Can you grill dairy foods?

That’s a dilemma (sort of) this weekend as we celebrate two holidays at once! For Jews, it’s Shavuot. For all Americans, it’s Memorial Day, the unofficial start of the grilling season.

As far as the food stuff goes, Shavuot is the “dairy” holiday. When we eat all things cheese (as well as other dairy products), especially cheesecake. 

But, except for a few items, like grilled halloumi cheese, which is quite delicious (cut the cheese into strips, coat them with olive oil, stick them on a skewer and grill them until they’re crispy on the outside), we don’t grill most dairy products.

However, we can grill fish and eat them with other dairy products.

Or grill meat and eat some wonderful side dishes (and save the cheesecake for another time during the holiday).

This wheatberry salad fits perfectly into both holiday meals. It is a substantial side dish, you can make it ahead and it can be either dairy or non-dairy (leave the cheese out, substitute nothing or some other vegetable of tofu). You can make this into a meat-based salad too — add some cut up grilled chicken or beef, etc.

Matter of fact, this is a good, healthy salad choice for the entire summer.

My kids love when I make this kind of salad. This is the young generation’s way to eat now. Less meat, more whole grains and veggies. You can use this salad as part of a vegetarian meal.

Also, just as you can leave out the cheese, you can make this dish with a different grain (like barley or quinoa). Use different herbs. Play around with the recipe and invent on your own. Cook the grain according to the directions on the package. The rest, as the great sage Hillel said, “is commentary.”

Wheatberry Salad with Tomatoes and Olives

1 cup wheatberries

3 cups water

1 15-ounce can (drained) black beans

1 large avocado, cut into chunks

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 cup halved grape tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1 cup chopped cheese or meat (optional)

1 fresh serrano pepper, deseeded and finely chopped

2 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves

1/3 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vingar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Healthy and delicious all in one dish? 

Some say it can’t be done.

But I have found out differently over the years.

Take sweet potatoes and coconut oil. They’re both “good for you” according to most recent findings. Put them together and what have you got? More than bibbedy bobbedy boo, that’s for sure.

Like this recipe I tried yesterday. These sweet potatoes are lightly sweet — I added just one tablespoon of maple syrup — they don’t need more really. I remember my Mom made candied sweets using an entire stick of butter and about a half box of brown sugar for a large can, including liquid, of cut up sweet potatoes. Yes, it was dee-lish. But also loaded with fat and calories. So if you are looking for a recipe that’s lighter, healthier and with lower fat and calories, try this one.

It’s pretty too, don’t you think?

Sweet Potatoes with Coconut Oil and Maple

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 tablespoon maple syrup

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into julienne

2 scallions, chopped

1 large clove garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary or parsley or use thyme leaves

sea salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Heat the coconut oil and maple syrup together in a small saucepan over medium-low heat for about one minute or until the coconut oil liquefies. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the scallions, garlic and herb on top. Pour the coconut oil-maple mixture over the vegetables and toss the ingredients to coat the vegetables. Sprinkle with sea salt. Roast for 22-24 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and lightly crispy. Makes 4-6 servings

Healthy and delicious all in one dish? 

Some say it can’t be done.

But I have found out differently over the years.

Take sweet potatoes and coconut oil. They’re both “good for you” according to most recent findings. Put them together and what have you got? More than bibbedy bobbedy boo, that’s for sure.

Like this recipe I tried yesterday. These sweet potatoes are lightly sweet — I added just one tablespoon of maple syrup — they don’t need more really. I remember my Mom made candied sweets using an entire stick of butter and about a half box of brown sugar for a large can, including liquid, of cut up sweet potatoes. Yes, it was dee-lish. But also loaded with fat and calories. So if you are looking for a recipe that’s lighter, healthier and with lower fat and calories, try this one.

It’s pretty too, don’t you think?

Sweet Potatoes with Coconut Oil and Maple

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 tablespoon maple syrup

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into julienne

2 scallions, chopped

1 large clove garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary or parsley or use thyme leaves

sea salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Heat the coconut oil and maple syrup together in a small saucepan over medium-low heat for about one minute or until the coconut oil liquefies. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the scallions, garlic and herb on top. Pour the coconut oil-maple mixture over the vegetables and toss the ingredients to coat the vegetables. Sprinkle with sea salt. Roast for 22-24 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and lightly crispy. Makes 4-6 servings

Farro is becoming trendy. So says this article, which I read recently.

Actually, farro has been pretty popular in my house for the last several years. It’s one of those whole grains, you know, the stuff everyone says is so healthy, full of fiber and nutrients and so on.

It’s popular with me because it tastes so good and because there are so many things you can do with it.

I first cooked farro because I was getting bored with white rice, brown rice, black rice, red rice and every other kind of rice. And with pasta, potatoes and egg noodles. And there’s been an overload of quinoa recently too.

But I wanted something filling and “starchy” as a side dish with dinner. 

There was this little bag of farro in the store. It looked intriguing. I decided to give it a try.

SUCCESS! Farro is sumptuous and tastes sort of nutty and toasty.

I’ve made it dozens of ways, treating it just like rice: steamed, poached, sauteed, in pilaf. Plain. With vegetables. As a salad, drizzled with vinaigrette.

Every recipe is terrific.

Some say farro is the same as spelt, but it is actually a different, if similar grain. It is also a lot like wheatberries and oat groats (so you can substitute those in recipes). Farro is sometimes called emmer wheat. 

Do try it. You can use it all summer in a salad and all through the year in other ways.

Here’s one recipe we love at our house. 

Farro Salad with Carrots, Peas, Tomatoes and Dill

1 cup farro

1-3/4 cup water or vegetable stock

2 carrots, chopped

1 cup thawed frozen green peas

1 cup halved grape tomatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1-1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon peel

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the farro and water in a saucepan and bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the farro is tender, but still chewy. Set the farro aside to cool slightly. Cook the carrots in boiling water for 3-4 minutes or until tender. Drain and add to the farro. Add the peas and tomatoes and toss the ingredients to distribute them evenly. In a separate bowl or a jar, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, dill and lemon peel. Whisk the ingredients until well combine (or shake in a covered jar). Pour into the farro mixture and toss the ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 4-6 servings 

Need a good side dish? Imam Bayeldi is one of my favorite go-to recipes whenever I am at a loss. It’s a good family dish and also works for company. 

I learned to make Imam Bayeldi years ago when I was working on an article for eggplant. I found a recipe and the name of the dish, translated, was so intriguing — “the Imam fainted” — I had to try it. If only because, as the story goes, the Imam (an Islamic clergyman or spiritual leader) who first ate this dish was so delighted that he passed out from joy.

Well, whether the tale is apocryphal or not, this dish is very very good. And what’s more, you can serve it hot, warm or at room temp, so you can either get it together in advance and cook it for dinner, or make the whole thing in advance and serve it for dinner.

It’s also a good item for a vegetarian meal (I like it accompanied by scrambled eggs or mushroom ragout).

This year during Passover I made this dish for dinner and used leeks instead of the usual onions. My family liked it even better this way, so here’s the recipe.

Btw, a tumblr reader once told me she added olives to the dish when she made it. I’ve tried that and it is delicious! So, add some olives if you like — black, pitted olives make the dish even more colorful.

Imam Bayeldi

1 medium eggplant

salt

1/2 cup olive oil

3 medium leeks, cleaned and sliced

2 large cloves garlic, chopped

3 large tomatoes, deseeded and chopped

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup water

Cut the eggplant into slices about 3/8-inch thick. Sprinkle with salt and let rest for 30 minutes. Wipe the eggplant slices dry with paper towels. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Cook the eggplant slices a few at a time for 2-3 minutes per side or until slightly wilted. Add more olive oil to the pan as needed to prevent scorching (use 4-5 tablespoons more if needed). Place the cooked eggplant into a baking dish (cut it into smaller pieces if you wish). Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan. Add the leeks and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes, parsley, sugar, salt and lemon juice. Cook for one minute, stirring frequently. Spoon the vegetables on top of the eggplant. Drizzle with any remaining olive oil and the water. Cover the pan and bake for 45 minutes. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature. Makes 6-8 servings

March 4th used to be Inauguration Day in the United States (changed to January 20th by the 20th amendment in 1933).

It was also my in-laws’ wedding anniversary. My mother-in-law, who could always tell a good joke, used to say “we marched forth on March 4th.”

But anyway, the other day, Gail Collins wrote one of her funny and terrific editorials in the NYTimes, mentioning, of all things, that on Inauguration Day, March 4, 1840, William Henry Harrison, the then oldest president ever elected, gave an Inaugural Address that lasted over 2 hours. It was raining. It was cold. And Harrison didn’t wear warm and protective clothing. He got pneumonia and died about a month later.

And so, Gail Collins continued, she has a great idea. Like President’s Day, (when for some reason it has become the custom to shop for cars), maybe on March 4th we could have something like “special Harrison Inauguration Memorial sales” events “in which all the warm winter clothing they are trying to clear off the shelves could be offered at stupendous savings. People could also give their loved ones special William Henry Harrison umbrellas, just to show they care. It would be great for the economy.”

I think that’s a wonderful idea myself and everyone should call his/her Congress-person right now and ask that person to sponsor a Bill to set aside a new holiday day for William Henry Harrison so we could all have time to shop for coats and things. Or at least call their local Chamber of Commerce and get them to get this going in the stores.

I also think we should mark the day as something like “Harrison Memorial National Warm Soup Day” and all eat a nice, hearty, warming and nourishing soup on this day.

Take this soup, for example — Minestrone. Who doesn’t love Minestrone? It’s so thick and full of stuff it’s like a whole meal and you can make it with meat or chicken stock or vegetarian with vegetable stock or water, serve it plain or with cheese. This soup and a good hunk of crusty Italian-style bread and butter or olive oil will make you feel warm, nourished and wonderful, whether it rains on March 4th or not.

Minestrone

3 tablespoons olive oil (or equal parts olive oil and butter)

1 medium onion, chopped

2 large cloves garlic, chopped

3 carrots, sliced 1/2-inch thick

2 all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces

3 stalks celery, sliced 1/2-inch thick

1 zucchini cut into bite-size pieces

1-1/2 cups frozen peas

1 cup frozen corn kernels

28 ounce can Italian tomatoes, drained and coarsely cut

8 cups vegetable, beef or chicken stock or water

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

15 ounce can white beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup white rice or elbow macaroni

grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Heat the olive oil (and butter, if used) in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes or until slightly softened. Add the garlic, carrots, potatoes, celery, zucchini, peas and corn and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes, stock, basil, oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pan and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the beans and rice and cook for about 15 minutes or until the rice is tender (if you use macaroni, cook for 8-10 minutes). Serve with grated Parmesan cheese. Makes 8 servings

Quinoa may be au courant but I predict this is no fleeting trend. It is here to stay, an ingredient that will remain a staple in American kitchens.

First because it is so nutritious — a complete protein, so you can cut down on or cut out meat-eating. In poor countries in South America, where this grain comes from, pregnant mothers who can’t afford meat are encouraged to eat quinoa.

Second, because it is widely available, relatively cheap and easy to cook: you boil some water or stock, add the grain, cover the pan and let it simmer for about 15 minutes and you’re done.

It’s also versatile. You can make it into salad, casseroles, stuffings and so on.

It tastes good too. A must for food!

And, as if all this wasn’t enough, you can use quinoa during Passover. Even though it is a grain.

It is not one of the prohibited grains.

That’s big for all who want to have a little something “starchy” with dinner during Passover and don’t want potatoes every day and don’t like the taste or consistency of Passover pasta products or who like variety in their diet.

Yesterday I gave a cooking demo for the UJA Federation of Greenwich Women’s Philanthropy and JCC Greenwich and prepared two Passover dishes, including Quinoa Salad with Asparagus, Zucchini and Tomatoes. It was a big hit, no leftovers and everyone was amazed that the whole recipe took 17 minutes and it would have been shorter but we had to wait for the grains to cook.

This recipe is wonderfully fresh and Passover friendly. But you can enjoy it any time. Here it is:

Quinoa Salad with Asparagus, Tomatoes and Zucchini

1 cup quinoa

1 cup cut up asparagus (1-inch pieces)

1 cup bite-size pieces of zucchini

1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

2 scallions, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoon white wine vinegar or lemon juice

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the quinoa in a strainer and rinse for a few seconds under cold water. Drain. Bring 1-1/2 cups water to boil in a saucepan over high heat. Add the quinoa, lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the grains have absorbed the liquid. Spoon the quinoa into a bowl. Bring some more water to a boil in the pan. Add the asparagus and cook for 15 seconds. Add the zucchini and cook for another 15 seconds. Strain the vegetables, rinse under cold water and add to the quinoa. Add the tomatoes, scallions, dill and mint and toss ingredients to distribute them evenly. Pour in the olive oil and vinegar, toss and taste. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings

Last Friday I mentioned how annoying I find the mixture of food and politics. I was talking about kiwi fruit then.

But after thinking about it some more, I should also say that I find the whole anti-French, anti-European political demagoging to be absurd, and at the very least, self-righteous. We Americans come from all cultures, including European ones. We’re mongrels. Inclusive. 

So why the smug sneers when someone eats French food or knows how to speak Chinese or has a father who came from Kenya?

Especially when it comes to food. Lately the anti-French thing has ratcheted up. It would be laughable if it weren’t so dumb.

Are they kidding? Do these people understand how much French culture has given us? Manet. Cezanne. Matisse. Proust and his famous madeleines. Hugo. Voltaire. Debussy. Faure. Halevy.

And so on.

And the food? Have these people ever tried French Onion Soup? Eclairs or Crepes? Cassoulet? Ratatouille? Chocolate Mousse?

Those are just a few of the goodies we know from French cooking.

Not to be sneered at.

I admit it. I learned to speak French in high school and bemoan the fact that I wasn’t very good at it so I can’t speak any anymore and my daughter has teased me about not even remembering how to conjugate “etre” (“to be”).

I also love and admire French food, one of the mother cuisines, one of the best in the world and from which some of the most famous chefs and their famous creations have come.

I wish these politicians would get off this subject. They sound silly and hollow, not to say unfit for any office. 

Here’s a recipe for FRENCH Ratatouille. It’s terrific in the summer when you can use fresh tomatoes, and in the winter it’s terrific too (use canned tomatoes). Good as a main course at a vegetarian meal (add eggs or a whole grain casserole) or as a side dish with meat, poultry or fish. 

Ratatouille

1 medium eggplant, about one pound

2 medium zucchini

salt to taste

1/4 cup olive oil

2 medium onions, sliced

2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, deseeded and sliced

1 green bell pepper, deseeded and sliced

1 28-ounce can Italian style tomatoes, including liquid

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1-2 sprigs thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cut the eggplant and zucchinis into bite size pieces, place in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Let rest for 30 minutes, dry with paper towels. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper and green pepper and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, basil and thyme. Partially cover the pan and cook for about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Makes 4 servings

In case you’re not up on these things, you might want to know that tomorrow (Saturday), January 7th, is National Tempura Day.

YUM. Tempura is good stuff, especially if you can eat it within minutes after the making.

I know it’s soon after the holiday season and everyone’s thinking bad things about fried food. But with Tempura, the batter-dipped ingredients are cut small or thin and they’re fried very quickly in very hot oil. There isn’t much time for the food to absorb the fat, so you don’t actually wind up with too much.

And although Tempura is often made with fish or seafood, it is also a terrific way to have a delicious, filling vegetarian meal. Even the most ardent meat-eaters can’t resist this crispy, hot, vegetables-only dinner.

I’ve made Tempura many times. There are never leftovers. That’s how good this dish is. When I do make Tempura it always brings to mind one of my first cooking memories, not from my childhood but from when I first started cooking in my own apartment as an adult. I decided to make Tempura and didn’t realize that sesame oil, which is used for flavor — like a tiny sprinkle on a piece of fried eggplant for example — is not cooking oil. I heated up a wokful of sesame oil and fried everything in it.

YUK. Each piece felt as if it weighed a ton. I can still taste that heavy, sesame-laden, awful food! Two tastes and we all knew it was inedible. That evening ended up being a restaurant night.

Make sure you use a light, high-smoke point cooking oil (like canola, peanut, soybean or corn oil)! Keep the oil hot and the food sizzling. You’re in for a treat.

Btw, if you wish, you can add a pound of cut up thin filets of white, firm fish (such as sole or flounder) to the recipe.

Vegetarian Tempura:

Batter:

1 large egg

2 cups ice cold water

1-2/3 cups sifted all-purpose flour (measure after sifting)

1/4 teaspoon salt

pinch baking soda

Beat the egg and ice water together in a large bowl. Add flour, salt and baking soda and whisk ingredients until well blended.

Vegetables:

1 medium eggplant, peeled, sliced into 1/2-inch thick strips

16 snow pea pods

1 medium sweet potato, peeled, thinly sliced

1 bell pepper, red or green, stem removed, deseeded, cut into strips

1 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds

all-purpose flour

vegetable oil for deep frying

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Place a cookie sheet in the oven (if possible place a cake rack inside the cookie sheet). Dredge the eggplant, snow peas, sweet potato, bell pepper and zucchini in the flour and shake off the excess. Heat about 3-inches of vegetable oil in a deep pan (or deep fryer) over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 375 degrees (a drop of batter will sizzle quickly). Using a few pieces at a time, immerse vegetables in the batter, shake off excess and place the coated vegetables in the hot oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes, turning the pieces, or until the vegetables are lightly tanned and crispy. Place the cooked pieces on the cookie sheet (on top of the rack, if used) to keep them warm. Repeat with remaining vegetables. Makes 6 servings