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Ring In the Jewish New Year With Honey Cake

YumSugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:00:05 -0700

I'm always reminded of the change in the seasons with the arrival of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which begins at sundown this Friday. It seems to straddle the end of Summer and the beginning of Fall. For Jews around the world, it's a time to come together with family, contemplate the past year, and hope for good deeds in the months ahead.Rosh Hashanah's food customs echo these sentiments. One ingredient that plays a recurring role is honey, which symbolizes sweetness for the new year. As a child, I remember counting on apples and honey, but honeyed cake is an equally traditional and more gratifying end to a meal. It's not too sweet, has a gingerbread quality, and would be the perfect finish (or start) to the day, whether or not you're observing the holiday. See the recipe when you read more

6 Unusual Uses For Matzo Crackers

YumSugar — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 05:50:02 -0700

Now that Passover's in full force, many of you have put aside bread, bagels, and burgers in favor of the unofficial carb of Passover seder, matzo. And although there are few things better than matzo brei and sweet butter spread thin on matzo sheets, perhaps you're in need of more creative uses for the unleavened bread. Check out some of our favorite unusual uses when you read on.

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Brisket Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:30:24 -0700

Tonight, Passover begins at sundown. At a loss about what to make that's still kosher for the holiday? You can never go wrong with brisket, a timeless classic and crucial component of Jewish holiday cooking. If you're looking for a simple, straightforward basic, opt for a recipe that slow-cooks the beef in the oven with minimal attention. If you're more experienced, spring for an elaborate rendition that's served with dried fruits and vegetables in a rich red wine reduction. To see both recipes, read more.

Beginner Brisket
From Everyday Food

Ingredients

1 well-trimmed beef brisket (3 1/2 pounds)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/3 cup light-brown sugar
1 small onion, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Rub beef with salt, pepper, ginger, and allspice. In a medium bowl, combine vinegar, tomato paste, brown sugar, onion, garlic, and 1/2 cup water.
Spoon half of the sauce into a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Place brisket in dish, and spoon remaining sauce over the top. Cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil or a double layer of regular foil.
Bake until brisket is falling-apart tender, about 3 hours. Remove brisket from dish. Skim any fat from the surface of the sauce.
Transfer sauce to a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 5 minutes to reduce slightly. Slice brisket against the grain; serve with sauce.

Serves 8.

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Expert Brisket
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

2 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 4 1/2- to 5 1/2-pound flat-cut (first-cut) brisket, well-trimmed
2 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only), sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
24 whole dried apricots, divided
10 garlic cloves, peeled
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 Turkish bay leaves
2 cups dry red wine
1 tablespoon matzo cake meal
Chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Stir first 8 ingredients in small bowl. Arrange brisket in large roasting pan; spread spice mixture evenly over both sides. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat broiler. Uncover brisket. Broil until brown, about 5 minutes per side. Turn brisket fat side up in pan.
Set oven temperature to 325°F. Sprinkle leeks, onion, 12 apricots, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves around brisket. Pour wine over. Cover pan with heavy-duty foil and bake brisket until tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Uncover; cool 1 1/2 hours.
Transfer brisket to work surface. Pour juices into large measuring cup. Spoon off fat, reserving 1 tablespoon. Thinly slice brisket across grain on slight diagonal; overlap slices in 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish. Spoon 1 cup degreased pan juices over brisket; cover with foil. Stir reserved 1 tablespoon fat and matzo cake meal in medium saucepan over medium heat 3 minutes. Add remaining degreased pan juices; add remaining 12 apricots. Simmer until sauce thickens and boils, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (To make up to 2 days ahead, cover brisket and sauce separately and chill.) Rewarm covered brisket in 350°F oven 30 minutes or 45 minutes if chilled. Rewarm sauce over low heat.
Sprinkle brisket with cilantro and serve with sauce.

Serves 8.

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Name That Dish!

partysugar — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:15:07 -0700

If she really is penning a Jewish cookbook, model Kate Moss might want to include a recipe for the classic Passover dish pictured below. Do you know what it's called?

Kate Moss Penning Cookbook

YumSugar — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 11:30:49 -0700

Britain's leading ladies seem to have caught the culinary bug: First it was Gwyneth Paltrow, then Liz Hurley, and now it's Kate Moss.

According to the Mirror, the world fashion icon is working on a Jewish cookbook. Inspired by friend Stasha Palos, who recently authored a Jewish cookbook, the supermodel has "fallen in love with the idea of doing something similar, with a unique Moss twist." Sources say she's aiming to be the first supermodel ever to release a cookbook, and has been "trying her hand at everything from chicken noodle soup to salt beef and potato latkes, nondairy pareve carrot and honey cakes."

While I'd buy a book by Kate Moss on personal style, I think I may pass on her recipes. Still, it's comforting to know that a waif-ish supermodel has a love of food and the kitchen. How do you feel about Kate's move? Would you buy her cookbook?

Update: A rep for Moss tells People that, despite the rumors, the supermodel is definitely not writing a cookbook: “We do not know where it came from but it is definitely false.”

Source

Is It Kosher For Passover?

YumSugar — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 05:50:21 -0700

Now that we're into the month of April, Easter is right around the corner - and so is, Passover, the Jewish holy festival that commemorates the liberation of Israelite slaves from Egypt. The seven-day holiday, which is one of the biggest holidays on the Jewish calendar, requires adherence to strict dietary laws. Do you know which foods are kosher for Passover and which aren't? Test your knowledge with this quiz.

Source

Take the quiz

Come Party With Me: Latke Party - Dessert

partysugar — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 09:00:47 -0800

Rugelach is a traditional Jewish pastry made with a cream cheese dough. It's the perfect sweet finish to a latke happy hour Hanukkah party. The entire menu is finger food including the dessert! These cookies can be made in advance, so get started on the baking the day before the event. As a favor give everyone a small bag of chocolate gelt. To look at the classic rugelach recipe, read more.

Rugelach
From Gourmet

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup plus 4 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup apricot preserves or raspberry jam
1 cup loosely packed golden raisins, chopped
1 1/4 cups walnuts (1/4 lb), finely chopped
Milk for brushing cookies

Directions

Whisk together flour and salt in a bowl.
Beat together butter and cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until combined well. Add flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms. Gather dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap, then flatten (in wrap) into a roughly 7- by 5-inch rectangle. Chill until firm, 8 to 24 hours.
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line bottom of a 1- to 1 1/2-inch-deep large shallow baking pan with parchment paper.
Cut dough into 4 pieces. Chill 3 pieces, wrapped in plastic wrap, and roll out remaining piece into a 12- by 8-inch rectangle on a well-floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Transfer dough to a sheet of parchment, then transfer to a tray and chill while rolling out remaining dough in same manner, transferring each to another sheet of parchment and stacking on tray.
Whisk 1/2 cup sugar with cinnamon.
Arrange 1 dough rectangle on work surface with a long side nearest you. Spread 1/4 cup preserves evenly over dough with offset spatula. Sprinkle 1/4 cup raisins and a rounded 1/4 cup walnuts over jam, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar.
Using parchment as an aid, roll up dough tightly into a log. Place, seam side down, in lined baking pan, then pinch ends closed and tuck underneath. Make 3 more logs in same manner and arrange 1 inch apart in pan. Brush logs with milk and sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon of remaining granulated sugar. With a sharp large knife, make 3/4-inch-deep cuts crosswise in dough (not all the way through) at 1-inch intervals. (If dough is too soft to cut, chill until firmer, 20 to 30 minutes.)
Bake until golden, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool to warm in pan on a rack, about 30 minutes, then transfer logs to a cutting board and slice cookies all the way through.

Makes about 44 cookies.

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Celebrate Rosh Hashanah With Honey-Glazed Cornish Hens

YumSugar — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:00:33 -0700

L'Shanah Tovah (Happy New Year)! Last night was the beginning of the Rosh Hashanah. During this time of reflection and rejoicing, much of the celebration happens at the dinner table. The evening meal often includes the bounty of the autumn harvest, such as pomegranates, persimmons, and avocados. Honey is also significant during Rosh Hashanah, as it symbolizes the hope for sweet and joyful days in the year ahead. To ring in the Jewish new year, which is observed through Wednesday night, I made honey-glazed Cornish hens. Since Cornish hens are smaller, they can be roasted whole in less time than it takes to make a roasted chicken. To get this holiday recipe, read more.

Honey and Cumin-Glazed Cornish Hens
From Jewish Holiday Feasts by Louise Fiszer and Jeannette Ferrary

Ingredients

Glaze
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons cumin seed, toasted and crushed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 Cornish hens, split in half
Salt and pepper

Directions

Combine glaze ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Rinse hens and blot dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Using about a third of the glaze, brush both sides of hen halves.
Place, skin side down, on a baking sheet with low sides. Place in oven and roast 10 minutes.
Turn heat down to 375°F, brush hens again with half the remaining glaze and roast 5 minutes.
Turn hens over and roast 10 minutes.
Brush with remaining glaze and roast until deep golden brown, about 5 minutes more. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 8.

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Name That Dish!

partysugar — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 12:03:33 -0700

Although its usually served on the Jewish Sabbath, I can't serve the traditional version of the dish pictured below at my Seder dinner because it features a product made from flour. Do you know what this dish is called?

Flourless Chocolate Cake For Passover

partysugar — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 14:28:12 -0700

Every baker needs a good flourless chocolate cake recipe in the repertoire and I found this delicious sounding dessert just in time for Passover. Flour is one of the ingredients that are strictly forbidden during the 8 days of Passover so creating a divine dessert for a Seder feast can seem a little daunting. However, flourless cakes have become very popular in the last few years and are easy to make. You won't even notice the flour is missing (when do you really notice the flour in a cake anyway?) when this cake is topped with a creamy chocolate frosting and fresh blackberry sauce. Want to wow your family with this cake? Well then read more

Flourless Chocolate Cake With Fresh Blackberry Sauce
From San Francisco Examiner

For the cake:
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, in pieces
4 oz semisweet chocolate, in small pieces
9 tablespoons butter
12 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons ground almonds
5 large eggs, separated
pinch of salt
For the chocolate icing:
4 tablespoons butter
2 oz unsweetened chocolate
2 oz semisweet chocolate
3 tablespoons whipping cream
2/3 cup sifted confectioner's sugar (kosher, if desired)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the fresh blackberry sauce:
2 cups fresh blackberries
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar (kosher, if desired)
1/4 cup kirsch
1 tablespoon lemon juice

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Oil the bottom of a 9-by-3 inch round springform pan. Line the bottom with wax paper. Oil and flour the wax paper and shake out the excess flour.
Prepare the cake. Place both chocolates in the top of a double boiler over simmering water and stir until melted. Remove the pan from the heat and use a rubber spatula to scrape the chocolate into a medium-size bowl. Allow it to cool for 3 minutes.
Gradually add the butter to the chocolate, stirring well. Then add 9 tablespoons of the sugar and the ground almonds. Stir in the egg yolks, one at a time.
Place the egg whites and salt in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until they form soft peaks.
Add the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and beat until the whites hold their shape but are not too stiff.
Fold the whites, in thirds, into the chocolate mixer. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake for 35 minutes.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then carefully remove the sides of the springform pan. Cover the top with a wire rack and invert the cake and the rack together. Carefully remove the bottom of the pan and peel off the wax paper. Place a second wire rack over the bottom of the cake and invert it once again, so the top faces up. Allow to cool completely on the rack.
Prepare the icing: melt the butter and both of the chocolates in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, whisking constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cream. Add the confectioner's sugar and the vanilla and whisk until smooth.
Place the cake on a rack on top of a baking sheet to catch the drips and pour the warm icing over the cake. Spread it with a long, thin cake icer or spatula, making sure the sides are iced too. Let the cake rest for two hours for the icing to set.
Make the blackberry sauce: Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until pureed. Pass the sauce through a strainer to remove the seeds.
Use immediately or refrigerate, covered, for up to three days. Bring to room temperature before serving. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

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