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Gluten Free Pasta with Peppers and Capers

December 21, 2014 by 2 Comments

The inspiration: A need for a quick meal and to clean out my fridge

Sunday afternoons find me with a need to make a quick meal to feed my family. We’ll have Shabbat leftovers for dinner, but lunch is always about using up what is in the house. Since starting FODMAP, the definition of a ‘quick’ meal has changed. Even so, I didn’t have 30 minutes or an hour to make something. So what to make that would be hot, filling, taste good, and FODMAP friendly?

The Innovation: Using a corn/rice blend pasta instead of completely rice pasta

I’ve tried making rice pasta – it was a mushy overcooked disaster. But at the same time I bought the rice pasta, I also bought a bag of corn/rice blend GF pasta as well. If I’ve never seen it before, I always want to try it. It cooks quickly, too – about the same time and way you’d cook regular pasta. While the pasta cooked, I could saute some peppers I had in the fridge, and add something for a hit of acid. Capers are lovely for that – cooking them a little reduces the astringency a good bit, leaving a lovely almost citrus flavor in its place.  When my two younger kids demanded second helpings, I knew I had a winner.

My Re-Interpretation: Gluten Free Pasta with Peppers and Capers

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Ingredients:

2 large red bell peppers, sliced into strips

1  8 oz bag of GF corn/rice pasta (I used Landau’s)

2 heaping tablespoons of large capers

Olive oil for sauteeing peppers, plus a tiny bit extra

Juice of half a lemon

Juice from the capers to taste

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste.

Dried parsley to taste

To Prepare:

1) Liberally salt the water for the pasta, when it reaches a boil add the pasta and stir frequently as it cooks to prevent clumps. Boil for about 7 -10 mins, testing at the 7 minute mark for doneness. When the pasta is al dente, remove from fire, drain from water and rinse lightly.

2) While you cook the pasta, add a bit of olive oil to your saute pan. When it is hot, add the peppers and parsley.

3) Saute the peppers at medium high heat for about 5 mins, or til the peppers start to soften and change color.

4) Add the capers, and cook for another 2-3 mins or until peppers are soft but not mushy.

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5) Add pepper-caper mixture to the cooled but still warm pasta. Mix in the caper juice, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

 

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Dinner, FODMAP, Healthy, Lunch, Main Dish, Photos, Side Dish Tagged With: ,

Salmon Salad with Donut Peaches and Pistachios

September 9, 2014 by 5 Comments

The inspiration: a long Shabbat afternoon spent with a friend

Shabbat afternoon is the time I use to catch up with my neighbors (who also happen to be good friends of mine).  I live in an apartment building in Brooklyn that is home to about 30 families, and we are all like one big extended family. So many a late Shabbat afternoon (about 2 hours before nightfall on Saturday afternoon) you will find my kids and I visiting a neighbor and sharing a light meal with them.  One of the foods we enjoy at that time besides challah is salad – something light to offset the heavy Shabbat lunch from several hours earlier. I will usually go to visit a friend with fresh produce or some sort of fish and between the two of us we make a couple of salads.

The innovation: pairing a fish with a stone fruit

Salads are fun – you can add so many different combinations. So one Shabbat afternoon I showed up to my friend’s house with donut peaches, leftover baked salmon, and roasted pistachios. It had been a last minute invite, and I was basically making it up as I went. This salad was originally made that Shabbat afternoon with iceberg lettuce, but the flavor of the peaches with the salmon and pistachios stuck with me. Donut peaches are not as sweet as regular peaches – they remind me of more of white peaches – and I find they work really well with salmon.

My interpretation:  Salmon Salad with Donut Peaches and Pistachios

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Ingredients

8 oz fresh, boneless/skinless salmon fillet, baked or grilled

10 to 12 oz spring greens or mesclun mix (you want a mixture that has both sweet and  bitter greens)

3 donut peaches, pitted and sliced

large handful of roasted pistachios, crushed

a scant drizzle of best quality light olive oil

a two-finger pinch of sea salt (if desired)

1) Make sure the salmon is completely chilled if you are preparing it fresh. I have used leftover salmon as well – warm fish will wilt your greens.

2) Carefully flake the salmon, and mix the fish, peaches, and olive oil into the greens with your hands delicately.

3) Taste and add sea salt now if desired. If not, top with pistachios.

 

Recipe for a simple baked salmon

In an aluminum tray or pan,  place your salmon skin side down. Add a sprinkle of salt and squeeze half of a fresh lemon over the fish. Cover tightly, bake at 350 for about 15mins. Fish is done when glistening and completely cooked through.

 

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Healthy, Lunch, Main Dish, Salad, Words and Photos Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Lazy Leftovers Make Super Summer Suppers: Roasted Chicken Salad with Provencal Style Tomatoes and Dijon Dressing

July 14, 2014 by 5 Comments

The inspiration: Leftover roasted chicken breasts, garbanzo beans that needed eating, fresh tomatoes, and a need for something to feed my family for lunch.

Leftover chicken breasts can be delicious, but they usually need something to accompany them to really make them taste their best. Rummaging around my fridge, I found some leftover garbanzo beans, and I had tomatoes that needed to be used up.  It was far too hot to stand over a stove to cook, and when I am feeling lazy I usually make some sort of salad. This way I feed my family quickly and it’s not too much work!

The innovation: Giving the whole salad a boost by adding seasoned, roasted tomatoes and a bit of Dijon-red wine vinegar dressing.

I had wanted to make Provencal style tomatoes for a while. I have a cookbook that I read to get inspired (The Provencal Cookbook by Gui Gedda and Marie-Pierre Moine) and I kept coming back to this recipe.  Even so, the salad still needed a kick, something to make it really delicious. I love a good Dijon dressing, and after dipping pieces of cold chicken into some Dijon mustard, I had the idea for this dressing.

This salad is full of flavors and textures – the softness of the salad greens, the bite from the Dijon and the red leaf lettuce, the smooth creaminess of the garbanzo beans, the silky texture and sweetness from the tomatoes, and the roasted flavor and heartiness of the chicken. I think that is what makes it a great salad – no two mouthfuls are indentical.

My Interpretation: Roasted Chicken Salad with Provencal Style Tomatoes and Dijon Dressing

chickensaladwithprovencaltomatoes.fwp

This recipe is a entree size portion for 2-3 adults.

Ingredients:

3 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts (already cooked and cooled completely)

2 cups already cooked garbanzo beans

4 beefsteak tomatoes

1/4 tsp of the following spices: sugar, fine sea salt, oregano, and garlic

1 (12oz) bag of butter lettuce/red leaf lettuce mix (or 12 oz of your preferred salad greens)

3 tblsp of Dijon mustard

2 tblsp of capers

2 tblsp of juice from the capers

2-3 oz of red wine vinegar

A three- finger pinch each of  sea salt and black pepper

Olive oil 

To Prepare:

1) Preheat oven to 400F. Cut the tomatoes in half, and with a spoon carefully scoop out the seeds and white interior (set aside for another use or dispose). Turn upside on a sheet tray and leave sit for at least 30 minutes to remove excess liquid. 

provencaltomatoes.fwp

2) Oil a oven-safe baking dish with a light layer of olive oil, and arrange tomatoes in dish cut-side up. Sprinkle insides with the sugar, fine sea salt, oregano, and garlic. Bake at 400F for about 45 mins, then remove and let cool to just above room temperature.

3) Cut the tomatoes into slices – you may notice that the skin comes away as you cut, and that is ideal. Whatever skin remains after cutting, carefully peel away. Refrigerate and chill completely.

4) While you wait for tomatoes to cool assemble the dressing. Using a stick blender, blend together everything except the olive oil.  Very slowly and in a thin stream add the olive oil til mixture looks a bit fluffy and is a very pale yellow.Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. 

5) To assemble, slice the chicken breasts on the bias, then cut in half down the middle (for a fancier presentation leave in strips) Add the garbanzo beans, and roasted tomatoes to the salad greens. To avoid over-dressing the salad, dip the fingertips of one hand into the dressing, then fold the dressing onto the salad, gently mixing the ingredients at the same time. Save leftover dressing for another use. 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Dinner, Healthy, Lunch, Main Dish, Salad, Words and Photos Tagged With: , , , , ,

Silvertip Roast with Mustard Crust (Maille Mustard Review)

June 9, 2014 by 6 Comments

Many thanks to Diana Castelnuovo-Tedesco of Fraiche PR  for sending me two full size jars of Maille mustard (1 Old Style and 1 Dijon Originale) to sample. All opinions are my own.

I’ve seen Maille mustard in my local supermarket, and chalked it up to one of those ingredients that I’d have in the fridge of my dreams. You know, the type of things that would be in your fridge if you had an unlimited food budget.

PHOTO CREDIT: http://maille.us/

PHOTO CREDIT: http://maille.us/

So when I got an email from Diana asking if I was interested in reviewing these products, I jumped at the chance.  I couldn’t wait to taste really excellent, kosher mustard (both of these are certified OU pareve).

I can say I wasn’t disappointed, and for the first time in my life tasted genuine Dijon mustard. In short, these are excellent products. I tasted a bit of each straight from the jar. The Old Style was a bit spicy, and I was surprised by how smooth the flavor was on my tongue. As soon as I tasted this, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it.

The Dijon Originale, however, gave me quite a surprise. In the past, I have tasted Grey Poupon, and was not thrilled with the taste – that had been a bit sharp and sour to the point my mouth puckered. Imagine my surprise when I taste this Dijon – bright, full of flavor – and a bit hot.  The heat lingers on the tongue a bit after eating it. After getting over my initial reaction, I found that I kept wanting more.

I will confess that I still need to develop a recipe for this mustard, but just try this- dip boiled red potatoes straight into the jar of Dijon Orignale – and then try to stop eating them. You will find it very hard, if not impossible. I know this from personal experience.

As for the Old Style mustard, I highly recommend using it as a crust on a roast. Be generous – the flavor is distinct but not overpowering, and I can say this was one of the best roasts I have ever made.

Silvertip Roast with Mustard Crust

Ingredients:

2 Silvertip Roasts, about 3 lbs each

2 cups dry red wine

Salt and Pepper for sprinkling

Half a jar of Maille Old Style mustard

2 shallots, sliced

1 pack of crimini mushrooms, cleaned and left whole

1 large Spanish onion, cut in half then cut into slices

To Prepare:

1) Pre-heat oven to 350F.  In a disposable aluminum tray (or doubled up 2 gallon Ziploc bags) pour the red wine over roasts and set in the fridge for a minimum of 20 mins, turning once midway through. While the roasts are marinating, prepare your vegetables and set aside.

2) Remove roasts and discard wine, gently pat dry and sprinkle salt and pepper over top and bottom of roasts.

3) Using a roasting pan with insert, arrange the vegetables on the bottom of the pan. Add the insert, placing the roasts on it. Using a brush (or your fingertips)  liberally apply the mustard all over the roasts, top and bottom. maille1fwp 4) Loosely cover with aluminum foil and roast for 1 hour, uncovering half way through. The temperature at this point will be about 140F, or mid-rare. I would not recommend cooking this style of roast much past mid rare to meduim (150F).

5) Leave roasts to cool at room temperature at least one hour, or until it is barely warm when touched. Slice on a diagonal, and serve with the roasted mushrooms and onions from the bottom of the pan.

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For more information on these specific varieties of mustard, as well as Maille’s other products, please visit their website: http://maille.us/

Filed Under: Dinner, Main Dish, Photos, Product Reviews, Words Tagged With: , , , ,

Kol Foods: A Series on Duck part 2

March 10, 2014 by 6 Comments

The ducks used in these recipes are from KOL Foods. (http://kolfoods.com/) I received no other compensation – all opinions are my own.

The second part of this series focuses on duck bones. Many people simply throw them into the garbage, and that is a shame. Duck bones, when roasted and then simmered with vegetables and herbs, can make a fantastic stock.

Duck stock, quite frankly, is something to get obsessed with. It has a richness of flavor and a gaminess that chicken stock (which is delicious) does not have.  It compliments both beef and chicken dishes quite well, adding an extra, welcome element of flavor.

Since I tend to use my stocks in more or less the same dishes, (lentils, rice, soups, for boiling pasta or potatoes) I keep the flavors simple so I can add what spices I want when I am preparing my final dish.

Recipe for Duck Stock

Bones from 2 whole KOL Foods ducks, with a bit of meat remaining

1 bunch of celery, chopped

3 large carrots, peeled and chopped

2 large white onions, large dice

2 parsnips, peeled and chopped

handful of garlic cloves, smashed and roughly minced

1/3 of a 750ml bottle of dry white wine

Small amount of olive oil

1) Arrange duck bones on a tray in a single layer. Add a scant handful each of salt and pepper. Drizzle with canola oil and roast at 400F for 1.5 hrs.  Let cool in oven.

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2) Heat stock pot well, and add olive oil, garlic, celery and onions. Cook until garlic is fragrant and onions are getting soft, about 5-7 mins on high.

3)Lower flame to medium and add carrots and parsnips. Put a lid on the pot and leave sweat for about 15 mins, til you start to see the carrots soften a little and there is some liquid in the bottom of the pot.

4) Add your duck bones – make sure to scrape all the dark bits off the tray- and red wine, mix to combine. Cover and leave this mixture to sweat 15-20 mins on medium- low flame.

duckbonespot

5) Add  COLD water to fill the pot to about 2 inches from the top. Raise flame til water is at a strong simmer, not quite a boil, then lower, stir and leave cook on a low flame for 2 hours at the most, stirring once or twice.

6) Take a clean pot and put a colander over top. Strain the stock through the colander, and leave sit for 30 mins. Even after you pour the vegetables into the colander, all the liquid doesn’t come out right away. If you want, you can take a potato masher and gently press down on the cooked vegetables to extract as much liquid as possible.

7) Remove colander and dispose cooked veg. Clean out original pot you used, and cover top with cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer (I use a fine mesh strainer). Carefully pour liquid to catch tiny pieces. Your result should be a vegetable stock that is clear, mild-smelling and a light gold in color.

8) Cool completely and refrigerate or freeze. Lasts for a few weeks in the freezer, a week at most in the fridge.

 

 

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KOL Foods: A Series on Duck part 1

February 10, 2014 by 5 Comments

The ducks used in these recipes are from KOL Foods. (http://kolfoods.com/) I received no other compensation – all opinions are my own.

Nearly a year ago, I was given my first chance to taste and review KOL Foods poultry. I wrote a series of posts back then regarding my experience and opinions on the product (http://foodwordsphotos.com/kol-foods-a-revolution-in-kosher-meat/  and http://foodwordsphotos.com/kol-foods-a-revolution-in-kosher-meat-part-2-review-and-giveaway/). So when I was given this second opportunity to review their duck, I didn’t hesitate to take KOL Foods up on their generous offer.

I was requested to develop recipes for the following: a whole roasted duck, a recipe using the bones to make stock, and a recipe using the leftover meat and stock.  This assignment was right up my street – I am an advocate of using every part of an ingredient as possible. One tiny problem: I’ve never cooked duck before.  But it couldn’t be that difficult, could it?

After asking about, I was seriously beginning to wonder if for the first time in my blogging career I’d bitten off more than I could chew. But the ducks were on their way, I already said I’d do it, and that was that. Enter my pal Simone. For traditional French or Middle Eastern cuisine, I have no better resource. The ideas and recipes I get from her are simply elegant, and incredibly easy to execute.

Duck is delicious when cooked to mid- rare and treated very simply.  Thanks goes to Simone for the majority of this concept and recipe.  The following recipe is for 2 ducks, about 4 lbs each. Add a starch and a vegetable, and you have a fantastic meal for a family.

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Recipe for Roasted Duck

2 4lb KOL Foods ducks

1 bottle of red wine

1 16 oz bottle of Pom Cherry Juice

Salt and Pepper to season

Meat thermometer

Take two 2 gallon Ziploc bags and put them inside each other to form one bag (to make it extra strong) Inside the Ziploc, place your ducks one on top of the other, then add your wine and juice. Lay on its side inside a deep pan, and leave marinate in the liquids overnight, turning once or twice.

The next day, preheat your oven to 400F. Remove ducks from Ziplocs, discarding the liquid. Place ducks breast side down on the rack of a roasting tray (or two trays, if they don’t both fit one one) and remove neck from cavity, setting alongside the ducks on the roasting rack. Using a scant handful of salt and pepper, season your ducks inside and out and tie the legs together and the ends with kitchen twine.

Roast in oven for 1 hr at 400F – about 35 mins in, flip duck over so breast side is up. After one hour, use a meat thermometer to determine temperature. When plunged into the thickest part of the breast, it should be a minimum of 150F. I would not recommend cooking higher than this temperature – as the duck rests it cooks a bit more.

Leave duck rest for about an hour and 15 mins before cutting, then cut lengthwise to serve. Each side can then be cut down into wing, breast and leg pieces.

For my family, I chose to serve the duck with herb-roasted baby potatoes and grilled endive – recipe will be in a future blogpost.

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Filed Under: Dinner, Main Dish, Photos, Product Reviews, Words and Photos Tagged With: , , , ,

Cranberry-Almond Bread Pudding

December 25, 2013 by 12 Comments

The Inspiration: A loaf of leftover challah from Shabbat, and a freezing cold day.

I live in a co-op building, and one day this past week they shut off the heat for an entire day to repair the boiler. It was raining, cold, and altogether dreary. I was desperate to bake something to warm my house, but couldn’t decide what.  I found a whole challah leftover from Shabbat, and nothing warms up a house faster than bread pudding. It’s easy to make, bakes pretty quickly, and is delicious right out of the oven.

The Innovation: Using oil instead of margarine to brown the bread.

I hear so much about how margarine is not good for you. Even if it is trans-fat free, there are much healthier alternatives. I wanted to see if I used oil if I would get the same result I do with margarine. I love bread pudding with a gorgeous, toasty crust and a soft center. Finding a bit of cottonseed oil in my cabinet, I got to work.

My interpretation: Cranberry-Almond Bread Pudding:

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I was very pleased with the result – a delicious bread pudding with a crispy, nutty top that is not too sweet, a soft, light center, and none of the greasy mouth-feel that margarine can sometimes leave behind.

Recipe:

6 cups of challah, cut into large cubes (I used water challah, but you can also use egg challah, but leave it to dry first)

1/3 C cottonseed or other light-tasting oil suitable for baking

2 C vanilla flavored almond milk

1 and 1/2 C sugar, plus a 1/4 C for sprinkling

2 capfuls of best quality vanilla extract 

Generous pinch of salt

9 meduim eggs

5 oz dried cranberries

3 oz slivered almonds

Heat a large pot, adding the challah then the oil. Stir repeatedly, to ensure all the bread is well-coated, and lower flame so it will gently toast. Take care not to over-brown; stir til bread is a light golden brown, then turn off flame. Do not remove pot from burner.

Prepare the rest of your ingredients except the slivered almonds in a separate container, whisk well to combine.

Add the wet ingredients to the challah, fold gently to combine well and pour into a oven-safe casserole dish or oven-to-tableware.

Sprinkle the slivered almonds and the sugar on top. Bake in oven at 350F for about 30 mins or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out hot and clean. Leave sit in oven til mostly cooled for best result.

 

 

Filed Under: Breakfast, Dairy Free, Photos, Side Dish, Words and Photos Tagged With: , , ,

December Kosher Connection LinkUp: Fagiuoli all’Uccelletto with Beef and Mushrooms

December 16, 2013 by 18 Comments

This month’s linkup topic is Comfort Food. Perfect for this time of year, I’d say, with the cold and wind. It’s the time of year one fires up the stove top and makes dish after dish that simmer for hours to make a meal that warm the home and satisfy both body and soul.

This dish is a compilation of everything I love: it has wine, fresh herbs and garlic, white beans that melt in your mouth and meat so tender you can cut it with a spoon. Fresh tomato sauce reminds me of summer, and the mushrooms add a bit of taste and texture.

The actual preparation of this dish is not difficult at all, but to make all the components from scratch, as I do, you will want to have some time on your hands.  Let me give you the recipe, and then I will include links to recipes on my blog how to prepare the individual ingredients like the stock and tomato sauce.

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This recipe makes quite a lot – easily divide in half if you are serving for yourself or a few people. It is quite delicious fresh, but as with a lot of stews and slow cooked meals the leftovers are even better the next day!

You will need:

1 lb dried white beans

2 lbs stew beef

2 quarts tomato sauce

3 quarts stock or water

1 1/2 lb sliced button mushrooms

1 large handful fresh parsley finely minced (leaves only, save stems for stock)

7 fresh sage leaves finely minced  (leaves only, save stems for stock)

14 fresh tarragon leaves finely minced (leaves only save stems for stock)

5 fresh garlic cloves, finely minced

Generous two finger pinch dried orange peel

Salt and pepper to taste

1/3 C dry red wine

Olive oil

1) Take 1 lb of dried white beans and soak in 2 quarts cold water or stock with a generous splash of wine added. Soak for 12 hours. Leaves beans sit as you prepare the rest of the recipe

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2) Take 2 lbs stew beef (preferably from the shoulder or chuck) and pat dry. Add a touch of salt and pepper to all pieces. Get a saute pan very hot, add a bit of olive oil. Sear all pieces on both sides for about 3-5 minutes, or until you develop a good browned layer. Remove beef from pan, set aside.  Do not clean saute pan – you will need that for the mushrooms.

3) Drain beans, and add 1 quart stock, 2 quarts tomato sauce, and the stew beef. Bring just to the boil, then lower to a simmer. Stir occasionally, leave simmer for a minimum of 3 hours. It is done when you can smash a bean easily between two fingers, and the meat is soft and tender.

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4) With the saute pan from the seared meat, add a tiny bit of olive oil and cook the garlic first, til it starts to brown. Add your mushrooms, herbs, and dried orange peel and cook til there is practically no liquid left – about 30 mins on medium heat. To help in the reduction, remove excess liquid at times and add to the beans and meat mixture. When the mushrooms have shrunk to half their original size, and there is only a tiny bit of liquid in the pan, raise heat to high and add your wine. Reduce til there is barely any liquid, and the edges of the mushrooms start to brown and crisp up.

5) When beans and meat are finished, garnish with a generous spoonful of the mushrooms and enjoy!

Recipe for Vegetable Stock (photo step-by-step as well as recipe) http://foodwordsphotos.com/the-basic-kitchen-vegetable-stock/

Recipe for Tomato Sauce (http://foodwordsphotos.com/fagiuoli-alluccelletto-with-sausage/

 

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Filed Under: Dinner, Healthy, Main Dish, Photos, Words and Photos Tagged With: , , , ,

The Simply Inspired Kitchen: Vegetable Stock

December 12, 2013 by 15 Comments

A lot of times I hear people say, “I followed the package/recipe/directions and my food still seems to taste bland. What can I do besides adding salt to give my food good flavor?” When I prepare savory dishes (the workhorses of my repertoire) and the preparation or recipe calls for water, I immediately substitute for vegetable stock.

Stock is a preparation of taking various ingredients like vegetables, meats or fish and simmering with spices and herbs to make a very flavorful liquid.  I use it for everything – from soaking my beans, cooking pasta and rice, to steaming vegetables. stockbasics I like vegetable stock for its versatility. I clean out my produce drawers once a week, and anything that isn’t fresh enough to use in a salad or cooked dish goes for stock. Celery or carrots look a little limp? Tomato a bit too soft for a salad? No problem! The beauty of veggie stock is that produce that is not perfect gets utilized and you cut down on what you throw away.

 

Let me give you my basic stock recipe. This makes quite a lot, so you will want to tailor the amount to your personal needs. It’s very mild in flavor, so when you use it in a recipe, you can add your preferred seasonings at that time. You will note there is no salt, pepper, herbs or spices in this recipe – it is intentional to keep the flavors as clean as possible.

1 bunch of celery, chopped

3 large carrots, peeled and chopped

3 large green zucchinis, peeled and chopped

2 large white onions, large dice

2 parsnips, peeled and chopped

1 tomato, cored and sliced

handful of garlic cloves, smashed and roughly minced

1/4 of a 750ml bottle of dry white wine

Small amount of olive oil

1) Heat stock pot well, and add oil, garlic, celery and onions. Cook until garlic is fragrant and onions are getting soft, about 5-7 mins on high. step1stockmaking

 

 

 

 

 

2)Lower flame to medium and add carrots and parsnips. Put a lid on the pot and leave sweat for about 15 mins, til you start to see the carrots soften a little and there is some liquid in the bottom of the pot.

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3) Add your zucchini and wine, stir well to combine,and recover, leaving for about 10 mins or until squash softens a little.

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4) Add your tomato and COLD water to fill the pot to about 2 inches from the top. Raise flame til water is at a strong simmer, not quite a boil, then lower, stir and leave cook on a low flame for 2 hours at the most, stirring once or twice. step4stockmaking

 

 

 

 

 

5) Take a clean pot and put a colander over top. Strain the stock through the colander, and leave sit for 30 mins. Even after you pour the vegetables into the colander, all the liquid doesn’t come out right away. If you want, you can take a potato masher and gently press down on the cooked vegetables to extract as much liquid as possible.

6) Remove colander and dispose cooked veg. Clean out original pot you used, and cover top with cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer (I use a fine mesh strainer). Carefully pour liquid to catch tiny pieces. Your result should be a vegetable stock that is clear, mild-smelling and a light gold in color.

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7) Cool completely and refrigerate or freeze. Lasts for months in the freezer, a week at most in the fridge.

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The Best Chanukah Present: Oreillettes

December 5, 2013 by 11 Comments

Chanukah came and went so fast this year! This past Sunday, I hosted my family for a dinner party at my home, and I got a chance to use a recipe that was given to me. I treasure this recipe – it is from a very lovely lady named Simone, and it is her own personal recipe.  Just like any good, heirloom recipe, the measurements were not exact, so I had to tinker a little to get it to where it needed to be.

Oreillettes means ‘little pillows’ in French (I have also seen it translated as ‘ little pig ears’, but little pillows sounds so much nicer, I think!). I originally saw a recipe for this dessert in Richard Olney’s ‘Provence the Beautiful’ cookbook and really wanted to make it. Since I had an unpleasant experience making a dessert from there previously, I went to someone I knew who was expert in French cuisine for their recipe.

The dough is silky smooth, and a dream to roll and cut. When placed into hot oil, they puff up almost immediately. Dusted with sugar, this Provencal treat is considered by many as the ‘sweet lover’s potato chip’.  I can see why – they are so light and airy, you could eat handfuls at one time, just like potato chips!

This recipe as is makes several dozen – halve the recipe if you are only making for yourself or a few people!

oreillettesfwp12213

 

Oreillettes

9 C flour

1 1/4 C almond milk  (can also use regular milk)

3 stick margarine, melted (can also use butter)

5 eggs

2 pinches salt

Zest from 2 oranges 

3 tsp rum

confectioner’s or icing sugar for coating ( I used regular sugar because that is what I had)

36 oz of cottonseed or peanut oil for frying

 

In a large bowl, add the flour and make a well in the center. Add half of the melted margarine, and work the flour in slowly, bringing from the outside in, going around the bowl. When all incorporated, add the eggs and knead together. To the remainder of the melted margarine, add the salt, rum, almond milk, and zest, mix lightly. Transfer dough to mixer with hook attachment. On low speed add the rest of the melted margarine. Mix on low speed til dough is extremely soft and silky to the touch.  Leave dough rest in a covered bowl in warm place for 2 hours.

After 2 hours, take dough and cut in half, working with one piece at a time, keeping the other piece in a covered bowl.  At this point heat oil in heavy pot or pan.  Roll the dough as thinly as possibly, and cut into strips, then on a diagonal to make diamonds.

When oil is hot add 8-10 little pieces at a time. Test with a tiny piece of dough first- if it sinks and stays at the bottom it is not hot enough. If it sinks and pops up right away, it is ready for frying. Fry for about 2 mins, til you see holes form on the pieces. Remove with slotted spoon to paper-towel covered tray, dust generously with sugar and serve immediately.

 

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