Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Chickpea Spinach and Avocado Crema

This is artful, delicious, and fun to make. The recipe calls for stuffing the potatoes in individual servings, but I did it with a deconstructed approach. You need to think ahead - make sure you have a few ripe avocados. And roasting the potatoes in advance makes it easier. This is a forgiving recipe - change amounts, add vegetables. I served it with fresh artichokes first and brown rice - a beautiful meal.

6-8 sweet potatoes, roasted at 425 for about 45-50 minutes
3 T olive oil

one onion, chopped, or shallots
4 cloves minced garlic
3 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
6 oz. chopped sun-dried tomatoes. A scissors works better than a knife.
1 container fresh spinach (quantity is fungible)
1 lime, zested and juiced
salt, pepper

Heat olive oil until shimmering and add onions or shallots. Cook about 3 minutes and add garlic for another 30 seconds.

Add the chickpeas and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the spinach until it wilts.

Add salt, pepper, and zested lime along with its juice.

In the meantime, work on the Avocado Crema.

3 ripe avocados

1/2 c Greek yogurt

1 lime, zested and juiced into the mixture

red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper

salt, pepper

Peel and dice the avocados, a messy job!

Drop them in along with the yogurt, and process them until they're smooth. 

Add the zest and lime juice, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

It discolors if you leave it open. There are methods for avoiding this - us a plastic top adhered directly to it, and refrigerate.

Serve a platter of the sweet potatoes, the chickpeas, and the avocado crema separately.

Comfort Food Cabbage & Noodles

 

This really isn't a recipe, it's a lovely, flexible combination. I am always looking for ways to eat more vegetables, and cabbage is great cooked. This was done in less than 10 minutes.

Butter and/or olive oil for sautéing
1 large sliced onion
8 oz or so of cooked flat noodles (egg are good)
1/2 head small cabbage sliced thin, or a bag of shredded

Nutmeg, salt, pepper

Shredded parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta. Then slice the onions and melt butter in a big skillet. Start sautéing on medium in a big pan. Stir frequently, while chopping the cabbage into slivers, and add to the pan. Cook and stir, for about 7-8 minutes until the onions start to brown and the cabbage releases its liquid. 

Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Drain the noodles and add them, still a little wet is fine. 

Serve with parmesan cheese. A little chopped parsley would improve the looks! 

It's called halushki, and is a Central and Eastern European staple. Recipes call for a lot more butter than I used. You could add cottage cheese or other protein, too. 

Here's a video:

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

I made these for a June shabbat when we were all together in Chestertown when Noa was a wee one. Big hit, and Zach asked for them a few weeks later. I happily obliged.

Once you assemble all the ingredients, which is a bit of a scavenger hunt, these are fun to roll. They make a delicious and beautiful presentation. This is based on https://cookieandkate.com/fresh-spring-rolls-recipe/ , this guy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUO2PuGu9DQ&ab_channel=AGlobalKitchen, and https://natashaskitchen.com/fresh-spring-rolls/ but watch a few videos to get different ideas of the basic techniques.

You'll need about a 12-16 rice paper wrappers, found in the Asian section of big supermarkets. The sauces keep, so you don't have to make the whole package. 

Cook the rice noodles -  just submerge them in boiling water for a few minutes, and drain. While they are cooling, prep your fillings. You can lay them in piles on a tray.

• Herb leaves: basil, mint, or other herbs of choice. Be generous.
• lettuce leaves. I found mini-romaine, which was perfect. Spinach would be good.
• grated carrot, either a bag, or use a cool tool. I actually have one, called a julienne peeler. You can also just slice thin.
• purple cabbage, sliced very thin
• English cucumber, seeded and sliced thin
• avocado, sliced thin, if you have a ripe one
• thin sliced daikon or red radish
• slivered jalapeno if you like more heat
• rice vermicelli or plain rice
• strips of spiced tofu are a good addition to amp up the protein.

We liked having two dipping sauces. Be sure to put dips out in a few smaller bowls.

Peanut Hoisin Sauce:

In a big jar, add

100g or 1/3c hoisin sauce (vegetarian)

30g -  2 T peanut butter

3-5g/1 small clove grated garlic 

3-5g about1/2 T grated ginger

30g or 2 T rice vinegar

5g or 1 t sesame oil

30g or 2 T water

Whisk to combine.

Traditional Fish Sauce from Natasha.

• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 1/4 cup sugar, or to taste
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 to 2 tsp chili garlic sauce
• 1 garlic clove, grated or minced
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp shredded carrot

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. For serving, pour into a few smaller bowls. This makes a lot.

Assembling:

Rice Paper needs just a quick dip in a curved plate of water. Then move it to a tray, and add the rice noodles and the other ingredients. Try to get some of the pretty herb leaves on what will be the bottom so when you roll each one, you can see them. Best to watch a video.

Do not stack them. They stick to each other! You can leave them at room temperature for an hour or two.

 Figure on folks eating 2 or 3, or even 4, depending on what else you are serving.

Ricette Fresche's Potato Spinach Cheese Tortilla

Stuffed Potato Cheese Thing!

For vegetarian meals, I miss the dinner entrée being a focal point. This one is beautiful. It requires many steps, but not hard ones, and is an elegant presentation. I haven't come up with the right word in English. Ricette Fresche is an Italian YouTube channel; she calls it an omelet, along the lines of a Spanish Tortilla, also made in a fry pan on the stovetop. This one doesn't have onions, but you could add them. It's pretty flexible.

She doesn't have a website with the recipes, so you need to watch her videos and follow the steps. Not very efficient, so I've narrated the process here.

2+ pounds potatoes (a kilo, basically)
1 lb fresh, washed spinach

fried onions (optional) - to be layered in with the spinach, or caramelized and added on top
clove garlic
2 eggs
1 oz parmesan, grated
4 oz grated hard cheese (I used Gouda, but can be most any kind.)
* ~1 c breadcrumbs (can be less, it's to taste - stale challah is good!) Note that you spread the  breadcrumbs at three different times, so don't put it all in the mixture at the first step
olive oil
salt, pepper, nutmeg

hot sauce for eating

Boil the potatoes very thoroughly. When they're cool, hand peel them - the peels slip off.

Meanwhile, chop the spinach. Add oil to a large frying pan, and add the spinach and garlic, stirring until it wilts. Remove the garlic and put it in a strainer and push out the excess liquid.

In a large bowl, mash the boiled potatoes. Add two eggs, pepper, salt, and nutmeg. Stir, add parmesan and and about half the breadcrumbs.

In the large fry pan that the spinach was in, place a parchment paper disk, spread it with olive oil, and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Spread half the potato mixture on it, using your hands to smooth it down. Layer the spinach on top, with the grated cheese [and fried onions]. Spread the second half of the potato mixture, evening with wet hands. Add oil on top, and the rest of the breadcrumbs.

Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes. On the induction, I used 4.

Uncover, set a plate in, and invert. This is tricky! Pull the parchment off the top, set it in the pan, and slip the omelet on it, cover, and cook for another 10 minutes.

Get a nice round tray ready! This is Shabbat dinner material.

Pramila Jayapul's Tofu Satay

This fall during Kamala Harris and Tim Walz's fabulous campaign (which sadly did not result in their getting into office) Washington Rep Pramila Jayapal had a fun fundraiser - if you contributed, she'd send you her recipe, which I couldn't resist doing. It's the best tofu recipe I've tried. 

"I spent 10 years growing up in Indonesia and one of my favorite things was the peanut satay.

Recently, I found a super easy recipe for peanut tofu satay – and I have been obsessed with it since! This peanut satay is great served with brown rice or even a quick fried rice that you can make with day old rice and frozen veggies.

This recipe reminds me of growing up and has been some quick comfort food after long days – which are getting more and more common in this heated election year."

It's not easy - searing the tofu is a lot of effort, but once you have all the oddball ingredients in hand, the sauces are fast.

 

Peanut Tofu Satay

 

3 heaping T peanut butter

 

2/3 c coconut milk (you can freeze the remainder)

 

2 T maple syrup

 

1-2 T sriracha

 

1 T sesame oil

 

3 T soy sauce

 

1 to 2 T grated garlic

 

1 T grated ginger

 

1 lime, juiced - or use lime juice.

 

2 blocks extra firm tofu, drained, dried and cut into 16 evenly sized cubes

 

Oil, salt and pepper as needed

 

1 handful chopped cilantro

 

1/2 c crushed peanuts

 

1 t white and black sesame seeds

 

1 T chili crisp oil

 

Rice for serving

 

In large bowl, whisk together first nine ingredients (peanut butter, coconut milk, maple syrup, sriracha, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and lime) along with large pinch of salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside.

Put 3-4 T neutral cooking oil in a cast iron pan on medium high heat and sear the tofu. Season tofu in the pan with large pinch of salt and black pepper to taste. Sear on all four sides about 1-2 minutes per side or until each side is golden brown. (They don't need to be deep brown, as you pour sauce on them and it colors them nicely.)

Pour half the peanut sauce over tofu and continue to flip tofu for another 1-2 minutes per side or until desired texture and color.

 

Serve over rice, finish with remaining peanut sauce, cilantro, sesame seeds and chili crisp oil as well as salt and pepper to taste.

 

 

This campaign would not be possible without supporters like you — together we are building a stronger future.

Thanks again,

 

Pramila

Norwegian Crepe Pancakes

These were inspired by my going to NetCost, a super store in NE Philly specializing in Russian and Eastern European foods. They had a huge section of "preserves", many from Israel with Hebrew and Russian. They are a genre of fruit somewhere between what we call jam and pie filling. I brought some cherry preserves and then tried to figure out what to do with them. Rolling them up in a crepe is perfect. Three or four make a very nice meal.

These remind David of the thin pancakes his Aunt Ruth made in Salt Lake, rolled up with fruits. Happily so!

It's from How to Feed a Loon, two guys with a blog and lots of YouTubes. I have modified it, using more whole wheat, natch.

3 eggs
1½ c whole milk (up to 1/3 can be buttermilk)
1 c all-purpose flour (half white, half whole wheat)
¼ t salt
1 t sugar
¼ t cardamom ground, optional
1 t vanilla 
2 T butter melted, plus more for the pan
Preserves or jam, for spreading and rolling. Optional: ricotta cheese.
For a savory crepe: chop an onion, saute, and throw in a lot of fresh spinach. Add a little grated cheese. Yum!

Use a blender, mixing the eggs and milk til smooth. It’s easier to pour the batter from the blender.

[or, easier: use a pancake dispenser. It has measures on it, so put in the milks and add eggs, and use a whisk to beat. Add the dry ingredients. You can put the top on and shake it. Lumps will not be gone, but disappear when you cook them.] 

Add the flour, salt, sugar, cardamom, vanilla extract, and melted butter, and continue mixing until most of the lumps are gone.

Heat a large griddle/skillet , and a second smaller fry pan ( perfect for kid sized crepes) over medium heat and coat with a small amount of butter (about 1 tsp). Swirl the pan until the pan is fully coated. Let it heat - it takes longer than you expect, in my experience.

Scoop about ⅓ cup of the batter and then pour into the center of the skillet, immediately swirling the pan until most of the batter has been distributed along the bottom of the pan. You can do this with the bottom of a 1/3 c measure. [or pull the handle of the dispenser.]

Cook until the edges begin to curl up slightly and some bubbles begin to appear, usually about 2 minutes. Carefully slip a rubber (or silicone) spatula under the side of the pancake and flip.
Cook for another minute and then transfer the pancake to a serving plate. I put the tray in the Breville, without heat, closed - the steam keeps them warm.

This makes about 8-12, depending on size. Serve with fruit preserve, jam, or fresh fruits and yogurt.

 They go pretty fast!

If desired, roll the pancakes, or serve flat with toppings on the side.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Sweet potatoes are more nutritious than white potatoes, and prettier, so I decided to give Sweet Potato Gnocchi a whirl. They are fun and delicious. Could be a side, or a main. The ingredients are pretty flexible.

2 medium/large sweet potatoes
3 T (or so) grated parmesan
3 T (or so) ricotta, or 1 egg
1.5 c white flour
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
salt to taste
dash of nutmeg

For frying:
10 leaves or so fresh sage
2 T. butter + olive oil

For topping: parmesan, + chopped walnut or hazelnuts

Optional: spinach, to fry along in the pan with the gnocchi

Microwave or boil the sweet potatoes til cooked. Let cool. Peel and if you have a ricer, process them with it, or scoop into a large bowl and use a potato masher. You want some texture, not a puree. Add the other ingredients. This is easiest to work by hand. 

On a large board, cut the dough in quarters. Roll each quarter into a log and cut pieces about the size of a small grape. Smaller is better. You can flatten the log and cut it laterally and then in 1/2" pieces.

Flour a gnocchi board, or just the back of a fork. Press your thumb to flatten the dough and roll it from the top. This creates a hollow, ridged gnocchi.

Repeat with each quarter. This makes a lot of gnocchi. I froze half for another meal. 

Boil a large pot of water and then drop the gnocchi in a few at a time. They pop up pretty quickly.

In a large skillet, add some olive oil and butter. Fry the sage leaves. When they're crisp, remove them, and add a few dozen gnocchi. Brown on both sides. Yum!

Serve with grated parmesan, chopped nuts, pesto, or whatever you like.

If you throw some spinach in the pan with the gnocchi, it will be even more nutricious and colorful.

 

Smitten Kitchen Pea Mint Feta Fritters

This is a nice dish for shavuot, based on cheese and using fresh mint from the garden. It comes together fast.

2 c. frozen peas (10 oz)
3 eggs
salt & freshly ground pepper
1/4 t. red-pepper flakes
1 medium lemon, zested
1/4 c chopped mint
1 c (4 oz) crumbled feta (break up any large pieces)
2/3 c. flour (whole wheat is fine)
Oil for frying
3/4 c. Greek yogurt, unflavored

Defrost peas in a colander.

In large bowl, beat the eggs with salt, pepper, red-pepper flakes, lemon zest, and mint. Add the drained peas and feta, and then the flour. It will be a stiff batter.

Over medium heat (6 on induction, then lower it to 5 and then down to 4), heat oil in large fry pan. Add 2 T batter per patty. Cook until golden brown and flip. It should take just a few minutes. Loose peas are fried crunchy, a little added treat. Drain on paper towels. 

Add 1/2 the juice of the zested lemon to the yogurt plus a little salt, for a tasty sauce.

serve hot, though these are also good at room temperature. They are very substantial and filling. A bit of a falafel vibe.

Solo Pi Pizza Oven Dough

 Becca used a birthday gift to present 8221 with a Pizza Pi oven from Solo. 

You could use about 25% whole wheat.

This made 6 pizzas - one + leftover for six of us (2 kids).

450-580 g (4.5 cups)	All-Purpose Flour
14 g (1 Tbs.)	Sugar
9 g (1 tsp.)	Salt
20 g (2 Tbs.)	Instant Yeast
26 g (2 Tbs.)	Olive Oil
430 g (2 cups)	Warm Water

Preparation

In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and yeast.

Slowly add water and oil to the mixture, and combine by hand or with a mixer. 

Once there are no dry spots or clumps, knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth and until the dough passes the ‘windowpane test.’

Place the dough in a tightly covered container and let it rest for 30 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Separate the dough evenly into 6 balls weighing 200 grams each, and use immediately or store in airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. 

To flatten the dough by hand, first flour your workspace. Start to stretch the dough from the center and push outwards in each direction. If there are air bubbles, work them toward the outer edge. 

To flatten with a rolling pin, first flour your workspace and your pin. Roll back and forth over your dough, and then turn the oval-shaped dough 90 degrees to flatten in the opposite direction. Repeat until your dough is evenly thin.

Transfer the stretched dough to a dusted pizza peel before adding sauce or toppings.

Moroccan Vegetable Stew

 This recipe is quite quick and basic. What's the difference between stew and soup? For stew, leave it chunky and put in less liquid. For soup, more liquid and a little bit of immersive blending.

This is very flexible. Nothing much needs prepping! Serve with a grain like couscous or even mashed potatoes. 

1 T olive oil
1 medium  onion, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 t cumin
1 t cinnamon
1 t ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 1/2 cups organic low sodium vegetable broth
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
4 cups cubed butternut squash - easily found, in season, at the market already prepped

optional or alternative vegetables: cubed sweet potatoes, carrots
1 c green lentils
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
fresh juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/3 cup chopped cilantro or parsley

In large pot (skillet or pot, with a cover) heat the oil and saute the chopped onion and garlic until softened.

Add the spices and cook for about a minute.

Add the tomatoes, vegetable broth, chickpeas, butternut squash, lentils, salt and pepper. Cook until the lentils are done and the vegetables are soft - 30 minutes or so.

Squeeze in the lemon before serving.

Dosas: Laurie Hertz Style

Laurie lives near Devon Avenue, the epicenter of South Asian American immigrant groceries. The "diaspora" comes from all over the Midwest to shop in these stores for their families and also for restaurants. It's so fun to shop there.

You can buy dosa batter, traditionally fermented lentil/rice, either powdered or liquid. You can also use chickpea flower for a variation. I just ordered a tawa that can be used on the induction stovetop, so will be experimenting.

Laurie chops scallions, carrots, zucchini, and adds peas. You can use any combo, of course. You add a little oil to the tawa and spread the dosa batter. While it's setting, lay on the grated vegies and peas. Let them set in, and flip. This is hard to do - if it falls apart, no worries. They main thing is to have enough oil, hot enough, so the batter crisps. 

These are fast, nutritious, and delicious. Serve with condiments. It's really a full meal.

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

Salisbury Steak is a fancy name for a hamburger with mushroom sauce, no bun. This version is remarkably stick-to-the-ribs, and as Nomi said - with mashed potatoes, it's next level good.

It comes together really fast, though it's a lot of steps and some odd ingredients. The recipe is from Rabbits & Wolves, though I've modified it a bit.

Lentil Salisbury Steak
2 C. cooked lentils (cooking formula: 3 parts water to 1 part lentils. So 3/4 c. lentils with 2/1/4 c. water)
1 C. bread crumbs
1/2 C. vegetable broth
1/4 C. soy sauce
1 T. Liquid Smoke
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 C. vital wheat gluten (I had to order this online)

Put the cooked lentils in a large bowl. Using either a potato masher or fork, mash the lentils until they are almost all smashed, leaving a bit of texture.

Add all the remaining Salisbury steak ingredients to the bowl except the wheat gluten - add that last.  (If you add the vital wheat gluten before mixing, it begins forming tough strings.)  Using your hands, continue to mix until fully combined. Knead in the bowl for a few minutes until it forms a  dough ball that isn't sticky any more. (The longer you knead the dough, the firmer they will be)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Spray a 1/4 sheet pan with oil Press into patties. Repeat until you have formed all the dough into "steaks", filling the pan with 8 flat burgers. 

Bake them for about 20 or until the steaks are firm. Flip after about 15 minutes to brown on both sides.

Remove the steaks from the pan, and set aside while you make the gravy.

Mushroom Gravy
2 tsp. olive oil
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 T. butter
3 T. flour
2 C. vegetable broth
1/2 tsp.sage, dried
1/2 tsp. thyme

1/2 t. soy sauce (optional, for color)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in the same pan on medium high, add the mushrooms and garlic. Saute for a few minutes, and sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Saute until soft and a bit brown. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside.

Reduce heat to low. Add the butter and flour. Whisk together and cook for 1-2 minutes to make a roux. It should be a bit thick and paste-like.

Slowly add the veggie broth, whisking to combine. Simmer until it has thickened 2-4 minutes. Sometimes it just doesn't thicken - continue to cook over low and eventually as the moisture steams off, it does thicken. Add the mushrooms back to the pan, and the spices. 

Place the steaks on a serving dish, or in the skillet, and cover with gravy! Serve with veggies and carbs!

Mashed Potatoes

Boil potatoes until just soft. Peel. In a large sauce pan, add about 1 c. milk (or cream, for decadence). Mash the potatoes, add 2 T butter, and heat as needed. These will have some lumps. That makes them authentic.

King Arthur 2020 Recipe of the Year: Pan Pizza

Crust
2 c flour (use 1/4 whole wheat flour)
3/4 t salt
½ t instant yeast or active dry yeast
3/4 cup (170g) lukewarm water
1 T olive oil + 1½ T  olive oil for the pan

Topping
6 ounces  mozzarella, grated (about 1 1/4 c, loosely packed)*- can be low-fat
1/3 to ½ c tomato sauce or pizza sauce, homemade or store-bought

toppings to put on after about 10 minutes: sliced olives, sliced peppers, onions, and/or mushrooms if you like
Optional: freshly grated hard cheese and fresh herbs for sprinkling on top after baking.

Spray a large bowl with oil. Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Place the flour, salt, yeast, water, and 1 T of the olive oil in the bowl.

Stir everything together to make a shaggy, sticky mass of dough with no dry patches of flour. This should take about 1 minute by hand, using a spoon or spatula. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to gather the dough into a rough ball; cover the bowl.

After 5 minutes, uncover the bowl and reach a bowl scraper or your wet hand down between the side of the bowl and the dough, as though you were going to lift the dough out. Instead of lifting, stretch the bottom of the dough up and over its top. Repeat three more times, turning the bowl 90° each time. This process of four stretches, which takes the place of kneading, is called a fold. 

To keep track put four of something next to the dough bowl (like bottle caps), and move one over each time.  


Re-cover the bowl, and after 5 minutes wet your hands and do another fold. Wait 5 minutes and repeat; then another 5 minutes, and do a fourth and final fold. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest, undisturbed, for 40 minutes. Then refrigerate it for a minimum of 12 hours, or up to 72 hours. It'll rise slowly as it chills, developing flavor; this long rise will also add flexibility to your schedule.

About 2-3 hours before you want to serve your pizza, prepare your pan. Pour 1 ½ tablespoons (18g) olive oil into a well-seasoned cast iron skillet that’s 10” to 11” diameter across the top, and about 9” across the bottom. Spread it up the sides to the top, as the dough will rise during baking. Heavy, dark cast iron will give you a superb crust.

Transfer the dough to the pan and turn it once to coat both sides with the oil. After coating the dough in oil, press the dough to the edges of the pan, dimpling it using the tips of your fingers in the process. The dough may start to resist and shrink back; that’s OK, just cover it and let it rest for about 15 minutes, then repeat the dimpling/pressing. At this point the dough should reach the edges of the pan; if it doesn’t, give it one more 15-minute rest before dimpling/pressing a third and final time.



Cover the crust and let it rise for 2 hours at room temperature. The fully risen dough will look soft and pillowy and will jiggle when you gently shake the pan.

[About 30 minutes before baking, place one rack at the bottom of the oven and one toward the top (about 4" to 5" from the top heating element).] Preheat the Breville oven to 435°F - it heats up in 2-3 minutes. (when baked at 450, it takes only 12 minutes. This might slow it down a little.) 

When you’re ready to bake the pizza, sprinkle about three-quarters of the mozzarella (a scant 1 cup) evenly over the crust. Cover the entire crust, no bare dough showing; this will yield caramelized edges. Dollop small spoonfuls of the sauce over the cheese; laying the cheese down first like this will prevent the sauce from seeping into the crust and making it soggy. Sprinkle on the remaining mozzarella.

In the Breville it was done and very browned in 15 minutes! If you want to add vegetable toppings, try adding them at about 10 minutes. Rotate halfway through.

Remove the pizza from the oven and place the pan on a heatproof surface. Carefully run a table knife or spatula between the edge of the pizza and side of the pan to prevent the cheese from sticking as it cools. Let the pizza cool very briefly; as soon as you feel comfortable doing so, carefully transfer it from the pan to a cooling rack or cutting surface. This will prevent the crust from becoming soggy.



Serve the pizza anywhere from medium-hot to warm. Kitchen shears or a large pair of household scissors are both good tools for cutting this thick pizza into wedges.

A chopped can of anchovies is a good addition.

Eggplant Parmesan: Work in Progress

Eggplant parmesan is Becca's absolute fave.
The nuisance of making it is peeling and then breading and frying or baking the slices.
For awhile Trader Joe's had a peeled, breaded eggplant cutlet produce but alas, it's discontinued. I found a new brand, Maccabee, that is breaded and fried. Others in the freezer section are not peeled, which is a disqualifier, in my book.

Tried this: one large eggplant, sliced in 3/8" slices. 2 eggs, bread crumbs as needed. Dip in eggs, spread with bread crumbs, and bake on tins in a 425-450 oven til brown. Longer than you think it will take, 10 minutes or so a side.

Then, assemble with the mozzarella, marinara, and parmesan. Bake about 20 minutes.

Fundraiser Vegie Chili

We hosted a Sunday aft 1:00 J Street fundraiser featuring Rep. Dwight Evans. We are all experiencing political fundraiser fatigue - the menu is usually a beautiful spread of finger food and sweets. I thought at 1:00 on a chilly autumn Sunday, it would be nice for everyone to walk into a house smelling of chili and cornbread, and it was tremendously well-received. Food brings people together.
Thanks for the pot, Nomi and Micah!

This is modified from The Endless Meal. It's vegan and feeds about 16-20. David calls it a vegetable stew, not really chili. :-)  :-(

• 4 T oil
• 2 large onion, diced
• 8 cloves of garlic, finely minced
• 2–6 T chili powder (more will be spicier, of course)
• 4 T cumin 
• 2 t oregano
• 1 poblano pepper, seeded and finely diced
• 1 lb. peeled, cubed butternut squash
• 4 medium carrots, diced
• 6 celery stalks, diced
• 4  28-ounce cans whole tomatoes and their juice 
• 4 15-ounce cans beans, drained and rinsed (kidney and white beans give a nice color contrast)
• 4 c frozen corn (you could use fresh but frozen is easy and works great)*
• 1 pkg Beyond Meat Beefy Crumbles (10 oz)
• Salt, to taste (about 2 teaspoons)
• 
  
• Optional toppings: sour cream, cheddar cheese, cilantro, diced avocados or green onion. (Obviously not vegan!)

Heat oil in a large pot (at least 8 quart) over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute more. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, and poblano and stir for about 30 seconds.

Add the squash, carrots, and celery and cook for about 5 minutes, or until they just start to soften. Add tomatoes and their juice and bring to a simmer. Once the chili begins to simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low. You want the chili to be at a low simmer with the lid off.

Continue to cook the chili, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Add beans, corn and the Beyond Meat Crumbles, and let the chili return to a simmer. Cook for 5 more minutes or until the corn and beans have heated through.
Generously salt to taste.

Serve on its own or topped with one (or all!) of the delicious toppings. It goes well with warm cornbread. It doesn't really need any rice or grain.

* If you make corn-on-the-cob, shell and freeze any leftover corn for this recipe.

And here is Zach and Becca's go-to Chili from Cook's Illustrated. Doubled, it still fits in a 6 quart pot.

Serves 4 to 6

We prefer to use a combination of pinto, black, and dark red kidney beans in this chili. The texture of the pureed diced tomatoes with their juice is very important here—do not substitute crushed tomatoes or tomato puree.

Ingredients

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

2 (15-ounce) cans beans, (see note) rinsed

2-3 t minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (this is a small fraction of the contents of even a small can)

2 t sugar 

Salt and ground black pepper

2 T vegetable oil

1 onion , minced

3 T chili powder (this is correct!) 

2 t ground cumin

3 garlic cloves , minced

1.5 cups frozen corn , thawed

2 T minced fresh cilantro 

Optional: 1/2 bag Beyond Meat ground beef style, or Crumbles

Instructions

1. PUREE TOMATOES: Pulse tomatoes and their juice in food processor until slightly chunky, about 5 pulses.
2. HEAT TOMATOES WITH BEANS: Bring tomatoes, beans, chipotle chile, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to boil, covered, in large saucepan. Reduce to simmer and continue to cook until needed in step 5.
3. SAUTÉ AROMATICS: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, chili powder, cumin, and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. COMBINE AND SIMMER: Stir in tomato-bean mixture, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
5. FINISH CHILI: Stir in corn and cilantro and the optional meat-substitute, and return to brief simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
6. 
   

Spanish Potato Omelette - Tortilla Espanola

I read about this dish, a classic tapas in Spain, and gave it a try. There are many versions with various add-ins, but this is the basic. You can increase the quantity. This made 4 portions. The tricky part is flipping the pancake so the eggs set and it's browned on both sides.

2 large russet/baking potatoes
1 large onion
generous amount of olive oil
4 eggs

Peel the potatoes and slice in fine chunks.
Heat olive oil at medium heat in a large fry pan, and add the sliced potatoes.
Chop the onion and add to the frying pan. 

Stir occasionally until the potatoes start to brown and the onions become transparent and start to brown. The potato slices stick together so break them up when you stir.  This takes about 10-12 minutes.

Crack 4 eggs into a large bowl and beat.
Mix in the cooked potatoes and onion.

Heat more olive oil in the frying pan, or in a smaller frying pan that will hold the mixture. Pour in the egg/potato/onion mixture at medium heat until the bottom browns and the eggs start to set. Don't leave it for too long (like, for example, to go light Hanukkah candles 

😊) cuz it can burn.

Now for the trick.  Flip it onto a flat surface with the cooked part face up, keeping it intact.
Then slip it back into the frying pan to brown the bottom. There are other methods of doing this, but this one worked well. Invert to serve. It's very filling, and attractive. 

Serve warm or at room temperature.  This is a very solid, hearty, tasty dish.

And very aesthetically appealing. And kosher for passover!

Quesadillas

This is a new dish for us, inspired by Wendy Smith, who once brought both vegan and cheese quesadillas and we loved them.  Of course "vegan quesadilla" is goofy, like vegetarian meatballs, since quesadilla means cheese sandwich.
The recipe is, like many of mine, just a technique.  Getting the fixings in place is the recipe.  The process of making them is kind of awkward, you just get more coordinated at it with practice.
whole wheat tortillas  (3 or 4 for two people)
grated cheddar cheese (or white Mexican cheese)
chopped onion
other vegetables you like, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach [peppers]
sliced olives, optional
vegie refried beans  (one can is too much for us, so I freeze what is unused, like half a can) OR my new favorite alternative, a boiled sweet potato, mashed.
sour cream
salsa
guacamole
olive oil for frying

Start with 2 frying pans that each fit one flat tortilla.  Saute the onion +  other vegetables you are including until soft. Move to another dish and add the beans or sweet potato.

In the fry pan, spread some oil over medium to high heat and place a tortilla flat.  Once it browns and inflates, turn down the burner.  Spread 1/3 of the filling on the tortilla.  Sprinkle very generously with cheese, and place another tortilla on top. When the bottom is browned, gently flip. Repeat the same process with a 2nd fry pan.
Slip the finished quesadilla onto a plate/platter. When it cools a bit, I slice it in sixths with a pizza wheel.

Obviously you can change the ingredients if some people don't like something, like - say - green peppers.

Set out all the accompaniments - sour cream, salsa, guacamole.  In a restaurant, they use the sour cream to make attractive designs.

Carrot Ring

Carrot ring makes for a very elegant presentation, especially for a vegetarian meal when nothing is quite the star. A carrot ring is only maybe an inch or two high - this picture creates an illusion of it being much larger. First ingredient is a silver tray or other serious serving dish.

This is a Midwestern dish from the post-war era.  It is essentially a carrot bread baked in a ring mold.  I have always used margarine so it's parve but you could certainly use butter for a dairy entree.  My mother liked to make it for holidays and an occasional Friday night dinner.  Molds are always a little temperamental, but fun.

First, grease a ring mold well - spray with oil, and then use the leftover margarine on the wrapper to schmear it some more.  This is what makes it cooperative when you unmold it.

Now you can probably, come to think of it, buy a non-stick ring mold!

1 stick margarine (or butter) - 8 oz
½ c. brown sugar
2 to 3 large carrots, shredded (~ 1 cup)
1 egg
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. water
1 t. vanilla
1 t. salt
½ t. baking power
½ c. whole wheat flour
¾ c. white flour
½ t. soda
Frozen peas (yes, frozen peas.  Also good for Indian dishes, and icing sore muscles!)

It is usually easiest to shred the carrots by hand.  It is not that much work and in my experience, in the food processor there are often large chunks of carrot that don't process.

In a large bowl, cream the margarine by hand or with a hand mixer.
Add sugar and egg.
Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
Place in tablespoons or spatula full clumps in the ring mold, so that it is evenly filled.

Bake at 275° or 300° for about an hour. Cook the peas in a covered sauce pan for 5 or 10 minutes.
Gently, with knife, loosen the carrot ring edges.  Place the serving tray over the mold and then invert it, tapping out the mold.  Serve with the drained peas in the center.
 Hope it worked for you!

Frittata with Chard & Sun Dried Tomatoes

This is a recipe from the Inqy - since we have been growing chard, I was happy to try it.  Trick is to make sure your flat large fry pan is oven-safe up to 500°.  It's nice for brunch, or a midweek dinner.
By J.M. Hirsch

Associated Press

It's a complete meal. It's easy. It's fast. It's versatile. A frittata is one of the best choices for a fast weeknight meal. Think of frittatas as scrambled eggs with other ingredients mixed in. And finishing it under the broiler creates a delicious, lightly browned top, especially if you toss a bit of cheese on it before popping it in the oven.

Chard and Sun-Dried Tomato Frittata

Makes 6 servings


6 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes,
plus a bit of oil from the jar
4 ounces sliced white button mushrooms
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chopped chard
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese


1. Heat the broiler.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

3. Set a large oven-safe, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, garlic, and 2 tablespoons of the oil the tomatoes are packed in. Saute until the onions are soft and the mushrooms brown, about 5 minutes. Add the chard; cook until just wilted.

4. Spread the vegetables in an even layer over the bottom of the pan. Pour the egg mixture over them, then cook, without stirring, for 4 minutes, or until the bottom has set. Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the frittata.

5. Transfer the pan to the middle oven rack and broil until the frittata is puffed, lightly browned and firm at the center, 2 to 3 minutes.

6. Remove from the oven; cool slightly before slicing.

Per serving:140 calories, 10 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrates, 8 grams fat, 225 milligrams cholesterol, 340 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber.

Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/food/20111020_Rush_Hour_Gourmet.html#ixzz1hCujlehq
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Kasha Varnishkes - tweaked from Jane Brody

I've already been through the year once with this blog, so there are fewer favorites to add, but kasha varnishkes is a great dish.  I have been bringing it to the break fast at the Ferleger Friedmans for probably 15 years.  I love it, Zach loves it, Abba doesn't love it, so I don't make it for us at home much.  However, it is a great lunch  and it's easy to double the recipe and freeze a lot. This recipe makes a HUGE amount.  This is really good stick-to-the-rib food.  Buckwheat is extremely nutritious and when you cook it in egg, even more so. (not vegan.)

When I was a grad student at HUC-JIR, it was on 68th St, so we'd occasionally eat on 72nd Street at what I think was called the Famous, a dairy kosher deli which catered to refugees who populated the area - by the 1970's, they were elderly.  They served this dish with a mushroom gravy, and it was GOOD.  Rumor had it that Isaac Bashevis Singer ate there.  (there was also a great cafe for pastry -Eclaire, very European and elegant, nearby.)

2 t. butter or oil
2 medium onions, chopped fine
½ lb. sliced mushrooms
2 eggs
1 BOX buckwheat groats, medium granulation  = 2¼ c. kasha  (Wolff's is classic, but any brand is fine.)
4½ c. boiling water + bouillon powder (1 T + 1 t)
1 lb bow-ties (large size, not the little ones for soup)
salt & pepper

In a large pot, bring water to boil (about 2 quarts) to boil and cook bowties according to the package directions.

Meanwhile, in a LARGE skillet with a cover, heat the oil and saute the mushrooms and onions until soft and translucent.

In a medium mixing bowl, pour in the box of kasha and two eggs, and mix until all the groats are wet.

Add to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the groats are dry and separate from one another.


Add the hot broth to the skillet, add salt and pepper, cover, and simmer for 10-15 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed.  If it's an electric stove, you can turn the burner off for most of the time.

Drain the bow-ties.  In a very large serving bowl, mix the bow-ties with the cooked kasha. You will likely have enough for some freezer utensils, too.

(The advantage of this version, a huge quantity, is that it uses the whole box of kasha and the whole box of bow-ties, so you don't have odd amounts left over in your pantry, and isn't much more work than making a normal amount.)

It is good with grated cheese, and also with a gravy.  The ratio of groats to bow-ties isn't strict.  And, the reason not to use the finest granulated kasha is that it's too fine and separates from the pasta so it's hard to eat.