the point where I will have to drop off food at people's houses, ring the bell, and then run away before they know it was me.

Of course, the zucchini frittata on the front step might give that away.

One of the things I like about keeping kosher is that it requires mindful eating. No matter where you fall on the spectrum (if, like me, you believe that there is such a thing), from mashgiach to "everything but bacon", if you keep kosher to any degree, you are thinking about what you are putting into your body, what you consume, where it comes from, and how it got to you.

I was contemplating this yesterday afternoon as I meticulously inspected and pitted sour cherries. The cherries in question had come from a cherry tree in my friends' yard (thanks Jane and Brett!) that had been sadly neglected by J&B's landlord. As a result, the tree had lovely fruit but a roaring fruit fly infestation. Hence my careful cherry-by-cherry inspection. Keeping kosher for me means not eating bugs (at least, not those that can be avoided by careful inspection), so I went through and checked each cherry for any blemishes, then hand pitted the good cherries, and plopped them into the sugar and cinnamon and blueberries. Of the fruit I picked, about half made it into the cherry-blueberry cobbler I made last night. I stole, I mean adapted, the recipe from 101 Cookbooks, which is one of my favorite cooking blogs (find the recipe here). Needless to say, a careful perusal of 200 cherries is time consuming, but it was nice to know that I was eating local (and presumably organic, if you can call it organic with the ground-level pollutants that may linger in Somerville back yards) cherries that I had picked myself.

In addition to the cherry-blueberry cobbler (a la mode), we had Greek salad with cucumber, arugula and mesclun from my CSA, and zucchini-corn quesadillas with zucchini and corn from my CSA. I've included the zucchini and corn quesadilla recipe below. I will admit that, had I had less time, I would happily use canned "refried" beans in this recipe - TJs has a mix that is totally awesome. If you were feeling really ambitious (clearly I was not), then you could start with dried pinto beans or similar white beans, soak them for 24 hours, boil them, and then begin with the recipe below. Any of these three options would be acceptable. Do what works for you.

Zucchini-Corn Quesadillas
1 large zucchini, washed, stems removed, in 1/2" dice
1 ear corn, husked, kernels cut off with a sharp knife (try not to hurt yourself while doing this).
1 medium onion in 1/4", divided
1 can pinto beans
2 cloves garlic, minced or put through a garlic press
salt and pepper to taste
3 whole wheat regular-size tortillas (or other tortillas of your choice)
1 1/2 cups low-fat shredded cheese (mexican-style blend, if you can find it, mild cheddar or pepper jack if you can't)
6 tsp EVOO, divided
1/2 cup each sour cream and salsa, for serving

1. In the skillet, place 2 tsp of EVOO and heat to medium-high. Add half the onion and cook until translucent and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook about 30 seconds. Add can of beans (including juices). Cook, stirring occasionally, about 5-7 more minutes. Remove from heat. With a potato masher or fork, squish the beans until the mixture resembles a thick paste. If the beans are too chunky, add a couple tablespoons of water. Season with salt and pepper (easy on the salt). Transfer beans into a tupperware container. Rinse out the skillet.

2. Put the skillet back on the heat, add 2 more tsp. EVOO, and add the remaining half of the onion. Again, cook until translucent. Add zucchini and cook, stirring frequently, until zucchini is falling apart and browning in places, about 10 minutes. Add corn and cook an additional 2 minutes. Put in a second tupperware container and wipe out skillet.

3. Assemble the quesadillas. In each tortilla, spread about 1/4 cup of the bean mixture on one half of the tortilla. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of cheese over the beans. Cover with about 1/3 cup of the zucchini-corn mixture. (You can fiddle with these proportions depending on your taste). Repeat with the remaining two tortillas. You will probably have some leftover zucchini mix and beans (dinner tomorrow night too). Fold each tortilla in half to create a half circle of deliciousness.

4. In skillet, pour a scant amount of EVOO (1/2 tsp?) and heat over medium-high. Swirl oil around in pan, then add the quesadillas. Cook on bottom until brown and crispy (keep an eye on it to avoid scorching) and then gently flip over to brown the other side. Repeat with remaining quesadillas. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Enjoy!

The Calzone of Frustration

2008-07-06T17:57:00.005-04:00

Well, everyone, happy 4th of July.

I have to say, as much as I try for optimism, balance and harmony in my life, I am feeling a little blue. Well, at least frustrated.

I spent most of the long weekend in transit - to and from downtown on Thursday and Friday and to and from Maine on Saturday and Sunday. On the 4th itself, I managed (for the first time in a LONG time) to get totally soused, and spent the morning of the 5th sweating and trying not to throw up on the train to Maine. When I got there, my haphazard attempts at sunblock application has resulted in a look that I can only refer to as "spotty lobster." Curse my Anglo-Saxon heritage that resulted in this alabaster skin.

Second, I returned to find that someone has stolen my tomato plant. Who DOES THAT?!?!?!?! Seriously, not cool. Thankfully, I had two different tomato plants that were hidden and thus not stolen, but I still am feeling pretty crap about the tomatoes that were stolen. I hope, as an act of karma, that the tomatoes are secretly infested with aphids that will decimate the measly garden of the tomato thief.

Third, I have a lingering cough from the cold I got two weeks ago that just will not go away. Air conditioning (and the resultant dry air) seem to be making it worse, so I have turned off the a/c in the hopes that the more humid air will be better. So far, the cough is the same but my apartment is reaching a sauna-like temperature.

Finally, I am mildly wrapped around the axle about my single status. I spent the weekend with one of my best friends, a person who has seen me through tough times, and whom I love dearly. However, she has just started seeing this boy, and they text 20 times a day. Each. My other friend and I had to announce moratoria on texting while driving and texting while in mid-conversation. It's just rude, and I don't care how much you are smitten with someone, it is not acceptable in anyone over the age of 16. However, I'll admit that I was also annoyed by it because it was such an in-your-face reminder of my own lack of text messages.

In fact, I had sent a text off into the void this afternoon, hoping for an answer, and was met with...nothing. I'm hoping that the nothing is the result of busy-ness, or a lack of cell reception/charging, and not a sign that I'm not on the text-back list. Anyway, it's Sunday and I am tired and feeling crappy and I probably shouldn't be cooking like that, but I did cook, and it turned out great. I added extra spices and flavors to try and work out my frustration - not at the incommunicado person, but at myself, for not being able to just be happy by myself and without the reassurance of a returned text. I just wish I could be as secure in the whole dating thing as I am in every other aspect of my life. Like cooking. Anyway, here is my recipe for a dish I name the Calzones of Frustration.

Calzones of Frustration
(makes 4 large or 6 medium servings)

Filling:
2 large bunches (about 10 cups, packed) swiss chard and/or spinach, washed, spun dry, trimmed and cut into large pieces
1/2 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsn EVOO
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 c. ricotta (cottage cheese would also work)
2 eggs
1/4 fresh or store-bought pesto (be careful with rennet in store-bought varieties)
1/4 c. grated kosher parmesan cheese

Dough (adapted from How to Cook Vegetarian by Mark Bittman):
3 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp (one packet) instant quick rise yeast
2 tsp kosher salt
1 c. warm water
3 tbsn EVOO
a pinch each of rosemary, garlic powder, and chili flakes

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees (this will take a while). If you have one, put the pizza stone in to warm up.

2. Make the dough. Mix the dry ingredients other than the yeast together to blend. Pour yeast on top, followed by water. Mix until a dough begins to form. Add olive oil and knead for about 1 minute. Cover with a warm, damp kitchen towel and place in a warm spot to rise about an hour.

3. Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet over medium heat, cook the onions until soft and beginning to brown. Add tablespoon of olive oil and continue to cook until approaching golden brown. Add chard/spinach and salt and pepper. Cover and let cook down, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool.

4. While the greens cool, mix together the ricotta, pesto, parmesan and 1 egg.

5. When dough is risen and puffy, remove from mixing bowl and punch it down. divide it into four roughly-equal pieces. Knead each for a few turns, then flatten (either with your fingers or with a well-floured rolling pin) into disks about 8" in diameter. Layer greens and cheese in a half-moon on one side of the dough, leaving a 1" border of plain dough. Repeat with all four pieces.

6. Beat the remaining egg with a little water until scrambled. Brush the egg along the dough border and fold the remaining half-moon of dough over the filling, pressing to seal the seam and then folding the edge inward. Brush the top of each calzone with egg wash and cut a slit or two in the top to all steam to vent. Transfer to a pizza peel well-coated with corn meal.

7. Place on pizza stone in oven and bake 12-15 minutes, checking after 10 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool 10 minutes before eating. Serve with tomato soup or marinara sauce.

Hoping tomorrow will be better. At least I had a good dinner. :0)

Sometimes, I Just Want A Sandwich

2008-06-27T21:13:00.005-04:00

Well, blogosphere, it has been a crazy few weeks. I have hardly had the chance to catch my breath here at the KosherHome between my five year(!) college reunion, my sister's graduation, and a visit from my parents, not to mention long hours at Big Boston Firm (see previous post).

Several important events have occurred since I last posted. First, I planted my container garden and got it going. My herbs are doing wonderfully thanks to the charming Boston weather (I never have to water the plants - is this a great city or what?) but my tomatoes are suffering from a lack of adequate light. Thus, I am farming them out (so to speak) to my friend Matt, whose back patio gets better sun than my fire escape. I told him I'd kick in for a canning set-up so we can cook and can the tomatoes (which, if his 10 plants are any indication, will take up my entire cupboard and his) for the winter. In the meantime, I must further experiment with good marinara sauce recipes so that the onslaught of tomatoes will be fully prepared.

Second, I started working at Big Boston Firm. So far, so good - I love the people I'm working with, the work is interesting, and we (the chosen many of the BBF's summer associate program) are forever being taken to swanky venues for episodes of conspicuous consumption aimed at...something. Proving how much BBF loves us? Showing how big and powerful BBF is? Lulling us into an alcohol/Kool-Aid induced euphoric state such that we are able to ignore the full-time associates? They work hours that would make 19th-century child laborers blanch. On the other hand, they get paid a small fortune, which is more than we can say for the child laborers. I don't know if it's a forever job, but it's certainly a neat place to start.

With #2 comes...The Summer Associate Lunch. BBF is a great place to work, and there is clearly an element of work hard/play hard that is alive and well at the firm. This manifests itself as an almost-obsessive relationship with food. Every firm event has cheese and sushi and passed appetizers and wine and beer and liquor and and and...They seem to have taken Oscar Wilde's quip that nothing succeeds like excess to the logical extreme, culinary-wise. When they are not plying us with passed appetizers at evening events, we are being carted off to Legal Sea Foods and Cafe Fleuri for 3-course lunches. I have been doubling my trips to the gym and stopped eating dinner just to keep up.

All of this eating, though, has led me to an important discovery. While I like to eat and enjoy food, what I really like to do is cook and to share the eating experience with friends. I've been eating at all these fancy-schmancy restaurants and I take much less joy than I'd expect in eating the (magnificent and excessive) food. I'd be much happier going to Cosi and getting a cup of tomato basil soup and sitting in the quiet. Or, better yet, bringing a picnic lunch and popping a squat in Post Office Square with my friends.

All this by way of saying - I'm glad I'm home for the weekend so that I can cook a little. In the meantime, I'm going to dream of sandwiches.

Ultimate Simple Toasted Cheese Sandwiches
(makes 2)

Note: This is hardly a recipe - it's more of a technique. The key to a good toasted cheese sandwich is high-quality ingredients, particularly great bread. Look for something crusty with a little give - smooshy enough to meld with the filling, but hearty enough not to disintegrate. In other words, no Wonder Bread or similar product. If you don't like this combination, other combinations that would work well are listed after the recipe.

4 1/2"-thick slices of fresh sourdough bread (if you are in the market for a good local bakery, I highly recommend Clear Flower on Thorndike Street in Brookline. More on this next post)
1 1/4-lb. block extra-sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 tsp. Dijon mustard (or other mustard, if you are so inclined)
1 large or 2 medium ripe tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil (either spray or bottled with a pastry brush)

1. If you have a panini press or similar counter-top sandwich press, preheat it for several minutes. If cooking on the stovetop, use a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat (and still pre-heat for a couple minutes). Meanwhile, slice the tomatoes and cheese into 1/4" slices, enough to cover the bread.

2. Lightly spread the interior of each slice of bread with the mustard and sprinkle with a bit of salt and fresh-ground pepper.

3. Spray or brush the exterior side of the two bottom pieces of bread with olive oil and lay on the griddle. Layer tomatoes, then cheese, and the top layer of bread, and again spray/brush with olive oil.

4. Cook for about 5 minutes (watching closely) or until bread exterior is crunchy and golden and cheese has melted. If cooking in a skillet, flip sandwich after ~4 minutes, pressing down on sandwich to achieve maximum smoosh (that's a technical term). Serve hot, before tomatoes make bread soggy. Goes great with tomato soup.

Alternative fillings:

~White cheddar, apple and honey mustard or just plain honey.
~Manchego and sliced dried Calamyra figs (honey drizzle optional)
~Gruyere, spinach and thinly sliced sweet onion
~Mozzerella, roasted red pepper and maple-balsamic vinaigrette or any form of pesto.
~(if you're feeling really decadent) Peanut butter and fruit (apples/bananas/strawberries) with Nutella or honey.

Jew-ish Penicillin

2008-05-08T12:22:00.005-04:00

Hello Blogosphere,

I do sometimes wonder if anyone actually reads this blog or whether this is the internet equivalent of talking to one's self - speaking to the void. Well, oh void, oh cyber-vastness, have I got a treat for you. I am about to reveal my recipe for the holy of holies, matzoh ball soup. Matzoh ball soup is a cure for the ages. Much like Windex in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, matzoh ball soup cures headaches, stomachaches, and all matter of gastro-intestinal ailment. I have not tried it for skin problems, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't work (though it might get a little sticky).

It's been a very busy couple of weeks at the KosherHome - Pesach this year, unfortunately, coincided with reading week for law school exams, which then rolled into travelling, which then somersaulted into the first couple weeks of work at Big Boston Firm. However, this worked out pretty well, all told, because I had a giant vat of matzoh ball soup to live off of for the last few weeks (obviously some of it frozen). My Beloved Professor (whose true identity will remain secret, but who I hold dear to my nerdy little heart) told us a story in class the last week of classes about a time as an undergrad where he and his roommate were both taking the same exam, a 24 hour take-home, and his roommate got up in the middle of the exam and made soup. (Incidentally, they received the same grade on the exam).

BP, it seemed, was baffled by this impulse, but I totally understood. Soup is comforting - it is familiar. And, unless you are trying to be all artisanal and crazy, it really doesn't take very long to make. I mean, really, 30 minutes of prep time, tops, and you have a whole vat of soup. Soup stretches expensive ingredients to make another meal and makes cheap ingredients seem vast and filling. It is also a great gift - no one in their right mind turns down soup.

I didn't used to like soup and it took me a long time to figure out why. It's because canned soup is gross. Really gross. Totally packed with chemicals and additives because we all know that meat and dairy are not meant to be held at room temperature for long periods of time, and that is exactly what canned soup does. The only exception I have found to the "canned soup is gross" rule is Trader Joe's Creamy Tomato, which is not gross, and which (with sufficient application of frozen spinach and a teaspoon of pesto) can be quite a nice light dinner when accompanied by a roll and a salad. Actually, in general, canned tomato or other similar "one note" vegetable-based canned soups can be okay. But, otherwise, gross.

But do not fear, gentle readers - homemade soup is just around the corner. Two posts ago, I discussed my cooked-from-the-pantry Slightly-Curried-Pumpkin-Soup, and before that I also posted about Kitchen Sink Chili, but this, my friends, is the piece de resistance, the holiest of holies, Matzoh Ball Soup. It is good enough to eat year round. I've included the usual suspects (i.e. winter/early spring) veggies below, but this would also be really good with spring/summer veggies like zucchini, tomatoes and spring onions. More on this below.

Wondrous Matzoh Ball Soup

For Soup:
2 tbsn EVOO
1 medium onion, peeled and cut into 1" dice
2 cups baby carrots, cut into 1/2" chunks
2-5 carcasses from roasted chickens
2 cups leftover roasted chicken meat (or shredded cooked chicken breast or thigh meat)
1 cup celery (optional)
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh or 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary branches fresh or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme (if using fresh herbs, tie them together for easy retrieval later. NOTE: If you cooked the roasted chickens with herbs and you didn't clean the carcasses to remove the cooked herbs, reduce the fresh/dried herbs here accordingly).
4 kosher bouillon cubes (optional, but useful if you're using a very large stockpot - see below)
1 1/2 gallons water (give or take) plus more at the ready

For Matzoh Balls:
8 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dried thyme or other herbs (optional)
1 tsp. dehydrated onion or 1/4 c. minced fresh onion, squeezed dry.
2 tbsn parve margarine, melted
1 1/2 c. matzoh meal

Note: Use a large stockpot. The larger the pot, the more chickens you will need. If you have a limited # of chickens and want a lot of soup, then add a few kosher bouillon cubes (I use Telma brand) to help jumpstart. Canned vegetable broth can also make a nice addition. Reduced sodium products are always preferrable to the regular kind.

Directions:
1. In a large stockpot over medium heat, add EVOO and onions. Cook until translucent. Add bay leaf, carrots, celery (if using) and chicken carcasses and cook for about 5 additional minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Fill pot with water. If using bouillon, crumble bouillon into water. Bring to a boil (this make take a while).
2. Meanwhile, make matzoh balls. Stir dry ingredients together until well mixed. In a separate bowl, beat eggs until fluffy. Add oil and stir, then add to dry ingredients. Cover and refridgerate for about 40 minutes.
3. When soup comes to a rolling boil, reduce heat to a simmer and allow to simmer at least 30 minutes (but you can let it simmer for a LONG time - really, up to 2 hours is fine. Remember that the longer you simmer, however, the softer the vegetables will be).
4. When you are ready, remove chicken carcasses with a pair of tongs or a large spoon (being careful not to burn yourself and/or drop the chicken on the floor) and move to cutting board. Cut away any remaining meat on the carcasses and put it back in the stockpot.
5. Meanwhile, with lightly greased hands, form matzoh balls (small or large). Do NOT mush them together - take a gentle scoop and roll it just enough to make a ball.
6. Raise the temperature on the soup. Slowly drop matzoh balls into soup (be careful of the splash). Cover and simmer about 15 minutes. Add shredded chicken and cook 5 minutes more, then remove from heat. Wait 5 minutes and serve, being careful not to include bones in any servings.
7. You will have leftovers. If you do not, you are doing something wrong. When the leftover soup has cooled sufficiently, sift (with clean hands, of course) through the bottom to remove any bones/chicken skin/bay leaf/etc. Cool a little longer, then pop stockpot in the fridge. Cool overnight. If a layer of fat forms at the top, remove before putting into tupperware containers to store. This soup freezes well.

Happy eating.

Singin' the Pesach Blues

2008-04-27T15:04:00.003-04:00

Blogosphere, I have been sadly remiss in not posting during Pesach. I'll be honest - I don't have good Pesach recipes. I talk a good game, but in reality I roast five chickens for second night Seder and then live off of chicken soup, matzoh, spinach, fruit and cheese (obviously not all together) for the rest of the week. My friend Lilly wants to make matzoh ball soup and roast chicken tonight, so I will try to post that this evening. However, if you have inspiration for good Pesach recipes that I've been missing, I would appreciate them!

How to Cook Out of the Pantry

2008-04-12T12:22:00.005-04:00

There are points in my life where I find myself with random pantry items in need of use, and last night was one of these times.

I had just finished making Comfort Food Risotto with some leftover mushrooms, shredded carrots, baby spinach, and fresh ricotta (left over from a brunch I hosted the weekend before), and I had about 3 cups of leftover vegetable broth.

And half an onion.

And two sorry-looking, slightly mealy apples.

And so I got to thinking. What could I make with those three ingredients (broth, onion, mealy apples) that wouldn't involve going to the store (this all the more important because an accident on the main drag had reduced my neighborhood to a parking lot). I took a page from one of my favorite bloggers, Heidi Swanson at 101 Cookbooks, and looked through my pantry to see what was to be had. Deep in the back, on the highest shelf, I hit the jackpot - two cans of Libby's Solid Pack Pumpkin. I scrounged around on another shelf and found a can of light coconut milk, and my recipe idea was shaped - a slightly curried pumpkin soup, all of whose ingredients came from the pantry or from the depths of the root vegetable drawer of the fridge.

As a busy student (and before that, a busy professional) who is nonetheless committed to cooking for herself regularly, having a well-stocked pantry is really essential, because I grocery shop once a week in a good week, and sometimes less than that.

At the same time, I have limited pantry shelf space, so prioritizing what to have available becomes important - it can be the difference between eating a healthy meal made at home (saving money!) and ordering pizza. I'm going to work on a comprehensive list of my essential pantry items and post it next week (as we are gearing up for Pesach, when 90% of said essential pantry items will be living in a box in the storage closet for the week), but in the meantime, the recipe:

Slightly Curried Hurried Pumpkin Soup (pareve)
1 tbsn olive oil
1/2 medium onion in 1/2" dice
2 large apples, peeled and cored, in 1/2" dice
2 medium white potatoes, peeled and in 1/2" dice
2 small cans plain pumpkin
1 can light coconut milk
3 c. vegetable stock
2 canfuls (probably about 4 cups) water
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2/3 c. honey

1. In the bottom of a medium stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent. Add the apple and the potatoes and cook until the onions are beginning to turn golden and the apple and potatoes are starting to get soft.
2. Add pumpkin, coconut milk, stock and water. Stir, then bring to a boil.
3. Add spices and honey, then reduce to a simmer and let simmer about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If it looks too thick, add more water.
4. Remove from heat and allow to cool 10 minutes. If you have an immersion blender (a glorious tool, indeed), puree the soup in the pot. If not, you can either cool the soup further and put it in your real blender/food processor, OR you can use a potato masher to break up the apple and potato pieces at the bottom of the soup to get it better blended and eat it slightly chunky.
5. Serve hot. This would be great with a large salad and a piece of bread spread with chevre.

On a side note, so long as the honey and broth were hechshered for Pesach, this would be a great Pesach-friendly recipe.

Enjoy!

How can Manischewitz do this to us?

2008-03-29T14:33:00.002-04:00

I received horrible news yesterday about Passover.

No, I already knew about the whole no-bread thing.

Rather, I read this deeply disappointing article in the NYTimes about Manischewitz and its plant problems that have caused a shortage of Tam Tams and Thin Tea Matzohs. How can they do this to us? Why must this be? These are the only two forms of matzoh that I actually LIKE!!!

Sigh. Well, I guess Passover this year will be even more culinarily miserable than usual. In the meantime, I am scouring shelves for good matzoh. If you have any suggestions, let me know.

Say "Cheese"

2008-02-10T15:29:00.004-05:00

I was, not for the first time, faced with a rennet dilemma this weekend.

I love cheese. It is no secret that if it is made from dairy, I have an almost overwhelming desire to eat it. To put it, as my friend Austin often says, in my mouf. Preferrably with some bread. Or crackers. Or pasta. Or rice. I'm equal opportunity, really. Dairy + starch = Yum.

You can sense, dear readers, a "but" coming on. The problem with cheese (correction: the problem with my unadulterated love of cheese) is that most cheeses (particularly aged cheeses) are made with rennet. Rennet, as some of you may know, is an enzyme that helps cheese to coagulate. Remember Little Miss Muffett? Her curds and whey were the result of a coagulation process in which the fat solids of the milk (the curds) pulled away from the water and sugar (the whey) in the milk with a little help from our friend rennet. Not all cheese is made from rennet, and not all rennet is bad. Some rennet is vegetarian, derived from yeast, mushrooms, and the like. Other rennet, however, is taken from the stomaches of calves or other animals.

Rabbis are divided as to whether rennet that comes from animal products are "meat" for the purposes of kashrut. Some would argue that such cheese made with animal rennet would be treif both because it would mix milk and meat AND because it would be difficult to figure out whether the animal was kosher. On the other hand, when a noted Talmudic sage was asked the question of whether such a cheese would be treif, "hayseo ledavar achayr," - he changed the subject. The other twist is that there is a rule in kashrut in which something that a dog wouldn't eat wouldn't be considered "food." Would a dog eat rennet (which is pretty chemically and gross)? No definitive ruling has ever been made, of course.

Thus, if a cheesemaker uses animal rennet, her cheese may or may not be treif. Yet, the USDA doesn't require cheesemakers to say what kind of rennet they use. So, it's hard to know unless cheese is hecshered whether the cheese is "Kosher" or not. Some rabbis have argued that the USDA's rules for milk and cheese are sufficient that there should not be a need for kosher certification, but this rule is still very much in the minority.

In other words, the jury is still out.

My rule of thumb is as follows: I buy kosher cheese whenever I can. Because almost all cheeses made in the U.S. are made with microbial (parve) rennet and most of these microbial rennet manufacturers are hecshered, I err on the side of buying US-made cheeses without hecshers unless they specify that they are made with animal rennet.

For foreign-derived cheeses (why do all the good ones fall into this category????), I take it on a case-by-case basis. If the label says animal rennet, I don't eat it. If it's a longer-aged or hard cheese (which more commonly uses animal rennet), I won't eat it. If it's a fresh cheese, which requires less coagulation, then I usually say it's okay. Does this make me less frum than I feel I should be? You betcha. So, with that long explanation, I give you a recipe.

Trader Joes is lovely because they offer a variety of kosher cheese. I've been a big fan of their feta and their lite chevre, and they also sell Cabot products, most of which are hecshered . I also LOVE Joseph's Soy and Flax flatbreads - they are 60 calories and make a wonderful sandwich, pizza, or tostada base.

Because so many of my recipes are cheesy and I have posted so many, I thought I'd post a couple of kugel recipes. I made one of these for the law schools "Taste of Diversity"...Shockingly, the Jewish Law Students Association were one of the only groups that had food left at the end of the event...because running out of food is a terrible sin. Anyway, both of these recipes utilize lovely yummy kosher cheese. :-)

Easy Applesauce Kugel

8 oz. package medium or fine noodles (I use medium)
8 oz. cream cheese (at room temperature)
1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1/2 pint sour cream
4 large eggs, beaten
1/2 c. plus 1 tbsn. white or light brown sugar
15 oz applesauce (I prefer unsweetened)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1. Cook noodles according to package directions in unsalted water. When cooked, drain and immediately return to the pan. Add butter and cream cheese, stirring until melted. Mix in 1/2 c. sugar and sour cream. Mix in eggs, applesauce and vanilla.

2. Pour into one large or two smaller baking dishes and top with remaining sugar and cinnamon. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. Serve warm or at room temperature. Kugel is also wonderful as leftovers (if you have any left).

Easy-Cheesy Potato and Spinach Kugel

I am sucker for all things cheese-and-spinach.

1 1/2 lbs. shredded potatoes (shredded hashbrown potatoes in the grocery store's refrigerated section work fine, if you are short on time, or you can use the food processor), squeezed dry.

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (if you are using the food processor to grate the potatoes, throw the onion in too)
1 1/2 c. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 1/2 c. + 1/4 cup shredded kosher cheddar or other hard cheese (this recipe is very flexible)
3/4 c. light sour cream
2 eggs, beaten
2 tbsn. olive oil or melted butter
1 tsp. dijon mustard or 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. garlic powder or 1/2 tsp. minced/crushed garlic
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place oven rack in the middle. Lightly oil a medium casserole dish.
2. Mix together potatoes, onion, spinach, and 1 1/2 c. shredded cheese in a large bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, oil/butter, sour cream, mustard, garlic (powder), salt, and pepper.
4. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Pour into casserole dish and top with remaining cheddar.
5. Bake 1 hour. If top is not golden, set oven to broil and broil 3-5 minutes until cheese is gooey and brown on top. Serve hot.

This recipe also freezes well (and is kosher for passover).

Superbowl of Chili

2008-02-03T10:56:00.000-05:00

So, in the NYTimes this week there was a disgusting article about how double-dipping is the equivalent of french kissing everyone at the party (because you transfer your saliva into the dip, which other people then eat). So, having thoroughly freaked myself out over the idea of eating anything that didn't come in an individual serving-sized container, I propose an alternative: Kitchen Sink Chili.

Kitchen Sink Chili is exactly what it sounds like - you start with a basic chili base (canned tomatoes, beans, onion, garlic, spices) and then you add...whatever you happen to have laying around. Carrots? You got it. Corn? Perfect. Other/different/better beans? Sure thing. Green veggies? Yummo. (Got you with that Rachael Ray reference, didn't I? You know I did). Kitchen Sink Chili accomplishes 4 (count 'em, 4!) objectives:

1. Feeds the Masses - you can make Kitchen Sink Chili in a crock pot (and, if you don't cook the onions and garlic first, you can actually cook the whole thing in one pot. Personally, I like the onions and garlic cooked first, but still, that's only one minor extra frying pan). It is delicious, and you can cook it all day (and/or all night) and it tastes awesome. In fact, the longer the flavors meld together, the better you are. This is one of those great recipes that tastes even better the third day than the first day (and goodness knows we need more of those recipes).

2. Provides Double-Dip-Free Dipping - No one eats from a communal bowl of chili. It's just not done. I mean, you have to think about toppings, and spiciness, and all that stuff, and everyone likes their chili just so and, let's face it, no one wants to share a bowl of this deliciousness with someone else. BUT, at the same time, chili is great for chip-dipping. Who doesn't like corn chips and chili (okay, I admit, if you are in the early stages of a relationship with the olfactorily sensitive, you may want to go easy on the beans)? So, you can accomplish the dip, even the double dip, without passing your nasty mouth cooties on to everyone else. Genius.

3. Clean out Your Vegetable Drawer/Freezer - I will admit, I don't eat nearly as many fresh veggies as I should. I am, however, a big proponent of frozen veggies, which have 95% of the vitamins and minerals of fresh and yet keep forever. That said, they also come in awkward-sized bags. For some reason, I ALWAYS end up with 3/4 cup of frozen corn kernels, or carrot slices, or chopped baby spinach. Not enough to make into a side dish (once the ice melts, that's really about 1/2 cup of cooked veggies), but too much to justify throwing away. This recipe is a great place to throw in those frozen veggies - and because there are so many different flavors, you never feel deprived of any one veggie. Likewise, this is also a great recipe for fresh vegetables slightly past their prime. That half-eaten bag of baby carrots in the fridge that has dried out? Chop 'em up and throw them in the pot. Those slightly shriveled grape tomatoes? A quick rinse is all they need. I haven't tried broccoli in the chili, but I could see it working if you chopped it up first. Finally, if you are like me and sometimes find yourself with half-open packages of low-fat cream cheese/(dairy or soy), then this is a great place to get rid of them - just cube and stir in.

4. Freeze Ahead - This chili freezes really well. It also reheats well. It is a great three-season (fall/winter/spring) dish, and I heartily recommend it.

Kitchen Sink Chili

Chili Base

2 large cans roasted/stewed whole tomatoes in paste/sauce (Muir Glen's Fire-Roasted Tomatoes are my faves, but any kind will do - but you want the big-ass cans, not the regular-sized ones)
2-3 cans beans (pinto, black, and great northern are good choices, but if you like kidney or garbanzo beans, they can also work).
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
5 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
2 chiles in adobo sauce (optional) *
1/2 cap liquid smoke (optional)

Add-Ins
- Zucchini, coarsely chopped
- Sliced baby carrots
- frozen spinach, collard greens, or kale
- corn kernels (canned/frozen)
- green beans
- cubed low fat cream cheese (dairy/soy)

Toppings
- Sliced ripe avocados
- Low-fat grated cheese (any kind)
- Light sour cream (I will disown you if you get fat-free sour cream. You might as well eat wallpaper paste)
- Chopped fresh scallions
- Sliced/chopped tomatoes

Accompaniments
- Tortilla chips (lots and lots of tortilla chips. Yum.)
- Rice (any kind)
- Hearty white or light wheat bread, preferably toasted
- Fresh tortillas (flour or corn)

* I like my chili moderately spicy but I never seem to use a whole can of chiles before they go bad. I have, however, recently discovered that you can freeze the whole can, in a ziplock bag, and when you need a chile, just sort of chisel one out with a butter knife. The adobo sauce doesn't really harden, and you would end up chopping the chile anyway, so what's the difference? For a big pot of chili, you want about a tablespoon of chiles/sauce (more if you like five-alarm chili). And the chiles keep for several weeks in the freezer, so it's all good. This discussion of chilis and chiles is confusing, but you get the idea.

Let me know how it turns out!

Friends and Foods and Shortrifle

2008-01-28T10:14:00.000-05:00

Hello Buddies!

I was lucky enough to have two of my best friends from college over for dinner last night (and a lovely friend-in-law as well). It's so nice to have people in my life who, no matter how long it has been since you've seen them, just totally "get it" and get you and are so comfortable. I wish I got to see them more often, but I am always grateful when I do see them.

We had some yummy risotto on Sunday, which I have already posted below, and a big Greek salad, but I have discovered a new, quick and easy dessert that I am totally obsessed with. It is something between a shortcake and a trifle - a shortrifle, if you will. So, here is the first recipe of the year (sad that it's been almost two months since I posted, but I will start posting them again). This is a slight variation on the original way I served it, but I think it makes a better presentation.

Mixed Berry Shortrifle (serves 8)

Topping
1 cup cored, sliced strawberries
1 cup washed and halved blackberries
1 cup washed raspberries
2 tbsn lemon juice
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cinnamon, nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice blend (optional)

1 loaf Entenmann's pound cake, sliced into 1/4" slices (as thin as possible)

1 tub vanilla ice cream ( I used Trader Joe's vanilla gelato, but you could pretty much go with any brand, or with custard or whipped cream).

Mix the topping ingredients together and allow to sit at room temperature about 30 minutes to macerate. The berries should release their juices.

Shortly before serving, take ice cream out of the freezer to soften.

Layer cake and berries twice and (cake as base, berries, cake, berries) then top with ice cream/other dairy. If you have leftover berries, you can drizzle them around the plate. You could also cube the cake and layer the ingredients in a tall glass and make it a parfait-type dessert. Yum.

Ratatouille and Remembrance

2007-11-08T21:52:00.001-05:00

I am, I admit, a bit of a cinematic neophyte. I was working over the summer back in DC and didn't get the chance to go to the movies as much as I'd liked, and so I missed the critic's darling of the summer, the animated film Ratatouille. However, as it was a Pixar film (all of which I have, without exception, adored) and a movie about cooking, I decided that I would order it to own on DVD, rather than simply renting it. It came in the mail today.

Let me first say that my accolades about its general perfection are needless - I don't think I read a single review of the movie that had anything bad to say. More importantly, however, were three (for lack of a better term) takeaways from the movie that I wanted to mull over.

"Anyone can cook" is the motto of the protagonist's spectral mentor. And this is, in fact, true. While the movie makes it seem like some are born to greatness while others are not, I think that's actually the wrong approach. I think that, if so inclined, it is possible for anyone (okay, 99% of people - my stepdad may be beyond help, but that's another story) to learn to cook competently and to refine their palette. More importantly, I think it's possible for anyone who wants to to learn to cook for their own palette - after all, the foods that I love (risotto, anything with goat cheese or spinach) may be the opposite of what others love. My friend Adam, for instance, hates cheese. We have learned to disagree (and always order different appetizers).

Another theme in the movie is the role of criticism as the discoverer and defender of the new. I think this is something that is applicable not only in my culinary life (oh, that there were more people challenging me to get outside my comfort zone!) but in my academic life as well. Isn't that what we all strive for, as students? Not only to know what has already been discovered but to find the new insight that no one has thought of yet? If not, then I would really like to dispense with all this preemption research nonsense that one is forced to endure if one wishes to be on a law journal. Ugh.

Finally, the movie also reminds us why we, as humans, are so tied to food and strive so hard for what is sometimes sarcastically called "culinary greatness." What is magical about food is the way that it can anchor or bring back a memory. Olfactory (smell-based) memories last five times as long as sight- or sound- anchored memories. More on this in a later post (or posts), but I was just struck by how true that is. There is a reason that the NYTimes Food section has a column entitled Eat, Drink, Memory. It is because food is a visceral reminder of where we are, where we come from, and who we want to be.

Speaking of the ghosts of flavors past, here is a recipe based on a salad at my favorite high-school fast food restaurant - Everything Salad & Yogurt. This salad goes well with a strawberry-banana yogurt smoothie, fyi...

Pasta Tuna Veggie Salad
1 can chunk light tuna fish in water
1 bag mixed salad greens (romaine-based, though spinach would also work)
2 cups fresh broccoli florets (TJs sells them by the bag, pre-cut)
2 cups baby carrots, thinly sliced (1/8" thick is ideal, but everything is relative)
1 cup fresh green beans, sliced into thirds
1/2 cup frozen green peas
2 cups uncooked whole wheat or wheat-blend pasta
1/3 cup light ranch (or other creamy) dressing. I like Newman's Own, myself.

1. Put a pot of salted water on to boil.
2. Open and drain can of tuna.
3. Mix veggies together in a large bowl.
4. Using a fork, gently flake tuna out of can, separating larger chunks with a forl -tuna should look almost fluffy.
5. Cook pasta until al dente; drain and cool for about 15 minutes.
6. Toss pasta into salad. Bit by bit, toss in dressing until all elements of salad are lightly coated (and to your taste).
7. Chill 15-20 minutes before serving (allowing the flavors to meld but not letting the lettuce get soggy).

Everyone Can Roast a Chicken

2007-10-20T15:02:00.001-04:00

It is unfortunate but true that blogging is a fantastic way to procrastinate. Unfortunate because I love to procrastinate, and even more unfortunate because, as a blogger, I have almost unlimited outlets for procrastination.

Today's post is entitled "Everyone Can Roast a Chicken." Why, might you ask, is today's post labeled this? Because everyone CAN roast a chicken. It's not scary, I promise. So, to my friend Bridget, who worries about the complexities of chicken roasting, I give you my roast chicken recipe from last year's seder....

Simple Roasted Chicken
1 6/12 to 7-pound roasting chicken, rinsed, patted dry
Coarse kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup fresh sage leaves or 1/2 tsp. dried ground sage
¼ cup fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
¼ cup fresh rosemary leaves or 1 tsp. crumbled dried rosemary (these three herbs often found together as "poultry mix" in veggie section of supermarket)
¼ medium sweet onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 head garlic, cloved and peeled, half of heads sliced
1 1/2 cups (kosher) white wine
5 tbsn pareve margarine, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 450°F. Rinse chickens; pat dry. Gently loosen skin over breasts and thighs. Rub softened margarine under the skin, concentrating most of the margarine over the breast meat. Slide garlic slices and fresh herbs under skin as well, concentrating on breast and thigh meat. Sprinkle skin and inside cavity with salt and pepper. Place onion pieces and remaining garlic cloves in chicken cavity. Place chicken breast side down, on racks in large roasting pan. Roast 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.

Turn chickens breast side up. Deglaze bottom of pan with wine and baste chicken with accumulated pan juices. Continue to roast until cooked through and deep brown, basting with any juices in pan and brushing with additional honey occasionally, about 55 minutes longer. Transfer chickens to platter. Tent loosely with foil to keep warm and let stand 15 minutes before serving.

I particularly like this chicken with the following potatoes, though the potatoes, plus a salad and a glass of wine, can be great as a veggie main...

Dad’s “James Beard” Potatoes
My dad calls these “James Beard” potatoes but I have searched for and never found a James Beard recipe for these, so I think my dad may have made that label up. They are great with the chicken above but are also good as a light dinner if you top them with chevre and serve them with a green salad.

3-4 cups coarsely sliced Yukon Gold or other thin-skinned potatoes
1 tbsn dried rosemary, crumbled in your hand
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, coarsely chopped
6-8 smallish garlic cloves, peeled

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss potatoes, onions and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss to coat with olive oil (may need less oil, so add it bit by bit until all the potatoes/onions/garlic are coated). Spread in a single layer over baking sheet and roast 45-55 minutes, turning potatoes over after about 25 minutes (the bottoms will be browned and crispy). Add salt and pepper as necessary.

OMG Pot Pie and Posting

2007-10-07T22:18:00.000-04:00

I am the worst blogger EVER!

I have been interviewing, dear readers, and I have found that it is much easier to lose weight when one is not cooking (or eating) on a regular basis. However, I also recommend against the no-eating weight loss regime, as it is not a fun process. In the meantime, some notes:

1. I love Lara Bars. I discovered the Cherry and Apple Pie flavors at Trader Joe's. People, these things are amazing. First of all, they don't have a weird chemical aftertaste like almost all other food that comes in a bar shape. Second, they have 20% of one's daily fiber intake and lots of vitamins. Third, they are kosher and parve - which means they satisfy a sugar fix after a meat meal, which drives me CRAZY when I eat meat (i.e. twice a month).

2. Don't go to law school. Maybe I should have put this first, but let's be honest, I don't even want to think about it right now. Even writing about it makes me feel itchy all over. Ugh.

3. I. Love. The. Bowery. I visited back in August while I was staying with my friend Danielle, and OMG it is the most heavenly place on earth. Deliciousness everywhere.

And, finally, last but not least, a recipe for my weary reader. I have not forgotten you, I promise. I will be blogging more regularly now that the interview process is drawing to a close.

Kosher Turkey Shepherd's Pie

I guess it's not "shepherd's" pie unless there is mutton in it. On the other hand, when I was growing up, my mother used ground beef, and I can safely say that I don't need any additional fat calories from the ground beef, so I substituted ground turkey. This is pretty basic comfort food. On the bright side, it freezes beautifully and can (and should!) be made in batches.

Makes two loaf pans (6 generous servings)

1 box parve instant mashed potatoes (plus water in the amount recommended in the cooking directions)
3-4 tbsn parve margarine
1 package tofutti or other soy cream cheese (hechshered parve)
1 bag frozen peas and carrots
1 package lean ground turkey
1/2 small onion, diced
1 small box "creamy" mushroom soup (I like "Imagine" brand, which is available at Whole Foods in 16 oz containers)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 aluminum loaf pans (and foil, if freezing).

1. Preheat oven to 350. Prepare instant mashed potatoes. Overcome your probable guilt at even considering USING mashed potatoes by remembering that you don't have time to be making this anyway, so why not save the 15 minutes it takes to peel, boil and mash real potatoes. In the meantime, boil water and make a full box of instant potatoes, using not only the margarine as called for on the box (3-4 tbsn) but also half of the soy cream cheese and salt and pepper to taste. If you like adventure, add other herbs and spices.

2. Meanwhile, in a large, thick-bottomed skillet, saute onion in a little bit of olive oil (one turn of the pan) until translucent. Add ground turkey, breaking up the pieces as you brown it. When the turkey is more or less totally cooked through, add the soup and the other half of the soy cream cheese, blending well.

3. Spoon half of turkey mixture into bottom of loaf pan. Top with half the peas and carrots, then spoon the mashed potatoes over top. Place on a baking sheet and bake until potatoes are brown on top and veggies are hot, about 30-35 minutes. Serve with a salad or steamed green beans.

Alternatively, prepare the dish through the layering of ingredients, then wrap each package in two layers of aluminum foil and freeze for later use. (Since this recipe makes two loaf pans, you can bake one and freeze one for later).

Conquering My Fear of Tofu

2007-08-14T12:23:00.000-04:00

August is one of my favorite times of year to cook - I am not yet sick of the summer produce (as I sometimes get in September) and it is still available. When it is hot, as it is in DC right now, I tend to cook in batches to minimize the discomfort of a hot kitchen on an already hot day.

So, on Sunday, I made 4 dishes. I had three eggplants, so I used 1 1/2 eggplants for baba ghanouj (see a recipe similar to what i used here). I used the remaining eggplant in a parve pepperless ratatouille (recipe to follow) that was delicious when paired with roast chicken and brown rice. I also made pasta salad (see previous post) with feta, pine nuts, grape tomatoes, roasted garlic and homemade pesto. Yum!

Finally, I tried to recreate a dish I often order at Thai restaurants - a Penang curry with tofu. It turns out that this dish was a LOT easier to make than I thought, and required only one bowl and one pot. Two variations on the recipe follow. Enjoy!

Caitlin's Penang Curry with Tofu (Parve)

Sauce

1 jar peanut satay sauce or peanut sauce mix (parve) (A Taste of Thai is not hechshered but is ingredient-kosher)

1 can light coconut milk

2 tbsn chunky peanut butter (or smooth if that's all you have)

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp curry powder or cumin

Tofu

2 eggs, beaten with a little water (optional, see below)

1 cup flour (optional, see below)

1 block extra firm tofu, drained in a sieve for 30 minutes

1 broccoli crown, broken into bite-sized pieces

1 tbsn oil (optional, see below)

Cooked white or brown rice (there are hechshered frozen rice packets available at most grocery stores, or you can cook ahead and freeze in bags yourself - alternatively, you can use Uncle Ben's microwaveable shelf-stable rice, though am not sure about hechsher status).

Directions:

(1/2. If you are making fresh rice from scratch, put the rice on to cook).

1. Heat half the oil in skillet over med-high heat. Drain tofu, cut into 1" cubes, dip in egg wash, dredge in flour. Throw in skillet and cook, turning frequently, until brown on all sides. Remove from skillet and set aside (this will take two batches at least, depending on the size of your skillet). Drain and wipe out skillet.

ALTERNATIVE: Cute tofu into 1" cubes.

2. To the same skillet add the coconut milk and stir over medium heat. Gradually whisk in the satay sauce, then the peanut butter and spices, stirring until dissolved. Bring sauce to a simmer and stir until slightly reduced.

3. Add broccoli (and, if using the non-fried version, the tofu). Meanwhile, heat rice, if necessary. When sauce is reduced and sticks slightly to the back of a spoon (or is otherwise "saucy" in consistency), remove from heat. If you used the breaded tofu, add to the pot and stir. In either case, allow to sit (and thicken) for a few minutes to cool and thicken.

Spoon tofu mixture over rice. Garnish with fresh basil leaves or, if you have it, a few threads of lemongrass.

The tofu mixture can be kept (separate from rice) in a covered container for 4-5 days. It is actually better the second day (flavors meld).

My Cup(board) Runneth Over

2007-08-02T14:12:00.000-04:00

Hello folkses,

Well, I am officially three weeks away from returning to Beantown.

YAY!!!!

So advantages of living in Boston, as opposed to DC:

1. It's cooler and less humid.
2. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is there - my favorite museum in the world.
3. They have good sports teams.
4. They have Wagamama (swoon)!!!
5. Haymarket provides cheap produce!!!

Sadly, Boston does not have a consolidated market that sells great local produce (well, maybe they do in the summer, I haven't been there). The growing season there is shorter, and the sprawling, neighborhoody nature of town means each town has a little farmstand, but (other than Haymarket, which isn't local) there isn't one overwhelming one. However, I am hopeful that I will be able to squeeze out a few weeks of tomatoes, cukes, zukes, and fruits before it gets too cold for good produce.

In the meantime, I am working hard to clean out my parents' cupboards and create some semblance of order - despite my mother's best efforts. My mother believes that looking in the refrigerator before going to the grocery store is a waste of time, which is how we end up with 3 dozen green onions, half of which are wilting, but no milk. I don't understand it at all. Meanwhile, the pantry shelves are full of things that expired in 2004 or that have multi-generational families of moths. Seriously gross.

So, I am trying to find a happy medium, throwing out what needs to be thrown out and cooking what needs to be cooked. The green onions, along with some garlic, will be added to a quart of goat's milk yogurt (a terrible experiment on my mother's part) to become going to become oniony/yogurt cheese tomorrow.

I have a bunch of baking to do, but to do that, I need to buy some yeast. For some reason, every time I buy yeast at my parents' house, it disappears. Very strange.

In the meantime, I tried one of Mark Bittman's 10-minute mains (or, at least, a riff on one) last night, and it was delish! I highly recommend it...

Asparagus in a Soft-Boiled Sauce

1/2 bundle fresh asparagus (leftover, btw)
2 eggs
1 tsp kosher parmesan cheese
1 tsp butter
sea salt and fresh pepper

1. Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, rinse the asparagus and cut off the bottom 1 1/2" of stalk (my asparagus were thin and didn't require peeling), then chop into 1 1/2-2" sections.
3. When water comes to a boil, carefully add eggs, then asparagus. Boil for about 2 minutes. Turn off burner.
4. With a slotted spoon, remove asparagus and place in bowl/on plate. Toss with butter and cheese until well-coated. Allow to cool about 5 minutes.
5. After 5 minutes, remove eggs from pot and run under cold water until cool enough to handle. Remove shell and chop/mush eggs over asparagus, allowing yolk to form a sauce.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve warm with some crusty bread.

Another 10-Minute Main, and a Call for Blueberry Recipes

2007-07-24T11:19:00.000-04:00

I'm hungry.

I have been interning this summer, and, as many of you know, intern is code for "pee-on" or, in some cases, "slave." Thus, I have been saving my pennies by packing lunch and saving time by putting together my lunches on Sunday (and minimizing the work I have to do while half-away in the morning).

However, instead of making lunches this past Sunday, I read Harry Potter Book 7. I managed to scrape by with leftover asparagus-mushroom risotto yesterday, but today I was totally skunked. And now I'm hungry and having an extended case of the Mondays and really NOT wanting to either spend money or go outside to get food. And I don't know what I want. Harumph!

In any case, last night I made another of my favorite 10-minute mains. This one is actually semi-healthy and dairy (as 99% of my meals are). Maybe if I just cut cheese out of my diet...

Nah.

On another note, does anyone out there have a good blueberry-peach recipe besides cobbler? I'm a little desperate to get rid of a bunch of blueberries and peaches and need some ideas. Please send help!

Open-Faced Egg and Tomato Toasts

2 slices sourdough bread (large boule)
1 tbsn olive oil
1/2 tsp salt-free garlic and herb seasoning
fresh sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 eggs
1 tbsn reduced fat fresh chevre (TJ's is kosher)
1 medium tomato, cored and thinly sliced.

1. Preheat the broiler to high with the oven rack in the highest position. As the oven heats up, line a baking sheet with foil and spray the foil with cooking spray. Lay bread slices on top.
2. In a small cup, combine oil and herb mix. Brush both sides of bread with oil mix, seasoning the top side with salt and pepper. Place under broiler for 2-4 minutes to brown the top side (vent the oven and watch closely to avoid burning!!), then turn the bread over to brown the other side LIGHTLY (~2 minutes).
3. Meanwhile, in a non-stick or pre-seasoned cast iron pan, fry the eggs over med-high heat to your desired level of doneness (I like mine over easy).
4. Remove baking sheet from oven. Spread less-browned (face-up) side of toast with chevre and top with tomatoes. Place back under broiler for about ~1 minute (to warm through tomatoes and slightly melt cheese). Again, watch carefully to avoid burning, esp. around edges.
5. Remove from broiler and transfer to plate. Top with eggs and sprinkle lightly with a little more salt and pepper. Enjoy while hot.

Note: would also be good with a sprinkling of chopped chives or green onions as a garnish.

Tonight I am also going to explore some adventures in making yogurt cheese. Wish me luck!!

I (HEART) the NYTimes Food Section

2007-07-18T10:41:00.000-04:00

There are few things in the world that I gush about. My puppy. Good cheese. And Mark Bittman (aka The Minimalist).

Mark is my buddy and we hang out every Wednesday morning, when I read the food section of the New York Times before beginning work. This week, however, he has outdone himself.

One of the things that drives me crazy about being a student/young adult is that there never seems to be enough time to make a proper meal from scratch. Since eating out for me is a limited option, this either means buying prepared (or semi-prepared) foods and doctoring them, or (my usual tactic), taking Sunday to make food for the rest of the week and then reheating as needed.

My buddy Mark, however, has put together a BRILLIANT list of 10 minute mains. Some of them are very simple, like blanched asparagus and hard-boiled eggs. Others, alas, are not kosher (but the scallops sound so GOOD!). However, they do have some great ideas. As I move forward, I am going to try to put together a list of other good 10-minute mains (because otherwise, I may starve during recruiting season).

In addition to my spinach quesadilla recipe, here is another one I like:

10-Minute Faux Coq-au-Vin

1 kosher chicken breast, pref. butterflied, pounded very thin (I use two pieces of plastic wrap and a rolling pin - this tenderizes the mean AND reduces cooking time)
1 cup button or baby bella mushrooms, washed, trimmed and sliced (not to sound too much like Rachael Ray, but it really does keep weeknight cooking time down if you do the prep work when you get home from the store or buy pre-sliced foods. Yes, this does mean planning ahead. No, it is not a problem for me.).
1 tbsn diced sweet onion
1 clove garlic sliced, or 1/2 tsp jarred minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup kosher red wine (BH cabernet works well)
1 tsp white flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsn sundried tomatoes (TJ's has a hechscher), coarsely chopped 1 pinch saffron threads
1 cup plain couscous (uncooked)

Heat a cast iron frying pan over medium high heat (I love cast iron. More on this later) and set a small saucepan full of lightly salted water on to boil (amount of water to be determined by couscous package directions - usually about a 2:1 ration of water to couscous, I think - so, about 2 cups?).
Pour half the oil into the hot pan and shake on some salt and pepper, then throw in the flattened chicken breasts and shake on more salt and pepper. After about 2 minutes or so (bottom side will be opaque and beginning to brown), turn over chicken breasts and throw in another 1/2 tsp oil (onto the exposed areas of the pan, not the chicken), garlic, mushrooms and onions and reduce the heat to medium. Toss the mushrooms and onions around as they begin to brown. Tongs are a useful tool for this recipe (and generally, in the kitchen).

Meanwhile, the water in the saucepan should be coming to a boil. Into this water, dump couscous, sundried tomatoes, and saffron. Boil for about 1 minute, then remove from heat.

At this point, the chicken should be done and the mushrooms and onions should be starting to reduce. Remove the chicken from the pan, cut into 1" wide strips, and put on plate. Add 1/2 tsp oil and flour to pan and mix together with onions and mushrooms. Deglaze the frying pan with the wine (scraping any chicken residue off the bottom) and allow mushrooms and onion sauce to reduce and thicken slightly before turning off heat (pan heat will continue to reduce).

Fluff the couscous, making sure that the saffron and tomatoes are evenly distributed, then put on plate. Top chicken and couscous with mushroom-onion-wine reduction and enjoy.

And now, back to a memo about FEC rules on advertising disclaimers. Goody.

To Carb or Not to Carb (that is the question)

2007-07-11T14:07:00.000-04:00

I am feeling...big. Not terribly big, but big enough that I am not looking forward to going to my good friend's wedding and getting up in front of a church full of people to sing. Come to think if it, now that I'm Jewish, I should also be concerned about lightning striking me down as I stand in front of an altar. Hmm.

Anyway, I am feeling big, and so the question is: what to eat?

My weakness is definitely carbs. If it involves pastry, potatoes, or pasta, I am smitten - in fact, to quote Mike Myers, I am in deep smit. And this, reluctantly, I am trying to cut the refined carbs out of my life.

I successfully tried Atkins a couple of years ago (pre-Conversion), but I just don't think a full low-carb diet is either possible or healthful at this point my life. However, the cutting out of pasta, bread, chips, cookies, pies, etc. has gone well so far - I definitely feel better about myself when I'm eating lots of fruits and veggies, which is what replaces the carbs in my diet. On the other hand, I'm going to feel guilty about eating a ton of blueberry pancakes when I go over to my friend Rachel's on Thursday.

In any case, I'm very excited about feeling better and eating more veggies, and if that translates into better weight management, that would be ideal.

In the meantime, my lunch:

1 ripe peach (yum!!)

1 cup baby carrots with Sabra roasted garlic hummus (double yum!!)

1 kosher chicken breast, sauteed in olive oil, salt and pepper (made ahead of time), cut into 1/2" wide strips
2 cups salad greens (washed and bagged - I like baby arugula)
1/2 an avocado in 1/2" dice
1 tbsn finely chopped sweet onion
1/2 medium tomato, coarsely chopped.

Mix the ingredients together; top with dressing below. :0)

Kosher Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/2 cup kosher balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tbsn maple syrup
1/2 tsp. salt-free garlic and herb seasoning (or can use fresh thyme, basil, oregano, and minced garlic)
Put the ingredients in a shaker and shake 'em all about. Can keep up to 2 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge.

Blogger Guilt and Down-Home Cooking

2007-07-02T11:52:00.000-04:00

Up until last week, I did not have a full appreciation for the phenomenon known as blogger guilt. After all, I didn't have a blog until recently. My friends who had blogs (be they little blogs or big blogs) lamented their lack of free time and berated themselves for failing to blog with appropriate ardor and frequency. Their blogs had become afterthoughts in their busy lives, more of an identity than a hobby, something for which they don't have much heart anymore but from which they can't seem to untangle themselves.

Sounds a lot like my current romantic relationship, actually. :-)

Anyway, last week was busy at work and I was consumed by reading newly-discovered foodie blogs all over the internet, pursuing my blogger identity...and neglecting to post. Not that anyone is reading my blog. But for the two of you who might be reading it, my apologies.

So, now that I'm here and blogging, I should probably post something, yes? I was out at the Shore this weekend and put together two big tubs of potato salad. I like potato salad in the summer, especially when it can be made ahead and left overnight. The flavors meld and mature and it is lovely and creamy and delicious. I am also not a huge fan of mayo, so I try to minimize the mayo in my potato salad. Thus, two recipes (a double-whammy!) for potato salad below:

Traditional Dilly Potato Salad
8 large russet potatoes, washed, trimmed, cut in half (skin on)
1 1/2 c. light sour cream
1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
2 medium spring onions, finely chopped
1 tsp. dill
salt and pepper to taste (about 1/4 tsp. pepper and 1/2 tsp. salt, for my taste)
1. In a medium stock pot, bring salted water to a boil. Boil potatoes about 20 minutes or until a fork easily pierces the largest of the potatoes. Drain and set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, mix together the sour cream, mayo, vinegar, onions and dill.
3. When potatoes are cool to the touch, cut them into 1" chunks and toss them with dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill at least 1 hour (preferrably overnight).

Southern-Style Potato Salad (pareve)

8 large russet potatoes, washed, trimmed, cut in half
2 medium spring onions, finely chopped
1 tbsn sweet relish (I use Heinz)
3 large eggs
3/4 c. light mayo (I use Hellmann's)
1 tbsn apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste (same proportions as above).

1. In a medium stockpot, bring lightly salted water to a bowl. Gently drop in eggs (I lower them into the bottom of the pot with a ladle). Boil 4 minutes and remove (also with ladle). Set eggs aside to cool.
2. Add potatoes to boiling water and cook ~20 minutes or until a fork easily pierces the largest of the potatoes. Drain and set aside to cool.
3. Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients (less salt/pepper) together in a small bowl and set aside.
4. When eggs and potatoes are cool enough to handle (usually about 30 minutes), peel and quarter eggs. Add dressing to potatoes and toss to coat, then add eggs and toss again. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill at least 1 hour (preferrably overnight).

I ate the dilly potato salad with grilled salmon and served the southern-style potato salad with BBQ chicken. The southern-style salad matches well with other strong flavors. Both salads get more intense on the second (or third) day, so be warned when tweaking the recipe to taste.

Enjoy! Have a great 4th of July. :0)

Must Stop Eating Cookies

2007-06-26T17:18:00.000-04:00

As Oscar Wilde said, I can resist anything but temptation. This is particularly true of pastry. I mean, I barely glance the way of the dessert cart at a restaurant, and I rarely buy sweets of any kind when I'm out at the grocery store. However, my office hosted a lunch catered by Corner Bakery yesterday and OMG there is a plate of cookies and brownies and yummy sweet things and I can't. Stop. EATING. THEM!

As pennance, I will be eating vegetables for dinner. Last night I made risotto with 4 veggies - baby spinach, baby peas, yellow squash and cremini mushrooms (see basic recipe below). In the interim, I roasted (at 425 for about 40 minutes) several quartered (lengthwise) baby yellow squash in salt, pepper and olive oil, and separately wrapped and roasted a head of garlic. The squash came out yummy - soft and caramelized on some parts, firm on others, but with a thin, flavorful crustiness all over. Yum!

It's Not Easy Being Green

2007-06-22T14:40:00.001-04:00

If I were forced to live on a desert island (or in an underground bunker, or, G-d forbid, somewhere in Ohio) and could only take two kinds of food with me, the obvious choices would be bread and cheese. Once you get out of that duo, however, things get complicated. Would I rather have, for instance, fresh raspberries or fresh tomatoes? What about avocados? Sugar snap peas? Veggie sausage? Vidalia onions? Pesto!?!?

Too many choices.

One thing is certain - I like grain-derived products. (Sorry to the gluten-sensitive among you - them's the breaks). And this recipe, which I made last night, brings together bread(ish), cheese and another top-10 food, fresh baby spinach. Yummy. :0)

Spinach Quesadillas with Salsa and Sour Cream
4 10" tortillas (I use a fat-free, whole grain number from TJ's).
1 medium bag (~8 oz?) baby spinach, washed (again) and torn into pieces
~1 tbsn finely chopped sweet onion
salt and pepper
1 large ball fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2" thick sticks (best done while still cold) (kosher)
1/2 cup shredded light cheddar-jack blend (I mix a bag each of Miller's brand cheddar and Cabot's shredded monterey jack or pepper jack in a bowl, then divide amongst the original bags.
1 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1. Heat 1/2 tsp olive oil in a pan. Add the chopped onions and cook until translucent and beginning to brown.
2. Rinse the spinach and shake to remove excess water. Throw the spinach into the skillet with the onions and toss around until wilted (2 minutes). Remove from heat.
3. One at a time, take the tortillas and, dividing the spinach into quarters, spoon spinach onto tortillas. Add fresh mozzarella and sprinkle lightly with shreds, then grind some fresh pepper and add a little salt (if you use salted mozzarella or salted the spinach & onions while they were cooking, adjust accordingly).
4. Returning the skillet to the heat, add about 1/4 tsp oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high. Add one quesadilla at a time and cook until bottom is brown and cheese begins to bubble. Flip and repeat, then set to drain on paper towels.
5. Serve with salsa and sour cream. I like to mix them together in a 2:1 ratio to make a creamy, spicey sauce.

Happy Weekend!
~KG.

Food Section Day, Comfort Food II

2007-06-20T10:36:00.000-04:00

It is Wednesday and, as many of my friends know, Wednesday is my favorite weekday. Why, you might ask? No, it's not because it is hump day. It's because Wednesday is the day that major national newspapers publish their food sections. Today's sampling includes an article about the growing concern over Chinese food products and the role of China in garlic production. Another article discusses the rise of dessert-centric restaurants. And, of course, I took the opportunity to add some yummy recipes to my burgeoning collection (for that cookbook I'll write one day when I'm a famous blogger).

However, it is a gray and cold(er) day outside, and while the prospect of creamy roasted garlic dressing is enticing, what I'm really in the mood for is something warm and easy on my (slightly queasy? must have been the three glasses of wine last night) stomach. So, I've included Meryl Junik's fabulous noodle kugel recipe below. I am not a raisin person - I see them as a necessary evil in some recipes, but avoidable in most. This recipe makes a nice smooth kugel that tastes great hot or cold.

Warning: this recipe makes a LOT of kugel.

Meryl's Delicious Noodle Kugel

1/2 lb medium egg noodles
1 bar regular or reduced fat cream cheese, cut into small cubes
1/4 c. sour cream (light works well)
1/2 c. butter or margarine, cut into cubes
3 large eggs, beaten
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 9 or 8 x 11 deep glass baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil and cook noodles.
3. Drain noodles and return to pot.
4. Add cream cheese and butter and stir until melted and distributed throughout.
5. Add remaining ingredients, stirring, and pour into baking dish.
6. Bake 45 minutes until bubbling and lightly browned.
7. Serve warm or cold (actually a great cold dessert with a dairy shabbat lunch - excellent use for leftovers).

Comfort Food

2007-06-19T11:09:00.001-04:00

It is hard to go back to school after you have been out in the workplace. First of all, there is the money; going from having quite a bit of income and little debt to quite a bit of debt and little income is a hard adjustment. Especially when you have a weakness for organic raspberries and Lodge cast iron pans. But I digress.
Second, there are the grades. When I first graduated from college and went to work at a business research firm, it came as something of a shock that I wasn't going to get specific, concrete feedback on every project I completed. Sometimes, I would send off a report or a brief off into the ether, never to be heard from again.
After a while, I realized that sometimes the work itself was testiment enough - or the "thank you thank you!" emails that I got back from clients. Whether I got good feedback or bad feedback or no feedback at all, I never equated my performance with a sense of self-worth or with my ability to do the job. And, if I got negative feedback, there was almost always an opportunity to fix the project or please the client in another way because the relationships were iterated - it was never a one-shot deal.
After two and a half years of that, I am now back in an environment where everything gets feedback and the feedback that matters most is a set of little letters that say very little about what, if anything, one could do better. To top off the absurdity of the situation, the grades are on a curve, which means it doesn't matter how well I did on my own - it matters how well I did compared to other people, compared to my friends and colleagues against whom I would really rather not compete. And, while I've done just fine (knock on wood - one grade still to come!) in my classes, I've certainly talked to friends who are now questioning their decision to go to law school and/or whether they "deserve" to be at the law school we attend (a relatively prestigious one, as these things go). And that, my friends, is crap. How well you did on a 3-hour, open-book exam has practically no correlation to how well you will practice law.
All this by way of saying that I need a little comfort food at the moment. And, when I'm talking comfort food, I want (a) starch and (b) cheese. Now, when I was younger, that meant Ledo's pizza or a grilled cheese sandwich. However, as my foodie-ness has evolved, so has my comfort food.
My latest comfort food is risotto. I love the way it requires a bit of patience - if you try and make it fast, it doesn't turn out right. And, I love the way that it can have different personalities depending on the veggies one adds. So, here is my basic recipe with three veggie variations.
P.S. I promise that, true to the blog name, I will eventually write an entry that involves kosher meat. I just don't eat much of it - so I have to come up with something great.
Comfort Food Risotto
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsn olive oil (or 1 tbsn olive oil and 1 tbsn butter)
1 cup Arborio or Carnolini rice
2 cubes vegetarian bouillon or 1 20-oz container vegetable stock
Pinch saffron threads, gently crumbled
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1/3 cup kosher Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/2 cup kosher dry white wine
Add-ins as discussed below.
1. In a medium saucepan, and following the directions on the package, dissolve bouillon cubes in water (or pour broth into saucepan) and bring to a simmer.
2. Meanwhile, over medium-high heat, saute onions in oil (or oil and butter) until fragrant and beginning to brown. Add garlic and saute about 30 seconds. Add rice and toss to coat rice with oil-onion mixture. Stir around for 1-2 minutes.
3. Pour in wine and cook, stirring regularly (once every minute or so), until wine is absorbed. Reduce heat slightly to medium.
4. Ladle in about 1 1/2 cups stock and, stirring regularly until broth is absorbed. Repeat. Test the rice to check how done it is. Continue adding broth and stirring until rice is tender but still slightly toothy. Ladle in about 1/2 cup more broth (remember, the rice will continue to cook and absorb for a bit after you take it off the heat) and add most of the cheese, reserving a small amount for garnish. Add salt and pepper to taste (remember, both broth and cheese are salty - do not add salt before tasting!).
5. Serve warm, topped with remaining cheese.
Add-in Combo 1: 1/3 cup dried mushrooms OR 1 1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms, such as cremini, AND 1 cup frozen green peas. If using dried mushrooms, break them up slightly and add to broth as it's heating. When the mushrooms are soft, add them to onions/garlic when sauteeing and proceeding with recipe. When the risotto is almost done, stir in the peas (can even be done after the risotto is finished cooking, so long as you do not serve it that very second).
Add-in Combo 2: 1 large bunch asparagus, divided, washed and cut into 2" pieces (or, if cheating, 1 cup frozen asparagus pieces, such as those from TJ's). Saute half of asparagus with the onions. Add remaining half when ladling in the second cup of stock. The first half of the asparagus should sort of fall apart into the sauce, whereas the second half should be crisp-tender.
Add-in Combo 3: 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced into 1/2" pieces (again, if cheating, 1 pkg pre-diced butternut squash pieces), 1 pkg fresh sage leaves, washed and finely chopped, and a tsp brown sugar. Add squash, sugar and sage in with the onions and cook as directed.

A Shore Weekend Primer

2007-06-18T09:38:00.001-04:00

To paraphrase an old nursery rhyme, when I am good, I am very, very good, and when I am bad I am horrid.

That was the general theme of this weekend's Shore excursion - at least from a culinary perspective. My "moderation and portion control" mantra went flying out the window.

My parents and sisters, G-d bless them, are on vacation in Greece and I am working and taking care of the new puppy. On the bright side, I get the summer house in St. Michaels all to my self until they get back. Thus, I had about 8 people out to the Shore this weekend - a mix of law school folks and former co-workers. It was a great group and I think everyone had fun (people? fun?).

I fall into the category of host(esse)s who are always afraid of running out of food. This means that, when planning for 8, I cook for 12 (what if someone brings a friend? or three?). And when I say 12, what I mean is 12, if 4 of them played tackle in the NFL. Needless to say, I had a lot of leftovers, though not as many as I could have. My friends took one for the team and ate lots. Thanks friends!

On the menu: the caprese pasta salad in my last post; various baked goods; grilled meats/veggie burgers; and an excellent Shabbat-friendly berry tiramisu (recipe below). Lesson learned: do not assume that the grocery store carries ladyfingers (kosher or otherwise).

We'll be repeating this endeavor in a couple weeks, so we'll have to see if additional experimentations yields similar positive results.

Berry Tiramisu
1/2 pint fresh blueberries
1 pints fresh raspberries
2 8 oz tubs mascarpone cheese at room temperature
1 pint heavy whipping cream, chilled
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 box Nilla wafers (told you I couldn't find lady fingers)
1 jar Bon Maman red raspeberry preserves (hechshered)
1/2 c. sugar, divided
1 10-oz bag frozen red raspberries, thawed
1 tsp. lemon juice

1. Wash the berries and set them aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat the whipping cream (by hand, in my case) and 1/4 c. sugar, until soft peaks form. Fold in the cinnamon and vanilla, then gradually fold in the mascarpone.
3. Combine the preserves, previously frozen raspberries, lemon juice and sugar and stir until well-blended.
4. In a shallow 9 x 13 baking dish, spoon a thin layer of the preserve mixture to coat the bottom. Place wafers in a single layer on top of the preserves (I found that it took about 8 rows of 5 cookies each to cover the bottom.
5. Carefully spoon 1/3 of the cream/cheese mixture in small drops over the wafers. Using your clean fingers, gently spread the cream/cheese mixture over the wafers until even. Sprinkle with half of fresh berries.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5.
7. Utilize the last 1/3 of the cream/cheese mixture and spread over the last fresh berries/preserve layer.
8. Take the cookie pieces/crumbs at the bottom of the wafer box and crush them into crumbs, then sprinkle the crumbs on top.
9. Chill overnight and serve cold (you can sprinkle with fresh berries immediately before serving, should you be so inclined).

Enjoy. :-)

First Post: A Pesto Quest(o)

2007-06-15T03:24:00.000-04:00

Hello blogosphere!

This is my first of what I hope will be many posts. My name is Cait and I'm a recently kosher (~2 years) cook and eater. I moonlight, between cooking sessions, as a law student in the Boston area. I am currently writing from my satellite location in Washington DC, where I am working for the summer (and where I am originally from). To learn more about me, click here.

Recently, I invited a bunch of friends, including a couple MOTs (that's members of the tribe, for those of you in my non-existent viewing audience) out to my parents' shore house in St. Michaels. And, of course, when you go to the beach, what do you want to make? Pasta salad. And what is the perfect pasta salad? Cold Caprese Pasta Salad (recipe below). And what does kosher caprese salad require? Kosher mozzarella and kosher pesto.

There in lay my dilemma, gentle readers. Kosher mozzarella is actually pretty easy to come by - I use Trader Joe's, which has a Tablet-K hechsher for both its large balls of mozzarella and its medium-sized balls ("ciliegine"). So, that was easy enough.

However, the pesto proved particularly problematic. If you buy commercially-made pesto (in a jar or from the deli counter at Whole Foods or TJ's, as I discovered), it is made with regular parmesan cheese, which contains treif animal-derived rennet. Sabra makes a nice pareve pesto but none of my local grocery stores stock it.

Thus, I headed to KosherMart (WHY do they not have one of these in Boston???) in search of kosher pesto. I was brutally rebuffed (though did find a nice kosher Australian Sauvignon Blanc). So, I decided to make my own (see recipe below - both pareve/vegan and kosher-dairy variations). In addition, I've included my pasta salad recipe. Happy eating and Shabbat Shalom!

Kosher Basil Pesto

1/3 cup kosher Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup kosher Romano cheese (I used Miller's Romano - it comes pre-grated and it has more "bite" than parmesan, IMHO)
2/3 cup pignoli (pine nuts), lightly toasted (in a dry skillet over med-low heat)
3-5 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves, washed and checked for bugs (can also use Sabra frozen basil cubes, about 2 packages)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper (about 5 turns of my pepper mill)

In a food processor or blender, pulse the pignoli, garlic, cheese, basil, salt and pepper until combined. Add about half the oil and blend the ingredients together until a smooth paste forms (adding more oil as necessary).

To make pareve/vegan, omit the cheese and increase the salt from 1/4 to 3/8 tsp.

Cold Caprese Pasta Salad

1 lb short pasta (I use penne or shells)
1 jar roasted red peppers
1 handful (about 1/2 cup) sundried tomatoes, chopped into 1/2" pieces
1 16-oz container fresh mozzarella (I use TJ's ciliegine, but large balls cut into pieces or smaller "perlini" would also be good)
1 cup Kosher Basil Pesto
1 tbsp kosher Extra Virgin Olive Oil
kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste.

1. Boil a large pot of lightly salted water and cook pasta. During the last 2-3 minutes of cooking, add the sundried tomatoes to soften. Drain and return to pot to cool, ~20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, drain the red peppers and mozzarella. Roughly chop the peppers into ~1" squares. If using large balls of mozzarella, chop into 1/2"-1" pieces.
3. Toss olive oil into pasta to coat slightly and season lightly with pepper (reminder: you already salted the pasta water, so don't add salt at this point). Gently blend in pesto, tossing to coat.
4. Add cheese and peppers, tossing again until thoroughly incorporated.
5. Taste, then salt if necessary.

Enjoy!