Pear Charoset

Yield: 4 cups charoset

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup toasted pecans
• 1 cup dried figs
• 1 ½ just-ripe finely chopped pears, about 2 cups
• 1/2 medium apple (of a crisp, slightly tart variety), peeled and finely chopped, about ½ cup
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons Passover sweet wine
• The grated zest and juice from 1/2 lemon

Instructions

1. Finely chop the pecans and the figs with a hand chopper or knife in a wooden bowl.
2. Stir them in with the pears and apple. Add the cinnamon, honey, sweet wine, and the grated lemon zest and juice.  
3. Toss together and store in a glass or ceramic bowl. Refrigerate at least 1 hour to mesh flavors.

Source: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/03/27/chosen-food-celebration-jewish-food-and-culture

Classic Eggnog

Yield:  About 2 quarts (12 to 14 servings)

Ingredients

• 8 large eggs, separated
• Pinch salt
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup brandy
• 1 cup dark rum
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks, brown sugar and salt until thickened and pale brown in color, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in cream and milk, followed by the brandy, rum and vanilla.
2. In a separate large, clean bowl, whip egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Gradually add granulated sugar and continue whipping until firm, glossy peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
3. Transfer cream mixture to a punch or serving bowl. Fold in egg whites with a rubber spatula and ladle portions into cups. Sprinkle with freshly grated nutmeg and serve.

Notes:   If you're concerned about bacteria, wash the eggs before using them because any bacteria would come from the shell.

Variations:

• Nice when made with spiced rum.
• Eggs are more easily beaten and incorporated into recipes when they are at room temperature. Either let them sit at room temperature for at least an hour or soak them in warm tap water for about 10 minutes.
• May be made without alcohol, but reduce cream to keep the correct thickness.

Source:  NPR.  http://www.npr.org/2013/12/23/256582141/dont-knock-the-nog-until-youve-tried-this-one

Hashed Brussels Sprouts With Lemon Zest

Yield: 8 to 12 servings

Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, more to taste
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 2 to 3 pounds brussels sprouts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons black mustard seeds, cumin seeds, or poppy seeds
• 1/4 cup dry white wine or vermouth
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Place lemon juice in a large bowl. Cut bottoms off sprouts, and discard. Working in batches, use a food processor fitted with the slicing blade to cut sprouts into thin slices. (If cutting by hand, halve sprouts lengthwise, and thinly slice them crosswise. The slices toward the stem end should be thinner, to help pieces cook evenly.) As you work, transfer slices into bowl with lemon juice. When all sprouts are sliced, toss them in juice and use your fingers to separate leaves. (Recipe can be prepared to this point and refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 hours.)
2. When ready to serve, heat oil and butter over high heat in a skillet large enough to hold all sprouts. When very hot, add sprouts, garlic and seeds, and cook, stirring often, until sprouts are wilted and lightly cooked, but still bright green and crisp, about 4 minutes. Some leaves may brown slightly.
3. Add wine and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Turn off heat, add salt and pepper to taste, and more lemon juice if desired. Stir in the lemon zest, reserving a little for top of dish. Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with remaining zest and serve.

Notes:  A big hit at Thanksgiving dinner 2013.

Source:   New York Times, November 15, 2006. Adapted from “The Union Square Cafe Cookbook,” by Michael Romano and Danny Meyer

Quinoa with Dried Cherries and Pistachios

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup)

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups uncooked quinoa
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
• 2 cups water
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup dried sweet cherries, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry-roasted pistachios, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Rinse and drain quinoa. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallots to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until tender. Add 2 cups water, wine, and salt to pan; bring to a boil. Add quinoa; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Remove from heat; set aside, and cool slightly.
   
   Combine remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, and pepper in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add quinoa, cherries, and remaining ingredients; toss gently to combine.

Notes:  Popular with everyone.

Source:  Cooking Light , December 2010
http://www.myrecipes.com/m/recipe/quinoa-with-dried-cherries-50400000108366/

Gazpacho

Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients

• 4 c [2 lbs] chopped ripe tomatoes
• 1 c peeled seeded cucumber
• ½ c finely diced red onion
• ½ c diced green pepper [replace with red]
• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
• 3T olive oil
• 1T sherry vinegar
• 2 t salt
• ¼ t ground pepper
• 1T minced dill 
• 2 c chilled tomato juice

Notes:  Dill and jalapeno make the difference.  If available, use red pepper instead of green for less bitter taste.

Variations:

• Add Worcestershire sauce and tabasco to taste
• Add 1 c fresh bread crumbs for authenticity and a more substantial dish.
• Garnish with minced cucumber, bell pepper, radish, etc.

Source: Brendan McDermott.

Pico de Gallo

Ingredients

• 3/4 c minced onion [about half a medium onion]
• 1.5 c plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped [about 4 large]
• ¼ c minced cilantro
• 2T lime juice

Instructions

1. Combine ingredients in medium nonreactive bowl and season with salt to taste.
2. Add more lime juice to to taste.

Source: Brendan McDermott.

Stir-fried Rice Cakes with Pork and Cabbage

Yield: a generous 4 servings.

Preparation time: 45 minutes - 1 hour, not counting thawing the rice cakes.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. rice cakes (ovals), thawed
• 1 medium head napa cabbage, washed
• 6 green onions, julienned
• 3 T ginger root, julienned
• 5 T vegetable oil
• salt to taste
• 1/2 lb. pork loin, cut into strips
• 3 T soy sauce
• 1 T sesame oil
• 1 T cornstarch
• 1-2 cups chicken broth

Instructions

1. Soak the rice cakes in cold water for 30 minutes. Slice the cabbage leaves into 1-inch wide segments. 
2. In a medium bowl, mix the pork, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch together until the pork is evenly coated. 
3. In a large pan or pot, heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil, half of the ginger and half of the green onions over high heat. When the onions and ginger begin to sizzle, add the cabbage and sauté. Sprinkle a little salt to taste. When the cabbage is almost cooked, remove it to a bowl. 
4. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in the same pot over high heat and add the remaining ginger and green onions. When the ginger and onions sizzle, add the pork and sauté until the meat is nearly cooked through. Pour the cabbage back into the pot and stir the pork and cabbage together. 
5. Drain the rice cakes and add them to the pot along with a half cup of chicken broth. Add more broth as needed or desired. Stir the contents of the pot around to prevent sticking. 
6. When the rice cakes are soft and chewy, remove from heat. Serve hot.

Notes:

• Do not stint on the ginger or scallions.  You might want to use more cabbage or a little less cornstarch.
• Be careful not to overcook cabbage.
• Can use white wine in place of some of the broth for a richer taste.
• For a nice contrast, serve with a green firm-textured vegetable in a spicy sauce: e.g. Szechuan green beans or asparagus.   Or maybe a cucumber salad.

Variations:

• Substitute any kind of meat for pork, any leafy vegetable [e.g. bok choy] for the cabbage. 

Source: http://userealbutter.com/2009/01/17/chinese-stir-fried-rice-cakes-recipe/

Matzo Granola with Apricots and Pistachios

Yield:  5 cups

Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), melted
• 1/3 cup honey
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 5 (6-1/2-by-6-inch) sheets unsalted matzo, crumbled into 1/2-inch pieces, or 2 1/2 cups matzo farfel
• 1 cup shelled, raw pistachios, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup small-dice dried apricots
• 1/3 cup golden raisins, also known as sultanas

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
2. Whisk the butter, honey, maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in a large bowl until smooth. Add the matzo pieces or matzo farfel and mix until thoroughly coated.
3. Transfer the mixture to a rimmed baking sheet and spread it into a thin, even layer. Bake for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through the baking time. Add the pistachios, stir to combine, and bake, stirring halfway through the baking time, until the matzo is starting to crisp and the pistachios are toasted, about 10 to 12 minutes more.
4. Transfer the granola to a large heatproof bowl, add the apricots and raisins, and stir to combine. Let cool completely. (The granola will crisp up as it cools.) Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Notes:

• As with all granola recipes, reduce the sweetener if you don't want super-sweet, reduce the butter if you want lower-fat.

Source:  Chow.com.

Braised and Roasted Chicken With Vegetables

Yield: 4 servings.
Time: About 2 hours, largely unattended

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons chicken fat, reserved from the chicken-skin croutons (or use olive oil or butter)
• 2 skinless chicken leg-thigh quarters
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 skin-on chicken breast, split to yield 2 halves [reserve the wing]
• 3 leeks, trimmed, cleaned and chopped
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 6 celery ribs, chopped, leaves reserved for garnish
• 12 to 16 ounces cremini, shiitake, button or other fresh mushrooms, quartered or sliced
• 3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary
• Chicken-wing meat
• The quick chicken stock.

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350. Put the chicken fat in a roasting pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sprinkle the leg quarters with salt and pepper and add them to the pan, flesh side down. Cook, turning and rotating the pieces as necessary, until well browned on both sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove, then add the breast halves, skin side down. Brown them well, then flip and cook for just 1 minute or so; remove to a separate plate.
2. Put the leeks, carrots, celery, mushrooms, herbs and reserved chicken-wing meat in the same pan and cook until the vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Nestle the leg quarters among the vegetables, meaty side up. Add enough of the stock to come about halfway up the thighs. (The amount will depend on the breadth of your pan; add a little water if necessary.)
4. Put the pan in the oven and cook, uncovered, for about 1 hour, checking occasionally and stirring the vegetables if they threaten to brown too much. When the thigh meat is tender, raise the heat to 400 and lay the breast halves on the vegetables, skin side up. Continue cooking until they are done, 20 to 30 minutes longer.
5. Transfer the vegetables to a platter. You can serve one of two ways: slice the breasts and shred the leg-and-thigh meat and lay the meat on top of the vegetables; or cut the leg-thigh pieces in half, cut the breasts in half and give each person a little of each. Garnish with reserved chopped celery leaves.

Notes:

Variations:

Source: Mark Bittman, NYT.

Mexican Flan

Yield:  12 4-oz or 6 8-oz portions

Ingredients

• 1 cup and 1/2 cup sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 x 13oz cans evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. You will need 6 ramekins or other specialty flan cook ware and a large baking pan to put them in.
2. Pour 1 cup sugar in warm pan over medium heat. Constantly stir sugar until is browns and becomes caramel. Quickly pour approximately 2-3 tablespoons of caramel in each ramekin [or 1-1½ T if using small ramekins], tilting it to swirl the caramel around the sides. Reheat caramel if it starts to harden.
3. In a mixer or with a whisk, blend the eggs together. Mix in the milks then slowly mix in the 1/2 cup of sugar, then the vanilla. Blend smooth after each ingredient is added.
4. Pour custard into caramel lined ramekins. Place ramekins in a large glass or ceramic baking dish and fill with about 1-2 inches of hot water. Bake for 45 minutes in the water bath and check with a knife just to the side of the center. If knife comes out clean, it's ready.
5. Remove and let cool. Let each ramekin cool in refrigerator for 1 hour. Invert each ramekin onto a small plate, the caramel sauce will flow over the custard.

Notes:

• Very sweet; next time I would reduce the sugar.
• You can caramelize the sugar in the microwave as follows; much less work and easier cleanup:  
• Put 1c sugar in a 4-cup pyrex measuring up
• Add ⅓ c water and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  
• Poke a couple holes in the plastic with a sharp knife, and then microwave for 5 minutes, and then for 30-second intervals until sugar turns medium brown color.
• Be careful not to overcook; the sugar continues to darken after removed from the microwave.   

Variations:

• Add a teaspoon of cocoa or instant espresso to the custard mix before pouring into ramekins.
• Add a tablespoonful of blueberries or diced peaches to the ramekins before pouring in custard. 

Source: http://mexicanfood.about.com.

Honey Cake

Yield: Ingredients

• 4 T Spry or Crisco
• 1 c brown sugar
• 4 eggs, separated
• 1 lb honey
• 2 t baking powder
• ½ t baking soda
• ½ t salt
• 1 ½ t allspice
• about 3 oz blanched almonds
• A handful or more of raisins
• 2 ½ to 2 ¾ cups flour

Instructions

1. Blend Crisco and sugar well.  Add well-beaten egg yolks , then blend in the honey.
2. Sift dry ingredients together and add to wet mix slowly. "Nuts and raisins to be slightly floured before adding to mixture so they won't go to bottom of pan."  Save some nuts to decorate top of cake.
3. Fold in beaten egg whites.
4. Pour into 6 ½ x 13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes.

Notes:  Beloved childhood recipe found when cleaning out my parents' house.

Source:  My great-grandmother Libby Dubrinsky

Minimalist Roast Chicken

Yield: 4 servings
Time: 50 to 60 minutes
Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken, 3 to 4 pounds, trimmed of excess fat
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Put a cast-iron skillet on a low rack in the oven and heat the oven to 500 degrees. Rub the chicken all over with the oil and sprinkle it generously with salt and pepper.
2. When the oven and skillet are hot, carefully put the chicken in the skillet, breast side up. Roast for 15 minutes, then turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees. Continue to roast until the bird is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meaty part of the thigh reads 155 to 165 degrees.
3. Tip the pan to let the juices flow from the chicken’s cavity into the pan. Transfer the chicken to a platter and let it rest for at least 5 minutes. Carve and serve.

Notes:  

• The reason it works is that legs are cooked at higher temperature than breast, so the whole thing is done properly at the same time.
• Watch out for smoke -- put fan on high, There will be a lot of fat, so keep an eye on it;  and remove skin first if you're worried about it. 
• Pour out fat, and deglaze pan with wine for very easy pan gravy.
• You could also cook in a LaCloche bell pan to avoid spattering, but then you can't make the pan gravy.

Variations:

• Stuff with parsley, thyme, lemon, garlic, or whatever.

Source:  Mark Bittman, NYT.

Tortilla Soup

Yield: 4 to 6 large servings.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced carrot
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seed
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seed
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 cinnamon stick, 2 inches long
• Cayenne
• 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 8 cups unsalted turkey or chicken broth
• Vegetable oil for frying
• 4 corn tortillas, at least a day old, cut in 1/2-inch strips
• 4 to 6 cups cooked turkey or chicken, shredded

• 1 or 2 firm-ripe avocados
• 6 scallions, chopped
• 2 jalapeños, thinly sliced
• 1 small bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
• Lime wedges

Instructions

1. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrot and let soften, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
2. Toast the cumin, coriander and peppercorns in a small dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute, then grind in a spice mill or mortar. Add the ground spices to the pot, along with the garlic, cinnamon, a pinch of cayenne and salt.
3. Add the broth and bring to a boil, then reduce to a brisk simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, then taste for salt and adjust. Keep hot, covered, over very low heat.
4. Pour vegetable oil to a depth of 1/2 inch into a wide skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and looks wavy, add the tortilla strips and fry until barely colored, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove with tongs and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with salt. (The oil may be strained and saved for future frying.)
5. In a medium saucepan, heat the shredded turkey meat with a little of the hot soup. Divide the meat among 4 to 6 soup bowls and add a few slices of avocado to each. Ladle about 1 cup soup into each bowl, then garnish with tortilla strips, scallions, jalapeño slices, chopped cilantro and a generous squeeze of lime juice.

Notes:

• Very nice for Thanksgiving leftovers.

Source:  New York Times, November 23, 2011.

Szechuan Celery and Tofu Salad

Time: 20 minutes, plus resting time
Yield: 4 servings.

Ingredients

• 1 cup peanut oil
• 1 piece ginger, 2 inches long, cut into 3 or 4 slices
• 1 piece cinnamon, 3 inches long
• 3 cloves
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 4 star anise
• 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
• 1/4 cup red chili flakes, or more to taste
• Salt
• 1 bunch Chinese celery, thinly sliced
• 4 to 6 ounces pressed tofu, thinly sliced or julienned.

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; when it simmers, add ginger, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, star anise, Sichuan peppercorns and chili flakes. Remove from heat and let sit until cool, at least 1 hour and preferably 2 or 3. Strain oil into a bowl or jar and discard spices.
2. Put a pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. Add celery and blanch for about a minute; drain in colander and run under cold water to stop the cooking process.
3. Layer celery and tofu on serving plates, drizzle with chili oil and sprinkle with salt.
   

Notes:  

• Spiced oil keeps indefinitely in fridge.  
• If you can get Chinese celery, the flavor and texture is far superior.

Source:  The Minimalist, 8/4/10. Adapted from Szechuan Gourmet, Manhattan.

Pasta e Fagioli

Time: 1 hour 40 minutes, plus overnight soaking of beans

Yield: 4 servings.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound dried cannellini beans
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 celery stalk, halved
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 onion
• 3 canned San Marzano tomatoes, seeds removed
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt
• 2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 pound dry tubetti or ditalini pasta
• Cracked pepper, for garnish.

Instructions

1. Cover the beans with water, and add the baking soda, half the celery stalk and the bay leaf. Soak them for 24 hours.
   
2. Drain and rinse well. Place in a pot and add cold water to two inches above the beans. Add the rest of the celery, the onion, tomatoes, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the beans are tender, about 1 hour 20 minutes.
   
3. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, drain the beans, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Discard the celery, onion, and bay leaf. In a soup pot over low heat, sauté the garlic in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil for 1 minute, add 2 tablespoons parsley, and continue to sauté until garlic is light brown, 1 or 2 more minutes. Add the beans and 1/2 cup of their cooking liquid, mashing a few beans with a fork to give the soup body. Bring to a simmer.
   
4. When the water has reached a boil, add the pasta and cook for half the time called for on the package. Drain the pasta and add it to the beans, reserving the cooking water. Raise the heat under the soup pot to medium and cook until the pasta is al dente, adding enough reserved pasta water or bean cooking liquid to make a thick broth.
   
5. Ladle into bowls, garnish with parsley and pepper, and drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Serve immediately or the pasta will absorb the broth.
   

Source:  New York Times.  Adapted from Emilio Vitolo, Emilio’s Ballato, Manhattan

Eggplant Caviar

Yield:  2.5 cups [4 servings]

Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant
• 1 T olive oil
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Salt to taste
• ½ chopped tomato [optional]

Instructions

1. Roast eggplant for 30 minutes at high heat [450°] Let cool, peel, and mash over colander.
2. Stir in other ingredients

Notes:  Super easy, low cal.


Variations:

• Moroccan seasonings: add 1 clove crushed garlic, cumin, ¼ T harissa, 3T cilantro

Source: Claudia Roden

Shakshuka

Yield: 6 servings

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• Salt
• 1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon harissa
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 6 large eggs
• Pitas or crusty bread, for serving

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and bell pepper, season with salt and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the paprika and coriander and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the harissa and tomato paste and cook over low heat for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices and simmer over low heat until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes. Stir in the parsley and cilantro and season with salt.
   
2. Raise the heat to moderate and with a wooden spoon, make indentations into the mix.  Break and pour each egg into its own indentiation. Poach the eggs until the whites are firm but the yolks are still runny, about 5 minutes.
   
3. Season the eggs with salt. Transfer the eggs to bowls along with some of the sauce. Serve with warmed pitas or crusty bread.

Notes:

• The recipe can be prepared through Step 1 and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat before proceeding.
• Important: The eggs will take a very long time to poach if they are right out of the refrigerator.  Better to bring them to room temperature well in advance.  Maybe even poach in water and add at last minute.

Variations:

• Very nice with zucchini slices added a couple minutes before the eggs.  Also with a little farmer cheese or queso fresco crumbled on top [Israeli huevos rancheros.]

Source:  Food and Wine

Hummus Masabacha

Yield:  4 cups


Time: 75 minutes plus overnight soaking 


Ingredients

• 1/2 pound dried chickpeas
•  1 tablespoon baking soda
•  7 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
•  1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
•  1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, plus more for garnish
•  1/2 cup tahini, at room temperature (see Note)
•  1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
•  Salt
•  Paprika, for garnish
•  1/4 cup chopped parsley
•  Pita bread, for serving

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, cover the dried chickpeas with 2 inches of water and stir in the baking soda. 
2. Refrigerate the chickpeas overnight. Drain the chickpeas and rinse them under cold water.
3.  In a medium saucepan, cover the chickpeas with 2 inches of fresh water. Add the garlic cloves and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat until the chickpeas are tender, about 40 minutes. Drain, reserving 10 tablespoons of the cooking water and 2 tablespoons of the chickpeas. Rinse the chickpeas under cold water. Peel the garlic cloves.
4. In a food processor, puree the chickpeas with 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water, 1/4 cup of the olive oil and 6 of the garlic cloves. Add the cumin along with 1/4 cup each of the tahini and lemon juice and process until creamy. Season the hummus with salt and transfer to a serving bowl.
5. Wipe out the food processor. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of tahini, 1/4 cup of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of reserved cooking water, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and garlic clove and puree.
6. Using a ladle, make an indent in the center of the hummus. Spoon in the tahini-lemon mixture. Sprinkle the hummus with the cumin and paprika. 
7. Garnish with the reserved whole chickpeas and the parsley, and serve with pita bread.

Notes: 

• Next time try with a little less oil, or with more lemon juice in the tahini sauce, which is very thick when whipped in food processor. 
• The ungarnished hummus and cooked chickpeas can be refrigerated separately for up to 2 days. 
• Tahini has a tendency to separate, so be sure to stir the sesame paste thoroughly before measuring.
  

Variations:

• Garnish with pureed red peppers, fresh herbs, toasted pine nuts and zaatar, boiled eggs, fava beans, hot sauce.

Source:  http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/israeli-hummus-with-paprika-and-whole-chickpeas-cocktails-2009

Classic Scones

Time: 20 minutes



Yield: 8 to 10 scones


Ingredients:

• 2 cups cake flour, more as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 5 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
•  1 egg
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy cream, more for brushing.  

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Put the flour, salt, baking powder and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles cornmeal.
   
2. Add the egg and just enough cream to form a slightly sticky dough. If it’s too sticky, add a little flour, but very little; it should still stick a little to your hands.
    
3. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead once or twice, then press it into a 3/4-inch-thick circle and cut into 2-inch rounds with a biscuit cutter or glass. Put the rounds on an ungreased baking sheet. Gently reshape the leftover dough and cut again. Brush the top of each scone with a bit of cream and sprinkle with a little of the remaining sugar.
   
4. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the scones are a beautiful golden brown. Serve immediately.

Source:  The Minimalist.

Challah

Yield: 2 loaves

Ingredients:

• 2 ½  cups lukewarm water
• 1 package yeasr
• ⅓ cup sugar or honey
• 3 eggs
• 1 T salt
• ¼ c oil
• 1 c raisins (optional)
• 8 to 9 cups flour
• poppy and/or sesame seeds

Instructions:

1. Dissolve yeast in water.  Add sugar or honey, oil, 2 eggs, and whisk together.  Add raisins if using.   
2. Add flour in 1 cup, and then ½ cup, measures, until dough is firm and no longer sticky.  Knead for 5 - 10 minutes.
3. Let dough rise in oiled bowl until double in bulk.
4. Punch down, knead for 5 minutes, and divide into half and then again into thirds.  Roll each piece into a rope about 1½ " in diameter, and form two braided loaves.  
5. Let rise on oiled baking sheet for 45 minutes [or in refrigerator for up to 3 days.]
6. Brush loaves with beaten egg and sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds.   Bake for 30-40 minutes in preheated 350° oven.  Remove and cool on rack.

Notes:   Unbaked loaves can be prepared in advance and stored in airtight bag in refrigerator.

Variations:

• Extra large challah for a crowd:  divide dough into unequal parts before braiding, place smaller braid on top of larger before rising.  Baking time may be up to 10 minutes longer.

Source:  Mollie Katzen, Still Life with Menu