Meatball Nosh

I had a little cranberry sauce and a bottle of chili sauce and a small amount of ground beef. Not enough to use for dinner, so I made a version of the Elegant but Easy Cookbook recipe for cocktail meatballs (Marion Burros and Lois Levine). I didn’t have the recipe in front of me but remembered it was little meatball cooked in a combo of grape jelly and chili sauce. The version I made was delicious and just enough for a nice little nosh for 2. I made a fraction of the recipe below.

Gonna make these for New Year’s, when we have hors d’oeuvres at different points during the day (no actual dinner).

Cocktail Meatballs: heat 1-1/2 cups cranberry sauce, 1-1/2 cups chili sauce, 1/4 cup orange juice and 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger in a saucepan. Stir to blend the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low. In a bowl, mix 1 pound ground beef (or use turkey or veal) with 1 egg and enough breadcrumbs to bind the mixture well. Make 1-inch meatballs and place them in the sauce. Cook for 35-40 minutes, spooning the sauce over the meatballs occasionally and turning them to coat all sides.

Makes 8 servings

Rhubarb Chutney

Rhubarb has a special place in my life. My mother made it often and served it as a side dish the way most other mothers I knew served apple sauce. She used fresh rhubarb stalks when they were in season and boxes of frozen rhubarb during the rest of the year.

Everyone in my family loved it. My mother didn’t use as much sugar as most recipes said to do because we loved it tart and tangy. I make it the same way she did: mix 1-1/2 pounds of sliced rhubarb with 3/4 cup sugar and cook over medium heat, covered, for about 10 minutes. Remove the cover and cook for another 15 minutes. That’s it!

Recently I’ve also been making rhubarb chutney because its a great favorite at our house. It’s such a good accompaniment to grilled meats — chicken, beef, lamb — all of it, and I’ve also served it with salmon.

Rhubarb season is almost over so make this one while you still can! 

You can serve it with whatever you may be grilling outdoors over Labor Day weekend. Or with a classic roasted chicken for Shabbat or Rosh Hashanah brisket. It will keep in the fridge for awhile too, so you can save some for Thanksgiving.

Or give some away — it’s a delicious, edible gift!

Rhubarb Chutney

• 1 pound rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch slices

• 1 cup sugar

• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1 2-inch cinnamon stick

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger

• 6 whole cloves

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 2 large cloves garlic, chopped

• 1 cup golden raisins

Combine the rhubarb, sugar, cider vinegar, cinnamon stick, ginger, cloves, onion, garlic and raisins in a large stainless steel or enamel saucepan. Mix the ingredients and cook over high heat. When the liquid in the pan starts to bubble, lower the heat to medium and cook for about 15 minutes or until the raisins are tender and the sauce is slightly thickened. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

Makes about 3 cups

Cole Slaw with Beet Greens

I bought the freshest, most gorgeous beets recently and used the bulbs for some recipes, but — what to do with the greens?

The greens were also crisp and perfect, as if they were just harvested.

However, Ed hates beet greens. I’ve cooked them any number of ways to no avail.

Truth to tell, beet greens are not my favorite either.

But I hate wasting food.

So I shredded the greens, shredded some cabbage, mixed them all together and made them into Cole Slaw.

PERFECT!

Not only did the beet greens add some flavor, they also provided a lovely color, which I usually get from parsley — but I didn’t have parsley, so it all worked out deliciously.

Cole Slaw with Beet Greens

• 1/2 medium green cabbage, shredded

• 2 cups shredded red cabbage

• 1 bunch beet greens, shredded

• 2 medium carrots, grated

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise

• 5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon sugar

Place the cabbages, beet greens and carrots in a large bowl and toss to distribute the ingredients evenly. In a bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard and sugar together and pour over the vegetables. Toss the ingredients and let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings

Potato Salad with Fresh Herbs

There is no end to the ways you can make potato salad. Start with cooked (boiled, roasted) waxy potatoes (like baby Yukon gold or red bliss) and then:

• peel or not peel — it’s up to you

• use them alone or with other solid ingredients such as chopped bell pepper, celery and/or some kind of onion (scallion, chive, shallot, etc.), thawed frozen peas, hard cooked egg chunks, cooked beans or chick peas, capers, anchovies, pickles — and so on. You can even add leftover cooked fish, poultry or meat to make a dinner salad.

• season the salad with chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, oregano, dill, thyme and such), dried herbs, chopped chili pepper, spices such as curry powder, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, Dijon mustard, wasabi, horseradish — etc. etc. etc.

• dress the salad with: oil (olive, avocado, peanut, etc.) and vinegar (white or red wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, Balsamic) or some other acidic liquid such as lemon juice. For a richer flavor add some mayo, plain yogurt, buttermilk or dairy sour cream.

You get the point — I could write an entire book devoted to potato salad. These are just a few ideas.

Yesterday I taught a class about potato salad for the New Canaan YMCA. This is one of the versions I made for the class.

Happy summer although, I’m sure you know, potato salad is never out of season.

Potato Salad with Fresh Herbs

• 2 pounds small waxy potatoes

• lightly salted water

• 1/4 cup mayo

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 2-3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 2-3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley or other herbs (such as rosemary, oregano, thyme, dill, marjoram, etc.)

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the potatoes (with their skins intact) in a saucepan, cover with lightly salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain under cold water and peel, if desired. Cut the potatoes into bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, olive oil, wine vinegar and mustard together until the mixture is uniform in color. Pour over the potatoes. Sprinkle with the herbs and salt and pepper if desired. Toss the ingredients and let rest at least 1 hour before serving.

Makes 6-8 servings

Mango Salsa

When the weather gets warmer I like to make foods that I can bring outside, that can sit for an hour as we nibble and sip a cocktail or two before dinner.

This salsa is a perfect example. It’s fresh fruit, citrus and a bit of heat thanks to the chili pepper. It’s colorful, so it’s nice for company. And it stays fresh for a while.

I use this salsa as an hors d’oeuvre and serve it with corn chips but it also makes and excellent side dish for burgers, grilled chicken or fish.

Remember this for summer picnics. Memorial Day weekend. Father’s Day. July 4th! Labor Day.

What I’m saying —- it’s a keeper!

Tropical Dip and Chip

• 1 large ripe mango

• 1 ripe avocado

• 1/4 cup chopped red onion

• 1 teaspoon chopped jalapeno (or other chili) pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest

• 1 tablespoon lime juice

• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro (or use parsley)

• salt if desired

• corn or plantain chips

Peel and pit the mango and avocado. Chop the fruit into small pieces (or use a food processor) and place the pieces in a mixing bowl. Add the red onion, chili pepper, lime zest, lime juice and cilantro. If using a food processor, process on pulse to desired consistency. Taste for seasoning and add salt if desired. Serve with chips.

Makes about 2 cups

Chick Pea, Dried Fruit and Vegetable Pilaf

We have been eating more vegetarian dishes recently — somehow just in the mood and don’t have as big a yen for meat.

Besides, vegetarian dishes are traditional for Purim, which begins at sundown on Monday, March 6, 2023, so the casserole recipe below is something for you to consider this year.

We had this dish a few times (variations) and loved the combination of tangy and sweet (dried fruit), the savory chick peas and the seasoned but just gently spicy flavors in the rice.

It’s also a good way to use up rice and chick peas if you don’t eat them during Passover.

And — it’s a good bet for Break-the-fast if (as we do) you have a dairy or vegetarian feast instead of the traditional smoked fish.

Chick Pea, Dried Fruit and vegetable Pilaf

• 1 15 ounce can chick peas, drained

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• salt, paprika

• 3-4 medium scallions (or use a yellow onion), chopped

• 1 large clove garlic, chopped

• 2 medium carrots sliced 1/2-inch thick

• 1/2 cup halved dates, preferably medjool

• 1/3 cup cut up dried apricots

• 1/3 cup golden raisins

• 1-1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

• 1 teaspoon cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

• pinch or two of Aleppo pepper (or use crushed red pepper or cayenne)

• 1 cup white rice

• 2 cups vegetable stock

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the chick peas on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, pour one tablespoon of the olive oil over them and toss to coat them. Sprinkle with salt and paprika. Roast for about 20 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, or until the chick peas are lightly crispy. When they are done, remove the chick peas from the oven, set them aside and turn the oven heat to 350 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large heat-proof, oven-proof pan over medium heat. Add the scallions, garlic and carrots and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the dates, apricots and raisins. Sprinkle with salt, cumin, coriander and Aleppo pepper, stir and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the rice and chick peas. Stir to distribute the ingredients evenly. Pour in the stock, bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover the pan and place in the oven. Bake for about 45 minutes. Let rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

Makes 4 servings

Lox and Cream Cheese Dip/Spread

It’s almost new year’s weekend, so I’ve been cooking for our annual New Year’s Eve hors d’oeuvres fest (storing a lot of stuff in the freezer).

These are some of the items I’ll serve at various times during the day: Marinated Mushrooms (a cinch to make); Potato-Carrot Latkes; Romanian Cheese turnovers; Scallion Cakes; Almond Chicken Nuggets; Hot Dog en Croute, and some others, plus a couple of dips, like hummus.

This Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese dip is a definite for our smoked fish hour. It’s amazingly easy to put together, so if you need something last minute, this is for you.

Lox and Cream Cheese Dip/SPREAD

• 4 ounces smoked salmon

• 1 cup cream cheese (8 ounces)

• 1/3 cup dairy sour cream

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

• 2 chopped scallions

Chop the smoked salmon into small pieces and set aside. Cut the cream cheese into chunks and place in a food processor. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, dill and scallions. Process on pulse until the ingredients are relatively smooth and well blended. Add the smoked salmon, pulse a few more times to distribute the pieces evenly.

Makes 1-1/2 cups

The Giving Table

Thanksgiving was just over but it feels like a zillion years ago because I’m already thinking about Hanukkah and even New Year’s weekend, when we always have our cousins over for several days.

That means: gifts and food.

One gift: Naomi Ross’ new kosher cookbook, The Giving Table (Menucha).

Food: several items from Naomi’s newly published cookbook.

My cousins come for several days, so there is ample opportunity to eat. On New Year’s Eve we always have hors d’oeuvres only, three different times during the day for meat, dairy and finally, smoked fish.

I made several of the recipes in the book and have already decided on several hors d’oeuvre for the meat-fest: Tamarind Glazed Meatballs, Korean Fusion BBQ Wings and Apricot Chicken Skewers. They were outstanding! And for one of the dairy hors d’oeuvre hour - definitely the Khachapuri. I’ve made that one a few times and it is too good to miss.

Before New Year’s Eve I am also going to try the Salmon Stuffed Avocadoes, 5 Spice Duck Breast Salad and the Lemon Ombre Trifles (with lemon curd AND lemon cream!!), for dessert because all sound fabulous.

But there is so much more to this book.

Great globally-influenced recipes, so far, yes, but more.

One of the most helpful aspects of the book are the QR codes in some of the chapters for some of the more intricate or could-be-confusing parts of a recipe. For example, I used a code for Khachapuri so I could watch a video to see how to roll and stuff the dough and then stir in the butter and egg (and also how to actually eat it).

I also used a code to see how Naomi braided a four (and six) strand challah – it was so helpful to see her do it not a zillion miles an hour like on Instagram or FB – but nice and slowly so you can actually see how it’s done.

Naomi is obviously a born teacher because there is so much information stuffed here and there and in between the recipes. Short essays that personalize the chapter to come. Notes from the Talmud. Food suggestions, recipes and information for special diets and special events such as visiting and providing food for the sick and elderly or for new mothers: chesed cooking.

There are tips on how to make meal prep easier, on tools and cooking equipment, what to do when you’re short on time, how to refresh food that’s cooked ahead.

She answers questions such as “what is a roux?” “What is risotto rice?” and gives suggestions for equivalents and substitutions.

There is also a chapter on cooking for a crowd (though the recipes can be cut down for a more usual number of people – like those Lemon Ombre Trifles that I plan to serve for dessert).

And more – an appendix chapter with advice on how to be good to yourself even though you are preparing food for others. That one made me smile because those of us who cook regularly, even those of us who absolutely love to prepare food for our families and friends, need someone to acknowledge the time, effort and sometimes the struggle it is for us to do it.

Thanks Naomi for hearing us.

Labor Day Potato Salad

Well that went fast!

Summer I mean.

Here it is, Labor Day weekend. I’m starting to get ready for the Jewish holidays, but not before one last “summer” barbecue.

Here’s a good dairy-free, mayonnaise-free potato salad to go along with anything else you might be serving. I have to confess thought that occasionally I will mix in 2-3 tablespoons of mayonnaise if I am serving people who I know prefer their potato salad creamier.

Labor Day Potato Salad

• 2 pounds new potatoes or small red Bliss potatoes

• 6 tablespoons white wine (or vegetable stock)

• 2 thick scallions, chopped

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, basil, savory, oregano, thyme, rosemary 

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 2-3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise, optional

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and cook for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. When they are cool enough to handle but still warm, peel the potatoes and cut them into bite sized pieces. Place the potatoes in a bowl. Pour in the wine, add the scallions and herbs and toss the ingredients together. In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, white wine vinegar and mustard (add 2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise if desired). Pour over the potatoes and toss the ingredients. Sprinkle to taste with salt and pepper. Let rest at least 15 minutes before serving. Best at room temperature.

Makes 6-8 servings

Cucumber Salad

My garden isn’t doing too well this year. I have some green tomatoes, the basil is thriving and I have a few almost-ready habanero peppers. But the eggplant plants died and, even though I had lots of zucchini, squash and pumpkin blossoms, I have ZERO fruit.

Also, all of the cucumber plants withered.

So, when I wanted to make cucumber salad for guests recently, I had to get a cuke from the supermarket.

The dish wasn’t as emotionally satisfying as when I make it with a freshly picked cucumber. But it was still delicious. Also — the dill IS from my garden. That plant is barely hanging on. I had enough for this and one other recipe.

Cucumber Salad

• 2 large cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced

• 1 small vidalia or red onion, sliced

• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar

• 1/4 cup plain yogurt

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander or dill

• 4 dried red chili peppers, optional (or use a few drops of hot sauce)

Place the cucumber and onion slices in a bowl. Mix the wine vinegar, yogurt, brown sugar and salt together and pour the liquid over the vegetables. Sprinkle with the coriander or dill. If using chili peppers, break them in half, remove the seeds and scatter the pods over the cucumbers. Toss the ingredients and let marinate for at least one hour.  Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled. 

Makes 6-8 servings