Recipes/Food ideas
SPICY DILL QUICK PICKLES by Wendy Gordon
I use pickling cucumbers for these, but you could also use small zucchini, cauliflower, green beans, broccoli stems, or carrots. This recipe can readily be doubled.
3 T kosher salt
2 T sugar
1 1/4 cups cider vinegar (pasteurized; 5% acidity)
2 T coriander seeds
6 large garlic cloves, halved
5 long green or red chilies, halved lengthwise
16 dill sprigs
Pack vegetables into 2 sterilized 1-quart jars. Tuck dill sprigs and chilies in between veggies. In another jar combine salt, sugar, vinegar, coriander, and garlic. Cover and shake until the salt and sugar dissolve. Add 2 cups of water and pour the brine over the vegetables. Add more water if necessary to keep the vegetables submerged. Close the jars and refrigerate. The pickles will be ready to eat in about a week and should last up to 3 months in the refrigerator.
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BASIC HOT PEPPER SAUCE
This couldn't be simpler, but it's great!
3 cups distilled white vinegar
2 lbs hot peppers (cayenne, jalapeno, or any other type)
2 tsp kosher salt
Simmer vinegar, salt and pepper for 5 minutes in a large saucepan. Puree in food processor. Store in a sterilized glass bottle in a dark closet for 3 months; strain when ready to use. Refrigerate after opening.
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Salmon Fillets with Basil Chimichurri Sauce
Standard big-leaf Italian basil works fine in this dish but you can also substitute more exotic basils if you are growing them in your garden or find them at the farmer's market. I particularly like lemon, lime, or Greek-style basil. If by any chance you have "green garlic" in your garden (garlic that hasn't formed bulbs yet) you can substitute a few stalks of that for the garlic cloves and shallot.
11/2 lbs wild-caught local or Alaskan salmon (2 pounds if you're really hungry)
Sauce: 1 bunch basil (approximately 1 cup) stemmed and coarsely chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro, stemmed and coarsely chopped
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1) Cook salmon in the method you prefer. I like grilling or pan-frying, but you can also broil or bake the fish. Be careful not to overcook.
2) In a blender or food processor, combine all the other ingredients except the oil. With the machine running, gradually add the oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Brush the fish with some of the sauce and serve the rest on the side. Leftovers can be stored, covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Bring up to room temperature before serving. This sauce also tastes good on chicken, steak, rice, or steamed vegetables.
Serves 4.
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Oregon Strawberry and Arugula Salad
This recipe is adapted from one served at Timberline Lodge. You can use California strawberries but Oregon strawberries are smaller and sweeter, and can only be eaten now, in this tantalizingly short season. If you have red onions in your garden (some miraculously appeared in mine, after failing to bulb all last year) they will taste great here.
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup raw sugar or honey
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions, broken into strips
4 T extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
1/4 cup chopped, toasted hazelnuts (these can be toasted in the microwave but preferably in the oven, for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees. Rub as much skin as possible off with your hands.)
1/4 tsp sea salt
6 oz arugula
1 oz sheep's milk cheese (manchego works well), shaved with a vegetable peeler
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries, cut crosswise
freshly ground pepper to taste
1) Warm vinegar and sugar or honey in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sweetener is dissolved. Place onion slices in a small bowl, toss with vinegar mixture, and leave and least 2 hours to pickle. Drain onion and reserve liquid.
2) Heat 1 T oil in a small sauté pan, add hazelnuts, and stir to coat with oil. Sprinkle salt over nuts and sauté, stirring, for 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3) In a large salad bowl, combine arugula, cheese, hazelnuts, drained onions and strawberries. Lightly toss with the pickling liquid and remaining 3 T olive oil.
4) Add pepper to taste and serve. Serves 6.
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Ella’s Vegetarian Kharcho Serves 6-8
1 large or 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped (2 cups packed)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 can (28oz.) of Italian tomatoes, quartered (do not discard the juice)
6 cups water
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1/3 cup long grain or basmati rice
2 tablespoons khmeli-suneli spice mix*
2-4 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large bunch fresh cilantro
1 bunch Italian parsley
1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
1) In a large saucepan (4-quarts) heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, lower heat and sauté for 5-7 minutes until lightly browned.
2) Add tomatoes and all the juices from the can into the pot with the onions. Increase the heat and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
3) Add water, 1½ teaspoon salt, rice, 1 tablespoon khmeli-suneli, 2 garlic cloves. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes, mixing occasionally.
4) Meanwhile, chop cilantro and parsley. You should have 1½ cups cilantro (more is OK) and 1 cup parsley. Mix together ½ cup cilantro and ½ cup parsley and set aside to add to the soup at the table.
5) Add the rest of the chopped herbs (1 cup cilantro and ½ cup parsley) to the saucepan with the soup. Add walnuts, pomegranate molasses, and the remaining khmeli-suneli. Mix. Taste the soup and add more salt and chopped garlic if desired.
6) Cook for 3-5 minutes more. Check the rice—if it is not soft enough, cook soup for a few more minutes. Take the saucepan off the heat.
7) At serving time, add 1-2 tablespoons of fresh herbs to each bowl.
Notes:
1. Good Italian tomatoes are packed in a thick tomato paste. If your tomatoes are watery, just add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste at the same time as the tomatoes.
2) Pomegranate molasses are available from Russian or Middle Eastern grocers. You can substitute with 1 teaspoon tamarind paste diluted in 1-2 tablespoons of water, or (non-traditional) 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice.
3) Khmeli-suneli is a traditional Georgian spice mix. As with any traditional spice mix, like curry or garam masala, every household and every merchant has their own particular combination. It is available from Russian delicatessens or online from www.worldspice.com. Or use the recipe below for my mother’s favorite version.
4) If you’re interested in the traditional, meat version of kharcho, there are lots of recipes available. I recommend the version in “Please to the Table: The Russian Cookbook”.
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Ella’s Khmeli-Suneli Spice Mix
Khmeli-suneli is a very versatile mix. Use it as a rub for grilled meat or chicken. Turn your ordinary stew into an exotic dish. Spice roasted vegetables, potatoes, chicken or fish. Makes ¾ cup.
8 teaspoons fenugreek leaves (Kasoori Methi available where Indian spices are sold)
4 teaspoons dry marigold petals (available at herbalists or health food stores)
2 teaspoons dry mint
1 tablespoon dry summer savory
1 tablespoon dry basil leaves
1 tablespoon dry tarragon leaves
1 tablespoon dry parsley leaves
5 tablespoon ground coriander seeds
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (Indian is best)
1-2 teaspoons mild chili powder, depending how hot you want it
2 teasoons ground fenugreek seeds
Crumble fenugreek leaves, marigold petals, mint, summer savory, basil, tarragon and parsley using a pestle and mortar, or in a small bowl with your fingers. Add ground coriander, cloves, cinnamon, chili powder and fenugreek. Mix well and store in an airtight container for up to three months.
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Creole Matzo Balls
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 to 2 1/2 teaspoons Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning
2 large eggs
1 packet (from a 5-oz package) matzo ball mix
Kosher salt
1) In a small nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the parsley and Creole seasoning and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
2) Scrape the onion mixture into a medium bowl and let cool slightly. Add the eggs and remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Mix with a fork until the eggs are well broken up. Add the matzah ball mix and stir until blended. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
3) Meanwhile, fill a large saucepan with water. Cover and bring to a boil. Moisten your hands and form the matzo ball mixture into 12 balls, using a heaping tablespoon mixture for each.
4) Add a big pinch of salt to the boiling water and drop the matzo balls in. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Serve soon, or with a slotted spoon, transfer to a container. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Reheat matzah balls in soup or in the microwave.
Makes 12 matzo balls, 6 servings.
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, Louisiana
By Wendy Gordon
Thanks to my Louisiana friend Denise Broussard for her gumbo guidance and inspiration.
If you keep kosher, make the gumbo with kosher smoked beef sausage or knockwurst. If the sausage is not spicy, you will need to pump up the heat. Try adding 1/4 teaspoon more cayenne at first. When the gumbo is almost done (and the chicken is cooked) taste the sauce. If it is not spicy enough, add more cayenne to taste. Let it cook for a few minutes, then taste again.
Olive oil
1 pound trimmed, sliced fresh okra, or 1 package
(10 oz) frozen sliced okra, thawed and well drained
4 links (12 oz) spicy smoked poultry sausage or spicy kosher beef sausage, sliced 1/2-inch thick
Eight bone-in chicken thighs (about 3 pounds), trimmed, or 2 pounds skinless, boneless, chicken-breast halves, cut in rough 1 1/2-inch chunks
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 large stalk celery, chopped
4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 recipe Baked Roux (recipe listed below)
1 box (32 oz) chicken broth
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes in juice, undrained
1 cup water
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 batch Creole Matzah Balls, optional, or steamed white rice
1) In a heavy medium skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the okra and cook, stirring often, until tender and starting to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Set aside.
2) Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring often, until browned, about 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl.
3) Season the chicken thighs or breast chunks with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the drippings in the skillet and heat over medium heat.
4) Add about half of the chicken. Cook, turning once, until lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove to the bowl with the sausage. Repeat with the remaining chicken, taking care that the drippings don’t burn.
5) If necessary, discard all but 1 tablespoon drippings from pan. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in the thyme, cayenne pepper to taste, remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and remaining 1 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring, 30 seconds.
6) Transfer to a Dutch oven and stir in the roux until well blended. Cook, stirring, over medium-high heat, until the roux is hot. Gradually stir in the chicken broth, tomatoes with their juices, water, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, stirring often.
7) Stir in the chicken and sausage along with any juices, and the okra. Return to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, and skimming off the fat, until the chicken is tender and cooked through, and the sauce lightly thickened, about 30 minutes for chicken breasts, 45 minutes for chicken thighs.
8) Taste and adjust the seasonings, if necessary. The gumbo will be even more flavorful the next day. If desired, serve with Creole Matzah Balls or steamed rice.
Makes 6 generous servings with leftovers.
Baked Roux
This technique is adapted from John Martin Taylor’s wonderful book, The New Southern Cook (Bantam Books).
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup canola oil
1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a 9x9-inch cake pan or other small metal pan, stir together the flour and oil.
2) Bake, stirring with a wooden spoon every 10 to 15 minutes, until the roux turns a rich, dark, caramel-brown, 45 to 60 minutes.
3) Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan. Some oil will float to the top. Store airtight.
Makes a scant 1/2 cup roux.
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Non-traditional latkes
Andrine’s Vegetable Latkes (slightly adapted by Liz)
Note: For those allergic to gluten, this recipe can be made with gluten free alternatives, which I’ve included.
Carrots, parsnips, butternut squash (peeled and seeded), zucchini, in whatever amounts you choose
1-2 onions
eggs (6ish) or sub egg-replacer or ground flax seed soaked in warm water.
Matzo meal and/or potato starch (if you want gluten free latkes, use a gluten free baking mix or some mixture of gluten-free flours: rice, arrowroot, garbanzo, millet, quinoa; you also can add baking soda or some GF baking powder)
salt & pepper to taste
lots of olive oil
apple sauce & sour cream for topping
Wash and/or peel all the vegetables according to your preference (save peels as desired for making vegetable broth later). Grate up all the veggies. In a large bowl, combine all the grated veggies. Beat up some eggs and add them to veggies. Add more eggs until it looks right; moist and gooey but not too wet. Sprinkle on some matzo meal and/or potato starch or GF baking mix until a handful holds together. Salt and pepper to taste.
Heat up some pans with olive oil, enough to cover the bottom of the pan in a shallow pool. When the oil is hot, spoon in enough latke mixture to make a 4" patty and fry in the oil until browned, then flip and cook the other side. I press mine down so that they’re about 1/4-1/2" thick. When fully cooked, remove latke to a baking sheet with absorbent paper to sop up the oil (paper towels work, as would newspaper in a pinch), and store in a warm oven until all the latkes are cooked. Keep adding oil as needed to keep the latkes cooking.
Greta’s Great Latkes
2-2.5 lbs. yams
1 med-large onion
big hunk of ginger (the more the better)
all grated together (I used a food processor, reg blade). I meant to add an apple but I forgot - this would be a good variation.
3 eggs, 1/4 C matzoh meal, 1 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper - all beaten together
Mix it all together, make patties, fry in lots of oil, drain on paper towels, serve with applesauce
Veggie-Feta Latkes
1/2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup peeled and shredded potatoes
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup matzo meal
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Directions
Place the zucchini, potato and carrots in a colander, place paper towels or a cheesecloth over the top and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Sprinkle salt over the vegetables and let them drain for 15 minutes. Squeeze vegetable again in paper towels.
In a large mixing bowl combine eggs, vegetables, salt and pepper. Mix well. Stir in matzo meal or flour, parsley and feta.
Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan. Place vegetable mixture, formed into pancake sized cakes in hot oil and fry until golden brown on both sides. (Cook two to three minutes per side). Add more oil as needed to keep cakes frying up well. Drain fried latkes on paper towels.
You can find more great non-traditional latke recipes here.
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Salmon with Pea Shoots and Leek (from a member of Boulder Tuv Ha'Aretz in Boulder, Colorado):
1 lb skinless salmon fillet, cubed
1/4 cup wholegrain mustard
1 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp oil
1 large leek, white and light green only, julienned
2 Tbsp Tamari
2 tsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp honey
2 1/2 cup snow pea sprouts
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup slivered almonds
Place salmon, mustard and lime in ceramic bowl and toss to coat. Heat wok very hot. Add oil. Add salmon (in batches if necessary) and stir fry until slightly browned. Remove. Add 1 Tbsp water along with the leek and stir fry until golden brown. Return the salmon. Add the tamari, fish sauce and honey. Cook until the salmon is heated through. Toss with the sprouts and cilantro and heat until they are wilted - it doesn't take long. Sprinkle with almonds. Serve over rice.
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Wendy Gordon's PEACH CHUTNEY
This savory peach chutney captures the nuances of fresh peaches as well as any pie and serves as a wonderful accompaniment to sandwiches or Sephardic dishes.
About 10 firm peaches or unpeeled nectarines
2 cups golden raisins, dried cherries, apricots, or currants
One and one half cups chopped onions
1 cup cider vinegar
One-half cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 T fresh ginger, minced
2 tsp black mustard seeds
2 hot peppers (jalapenos work well), minced
2 tsp ground coriander
2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
2 tsp ground cardamom
2 tsp kosher salt
One-half tsp turmeric
1) Plunge the fruit into boiling water for 1 minute. Remove, plunge into cold water and strip off the peels. Chop into half inch pieces.
2) Combine all the ingredients in a heavy 2-3 quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced by about one half and the mixture has a syrupy texture.
3) The chutney can be canned using the boiling water method or frozen in half pint containers.
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Chana Andler's Mint Limeade
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, plus sprigs for garnish
3 limes wedges, plus additional slices for granish
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
sugar or honey to taste
2 cups water
Club soda
Muddle the mint leaves and lime wedges in the bottom of a large pitcher. Add lime juice, water, honey or sugar and mix thoroughly. Top off with club soda, to taste. Pour into glasses over ice and serve. Garnish each glass with a lime wedge and mint sprigs, if desired. You can also add white rum to this if you like.
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Chana Andler's Indian Black Garbanzo Humus
2 cups Kala Channa/desi garbanzo (whole black garbanzo beans from India)**
Soak beans overnight. Drain. Put beans in a pot. Add 4 cups water + 1 tsp salt to the beans. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 2+ hours till beans are tender. Stir occasionally.
When beans are cooked, chop onion and garlic and add to beans, along with garam marsala, chili powder, cumin and 4 TBSP lemon juice. Simmer for another 15-20 minutes. Add salt and pepper as needed. The beans can now be served as part of an Indian meal.
To turn them into humus, let cool. Then, put into a food processor with 3 TBSP lemon juice. Use the knife blade to puree. As it is pureeing, drizzle in olive oil until it reaches the consistency you like for humus. Correct the seasonings (add additional, salt, lemon juice, or cumin as needed). Serve with pita and/or raw veggies.
**Note: Kala Channa is sold locally in Portland by Trikona Food Inc. (503-617-9507). I bought my beans at Sheridan Produce on MLK, but if you contact the company they can probably tell you other local stores where they distribute their products.