Gourmet & Kosher

‘Chanukah, Oh Chanukah come light the menorah. Let’s have a party. We’ll all dance the hora.’ You know the rest, but what are we going to do on December 24 and 25 when we’re not ready to peel potatoes again or heat up oil for the latkes one more time? We’ll go out for Chinese, of course. How did this Jewish connection between Chinese food and December 24th get started? Some say that Chinatown in New York City was close to the Lower East Side and the restaurants there were open that night, so the rest is history.

Wonton Soup

You don’t have to go out in the freezing cold in your down coat. Pull out your wok, give it a good dusting, make a few phone calls, invite a few friends and family, and start chopping. Soup calls everyone’s name in the winter, so try Won Ton Soup or Hot and Sour Soup. Egg rolls are another favorite. Fill them with bean sprouts and shredded cabbage, then let the frying begin.

Lemon Chicken

Think about Sweet and Sour Chicken, easy to make ahead, but keep the chicken and sauce separate until you’re ready to serve. For something a bit more tangy, try Lemon Chicken. If you’re cutting down on calories and oil during Chanukah, try Egg Drop Soup, Ground Beef in Lettuce Cups, Mu Shu Chicken, Chinese Chicken Salad, without the chicken or fried vermicelli noodles, but still delicious, and Almond Cookies to round out your meal. Add store-bought fortune cookies. Do an exchange after each has read their own. Make it into a game of ‘Whose fortune do you want?’

Almond Cookies

If your crowd wants a movie, try ‘Freaky Friday’ with Jamie Lee Curtis. Find out what happens when mother and daughter are caught fighting in a Chinese restaurant and get each other’s fortune cookie.

We’re just days away until the first candle is lit on your family’s Chanukah menorah. It’s never too soon to get out your holiday check list. So, did you buy a new box of candles yet? Are your pounds of potatoes and onions purchased for batch after batch of latkes? More important than anything else, especially if you have children, are all of your gifts bought, wrapped, labeled, and hidden?

Some years ago we started a Nathan family tradition, attempting to combat the mad rush we usually experience while preparing for the holiday. More like a family concept than a tradition, I should note… This two-step idea just made sense to us so feel free to adapt it into your family’s Chanukah routine…

Forget about a present for each night of Chanukah. Buy what really strikes you as a good gift; frivolous, perfect, or the thing (s)he’s been begging for….whatever. Buy it, wrap it, and don’t freak out about the nights that aren’t covered. Read on…

Make it a “Family Night” instead. After the candles have burned out and everyone is wondering about not having received their gift yet, as on all other nights of Chanukah, go on and do something. That’s right – do something instead of give something. Head to the ice cream parlor, or the skating rink. Catch a movie at the Cineplex with the whole family, or rent a video and pop up some sweet kettle corn. This is called family time and is more precious than any gift you can put a bow on.

On one of those nights that you’re trying to infuse some family time into the Chanukah celebration, the chef in me suggests that you get into the kitchen. Choose a recipe that everyone can participate in. You can prepare the family supper, or a special treat such as cookies, cake, or even the Chanukah specialty, latkes — crisp, warm and delicious. Let someone else scrape his knuckles on the grater this year! Even younger children can mix the meichel, so don’t be afraid to give everybody a job! If you’re looking to prepare something different, try the sweet Apple Latkes with Spiced Sour Cream or the Provencal Potato Latkes, with Roasted Red Pepper Relish found in my cookbook, Jeff Nathan’s Family Suppers.

And if you really want to try something out of the ordinary for Chanukah, here’s a terrific recipe for Tuscan White Bean Salad. This recipe honors an abundance of the ever present oil of Chanukah, while staying away from the frying.

Wishing you all peace and happiness this holiday season!

Nothing brings out our primal instincts in cooking more than preparing food on an open spit. What was once a necessary cooking method requiring nothing more than meat, fire and a big stick has now become all the rage in the best markets and butcher shops.  Walk down any main street and you will see large rotisserie ovens turning and churning out freshly roasted chicken, juices dripping down the window pane and appetites growing with every step.  The good news is; these succulent birds can be easily prepared at home for a fraction of the cost.

To achieve rotisserie nirvana, you can, of course, invest in a countertop rotisserie.  The manufacturers of “slice them and dice them” fame make affordable and practical models for your home, as does Cuisanart other name brand kitchen appliance companies.  The results are good and the clean up is generally easy.  If the weather is not a factor, you can brave the elements and cook your bird on an outdoor spit, your gas grill most likely comes with an attachment and the bird can roast outside, lid down until juicy perfection.   Some indoor ovens come fitted with a rotisserie option, and all you need to do is follow the manufacturer’s instructions, keep a watchful eye and spin your bird to delicious results.

Why is rotisserie so popular, and why are the results so wonderful?  Easy answer.  When the bird rotates on a spit it browns and cooks evenly.  Much as the convection feature in your oven promises the heat and air will circulate around the bird, the rotisserie guarantees it.  Additionally, the unnecessary fats drain off and the bird does not sit in those nasty juices. Furthermore, the internal juices of the bird distribute as the bird turns, so even the breast meat which can tend to dry out, will be as moist and juicy as the dark meat.

But what to do if you do not have a countertop gadget, a rotisserie attachment to your oven, warm winter coat or open fire pit with a trained caveman standing by?  You can achieve a very similar result by standing the bird up on its legs and letting it roast in the oven in an upright position.  The result is not exactly the same and certainly the entertainment value is reduced, but it is a great option for those who want rotisserie goodness without the contraption.

Season your bird as you would a good roast chicken, crank the oven heat up, perch your bird on a prefabricated stand that was designed for just this purpose, or use a good old beer can to keep the chicken propped up and standing tall.  And enjoy rotisserie chicken throughout the year. Enjoy my recipe for Beer Basted Chicken.

I could never have predicted that Egyptian food would provoke a Proustian flood of memories. But there it was, on a recent, nearly two-week trip my husband Ed and I took to Cairo (plus a cruise down the Nile). I tasted Rahib, which, like the author’s famous madeleines, carried me back to my girlhood.

My grandma made this dish, only she didn’t call it Rahib, which is a lovely word for roasted eggplant and tomato salad. I remember how she roasted a whole eggplant on top of the gas burner until it turned charcoal black, and then mixed the insides with onions and tomatoes, parsley and vegetable oil. In Egypt the salad is made with scallions, fresh coriander and olive oil, but it’s the same dish, one I haven’t eaten since I was a little girl. So fresh and colorful, begging to be tasted.

I knew, at first bite, that as a culinary matter, this was going to be a tasty trip and one that provoked many memories.

And so it did. With dishes like Khoshaf, comprised of stewed dried prunes, figs and raisins, which reminded me of my grandma’s dried fruit compote. And the variety of feta cheese spreads, which my grandmother mixed too, blending feta with whatever vegetable there was because my mother was a big cheese fan, way back, before most everyone I knew ever heard of feta cheese. And there was that fabulous M’Hencha, an almond-stuffed phyllo cake, which is a ringer for grandma’s Turte.

Feta Cheese Spread

We are not an Egyptian family. My grandparents were from Rumania, where Turkish, and hence, Middle Eastern cuisine, had a big influence. Or so it seems from what I remember.

I haven’t tasted these foods for a long time. But Rahib is so simple to cook, so delicious and also healthy, it will be on my menu from now on, along with so many of the other goodies Ed and I savored every morning for breakfast or lunch: hummus, of course, and falafel (made with dried fava beans in Egypt), Baba Ghanoush and Labne. I’ll see whether my cousins have the same reaction to these dishes that I did.

Baked Branzini with Chermoula

What was new to me in Egyptian cuisine was the fish! Grandma cooked fish occasionally, but usually not when we came to visit. In Egypt Ed and I had a field day trying different varieties and preparations. Baked with spices. Fried and crispy. Braised with Chermoula, a spicy, coriander-based pesto-like condiment. I came home with a new cache of recipe ideas to try.

And so I have. So far the winner is Baked Branzini with Chermoula. But there’s more to come. The winter cooking season has just begun.

I’m sitting in my office with a fleece jacket on and the baseboard heater turned to high in an attempt to compensate for the cold temperatures that arrived last night with the first snow of the season. As I do every year, as soon as the cold weather arrives and the snow hits the ground I start thinking about which soups I’m going to prepare in my kitchen.

Now, I don’t want you to think that hot soups are only appropriate in the late fall and winter – there isn’t really a time when a bowl of soup isn’t appreciated. But there’s something about watching through the kitchen window as snowflakes fall and a pot of chicken soup simmers gently in my warm kitchen. And if you’re lucky enough to have somebody cooking soup for you, there’s nothing better than walking in from the frigid cold and being hit with the steam and aroma wafting out of a pot on the stove.

Most soups are really easy to make. For some recipes, you just toss everything into a pot, bring it to a simmer and cook until done. Other soups may involve a little sautéing before you add the liquid and bring it to a simmer. A few soups are more complicated, and may involve straining and pureeing – but even these register low on the difficulty scale.

There are a few things to remember when making soup:

1. Recipes are just guidelines and most soups are forgiving if you want to make substitutes. If a recipe looks great to you but it includes 1 parsnip and you hate parsnips, make the soup anyway – just substitute a carrot for the parsnip.
2. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Some of my best pots of soup were a result of seeing what vegetables I had in the fridge and which beans and grains were hanging out in my pantry.
3. Taste is subjective and the level of seasoning I like in a dish may not be what you like. Don’t be afraid to taste and season. One of the best things about soup is that you can season as you go, unlike when you’re baking a cake. If you’re concerned that a recipe may be too salty or peppery, don’t add the full amount at the beginning. Add a portion, then taste as it cooks. You can always add more. But be aware – adding salt to a recipe doesn’t just add saltiness, it also enhances other flavours in the pot. So an extra pinch of salt may make all the other flavors pop.
4. Find a broth/stock that you like and keep some on hand. First choice is always to have homemade stocks in the freezer but for most of us there isn’t enough time in the day to make sure they’re always stocked up. Find something you like, whether it’s a powder, in a can, box or from the grocer’s freezer and use that.
5. Finally, use good ingredients. Good ingredients prepared simply can make an astonishingly tasty pot of soup.

Here are a few of my favourite recipes, all quite different, from my cookbook Soup A Kosher Collection. Baked Potato Soup is hearty and creamy and you can garnish it any way you like. Pear Soup with Feta, Pecans & Balsamic Reduction may sound a little too different for you, but please, try it. It’s a simple recipe with great flavours – one of my favourite flavour combinations ever. Finally, Chicken Gumbo Soup – a perfect meal in a bowl for a chilly night.

Recipe photos courtesy of Whitecap Books 

“Of course I’d be honored to write a Thanksgiving post for JoyofKosher.com but there’s only one problem…we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving.” I’m Canadian, my wife is Czech, our kids are Israeli and even though we’ve been living in the States for nearly eight years we’ve never really gotten into it. There are a number of reasons we don’t, none of them religious. As a Rabbi I feel that celebrating Thanksgiving is perfectly permitted, maybe even sensible. But as a family, especially a rabbinic family, we rarely have quiet times. Every weekend is busy; of course Shabbat is packed, but then so is Sunday. (Oh yeah, and my wife dislikes turkey.)

Thanksgiving for us is one of the few times we can count on everyone else being busy and leaving us to ourselves. I’m a University Chaplain and a Hillel Rabbi and the campus is like a ghost town during the Thanksgiving recess. The streets are empty, no one calls us, and we have a chance to have what I imagine a weekend is like for people who are not Shabbat observant. A little quiet, some leaf-raking, a bunch of football and some nice food.

Since we use this as an opportunity to embrace the stereotypical American weekend experience, at least the one we imagine, I usually go a little crazy and design a menu worthy of any Superbowl party buffet table. I channel my inner junk-food-junky and make kosher versions of party food standards. Over the years this has ranged from subs to hoagies, sheet-pans of over-the-top aged cheddar cheese nachos, deep-fried cheese, really, deep-fried anything.

We don’t normally eat this way; we live in a city without any kosher restaurants. In fact I feel strongly about not eating this way. But once in a while it’s ok to indulge and I think it might even be good for our kids to taste these foods at home and realize that they are a treat and not a normal diet.

What follows are a few recipes loaded with indulgences. This isn’t a menu per se, rather it is a list of recipes and treats that you can make as part of a meal or a buffet or just to totally indulge.

• The Quebecois Hot Chicken Sandwich – the Poutine’s big brother
• Hand cut fries cooked in rendered chicken fat
• Sauce Poutine/Velouté for both of the above
• Buffalo wings with Soy Cream Dip served with hand cut fries
• Beef sliders with a variety of toppings

While Poutine has gained fame across the continent for its brilliant combination of french fries, gravy and cheese curds, we shouldn’t forget that Quebec’s homegrown fast food industry has other delights. The Hot Chicken Sandwich is an amazing combination of roasted chicken, white bread and Poutine sauce.

We begin with the sauce, which is based on a traditional sauce called a velouté, essentially a roux combined with veal, beef or chicken stock. In the case of Poutine sauce it can also be augmented to include extra pepper, some acid, whatever is to your taste.

Any one of these dishes is a meal in itself and each one can be adapted to more healthful eating. The sliders can be made of lean meat and more vegetable and carbohydrates filler can be used to reduce the amount of red meat consumed. The toppings I’m suggesting are also pretty over the top but a variety of fresh vegetables and low salt/sugar condiments are also possible.

The wings are baked and a lot of their fat renders off. They can be coated with jarred sauces, BBQ sauces, many other options. Homemade honey mustard is a particularly good choice for those avoiding salt and processed sugars.

All the potatoes can be baked, instead of fried, with a minimum of fat, especially if using a non-stick pan. Consider recipes on the internet that use egg-whites to help create crispy coatings on fries.

The hot chicken sandwiches are very adaptable. There is a pareve vegan powdered gravy on the market that is passable and can adapted to your taste. Consider changing up the bread, serving more peas, whatever you feel is best for you and your family and guests.

Enjoy Thanksgiving, we will. Don’t call or write, we will be too busy eating to answer.

I grew up in a pie family. My mother was a terrific baker and although her apple pies were world class, she’d put just about anything under a crust, like cherries and plums and the peaches from the tree in our backyard and strawberries from the big patch near the goldfish pond.

But she didn’t stop with the sweet versions. She also put all sorts of leftovers into pie. Like chicken and roast beef. She combined chunks of whatever leftover meat there was with frozen mixed vegetables, folded in some condensed canned soup and plopped it all into a casserole dish. Then she topped it with crust and in 45 minutes we had yummy dinner.

These are some swell, delicious memories. Not gourmet of course, but we don’t always need food to be grand, do we?

I followed suit when it was my turn to cook. My husband Ed loved my pot pies. But when my career veered off into a culinary direction I got a bit fussier about ingredients. Leftovers are fine and I use them often, but I prefer the vegetables fresh and the sauce homemade. I’ve also branched out beyond beef and chicken to fish (firm varieties that hold up well with sauce or heat, like salmon, halibut and cod), duck, turkey and hearty vegetables such as Portobello mushrooms, sweet potatoes and winter squash.

The crust? I still use my mother’s recipe for standard pie crust whenever I’m cooking a large sweet or savory pie for the family. But recently I started making individual pies and these require a different wrapper.

Individual pies (call them Pasties or Wellingtons, Empanadas or Sambusak) are charming and make a lovely presentation on the plate. In addition, I can work them into a variety of shapes and sizes, depending on when (and to whom) I will be serving them.

These pies are also extremely useful. I usually make a big batch and freeze them individually covered in doubled layers of plastic wrap, so that whenever I don’t want to cook, I can take out as many as I need for dinner. Or, when my kids come and need lunch or a snack they can reheat just one or two. That makes individual pies a lot handier and more versatile than one big one.

Individual pies require a richer dough that will hold up nicely when stuffed and also complement the savory ingredients inside. Over the years I experimented with recipes and use one that’s similar to standard pie dough but uses more butter or margarine and vegetable shortening.

Let me confess something else. I also sometimes make the pies with puff pastry but don’t make my own. I buy Kineret frozen puff pastry squares, which are perfect.

The Cornish Pasty recipe is an old fashioned favorite. You can swap ingredients – use chicken and sweet potato, for example. Same with the Salmon Wellingtons – use boneless chicken or a different fish variety.

As the last decorations come down from the Succah –gourds and all – and we prepare to dive into our year’s activities, I can’t help but wonder and ponder…what on earth do we do with these gourds anyway? Not to say that their place as a Succah decoration is an unjust existence, but c’mon…what does one actually do with them? Quite a lot, it seems, or at least so I discovered after doing some research (we love Google!). With over 700 known species, the gourd seems to have infinite craft and artistic possibilities and has been used by people throughout the world for musical instruments, pipes, masks, canteens, water jugs, dippers, birdhouses, bath sponges and as decorative pieces with intricate etched designs. So important were gourds to Haitian people in the early 1800s that gourds were temporarily made the national currency. But this is a cooking article, so I am clearly more interested in the edible possibilities. Some of the most delicious members of the gourd family include squash, pumpkin, cucumber and melons.

With the return of cooler weather, winter squash is back…and may just be the perfect warming ingredient, bound to qualify any dish as “comfort food” with all its sweet, orange creaminess. Though Butternut and Acorn squash happen to be the most common and known supermarket varieties of winter squash available, there are many other terrific kinds worth trying – Sweet Dumpling, Banana, Kabocha and Buttercup varieties, just to name a few. Each type has its own special flavor and texture. Using a new variety or a combination of a few may add a new flavor or dimension to your next squash dish.

Curried Squash Soup with Frizzled Leeks

One of the most commonly asked questions about winter squash is how to handle and prepare it, due to its thick peel and hard texture. Don’t be discouraged – a good peeler, a sharp chef’s knife and some “elbow grease” can make all the difference in your preparations. Even with that said, some prep tips are always helpful.

Some winter squash have a thin or smooth enough rind to be peeled with a good peeler, such as Butternut or Buttercup squash. The easiest way to take these squash apart is the following:

1. Trim ends
2. Cut the squash in half lengthwise
3. Using a good peeler, peel away the tough skin
4. Scoop out the seeds
5. Cut as needed (i.e. chunks, cubes)

Once prepared in this way, it can be boiled, roasted, steamed, sautéed, etc. and used in your favorite dishes.

Other squash, such as Acorn squash or Sweet Dumpling, are difficult to peel as the natural grooves make peeling hard to maneuver. With these types of squash, most people opt to cook it unpeeled – simply scrub, halve, seed and bake. The skin is edible, however, if tough, the cooked flesh can simply be scooped out of its “cup” and eaten, discarding the skin. I like to roast it this way drizzled with maple syrup, olive oil, salt, pepper and cinnamon – simple, yet delicious! Additionally, these small-sized squash make them ideal choices as “stuffing” squash.

Squash puree is easy to prepare for baking recipes:

To pre-bake squash halves (any kind): simply cut in half, scoop out the seeds, and bake cut-side down at 375-400 degrees Fahrenheit until fork tender (about 45 minutes). Once baked, the cooked flesh can be scooped out of the skin and mashed or pureed in the food processor for other recipes.

• Winter squash store very well – they’ll last the “winter” in a cool, dry, well-ventilated location (like a basement). Check on a regular basis for rot and use within three to six months.
• Refrigerated, cut pieces of winter squash will last up to a week stored in plastic storage bags or tightly saran-wrapped.
• Choose firm, well-shaped squash that are heavy for their size and have a hard, tough skin. Do not choose those that have sunken or moldy spots. Avoid squash with cuts or punctures in the skin.

Some helpful equivalents in your squash adventures may include:

• 1 pound peeled squash = 1 cup cooked, mashed
• 2½ pound whole squash = 2¾ -3 cups pureed
• 1/3-½ pound raw unpeeled squash = 1 serving

Here are some wonderful fall recipes bound to warm you up on a chilly night even once your Succah is down. It may not be a marimba or a vase, but recipes like these certainly remind us to celebrate the gourd family!

Curried Squash Soup with Frizzled Leeks
Autumn Rice Pilaf with Butternut Squash

Ahhh, Simchat Torah ~ a joyous time to celebrate the end and the beginning. Simchat Torah caps the holiday-packed month of Tishri — the month is filled with days of awe, atonement and newness. The holiday overflows with celebration and happiness as Jews all over the world begin to read anew the Torah.

Simchas Torah literally means “rejoicing of the Torah.” This is not a holiday to celebrate on your own and joy is evident when you celebrate with your temple! Our new year begins and the Torah reading cycle winds down with splendor and intensity. The celebrations in shul are a highlighted by dancing, singing and parading around with Torahs held proudly aloft. Children and adults alike wave the Israeli flag and shout out a hearty “Chag Sameach” and “Git Yomtov”.

Some congregations don white gloves as they grip the unfurled parchment of their Torah and walk around the sanctuary. The Torah’s laws and commandments truly belong to the people as they hold on to their beloved Torah. Other temples choose to keep their Torahs rolled and covered as they proudly march them through the streets of their neighborhood.

When it’s time to leave the synagogue’s celebration to go back home, the foods you prepare should continue the observance. And celebrating at home has its own rewards… the final meals in the Sukkah and the comfort that we have cooked and entertained with great results. We let our taste buds know that it is truly a day for delight and pleasure. This year, I’ve chosen a recipe that celebrates the end of the summer fruits with the onset of the autumn bounty. I hope you and your family enjoy this Apple Blackberry Crisp.

From my home to yours, along with this decadent recipe, we wish you a Chag Sameach!

I’m so happy to have an opportunity to guest post on Joy of Kosher. I met Tamar in New York a few months ago. We had a fun lunch together at a dairy kosher restaurant in Manhattan. When we discussed writing a guest post for Sukkot, my mind began spinning with all of the wonderful dishes I could share. Autumn is my favorite season, and seasonal autumn produce plays a major role in my Sukkot menu. Harvest foods take center stage. That’s why my Autumn Sweet Potato Soup is so perfect for Sukkot. Root vegetables, squash, warm spices, a touch of cayenne—delicious!

This soup’s broth has roots in an African food tradition. Peanut butter is stirred in at the end of cooking, thickening the soup and giving it a delicious flavor. While it might sound a bit strange, trust me on this one. The peanut butter enhances all the other spices, giving this soup layers and layers of delicious flavor. Your guests will never guess the secret ingredient. It’s a substantial soup, perfect for a chilly autumn evening in the sukkah. It’s also super easy to prepare, and can be served as a chunky soup or as a puree.

If you end up keeping some leftover soup in the refrigerator, add a little broth when you reheat. The soup can become quite thick when it’s chilled. Adding some broth will help the soup to reheat smoothly. Enjoy!

"Soup may be served as-is (chunky with texture), or you can puree the soup with an immersion blender for a smoother texture. Serve garnished with chopped roasted peanuts or fresh thyme leaves."

What a response I got when I decided to write about pomegranates!  It seems that everyone has some bit of trivia to share about this funny little fruit!  For instance, in Jewish as well as Chinese lore, the pomegranate (also known as the Chinese Apple) symbolizes fertility.

The pomegranate differs from the fruits we’re most familiar with.  We don’t eat its outside as it doesn’t have edible flesh; we only eat its seeds…and there are 613 of those!  If you’ve got some free time on your hands and don’t mind them being stained red, you can count them for yourself!  Years ago my kids and I tried to count them just to check and that was no easy task! The number 613 might sound familiar since there are as many commandments in the Torah.  In addition to the equal number of mitzvot, there are other pomegranate-to-religion relationships….  Pomegranates once adorned the hem of Aaron’s robes and consequently are often found on the crowns of modern day Torahs.   Pomegranates are said to have been in the Garden of Eden way back when, and are definitely all over Israel now.

In the United Sates, the fruit is harvested in October and November ~ perfect timing for our festive tables at Rosh Hashonah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Simhat Torah.  And speaking of the festive table…there are a number of ways to use the pomegranate during the holidays.  Bowls full of individual seeds are certainly the most popular.  The edible, translucent red pulp covered seeds disappear handful after handful.  It is labor intensive to separate each seed from the bitter membrane of the pomegranate, but the tasty treat is worth it and here is an easy 3 step process for seeding a pomegranate.  Just recently I’ve begun to see packages of the ready-to-eat seeds… now that’s a treat!   If you’re not in the mood to painstakingly pry each seed from the membrane, you can simply cut the pomegranate into wedges, like apples, and leave the eating process a little more casual.  It’s not fancy watching someone tear the light colored membrane out of their mouths, so cutting the fruit into wedges might be better for when there are no guests around!

I have to admit, there aren’t really 613 culinary things to do with a pomegranate, but there is more than just counting the seeds and eating them.  I buy a whole bunch of pomegranates at the beginning of the holiday season and use them continuously.  Since they age well, I store them in the refrigerator for up to two months to get me through early winter.

Whether it’s a quick snack, an ingredient, or a garnish, the pomegranate does not go without notice!  As a drink, it’s delicious when adding pomegranate juice to a glass of seltzer, ginger ale or a martini.  Pomegranate juice is readily available year round, too.  And it’s great for making sauces and vinaigrettes, as well.

At the New Year, it’s traditional to indulge in sweets and honey, yet in contrast, we avoid eating nuts at this time and so it’s a perfect time to replace nuts with pomegranate seeds.  At other times of the year though, I enjoy combining pecans, walnuts or almonds in a salad.  And for a fruit salad or platter, I add the bright red seeds for an eye catching edible garnish.

After the holidays, try the tart and sweet taste of pomegranate seeds with the mellowness of goat cheese in a field green salad with toasted pecans and a drizzle of pomegranate vinaigrette.  Or you might also enjoy the flavor and unexpected crunch of a Pomegranate seed Salsa over grilled chicken any night of the week.  Combine grapefruit, orange, cilantro, red onion, lime juice and pomegranate seeds and let the flavors marry for a while before serving.  My real favorite though is the following honey sweetened Pomegranate Chicken recipe.

The Abigael’s team and I wish you and your family a new year filled with peace, love and joy.

My father-in-law and I once had an argument about ketchup. It was August, years ago, and my garden was overflowing with tomatoes. After eating a few too many tomato sandwiches, I needed to do something with the rest of the harvest, so I made ketchup.

George Fein was a Heinz ketchup man, but he wanted to be supportive so he said he’d taste my recipe. I was thrilled when he said it was delicious.

Then he added, “it isn’t Heinz.”

I knew that.

So I asked his opinion again and he repeated, “It’s delicious. It isn’t Heinz.”

To this day I don’t know whether he was stating the obvious or comparing the two, and if so, which he liked better.

I do know that homemade ketchup isn’t Heinz, and I mean no disrespect, but while bottled stuff may taste familiar, when you make ketchup at home you are the boss: of the sugar, the vinegar and everything else that goes in, and that makes all the difference.

I make several versions, for different purposes, some with lots of spices, others with herbs, chipotle, schug and so on. It is one of the most creative recipes you can cook when you either have too many tomatoes in your yard or you just bought a load at your local market because they looked so good. My husband Ed is a ketchup maven like his Dad, so there’s always plenty of it in the house. I store it all in plastic containers in the fridge for months.

Before all those tomatoes go bad, I make soup and sauce too.

I grew up on canned soup and loved it, but to paraphrase my father-in-law, homemade tomato soup “isn’t …. (any brand)” and I do mean to compare. Homemade is beyond better.

I make a different recipe every August; this year I added Harissa to the soup pot. The recipe for my Fresh Tomato Soup is versatile enough to serve two ways: hot with a dollop of yogurt or cold, with the yogurt already whisked in.

My tomato sauce is always the same though, at least at its core: a simple blend of olive oil, onions, garlic, tomatoes and basil, cooked quickly. Changes are easy – add mushrooms or a dried chili pepper, some tangy olives or capers, maybe some cream for enrichment. Plain or not, this recipe is an almost unbeatable combination with pasta, for a wonderful dinner that transitions from summer to fall.

We’re eating lots of tomato salad now too. Ed likes it plain, with a drizzle of olive oil. If there’s fresh mozzarella cheese, then sure, he’ll add it. But I like to tinker with recipes, especially now that my herb garden is in late summer profusion. My salads always include fresh dill, basil, parsley, chives, thyme or mint because I think these bring out the best tomato flavor. As for the dressing, well, with a great summer tomato and fresh herbs, all you really need is plain old oil and wine vinegar.

At the end of the season when I’ve used up all the ripe tomatoes and a chill starts to hit the night air, there are always a few green tomatoes left on the vine or at the farmer’s market. I use a lot of these too, to make chutney. But this year I’ll also be making Green Tomato Pie. I haven’t baked one for several years but remember it as a big winner. Can’t wait.

When your grill outside is fired up and you’re trying to keep your indoor kitchen heat down, who wants to turn on the oven to make dessert? Many folks opt to grill their dessert too, throwing pineapple, bananas and even watermelon on the fire to create a sweet ending to a summer meal.

Another option in the same no-bake spirit is to create refreshing frozen desserts, a great way to cool down after a hot meal on a hot day. While the frozen aisle at the supermarket offers an array of ready-made frozen treats and popsicles, here are a couple of easy ways for you to create luscious and innovative summer sweets using no more than your stove, food processor and freezer while incorporating the season’s crop of fresh, succulent peaches. These desserts are worth the extra effort, especially when they can be made in advance and can serve a crowd.

Frozen Peach and Toasted Almond Torte

Fresh summer peaches are fragrant, juicy and delicious, and healthy too: they are low in calories, a good source of vitamins C and A and beta carotene, and are rich in potassium, fluoride and iron.

When choosing fresh peaches, look for ones featuring deep color and sweet aroma that are firm with a slight give when lightly pressed. Avoid those that are excessively soft or with cuts and bruises. You can keep slightly hard peaches at room temperature until they ripen, or to accelerate ripening, place them in a paper bag along with a banana. Ripe peaches may be stored in the refrigerator, and wash them in cold water just before using.

Enjoy my recipes for:
Frozen Peach and Toasted Almond Torte
Sauteed Peach Ice Cream Torte

To me, the pistachio is a hard nut to top. It’s salty, sweet, and extremely healthy (in moderation, of course). I have fond memories of sitting at my Savtah’s kitchen table in Seattle, where I grew up, snacking on a big bowl of pistachios. My mom would tell me to stop eating them because I would finish the entire bowl, leaving a pile of salty shells in my wake. As much as I enjoy them, I always thought the pistachio was an unhealthy snack, but it turns out I couldn’t have been more wrong!

In addition to their taste, all of the health benefits make the pistachio nut an even more appealing ingredient. So why not take this super food to the next level with a menu of all new recipes that feature the wonderful flavor of pistachios! That’s what is so great about being a cook in your own kitchen. You can try new things, bring back old memories while creating new ones, and have a great time in the process.

Whole Wheat Couscous Cakes

These mini couscous cakes are a fantastic appetizer or side dish and the pistachios really stand out. Of course, after making sure your guests aren’t allergic to any nuts, you are ready to get started and maybe even snack along the way! This recipe is so simple, even my husband could make it! And that’s saying a lot. Trust me. Start out by cooking the whole wheat couscous for 5 minutes. Next, add the pistachios, flat-leaf parsley, eggs, salt and pepper, and you are ready to form the cakes. With damp hands, form 16 small cakes and get ready to fry in extra-virgin olive oil.

Once the couscous cakes are ready, serve them over a bed of lightly dressed arugula and watch your guests devour every last one of them. For the full recipe, click here.

Whole Wheat Couscsou Cake

Strawberry-Fig Pistachio Tart

Now on to dessert! Let’s start with the beautiful tart that will truly wow your guests. It is so simple but looks very complicated and the pistachios are truly the star. I use frozen puff pastry, which always tastes delicious and is so easy to work with. The trick is to roll out the dough until very thin. Poke with holes and cook in the oven with a baking sheet inserted on top in order to keep the pastry very flat and crusty. Next, top with a mixture of chopped pistachios and sugar and continue cooking until golden brown. Even without the strawberries and figs, this pastry is scrumptious. You can just cut it in to slices and serve with orange spiced whipped cream. But WAIT, there’s more to come!

Here is the fun part. Layer thinly sliced strawberries and figs in any pattern on top of the pistachios, then brush the top with warmed blood orange marmalade and sprinkle the edges with roughly chopped pistachios. The pastry slices so easily and you can eat the tart almost like a pizza. Hey, you can just call this recipe pistachio pizza and your kids will come running. Here is the full “pistachio pizza” recipe.

Strawberry Pistachio Tart

Pistachio Meringues

Thought I was done? Here’s one more dessert that will surely have your guests making room for more. These meringues are so light and airy with a great crunch, and the addition of chopped pistachios will create what my son calls “crunchy volcanoes.” Whip together egg whites, cream of tartar, vanilla, and finely chopped pistachios and you are ready to pipe!

This recipe makes a lot of delicious meringues that will last all week, if they don’t get eaten right away! Pipe them on to parchment paper and sprinkle roughly chopped pistachios over the top for extra interest and flavor. Next, bake for 2 hours at 225 degrees and let them cool. For the full recipe, click here.

Pistachio Meringues

I hope you and your guests enjoy the perfect pistachio as much as I do. Now dig in!
For more kosher recipes, cooking tips and personal stories, visit kitchen-tested.com.

It’s summertime and gorgeous fruit is plentiful. Bright colors and a garden of aromatic scents fill markets and farm stands. It is easy to go crazy and over purchase when the produce looks so good.

A recent trip to a local farmer’s market found me carrying home more peaches than I could ever eat, even with help from my husband. I couldn’t help it. They looked so good. Plump, rosy cheeked peaches are a weakness of mine.

After eating the juicy ripe beauties for breakfast, lunch and snacks, I finally had enough. Now what do I do with all of these peaches?

I made a delicious Blueberry Peach Crumb Cake, a Peach and Jalapeno Salsa and Peaches and Cream Smoothies.  If you are like me and temptation takes over, here are some quick and easy recipes for gorgeous summer fruit.

A few tips for purchasing and storing summer fruit:

1.       For best flavor, price and quality, purchase fruit IN-SEASON. That means enjoying your favorites until they are no longer available and then finding a new favorite. Out of season fruit is expensive, not as good tasting and is a strain on the environment (schlepping out of season fruit around the country or world utilizes precious resources).

2.       Try to purchase organic or unsprayed produce. Pesticides and herbicides are not good for your family or the environment. Choose GREEN produce.

3.       Freeze or can your favorite produce to enjoy later in the year.