I chose to work with chicken breast rather than livers.  I could tell you how chicken breast is less delicate an ingredient than the livers, but truth be told, I had chicken in the fridge.  I skipped the water chestnut, just like the Wolf and Lamb version.  My bacon replacement was pastrami and rather than frying these nuggets of deliciousness, I baked them.

The result is an impressive is a finger-friendly appetizer that looks impressive and delivers flavors that compliment each other excellently without the need to source boutique or obscure ingredients.

I found 2lb of chicken breasts and 6oz of pastrami yielded a dozen bite-size rumaki and in making this dish I was reminded of a chicken wrapped in roast beef that I had years ago at the home of Lizrael Update.  To give the BBQ sauce an extra dimension, I gently warmed it it with one adobe chili pepper.  The pepper is optional if you want to keep the heat index low but adds so much.  Either way, working with warm rather than cold BBQ sauce is recommended.

Chicken Rumaki with Adobo Chili BBQ Sauce

 

Save Print

Chicken and pastrami appetizer with a slightly spicy adobo chili BBQ sauce.

Author: Yosef – This American Bite

Recipe type: Appetizer

Cuisine: Polynesian

Ingredients

• 2lb skinless boneless chicken breast
• 6oz (13 slices) pastrami
• ⅕ cup bbq sauce
• 1 adobo chili pepper

Instructions

1. Put the bbq sauce in a pot a low heat. Add one adobo chili and stir occasionally.
2. Dice the chicken breast so you have a dozen pieces.
3. Wrap each piece of chicken with a slice of pastrami and seal with a toothpick
4. Once the bbq sauce is warm, spoon over the middle of the raw rumaki.
5. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees and cook uncovered for 45 minutes.
6. Turn the broiler to low and cook for three minutes for an extra crispy texture.

Notes

Soak the toothpicks in cold water before using them so to avoid the ends burning while you cook the chicken.

3.2.1753

Back in the day, kishke was the kosher answer to black pudding — a stuffing made from meat and grain.  It’s often slow-cooked sliced and served in stew, soup or cholent.  Although it’s easy to make kishke from scratch, if you’re looking for a shortcut, KOL Foods make an excellent product that is nitrate free, and is made from natural and organic ingredients.

I didn’t want to treat the kishke as a finished product, I wanted use this instead of of traditional bread croutons.  The KOL Kishke is delicately seasoned with onion, carrot, paprika, garlic and white pepper and pairs perfectly with this tomato salad, or works well in most soups.

Tomato Basil Salad with Kishke Croutons

 

Save Print

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

Author: This American Bite

Recipe type: Salad

Cuisine: Jewish

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1lb KOL Foods Kishke
• Olive Oil
• Six to eight large ripe tomatoes
• Fresh Basil

Instructions

1. Slice and dice the kishke.
2. Lay the diced kishke on cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.
3. Once the kishke croutons are crisp.
4. Dice the tomatoes into cubes that are slightly larger than the croutons.
5. Chop two or three leaves of basil and sprinkle over the tomatoes.
6. Drizzle with olive oil.
7. Add the warm croutons and serve immediately.

3.2.1753

It’s no secret that I am big fan of KOL Foods and this is another way to push the culinary envelope thanks to KOL.  You can see my other KOL Foods recipes here and please check out the other recipes that make up this month’s edition of the Kosher Connection.

Dukkah and za’atar crusted lamb on a bed of creamy polenta with balsamic fried celery.

I saw a set of appetizer tasting spoons when I went to pick up the picnic basket from Macy’s and at just $9 for four, I didn’t fight my impulsive desire to add to my kitchen collection.  If you were wondering where to buy the spoons from the TV Show “The Taste“, head on down to Macy’s or buy them on Amazon.

After breakfast in bed we decided that Kansas City’s Loose Park would be our destination so I packed up the picnic basket and we spent a wonderful day outdoors.  Here’s what we ate:

Lentil and Green Olive Salad

Very similar to the Live to Eat Lentil Salad I shared and so quick and easy to make.  If you want to take a shortcut, just warm a can of organic black lentils with some green olives, a generous handful of cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.  Salt and pepper brings this whole dish together.

Mayo-free Potato Salad

I shared this recipe with you recently, it’s amazing as a hot potato salad alongside freshly grilled salmon or served cold at a picnic.  That’s one of the things I love about this potato salad recipe.

Tuna Croquettes

As always, I feared we didn’t have enough food so I made these tuna croquettes up while I was packing the picnic basket.  Combine two cans of tuna, two eggs, a tablespoon of fresh thyme, salt, pepper and 1/8th cup gluten free breadcrumbs or matzoh meal.  Fry on high heat in a skillet for four to five minutes on each side.  Delicious warm or cold.

Green salad with an avocado caesar dressing

No mayo or oil in this, the creaminess comes from the avocados.

 Grilled Asparagus

I could eat grilled asparagus with anything and every time I do, I think of the only scene of Eat, Pray, Love I ever saw and close my eyes and imagine I am in Rome for day.

Our other gluten free picnic treats included a roasted garlic hummus, matbucha, rice cakes and fresh sliced red peppers and cucumbers.  A refreshing dessert of strawberries, cherries and pineapple gave us energy to walk around the park for a few hours once we had finished eating.

Since we discovered cashew cheese, we have been enjoying faux-dairy favorites like vegan cheeseburgers or dairy-free mac and cheese a little too often, and now that my wife has gone gluten free too, it’s nice to have found a comfort food classic that doesn’t feel like an alternative.  Vegan mac and cheese is awesome.  Vegan mac and cheese balls are just decadent.

My recipe for vegan cashew cheese does call for soaking the cashews overnight but if you’re preparing in a vitamix, you can soak for two to three hours and still get a smooth and creamy result.  If you don’t have a vitamix, you can prep the cheese in a food processor too.

Cashew Cheese

 

Save Print

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

Vegan alternative to cheese made with a cashew base.

Author: This American Bite

Recipe type: Cheese

Cuisine: Vegan

Ingredients

• 2 cups cashews
• ¾ cup water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (or slightly less)
• ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
• Optional: 2 to 3 more tablespoons water if needed to facilitate blending

Instructions

1. Soak the cashews overnight
2. Put all of the ingredients in the vitamix and pulse until smooth

3.2.1753

Once you have a batch of cashew cheese, you’re all set to make a batch of my vegan mac and cheese.  I made a double batch using gluten free quinoa pasta, making sure I would have enough for dinner and enough leftover to make these mac and cheese balls.

Vegan Mac n’ Cheese Balls

 

Save Print

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

Decadent mac and cheese balls, completely dairy free.

Author: This American Bite

Recipe type: vegan

Cuisine: comfort food

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2 cups of leftover mac and cheese
• Olive oil spray

Instructions

1. Using a measuring cup, spoon ⅓ cup mac and cheese into your hands and roll into a ball.
2. Put into cupcake liners.
3. Spray with olive oil.
4. Bake in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes or until brown and crunchy on the outside

3.2.1753

Serve to kids or adults alike, these are a treat.  I don’t believe that kids and adults need to be eating different food, but from time to time, I’m more than happy to eat off our our son’s plates!

Fresh tuna is a delicacy in our home usually reserved for sushi night because I have a horrible tendency of overcooking the fish.  Overcooked, grey and chewy tuna is a waste of good fish and a waste of money so I am pleased Hindy is sharing her recipe here today.

Sesame Crusted Seared Tuna

Thanks to Yosef for inviting me over for a guest post. I always find Yosef’s recipes so inspiring. I love that we have a similar taste in food – both choosing to cook with quality ingredients – leading to wonderful whole foods for our family and friends.

I’ve been meaning to make seared tuna for a long time. Every time I head in to my local fish market, I check to see if they have a nice piece of fresh tuna available. My dad once made a fantastic piece of sesame seared tuna and ever since, I’ve wanted to recreate this dish at home. It finally happened. I wandered in to the fish market and I saw the piece of tuna. This wild caught tuna looked perfect.  I asked the shopkeeper to cut it to my specifications and I was on my way.  I had everything else at home! Dinner was on its way.

With tuna, it’s important not to overcook it. If you overcook tuna, it becomes grey and hard to chew. I prefer my tuna raw, in sushi, but I also love it lightly seared. For my family members that prefer it more cooked, so I sear it a few minutes longer for them. Everyone is happy.

I marinated this tuna for about 20 minutes and then coated in a sesame crust. After searing and slicing, I served over a bed of wilted spinach, along side some sushi rice.

Sesame Crusted Seared Tuna

 

Save Print

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

Author: Confident Cook, Hesitant Baker

Recipe type: Entree

Cuisine: Asian

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb. fresh tuna
• juice of one lemon
• 1 tbsp. garlic paste
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 2 tsp. sea salt
• 2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
• 1 cup toasted sesame seeds (I used a mixture of black and white)
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. rice brand oil (can also use canola oil or grapeseed oil)

Instructions

1. Mix up the marinade ingredients and marinate for the tuna for around 20 minutes. You want the tuna to be room temperature when you sear it.
2. Remove the tuna from the marinade and pat dry with a paper towel.
3. Place the sesame seeds, salt and pepper on a plate. Coat the tuna in the sesame seed mixture.
4. Heat up a large pan until very hot. Add the oil.
5. Sear the tuna in the pan for 1-2 minutes per side. You should sear it in all sides, including the sides. Sear it to whatever rareness you desire. I prefer about 2 minutes per side.
6. When done, move to cutting board. Let it rest for a minute. Slice the tuna thinly and serve with some rice and fresh veggies. Enjoy!

3.2.1753

I knew that dinner was going to be sandwiched between our son’s (first) soccer practice and my wife running out the door to deliver a workshop, so I roasted three chicken thighs earlier in the day and planned to make a chicken ceaser salad.  I planned to make the croutons from a KOL Foods Kishke I have in the freezer rather than making them from bread but that will have to happen another time, as time was short.

Dinner was delicious, filling and so simple.

Easy Chicken Salad Recipe

You will need the following ingredients.  Serves 4 as a main dish.

• One sweet potato
• Two to three red potatoes
• Three chicken thighs (you could just as easily use chicken breasts or for a vegetarian option, two cups of Melinda’s Chickpea Tofu)
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 head of lettuce

Tahini Salad Dressing Ingredients

• 1/4 cup tahini paste
• Juice of one large lemon
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons of water
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon each of Garlic, Paprika, Cumin
• 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

Tweet this recipe

Peel your sweet potato and potato, dice so all pieces are the same size.  Drizzle with olive oil or coconut oil and bake in oven at 375 for 40 minutes, or until crisp.  While the potatoes are cooking, sprinkle the ginger, paprika and cinnamon on the chicken or chickpea tofu and roast them, covered for 30 minutes and uncovered for another 15.  Once the chicken has cooked, let it cool so you can touch it, and pull the meat from the bone.

Remove the leaves from your head of lettuce, make sure they are clean and then dry with a towel.  Shred the lettuce and place it in a salad bowl.  At the end of this post you will have the chance to win a Classic Crushed Bamboo Salad Bowl and set of Salad Hands (valued at $120) by Core Bamboo, just like the one in the photo below.

If you made the potatoes and chicken ahead of time, put them in the oven at 300 degrees for 20 minutes so they can heat up before serving.  While they are heating, make the dressing by putting the tahini paste into a bowl and adding the lemon juice, water and olive oil.  Mix gently then add the spices.  Finally add the chopped parsley and mix well.

When you are ready to serve, pour the tahini dressing over the lettuce and toss the leaves so they are covered.  Then add the potatoes and chicken to the salad and serve.

Core Bamboo Salad Set Giveaway

Enter using this widget to win a salad bowl and set of salad hands, worth $120, just like the one used in this post.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I stand by my previous statement that my mother makes a wonderful chili con carne. The family secret is still the cocoa powder to tie the dish together, but I would be doing you a disservice if I didn’t revisit this recipe. I took a closer look at the ingredients and cut the list a little. I also cut the tomatoes completely and I love the flavor that comes from the balsamic.

[Recipe Redo] Chili Con Carne

 

Save Print

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

60 mins

Total time

1 hour 15 mins

 

Author: Yosef – This American Bite

Recipe type: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2 lb ground beef
• 1 onion
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 lb mushrooms
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 cup chickpeas
• 1 cup red kidney beans (optional)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar

Instructions

1. Heat some olive oil in the bottom of a pot.
2. Dice the onion, add to the pot.
3. Clean and dice the celery and add to the pot.
4. Add the mushrooms, chickpeas and red kidney beans.
5. Season with the spices. Mix so the spices cover the veggies.
6. Add the ground beef, breaking with a wooden spoon.
7. Cover to cook and allow it to simmer for an hour.
8. Once the chili has cooked, add 1 cup of balsamic vinegar, stir and set in the fridge overnight.
9. When ready to serve, warm on a low heat.

3.2.1753

This chili scales up for a big crowd, and you can cook or reheat it in a slow cooker if you prefer.  It’s a real crowd pleaser and you can serve it on a bed of rice, with baked potatoes or over my lamb stock grilled polenta.

Photo: CC Cyclone Bill.

Although I plan our dinner menu for the week every Sunday, we sometimes deviate from the plan.  Sometimes I’ll plan my main ingredient so the whiteboard will read tofu, salmon or grill something as though I have left myself a hint, but not a complete plan.

Tonight was one of those night.  The only thing my kitchen whiteboard had to say was  portobellos.  The rest was up to me.  The magical fridge elves were late, but the third round of my door opening sequence, I saw that I had half a papaya waiting to discover it’s purpose.  With salmon in the freezer, dukkah in the pantry, and half a red onion in the door of the fridge, I figured I could definitely throw something together.

I knew a warm fruity condiment would be delicious inside the portobello tops my whiteboard wanted for dinner, but until I turned to my foodie friends on Twitter, I wasn’t even sure what to call this dish.

@ysilver yes. Things are more blurred now, but chutneys tend to include more acid than sweeter relishes

— Simon Majumdar (@SimonMajumdar) April 25, 2013

Now, this is one of those blog posts that I didn’t plan or anticipate – so the photos are from my iPhone and not my camera so forgive me for the quality.  Once you make this papaya and red onion condiment, you’ll understand why it had to become a post.  Besides, a wise woman taught me “No matter what happens in the kitchen, never apologize”.

Papaya and Red Onion Relish

Papaya and Red Onion Relish

 

Save Print

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

50 mins

 

Warm and fruity papaya and red onion relish (some might say this is a chutney) that is a great alongside salmon or other fish dishes.

Author: Yosef – This American Bite

Recipe type: condiment

Ingredients

• 2 cups diced papaya
• ½ red onion, diced
• 3 slices of lemon
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• Olive oil for cooking
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions

1. Put a skillet on a low heat
2. Put all the ingredients in the skillet
3. Cook low and slow until the papaya and onions are soft, this could take 30-40 minutes
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste

3.2.1753

Once the relish was cooked, I spooned it into portobello mushroom tops and served it with homemade baked french fries and my dukkah crusted salmon.

One of the most eclectic places to buy “real-food” ingredients is Jerusalem’s outdoor market, known throughout the Jewish world as the shuk.  The hustle and bustle of the shuk fuels merchants to sell their wares and energizes shoppers to seek the best deal.  Visit the shuk on a Friday and everyone is preparing for Shabbat (the sabbath).  The indoor and outdoor sections are swarming with people, loyal to their favorite watermelon, challah or salatim (appetizer salads like hummus, babaganoush and tahini) store.  At sunset, the place is peaceful, the shoppers replaced by people walking the streets of the golden city during 25 hours of tranquility.

Ottolenghi and Tamimi are not just sharing recipes, they are sharing a lifestyle.  They make it come alive, and pull at heartstrings with every photo, story and recipe in their latest book.  It’s that rustic, whole food thing that I love.

As for the lemons, these are so simple that I am kicking myself for not making a batch before today.  Here’s the recipe:

How to Make Homemade Preserved Lemons

 

Save Print

Lemons, salt and olive oil. Oh so simple. Adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi’s Jerusalem.

Author: Yosef – This American Bite

Recipe type: Side

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Ingredients

• Six or seven lemons
• Six tablespoons of coarse sea salt or kosher salt
• Two sprigs of fresh rosemary
• Half a jalapeño pepper
• Juice of three lemons
• Olive oil

Instructions

1. Cut each lemon in quarters but not right through – stop about ½ inch from the bottom of the lemon so that the pieces are still attached at the base of the lemon.
2. Cover each lemon with a tablespoon of salt. Open up the “quarters” so the salt gets inside too.
3. Insert the lemons into the glass jar. Pack them tightly and don’t worry about squeezing them a little.
4. While there is still space in the jar, add the rosemary and jalapeño pepper. I find this easiest when the jar is half full, rather than trying to push the lemons aside at the end.
5. Add the remaining lemons. Close the jar once the jar is tightly packed and store in a cool dark place (I chose the fridge). Leave them for a week, gently shaking the jar every day or two to redistribute the salt.
6. After the initial week, open the jar and gently squeeze the lemons so the juices run.
7. Drizzle with a touch of olive oil and keep in the fridge for up at least four more weeks.

3.2.1753

]]> http://www.thisamericanbite.com/preserved-lemons/feed/ 15 http://www.thisamericanbite.com/preserved-lemons/http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ThisAmericanBite/~3/tHxG3mRJtMw/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AmericanBite/~3/yKy2mlGTHsw/ http://www.thisamericanbite.com/stuffed-squash/#comments Mon, 22 Apr 2013 05:01:14 +0000 Yosef Silver http://www.thisamericanbite.com/?p=3427 I have a childhood memory of seeing stuffed zucchini (or courgette as it was called back there) on TV and being enamoured by the dish. Why this image has stayed with me for so many years is a mystery. Perhaps more mysterious is the fact I have never attempted to stuff zucchini squash, acorn, butternut or any or any other type of squash. My wife’s stuffed cabbage (coming soon) are a treat that follow her grandmother’s recipe to the letter. Killing two birds with one stone, this stuffed squash recipe is also the first time I share a millet recipe of my own.

When Hindy of Confident-Cook shared her millet pilaf last October, I did learn that you need to toast the grain before cooking with it. You will start to smell a beautiful aroma as the millet cooks and starts to darken – savor that smell if you make this dish. Another plus, millet is a gluten free grain so you can serve this dish to people with gluten sensitivity without anyone feeling like they have the alternative menu option! I used ground beef but you can keep this vegan by using a soy meat or textured vegetable protein.

Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipe

You will need the following ingredients to make this stuffed acorn squash dish. If this is a main dish, serve half a squash per person.

• 1 acorn squash
• 1 cup of millet
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 tsp dukkah
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• Coconut sugar or brown sugar
• Walnuts

Tweet this recipe

There is no need to rinse the millet as we’re going to begin by toasting it. Measure a cup of millet and put it in a heavy bottomed skillet over a medium-high heat. Toast them until they they have a deep golden color and are fragrant. If they start to pop, then remove from the heat.

Once toasted, cook the millet much as you would rice. 2 parts water for every part millet. Using a rice cooker will cook the millet perfectly.

Cut your acorn squash in half, remove the seeds and set the halves on a cookie sheet. Roast in a pre-heated oven at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. They will not be fully cooked when you remove them from the oven, but that is fine. They go back in the oven once you have stuffed them.

While the millet and squash cook, dice and sauté an onion, adding the ground beef once the onions are soft. Break up the meat or veggie protein with the back of a wooden spoon and season with salt, pepper, dukkah and coriander. Once the millet and beef are cooked, combine in a bowl then over-stuff the squash.

Return the stuffed squash to the oven for another 25-30 minutes.

Rinse your skillet and toast a dozen walnuts. Other nuts would be fine too. As they toast, gently sprinkle with coconut sugar (you can substitute brown sugar if you prefer). Remove from the heat when the sugar starts to bubble, and use the candied walnuts to garnish the stuffed squash, along with some fresh parsley.

Who knew gluten free could taste so good?! Enjoy!

If you don’t believe me, try it for yourself and if you want to know more about the company, their ethical mindset and vision, see the introduction my lamb wellington or read about the humane benefits that are in place.

This is one of those dishes that looks much more complicated than it really is – and there’s a wow factor that accompanies it to the table.  You can make this dish with any Turkey breast, but I can’t vouch for it’s flavor, that leftover Thanksgiving dinner reputation must come from somewhere, so for the best experience, use the best ingredients.

Apricot-Quinoa Stuffed Turkey Breast

You will need the following ingredients for a total of eight to 10 slices of rolled turkey breast.  Tweet this.

• One cup of quinoa
• 1/2 large red onion
• 8oz package of dried apricots
• 3-4oz chopped mixed nuts
• 3lb turkey breast
• Eight carrots
• 1 teaspoon honey or brown sugar (optional)
• Granulated garlic
• Paprika

You will also need

• Cooking twine – buy now from Amazon
• Meat thermometer – buy now from Amazon

Preparing the Quinoa Stuffing

Cook one cup of quinoa with two cups of liquid, per the instructions on the packet.  I like to use one cup of chicken or vegetable stock and one cup of liquid for the water.  While the quinoa is cooking, dice half a red onion, the apricots and the nuts.  Heat a little olive oil in a skillet and fry the red onions and half the apricots.  Drizzle the honey over the onions and apricots while they are cooking.

Set the rest of the apricots aside with the chopped nuts.

Once the quinoa has cooked and the red onions are soft, combine in a large bowl.  Add the uncooked nuts and apricots and mix so the ingredients are evenly dispersed.

Deboning and stuffing the turkey breast

Before you remove the bone from the turkey, pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees and par-roast eight whole carrots for 20 minutes.  The carrots need longer to cook than the turkey breast which is why I start to roast them before the turkey is ready to be roasted.

Deboning a turkey breast is easier than you would think.  If you’re not sure how to do this, or this is your first attempt check out this YouTube video for a step by step guide.

Once you have removed the bone from the turkey, set it aside and use it later to make a chicken stock.  Flatten the turkey breast, cover with plastic wrap and flatten it with a meat tenderizer, rolling pin or in my case, a pyrex measuring cup.  Try not to tear the turkey breast, you want to make it as thin enough to stuff and roll, but not so thin that it will tear.

Once the quinoa and apricot mixture has cooled, layer it evenly over the turkey breast.  Tightly roll the turkey breast and tie with cooking twine to hold it together.  Season the outside of the turkey roll with a teaspoon each of granulated garlic and paprika, then rub with a little olive oil.

Remove the carrots from the oven.  Place the stuffed turkey among the carrots, cover with foil and return to the oven for 35 minutes.  Uncover and cook for a further 20 minutes or until your meat thermometer reads 165.

Allow the stuffed turkey roll to cool then slice with a sharp chef’s knife.  Slice into 3/4 inch portions then return to the roasting pan with the carrots on top of the turkey.  The juices in the pan will keep the turkey moist.

If reheating for an extended period of time, consider adding two tablespoons of chicken broth to the turkey roll to keep it moist.  Serve with the carrots and a green vegetable.

The perfect shawarma will be sliced straight from the the spit, if it’s not quite crisp, it can be thrown onto the flat-top for a minute or two. The result will be a mix of crispy and moist shreds of lamb that are full of both flavor and texture. I like my shawarma in an Iraqi flat bread called laffah with a touch of hummus, fried onions, Israeli salad, cabbage salad and a little ambah (a pickled mango sauce). Wrap in the flatbread and drizzle with tahini.

Photo credit: CC 1yen, Flickr

Today is Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s memorial day, remembering everyone who lost their lives in war or acts of terrorism.  At sundown tonight, the sorrow will turn to joy as we usher in Yom Haatzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day (65 years today).  Late last week I shared my thoughts on celebrating Yom Ha’atzmaut from a distance at The Times of Israel and as is the custom with many Jewish festivals, menu planning comes to mind.  Tomorrow I’ll be serving homemade turkey shawarma.

Shawarma Recipe

You will need the following ingredients to serve 6-8 people.  You can also use this shawarma recipe for an appetizer alongside Israeli salads and dips. Tweet this.

• Turmeric 
• Coriander
• Cumin
• Black Pepper
• Paprika
• 3lb Turkey Breast
• 1 large onion
• Extra virgin olive oil

Start by combining two teaspoons of each of the spices with the the exception of the black pepper.  Add just one teaspoon of black pepper.  Mix the spices gently so you can no longer tell them apart.

Pull the skin of the turkey breast back and cover the flesh evenly with the shawarma spice.  Then place the skin over the spiced turkey breast and sprinkle a little more. Season all sides of the turkey evenly but don’t use all the shawarma spice – you’ll need it for the onions.

Now tightly wrap the turkey breast in cling film or plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for at least two hours.  If you can leave it for longer, overnight is ideal.

Ideally you want to remove the turkey from the fridge about half an hour before you cook it so it can be closer to room temperature.  When you’re ready to cook it, thinly slice or dice the turkey, including the skin, and set it aside.

Dice an onion.  Heat two teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil  and put in a skillet with extra virgin olive oil.  Once the oil is warm, add the onions and sprinkle with the remaining shawarma spice.

Once the onions have softened and started to cook, add the shredded turkey meat to the onions and mix well.  Try and have some of the turkey on the bottom of your skillet so it can crisp.  Mix with a wooden spoon so the turkey can cook evenly and doesn’t burn once some of it starts to crisp.  You can serve in a pitta bread (by the way, this is an awesome gift if you have kids) or laffa or you can skip the carbs/gluten/bread and go straight to hummus, schug, tahini or your favorite salads.  My deconstructed hummus salad would also be a good with this.

There you have it, a taste of Israel from your kitchen.  This post was part of the April 2013 Kosher Connections Linkup.  See more of my Kosher Connections recipes and be sure to check out this months other contributions.

Chag Sameach!

Vegan Celery Bisque by Honest Fare

Starting with a soup course, Honest Fare has a wonderful vegan celery bisque that freezes well.  The photography in this post is excellent.

Moving on to some main dishes, Liz at Kosher Like me shared quinoa filled squash boats, perfect for passover or any time of year.  I can also imagining serving these with the Mexican Birra served up at Almost Fearless.

Quinoa stuffed Zucchini – Kosher Like Me

Malcom shares tips on How to Cook a Steak Perfectly at From Away.  I love to pair red meat with beets and Whitney of Jewhugry has a great way of roasting them with citrus and raspberry vinegar.

When it comes to dessert, I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but my wife’s flourless chocolate cake is decadent and delicious.  The Roasted Root made a gluten free black bean brownie which come out with a dense, velvety texture. Cooking + Kate shares a chai coconut ice cream that imagine compliment chocolate very well.  Kitchen Tested welcomed a guest post from her Sister, Geshem City, who shared their Savta’s Custard that makes a delightful breakfast, dessert or snack and in a similar vein, Dinner in Venice also made Passover Custards, presented tastefully in china teacups.

Decadent Flourless Chocolate Cake – This American Mama

Among the recipes submitted for the carnival, me-ander shared a Vegetable Kugel that freezes well, and Shernell of  The Raw Food Beginner Chef made a Cocoa Tea.  In some Jewish communities there is an ongoing debate as to whether or not quinoa is prohibited during Passover.  Shiloh Musings discusses in more detail.  Batya also shares some passover classics, Kneidelach (matzoh balls) and Geffilte Fish.

To submit a recent article to the next Kosher Cooking Carnival use the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found at the blog carnival index page.

The pistachio pasta is my favorite dish on the menu at Milky Way and it’s a dish I haven’t seen anywhere else. When I’m making it at home, memories of the family brunches and birthday celebrations we have shared at the Milky Way bring a smile to my face. The Milky Way is a family friendly restaurant and Leah Adler, born to be a hostess, will make you feel welcome each and every time you visit.

Vegan Pistachio Pasta

You will need the following ingredients to make this vegan pistachio pasta dish.  Serves 4-6.

• 1 1/2 cups roasted natural pistachios – unsalted is preferred.
• 4 cloves garlic
• a large handful of fresh parsley
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• 1 pound spaghetti or your favorite pasta

Start by shelling your pistachios and peeling your garlic.  Then grab a handful of parsley and put all of the ingredients in a small food processor and drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil over all the ingredients.

Now pulse the pistachios with the other ingredients until you have a paste.  You don’t want it to be too thick as you will be mixing this with the pasta.  If you want to make it a little thinner, slowly add more olive oil and pulse again.

Bring a pot of water to the boil, salt the water then cook a package of whole wheat spaghetti or your preferred pasta until it is al dente – don’t overcook it, and salt the water.   Mix the pistachio paste with the spaghetti and serve warm.  A caesar salad, garlic bread or crostini make the perfect accompaniment for a week night dinner.  Season with salt and black pepper to taste.  You might want to skip the salt if you used salted pistachio nuts.

Wine Pairing

Enjoy this dish with a medium bodied red wine like the Tishbi Malbec.  If you prefer a white go for a minerally white wine with a touch of acidity.  The Baron Herzog Chenin Blanc is a fruity dry wine that compliments this dish nicely or opt for the Alexander Lisa Chardonnay.

The recipe wasn’t the only thing I admired, I became an instant fan of the Falcon Enamelware Bake Set used in the photos and left a comment on recipe, asking where I could find them.

Photo: Lottie and Doof’s Pimentón Roasted Chicken and Potatoes

Falcon have been making cookware since the 1920s and their product is admirable.  There’s attention to detail in the quality of this product, as well as the brand they have created.  Everything about Falcon screams classic and tasteful.  Although Flacon is based in the UK, they will ship to the US, Europe and Australia and the bake ware arrived quickly.

My Sweet Potato and Yukon Gold Shepard’s Pie was the first dish I cooked in my new Falcon Enamelware and since then I have used it to bake salmon, roast chickpeas and roast a whole variety of root veggies.  Enamelware handles high temperatures well, making it perfect for Lottie and Doof’s chicken, but it is also light weight so you’re less likely to strain your wrist as you scan the kitchen counter, looking for a place to put your fresh-from-the-oven roast.

The kind people at Falcon sent me two bake sets.  One for me and one for you.  To get your hands on this set, scroll to the bottom of this post to enter.

In case you are wondering, Enamelware is made by fusing glass onto steel so that it is smooth and long-lasting.  Chemicals don’t impact the enamelware so it will last a long time.  The other great thing is that you can use this enamel bake set at high temperatures, in fact, Falcon say their product is safe up to 530F, which is about 270C.  The Falcon Enamelware Bake Set is dishwasher safe too.

To win this bake set, complete the options in the widget below and leave a comment below telling me what you would cook if you won this bake set.  You can enter this contest daily until the end of April and there are plenty ways to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks to the kind people at Falcon, I will be giving away a Falcon Enamel Bakeware Set next week, so make sure you’re getting my email updates or follow me on Facebook so you don’t miss the chance to enter.

When I think of Shepard’s pie, I don’t think of the warm and loving comfort food, fit for a cold winter’s night. My mind wonders to a mass-produced hot lunch that I used to eat at school. It was bland, grey, and now that I think about it, it has a synthetic quality that makes me suspect the “potatoes” came from a box, and not a field.  I set out to re-create the comfort-food classic that I would be proud to serve to my family and share with you, and with two types of potatoes and plenty of colorful vegetables, I have done just that.

Just imagine for a second that you’re sitting at an aged wooden table beside a an open fireplace. Your chair creaks as you move it away from the single-paned window that struggles to keep the Yorkshire draft from breaking into the cottage. It’s raining outside, and your hair is still dripping from the short walk up the cobble-stoned path to the car. The sky is dark and you’re hungry. A steaming plate of shepard’s pie is placed before you and before taking the first bite, you feel warm and cared for.  That’s what this dish is all about.

Sweet Potato Shepard’s Pie topped with Crispy Potatoes

You will need the following ingredients for this shepard’s pie recipe.  Serves six to eight people.

• 2lbs ground beef (or a combination of ground beef and ground lamb) 
• 4 shallots (or half an onion)
• Half a red onion
• Two carrots
• Splash of red wine
• Two large sweet potatoes
• Olive oil
• Yukon gold potatoes
• Fresh rosemary
• White pepper
• Sweet paprika
• Fresh thyme
• Salt

We’re going to create three layers of to make this shepards pie.  A meat layer, a creamy sweet potato layer, and finally a crispy layer of potatoes for the top of the pie.

Meat filling:

Before you get started, remove the meat from the fridge so it can get closer to room temperature.  Heat a little olive oil in a skillet and dice the shallots, or half an onion and allow them to saute for five to eight minutes until they are soft and starting to brown.  Slice the carrots so they are just a little larger than the diced shallots and add them to the skillet.  Season with white pepper and sweet paprika, then remove the leaves from one sprig of thyme and add to the skillet.

Add the meat to the skillet and crumble with a wooden soon.  Now add a splash of red wine, I chose an Atoona Hills Cab-Shiraz, but you can open and drink cook with your favorite red wine.  Cook until the meat is fully cooked, it’s ok if some of it remains a little rare as we’re going to heat the entire pie in the oven before serving.

Pour your cooked meat into the bottom of your pan and move on to the sweet potatoes.

Creamy sweet potatoes:

Peel your sweet potatoes and cut into large chunks, then put them into a large pot of cold water.   Place the pot on a medium to high heat, and cover. Once the water boils, turn the heat to a lower temperature and allow the water to simmer until the sweet potatoes are cooked. This will take about 30 minutes, so you might want to do this while you’re sauteing the meat.

Note: I always boil potatoes this way, which is similar to the method I use for eggs, chickpeas and beans.  This makes sure the potatoes cook evenly as the water heats up.  When you can put a fork through the sweet potatoes effortlessly, the sweet potatoes are cooked. Removed them from the heat and set them in a bowl. Drizzle with two teaspoons of olive oil and add the leaves from a sprig of fresh thyme. Mash with a fork, and add salt to taste. If you want to add a touch more olive oil for a little more creaminess, now is the time to do it.

Use a fork to evenly spread the sweet potatoes over the meat mixture.  Start with a thin layer then add to it if you have more.  Once you have covered the meat, move on to the crispy potatoes for the top of the pie.

Crispy Potato Topping

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees (190 C) .  Cut three large, or four medium, yukon gold potatoes, then dice half a red onion.  Drizzle a dash of olive oil on the bottom of the tin then combine the onions and potatoes.  Remove the leaves from one sprig of rosemary, add some kosher salt and roast for 30-40 minutes, until fully cooked – but not browned.

Once the potatoes and onions have cooked, use a spoon to gently layer them over the layer of creamy sweet potatoes.  Make sure to build an even layer of potatoes.  Apply some light pressure on the potatoes so the sweet potatoes can act as a glue for this final layer.

Finally, we want to brown the potatoes.  Today’s range cookers come with both an oven and grill so you’re in luck!  Turn the broiler to low and put the shepard’s pie under the heat for three to five minutes to the potatoes are golden brown and crispy.  You can serve immediately, or turn the oven to 250 F (120 C) to keep the pie warm until ready to eat.

How to Cook with Lamb

A number of people have asked me if you can substitute lamb for beef in any recipe, or if the preparation differs. If you plan to grill lamb, I like to season with a touch of salt and pepper and let the natural flavors do the rest, and if smoked lamb sounds more appealing, be sure to keep the smokey flavor subtle.  If you prefer to cook indoors, grill it, roast it or cook it in a griddle for wonderful results.  No matter what you do, I implore you to buy and use a meat thermometer.  Once I embraced the value of a meat thermometer, I became a significantly better cook and learned to appreciate how to prepare lamb, beef, chicken and salmon.  It’s the best $5 you will spend for the kitchen.

Lamb Wellington Recipe

My lamb wellington is very popular, much of the flavor for this dish comes from the fabulous flavor of KOL Foods organic product.  Lamb wellington is a roast with a mushroom gravy, wrapped in filo dough.  It certainly keeps to the philosophy of keeping lamb for special occasions.  Here’s the full lamb wellington recipe.

Lamb Wellington – This American Bite

Coffee-Rubbed Lamb Chops with Blueberry Balsamic Reduction

Coffee has a rich and indulgent flavor, and chops simple scream elegance, especially if you can successfully french them.  Add some berries and you have a sweet and savory flavor profile perfect for lamb, and the photography is simply inspiring.  The full Coffee-Rubbed Lamb with Blueberry Balsamic Reduction recipe, with walk-thru photos can be found at Kitchen Tested.

Coffee-Rubbed Lamb Chops with Blueberry Balsamic Reduction – Kitchen Tested

Adana Lamb Kebab

Lamb kebabs are a delicious way to cook with ground lamb.  Cooked to perfection, these lamb kebabs will be juicy in the middle and crisp on the outside.  I also love that this recipe calls for sumac.  Find the Adana Kebab Recipe by Tamar Genger MA, RD, at Joy of Kosher.

Adna Lamb Kebab – Joy of Kosher

Lamb Burgers in Pita with Lemon-Tahini Sauce

Another great use for ground lamb is this Lamb Burger recipe by Ronnie Fein who blogs at Kitchen Vignettes.  I love the idea of a lemon tahini sauce with these, and skipping the bread keeps the carb count low – and allows you to focus on the combination of lamb, mint and parsley flavors.  Often, Ronnie and I find ourselves thinking along similar culinary lines so I know that this dish will be excellent. You can find her Lamb Burger recipe here.

Lamb Burgers in Pita with Lemon-Tahini Sauce – Ronnie Fien

More lamb recipes

Many more foodies have an awesome approach to cooking with lamb.  Lévana Kirschenbaum, author of The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen (a book that I have previously reviewed) has a wonderful post on Kosher Like Me about tagine cooking, including a wonderful Lamb Tajine with Dried Fruit and Almonds recipe.  I love cooking with tagine and lamb tagine is always a dish that fun to cook, fun to present and fun to eat.  There’s a delightful and bright Italian Lamb Fricassee from Dinner in Venice that looks delicious.

If you like pasta, or you’re not looking for a passover-friendly recipe, check out the Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Lamb, Tomato and Cumin Sauce.  Another delicious looking recipe not for the Gluten-free is this Pulled Lamb Sandwich With Caramelized Onions and Chipotle Garlic Aioli - but you could skip the bread here for a BBQ inspired lamb treat enjoy all the other elements of this dish.

Food, Words and Photos brings out the natural sweetness of dates with her Lamb Stew, served over couscous, but for Passover you could serve over mashed potatoes, quinoa, or for some, rice.   The Jewish Hostess also has a sweet and spicy treat with her Ground Lamb served on a Cinnamon Stick.

Ground Lamb on a Cinnamon Stick – The Jewish Hostess

Grilled Lamb Polenta Recipe

Finally, don’t discard any of that lamb fat, or make a batch of lamb stock for a real treat.  My lamb-stock polenta is rich in flavor and very easy to eat. It’s delicious straight from the griddle, the perfect with gravy or Maple, Balsamic and Lemon Grilled Brussels Sprouts and makes sure nothing at all goes to waste when you cook lamb.  My grilled lamb polenta recipe even got a shout out on Twitter from Iron Chef Michael Symon!

Lamb Stock Grilled Polenta Recipe – This American Bite

Dukkah Crusted Salmon was her choice and I wanted to make something equally special to go with it.  Salmon and potatoes seem to have the perfect marriage, and having made my hot potato salad for a recent pot-luck, it was front of mind.  I keep my hot potato salad vegan and mayo free, so it’s good for many different dietary choices.

Hot Potato Salad Recipe

You will need the following ingredients to make this hot, vegan potato salad.

• 1 bag of mixed potatoes
• 1 onion, diced
• 6 cloves of garlic
• Dijon mustard
• Fresh dill
• Thyme
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive Oil

Cut your potatoes so they are all a similar size.  Put them in a pot of cold water along with five or six cloves of garlic and place the covered pot on a low heat.  Allow the water to come to the boil. When you can put a fork through a potato with no effort, they are cooked, this could be as soon as ten to fifteen minutes after the water starts to boil.

While the potatoes are cooking, fry some onions in olive oil until they start to brown, season the onions with thyme, salt and pepper.

When the potatoes have cooked, drain the water. Combine potatoes, onions and add 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard (absolutely do not substitute with yellow mustard), a generous sprinkle of dill, dried is fine, a dash of salt and pepper.

Combine the ingredients gently using a wooden spoon or red silicone spatula.  Don’t mix too hard because you want to avoid mashing the potatoes.  If you are serving right away, which I would recommend, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil to bring the flavors together and give the potato salad a shiny finish.

You can also serve this at room temperature, or straight from the fridge, but the dill, mustard and potatoes are wonderfully flavorful as a warm salad.  Take this to your next picnic or potluck to keep everyone from carnivore to vegan happy.

I’m told that you know when a pineapple is ready by trying to pull out one of the middle leaves.  If the pineapple is sweet, the leaf will come out effortlessly.  If you have to tug it, give the pineapple a little more time to ripen.

With snow on the ground from the storm we had earlier in the month, I didn’t feel like grilling outdoors, so I used my griddle pan.  If you don’t have one, I’d strongly recommend buying one, and it doesn’t have to be a pricey the one I used.  Lodge make an excellent griddle and it costs less than $20.

Cayenne Chocolate Dipped Grilled Pineapple

You will need the following ingredients for eight slices of chocolate dipped pineapple:

• One pineapple
• 2 bars of bittersweet chocolate
• 1 tablespoon coconut cream
• 6oz bag of white chocolate melts or white chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon of almond milk (or alternative)
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon of coconut oil for cooking

Begin by melting your dark chocolate in a double boiler.  If you are using a glass bowl over a pot of boiling water, make sure the water does NOT touch the bowl – the hot water may cause the bowl to crack, which is I melted my second batch of chocolate in a metal bowl.  Stir in the coconut cream and cayenne pepper.  Mix gently until the chocolate has melted then lower the heat and allow it to sit above the gently steaming water, stir occasionally.

If you’re planning to cut the pineapple with a knife, buy one of these.  If you’re holding a beheaded pineapple in one hand and an iPad in the other, reading this recipe, all is not lost.  Cut the thick skin off the outside of the pineapple, slice the pineapple into rings.  Then slice  the rings in half, cut  out the core and place in a warm griddle.

Heat your griddle to a medium heat, melt one teaspoon of coconut oil so the pineapple slices don’t stick, then put them in the pan for six to eight minutes.  Once you have nice looking grill marks on one side, flip them and cook for a similar amount of time.

Remove the pineapple from the griddle and set on a cookie sheet, lined with a beloved silpat. Lining the cookie sheet with a silpat or parchment paper will make it much easier to remove them from the tray once the chocolate sets.  Allow the pineapple to cool to the point that you can touch it without burning your fingers.

Once you can hold the pineapple slices, dip half of each slice into the melted dark chocolate, then lay them back on the cookie sheet.  Once you have dipped all the slices in dark chocolate set them in the fridge and melt the white chocolate using the same method used for the dark chocolate, only use a teaspoon of almond milk (or alternative) rather than coconut cream.

Once your white chocolate has melted, drizzle over the dark chocolate, or if you’re feeling adventurous dip the other side of the pineapple in the white chocolate.  Set the chocolate dipped pineapple slices in the fridge for at least an hour, if not two, before removing them from the cookie sheet.

Store an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days, and serve for dessert or with a cup of coffee.

During the summer that we spent here, two years before we made the move, I was introduced to this split pea soup.  It is the perfect “lazy day” dish to make ahead.  You can scale it up or down as you need making it the perfect soup to serve to a big group.  If you are out of celery, throw in an extra onion. Low on split peas?  Mix in some green lentils.

If you plan to cook it for more than eight hours, add a little more water to the soup at the start.

Vegan Split Pea Soup Recipe

You will need the following ingredients to serve 8.

• 16 oz. dried green split peas, rinsed
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 ribs of celery plus leaves
• 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, or 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 tsp. fresh pepper
• 1 1/2 qts. hot water

Start by soaking your split peas in cold water.  If you can soak them overnight, that is ideal.  If you really don’t have time to soak them at all, please wash them thoroughly and let them sit in water for as much time as you can spare.

Once you have soaked the peas, peel the carrots and onions, and place all the ingredients in a slow cooker in the order that they are listed above.

Set the slow cooker to high for four or five hours, or low for eight to ten (at least).  If you don’t have a slow cooker, bring this soup to the boil then put on a low heat for eight to ten to sixteen hours.

When the soup is cooked, the peas will be soft.  Remove the bay leaf and mix with a spoon, mashing the peas to thicken the soup if you prefer a thicker dish.  If you’re not on a gluten free diet, serve with home made croutons.

This soup will freeze very well, and it serves eight people.  Double or quadruple the recipe if cooking for a summer program of hungry teens!

Many think differently.

Perhaps it is normal to crave what we can’t have – you tell someone they can’t have pizza or brownies for a week and they freak out and try and invent a version using with potato starch or matzoh meal.  When I surveyed my Facebook friends and asked them the first three things that come to mind when I say “passover food” responses included fried matzoh, macaroons, “NO! Yuck! Dry…” , pepto bismol and fear.

This perception of a week of bad food is the very reason I was unsure about reviewing some of this Passover’s newest cook books, but I have found one that would agree with my approach.

It’s time to break this Passover tradition of dry, bad, nasty food and go through our own personal food exodus, besides, a healthier Passover may also be a cheaper Passover.  If you’re not sure how to approach a whole food Passover, start with Passover Made Easy by Leah Schapira and Victoria Dwek.

Book Review: Passover Made Easy

Schapira and Dwek and bringing the food revolution to Passover cooking with a healthy and whole food approach to this festival. This book is a must-have for the conscious cook.  Pairing each dish with wine, and offering food styling suggestions for many of the recipes offers some much needed guidance for anyone seeking a simpler Passover.

So much attention to detail went into preparing this book, and the fact that Schapira and Dwek tested these Passover recipes on their families and friends year round tells me they think of Passover the way I do.  This book isn’t just going to make Passover easy, it’s going to make it simple and looking through the pages will give you a chance to escape the real-world for a moment and go on a culinary adventure.

I particularly like that this book is not labeled as a healthy book.  Too many people are turned off by the H word, and I found the whole food approach to be a wonderful surprise as I browsed pages filled with  Eggplant Wrapped Chicken and Tortilla’s with Tomato-Mint Salsa.  This book holds page after page of recipes I would not hesitate to serve to anyone from our three year old son to a gluten free guest.  If you’re looking for the Passover classics like roast chicken, kugel (a baked casserole) or a roast, this book has you covered.

When your copy of this book arrives check out the vibrant Citrus Beet Salad on page 37 and if you plan to pack this book away with your Passover dishes, do yourself a favor and buy two copies so you use it year round too.

To give you a sneak peak, check out these beet and turnip pickles, kindly shared with the photo, by the team behind Passover Made Easy.

Pickled Beets and Turnips

I’ve been on a pickling kick recently, my purple pickled eggs proved to be very popular, and in fact, these are Kosher for Passover too.  In keeping with the simplicity and elegance I describe in my review of Passover Made Easy, I felt that this dish of Pickled Beets and Turnips was a great example.

You will need the following ingredients:

• 2 large turnips, peeled and thinly sliced into half-moons
• 1 beet, peeled and thinly sliced into half-moons
• 8 garlic cloves
• 1 jalapeño, sliced into rings (do not remove seeds)
• 1 cup   water
• ½ Tbsp salt
• 1 tsp vinegar

Combine turnips, beet, garlic, and jalapeño in a mason jar. Pour water, salt, and vinegar over vegetables. Cover and shake to combine.

This is best made at least 2 days ahead and will keep in the refrigerator for 10-14 days.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hip Kosher by Ronnie Fein

Ronnie is a self-proclaimed an old-timer in the food business, a cookbook author, journalist, recipe creator and a one-time talk show host among many other food-related callings. Unfortunately, our schedules didn’t allow for us to connect when I was in New York for KFWE recently.  Ronnie’s book, Hip Kosher showcases contemporary American dishes rather than traditional Eastern European or Sephardic fare that can be made with kosher ingredients.

Ronnie’s previously posted when my daughter was born – can you believe that was six month ago?  The  Carrot Harisa Soup that was shared is a great testament Ronnie’s approach that embraces modern and traditional cuisne.

Ronnie, thank you for this guest post.

Guest Post by Ronnie Fein (Kitchen Vignettes)

Anyone who knows me or follows my Kitchen Vignettes blog knows that I almost never make the same recipe twice. There are just too many things to try. New foods, new ingredients, new combinations, new methods. And these days so many kosher certified products are available that there’s almost no limit to what I can cook (although I haven’t found kosher Thai fish sauce yet).

I especially like experimenting with new spices and seasoning combinations. So, when I read about dukkah, which I had never heard of, it stimulated some research and some recipe testing. Dukkah is a combination of nuts (usually hazelnuts, pistachios and almonds) and seeds, (which typically means sesame seeds but might also include coriander, cumin and anise) and sometimes contains salt, cayenne or some other kind of hot chili pepper.

Home Made Dukkah Recipe

 

Save Print

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

Dukkah is a Middle Eastern nut and spice blend that compliments fish and poultry excellently. You can buy it in Trader Joes or make your own.

Author: Ronnie Fein – Kitchen Vignettes

Recipe type: Seasoning

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• ¼ cup shelled pistachios
• ¼ cup whole hazelnuts
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon paprika

Instructions

1. Place the pistachios and hazelnuts in an unoiled pan and cook over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally, for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the sesame seeds and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the ingredients are lightly toasted.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and place aside to cool.
4. Place the mixture in a food processor or spice grinder and process until finely chopped.
5. Mix in the coriander, cumin, salt, pepper and paprika. Makes just under one cup

Notes

Makes 1 cup of dukkah

3.2.1753

Use as coating for fish, lamb, chicken, toasted pita with olive oil or Yosef’s Dukkah Crusted Salmon.

Dukkah is mostly used as a dipping seasoning – heat some pita bread, dip it in olive oil, then into dukkah. Of course you can make pita toasts with it (brush olive oil on a whole pita, sprinkle with dukkah and heat).

But I couldn’t help but try it on all sorts of food, like grilled vegetables, baked potato, roasted salmon and baked chicken. We had Dukkah Baked Chicken last night for dinner and it was declared a big winner. I sprinkled about 3 tablespoons of it on chicken parts (one broiler-fryer chicken cut up) that had been brushed with olive oil

Dukkah Baked Chicken is terrific with plain old mashed potatoes and string beans.

Deconstructed Hummus Salad

You will need the following ingredients:

• 2 cups of chickpeas (how to cook chickpeas)
• 1 head of garlic, roasted
• Tahini
• Olive Oil
• Zaatar
• Cumin
• Garlic Powder
• One lemon

Pour your chickpeas onto a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, garlic powder and cumin.  Give the pan a shake so the cumin covers all the chickpeas.  Cut a lemon in half and put it in the tray, and turn the oven to 350.  Roast the chickpeas with the lemon for 30-40 minutes, depending how crispy you like them.  Roast a head of garlic at the same time.

While your chickpeas are roasting, make a batch of tahini by combining sesame paste with garlic, lemon, olive oil and parsley.

Once the chickpeas have cooked, take them out of the oven, drizzle olive oil over the garlic and plate the different hummus ingredients.  Sprinkle some zataar over the tahini and paprika over the lemon for color and serve while the chickpeas are still warm.

You can serve this hummus salad as an appetizer or make it ahead for a quick mid-week dinner with some whole grain pita bread.  The roasted garlic is awesome spread across warm, fresh baked bread, and be sure to squeeze some of the lemon juice over the chickpeas for a warm, roasted citrus flavor.

Be sure to check out some of my other other hummus and chickpea dishes:

• Roasted Eggplant Hummus
• Hummus Soup
• How to cook Chickpeas
• Guest Photographer at Joy of Kosher: Jamie Geller’s Hummus Recipe

I love Australia.

As newlyweds, my wife and I spent a month in Australia hopping on and off of planes, trains and buses for 30 days while we created the trip of a lifetime.  We explored the city life of Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Cairns; relaxed in Hobart and Alice Springs; dived at the Great Barrier Reef; and explored the breathtaking sights of the Uluru, the Outback, Kuranda and Wineglass Bay.  I am getting goosebumps just writing about the trip right now, it’s a shame I wasn’t a blogger back then.  You can see a handful of my photos from our honeymoon on my photography website (note to self – time to update my photography portfolio) and get a sense of how much their is to love.

View Australia 2009 in a larger map

Given that we were travelling on a kosher diet and a newlyweds budget, we didn’t have much opportunity to sample the  culinary landscape down under.  We  lived almost entirely on Vegemite, rice cakes and beer, and loved every single day of of visit.  We’ll return one day, I am sure of it.

Enough from me, I’ll hand it over to Cass while I dream of spending the rest of my life in Sydney, or perhaps Hobart.

Cass from Food My Friend

Hi there American Bite fans! It is so good to be here and meet you all. My name is Cass and I am a vegetarian and passionate foodie. I am also an animal welfare advocate and I am openly bunny loving. I run Food My Friend and would love you to come over for a visit! I have been blogging for a few years now and I love every minute of it. It’s so nice to be able to meet people from around the world and connect on such a level. With Yosef, of course this level is food!

Today, I am making my favourite chickpea curry on mini pappadums with a mango chutney and lots of fresh coriander (cilantro). When I cook Indian food, I think about sitting on the kitchen bench at my Auntie and Uncles home where they would make the most incredible dahl. My Uncle is Indian so they made the best dahl I have ever tasted (not bias at all!). Indian food is my comfort food I guess. I could eat a great big bowl of curry and pappadums on a cold winter’s night and be in heaven.

These are great for canapés or starters. Just as long as you pop them in your mouth before the pappadums go soft! We don’t have any trouble with food sitting around at our place. We live to eat, not eat to live.

When you make the curry paste, if you have a larger food processor or want to do two batches, you can scoop one batch into a zip lock bag and freeze it flat for up to 3 months. It defrosts really quickly but I usually just chuck it into the pan while its frozen. No fuss!

I only ever use half a can of coconut milk when I open it usually, so I freeze the remaining in an airtight container. Same goes for the chillis. They are easier to slice when they are frozen too!

I hope you enjoyed it, I sure did. A big thank you to Yosef for allowing me to take over his space for today and hopefully we will see each other around the interwebs!!

Follow my lead. . .

Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Spinach Curry Recipe

You will need the following ingredients

• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
• 420g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed
• 1 cup sweet potato, cubed
• 1 cup potato, cubed
• 100ml (a little less than half a cup) coconut milk
• 250ml (a little more than one cup) vegetable stock
• 1 birds eye chilli, thinly sliced (this is sometimes called Thai Chili – according to Wikipedia)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 packet pappadums (approx 30)
• ½ cup mango chutney (thick)
• 1 bunch coriander, thoroughly washed

Home Made Curry Paste Recipe

• 1 small brown onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2cm (just under 1 inch) piece ginger, peeled
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon garam masala
• 2 tbsp peanut oil
• 1 tbsp water
• 50g (approx one third cup) almond meal

Using a heavy based saucepan, heat the oil over a low heat and add the mustard seeds. Allow to pop away for approximately 1 minute.

To make the curry paste, place all ingredients into a food processor or mini chopper and blend until smooth and consistent. Scoop curry paste out into the saucepan and stir for approximately 5 minutes using a wooden spoon so that the paste doesn’t catch on the base of the pot.

Add the chickpeas, sweet potato, potato, coconut milk, stock, chilli and salt and allow to simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

Prepare pappadums according to suppliers instructions.

Add a tablespoon of curry to each pappadum and top with 1 teaspoon of mango chutney and a sprinkle of coriander.

Chew.

Connectors, are the people in a community who know large numbers of people and who are in the habit of making introductions. A connector is essentially the social equivalent of a computer network hub. They usually know people across an array of social, cultural, professional, and economic circles, and make a habit of introducing people who work or live in different circles. They are people who “link us up with the world … people with a special gift for bringing the world together.”  They are “a handful of people with a truly extraordinary knack [... for] making friends and acquaintances”. - The Tipping Point, page 38

The more I think about this statement, the more I believe that foodies, especially those that choose the internet for their creative outlet, are all connectors.

Food bloggers invest time in networking, often eating with other bloggers.  The picture of a restaurant setting painted by Anthony Bourdain in Kitchen Confidential could be seen as a dog-eat-dog world, or a world in which people develop friendships, loyalties, and grown in their careers together, overlapping or reconnecting as the years pass.

Foodies can certainly enjoy food alone but would rather share the experience with other people.

I want to cook for you.  I want to break bread with you.  I want to open a bottle of wine and stay awake long after the food as run out as friendships are nourishment for our souls.

I made this dish recently, reconnecting with some friends I used to work with.

Balsamic Marinated Eggplant Crostini with  Cilantro Lime Tahini

There are a number of different parts to this dish — but it is an inexpensive dish that is easy to make ahead of time, and serve as an appetizer.  I have broken down this post into the different elements, but you will need the following ingredients.

• One loaf of challah
• 1 tablespoon zaatar
• Tahini paste
• Cilantro
• Olive Oil
• Juice of one lime
• Five cloves of garlic
• One large eggplant
• One cup balsamic vinegar
• Half cup shelled pistachio nuts
• Sun dried tomatos

Let’s get started with the crostini:

Challah Bread Crostini

From the list above, you need the folowing ingredients for the crostini base: Challah, zaatar and olive oil

Slice a challah – I used a vegan, whole wheat challah.  If you are using a bread that has egg in, the dish will be vegetarian and not vegan.

Set the challah on a plate and sprinkle zaatar lightly over the bread.  Put a griddle pan on a medium heat and drizzle a touch of olive oil to make sure the bread doesn’t stick the griddle.

Drizzle lightly with olive oil and let the bread sit for ten minutes to absorb some of the olive oil.

Once the griddle is warm, add the bread and cook for five or eight minutes, until you have awesome grill marks on the bread, flip and repeat for grill marks on the second side.

Cilantro Lime Tahini

From the list above, you need the following ingredients for the cilantro lime tahini: Tahini paste, two cloves of garlic, half a bunch of cilantro, olive oil, juice of one lime, salt to taste.

Tahini is super simple to make from scratch.  I often make it before making my hummus and it is delicious with fresh veggies.  In fact, I just saw a delicious looking roasted sweet potato and tahini dish in Jerusalem by Otteolenghi and Tamimi.

To make this cilantro lime tahini, put one cup of tahini paste into a small food processor (if you don’t have one, it’s $30 well spent!) followed by a tablespoon of olive oil,  two cloves of garlic, half a bunch of cilantro, juice of one lime and salt to taste.

Blend the ingredients for no more than a minute, you will see when the texture looks right.  Add more olive oil for a nuttier flavor and to add a touch of color.

Balsamic Marinated Eggplant

From the list above, you need the following ingredients for the eggplant:  One large eggplant, three cloves of garlic, salt, one cup of balsamic (red wine) vinegar.

Whenever cooking with eggplant, begin by salting it.  Slice the eggplant thinly and lay on a cookie sheet, then sprinkle with salt.  This process is called degorging and removes excess mositure from the vegetable.  The larger the eggplant, the more bitter the mositure, and the greater the need to degorge. You might want to slice some of the larger eggplant rounds in half.

After 30 minutes, put your eggplant in a sealable, non metalic, bowl or container, add three cloves of garlic, chopped, and one cup of balsamic vinegar.  Let it sit for at least two hours.  Overnight is even better.

Note – I say balsamic vinegar but  most balsamic vinegar, especially kosher stores, is fake!  Balsamic vinegar is not made like a wine vinegar, it’s a reduction of cooked grape juice, not wine, that’s aged for several years in aromatic wooden casks which impart the traditional flavor.  If you paid less than $40 for your balsamic, it’s likely just a fancy  red wine vinegar – and that’s all that’s needed for this dish!  Hat tip to Dinner in Venice for this clarification.

Heat the griddle pan, drizzle some olive oil and cook the eggplant just like you did the crostini.  A few minutes on each side will give you those awesome looking grill marks.

Assembling and plating Eggplant Crostini Appetizers

Just a few more steps before we assemble the crostini.  We will combine the different elements of this dish along with the final ingredients – cilantro, sun dried tomatoes and pistachio nuts.

Using that mini food processor, or a pestle and mortar, shell and crush about a dozen pistachio nuts then finely chop some fresh cilantro leaves and your sun dried tomatoes.

If you made the bread or eggplant a day ahead, reheat them gently in the oven at 250 degrees for no more than 20 minutes.  This dish should be neither hot or cold.  Certainly warmer than room temperature, but still a temperature that it can be held in the hand.

Spread about a teaspoon of the cilantro lime tahini onto the challah bread crostini, then lay a slice of eggplant on top. Add another touch of tahini then sprinkle with the cilantro, sun dried tomatoes and pistachios.

Serve to your favorite friends with a bottle of your favorite wine, and lose track of time.  Enjoy!