Stuffed Zucchini Boats

There’s no particular food associated with the holiday of Simchat Torah, which begins on Sunday night (October 20, 2019), but lots of people make food that resemble torah scrolls.

Stuffed cabbage is a classic. But when I used up the last of my home garden zucchini and stuffed it with tomatoes and cheese I thought these look somewhat like torah scrolls too!

So, for me: Stuffed Zucchini boats are the order of the day for the holiday (or any other time).

Stuffed Zucchini Boats 

• 2 medium zucchini

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 large clove garlic, chopped

• 2 tomatoes, chopped

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

• 6-8 tablespoons shredded mozzarella

• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and part of the flesh, leaving a wall of at least ¼-inch next to the skin. Coat the outside surface of the zucchinis with a film of olive oil. Place them in a baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on size, or until barely tender (use the tip of a sharp knife to test tenderness). While the zucchini boats are baking, pour the remaining olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes, to soften the vegetables slightly. Add the tomatoes and basil, stir and remove the pan from the heat to cool slightly. When the zucchini boats are ready, remove them from the oven and fill the cavities with the tomato mixture. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese evenly over the filling. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese evenly over the filling. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is beginning to brown.     

 Makes 4 servings

Hot and Fruity Barbecue Chicken

Around this time of year, when BBQ season is in full gear (at least where I live), you might be in need of a new barbecue sauce.

It gets a little boring to flavor chicken and fish and whatever else you put on the grill the same way over and over.

Besides, with so much fresh, local fruit available, it’s the perfect time for a peach/nectarine/plum based sauce.

So, here one is. It’s a little jazzed up with chili pepper, but is not overly spicy.

Hot and Fruity Barbecue Sauce

• 4-5 ripe peaches or nectarines, peeled

• 2-4 ripe plums

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 large onion, finely chopped

• 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped

• 1 serrano pepper (or other small chili pepper), deseeded and chopped

• 1-1/4 cups ketchup

• 1/3 cup orange or other fruit juice

• 1/4 cup cider vinegar

• 1/4 cup honey

Remove the pit from the peaches, chop the flesh and place it in a bowl. Cut the plums in half, remove the pit and scoop out the flesh. Add it to the peaches. Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for one minute. Add the garlic and chili pepper and cook for another minute. Add the fruit, ketchup, juice, cider vinegar and honey. Stir to blend the ingredients thoroughly. Cook over low-medium heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until thickened. Let cool. Puree in a food processor. Taste for seasoning and add salt to taste.

Makes about one quart

Roasted Vegetable Galette

Roasted Vegetable Galette

Everyone who knows me or has read a few Mother’s Day posts on my blog knows we don’t celebrate the usual way. We don’t go out to a restaurant or club.

We stay home and have a cookoff.

Yes, we cook and it’s work and a mess but we have the best time ever. Everyone participates (except that some years I am just in charge of the beverages).

We choose a theme, form into teams and each team chooses a recipe. I buy the ingredients a couple of days before and then, on Sunday, my two daughters, their husbands, my husband and my grandkids all get cooking.

Last year our theme was dips. I prepared a tropical salsa.

One year it was chocolate chip cookies.

We’ve done tomato sauce, eggs and so on.

This year we decided on PIE. Each team will make some sort of pie.

There are no rules. They interpret the word (pie) however they wish.

So — apple pie? Sure!

Pizza pie? Of course!

Pot pie? Yes!

The only limit: this will be a vegetarian/dairy meal. So, no beef pot pie.

But — quiche? Why not — it’s a type of open face pie, right?

How about a potato/olive/onion empanada? YUM!

Cabbage pastie? ok!

I am thinking of this though: roasted vegetable galette. I make it with pie dough so it qualifies, doesn’t it?

A good Meatless Monday (or any other day) choice.

Roasted Vegetable Galette

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon chopped chives or scallion tops

• 6 tablespoons butter, cut into chunks

• 2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening

• 3-4 tablespoons milk

• 2 medium yellow squash, sliced

• 4-5 plum tomatoes, sliced

• 1 large Portobello mushroom, sliced

• 4 tablespoons olive oil

• salt to taste

• 1 bunch spinach, washed and dried

• 2 tablespoons chopped basil

• 1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Mozzarella cheese

• 2-3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

• 1 egg, beaten, optional

For the crust: mix the flour, salt and chives together in a bowl or food processor. Add the butter and shortening and cut the fat into the flour mixture with your hands or a pastry blender or by processing on pulse until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Gradually add 3 tablespoons milk and mix to form a soft dough, adding more milk as needed. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough on a lightly floured board into a circle about 12-13 inches in diameter (about 1/8-inch thick) and transfer the circle to the prepared baking sheet.

For the filling: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the squash, tomato and Portobello slices on the baking sheet and brush on both sides with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Roast for 20-22 minutes or until tender. Remove from the oven. Heat the remaining tablespoon olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Drain any liquid, chop the spinach coarsely and set aside.

Reduce the oven heat to 400 degrees. Scatter the circle of dough with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, leaving a border of about 1-1/2 inches. Mix the vegetables together with the basil and place over the cheese. Scatter the remaining mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan cheese on top. Fold the dough over the vegetables but not completely; leave the center open, with 7-8 inches of the vegetables showing. Pleat the dough at the edge to give the galette a rustic look. Beat the egg and brush it onto the dough for a glazed look, if desired. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Makes 8 servings

Pizza with Spinach, Tomatoes and Cheese

Has pizza become the official post Passover food?

I don’t remember that being the case when I was growing up. After Passover, we were full-on with bagels, challah and sandwiches.

So when did this well-loved dish become so extraordinarily popular?

In the first half of the 20th century there were only a few pizza parlors in the United States, all in urban centers such as New York and Boston (and in New Haven, where, in 1925, Frank Pepe set up the still-famous Pepe’s Pizza). But most of the clientele were folks in the local Italian immigrant community.

Pizza became a “thing” in the late 1940s, spurred on by former GIs who had been to Italy during World War II and tasted it there and didn’t want to do without.

Can you blame them?

Pizza has since become an iconic American dish, with toppings way way beyond the classic, original Italian Marhgerite.

We have homemade pizza post Passover, because why not!

Also, when we want a meatless meal, because why not!

For Shavuot, the “dairy” holiday, because why not!

As an hors d’oeuvre for a dairy or fish dinner, because why not?

Pizza with Spinach tomatoes and cheese 

• 1 pizza crust (about 10-inches)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 large garlic clove, minced

• 1 bunch fresh spinach, washed and dried (about 6 ounces)

• 2 medium plum tomatoes, sliced

• 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded or chopped

• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the crust on a pizza stone or lightly oiled pizza pan or parchment-lined cookie sheet. Heat 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook briefly. Add the spinach and cook for 3–5 minutes or until wilted and all the liquid has evaporated from the pan. If necessary, press the spinach in a sieve to extract liquid. Spread the spinach evenly on top of the crust. Place the tomato slices on top. Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and oregano. Drizzle with remaining half tablespoon olive oil. Bake for 10-13 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the crust is beginning to brown.

 Makes 2 servings

Roasted Cauliflower with Crumbs

Roasted Cauliflower with Crumbs

I recently read Mark Twain’s novel “The Tragedy of Puddin’head Wilson,” a story about what happens after two babies are switched and their real identities are lost almost forever.

In addition to being a good read, filled with humor and irony, this book also includes a character who keeps a diary where he writes wise sayings.

I always wondered where this famous Twain quote came from: “Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.” Now I know.

I recommend the book. Also recommend this cauliflower dish, which is so easy to prepare you don’t need a college eduction to make it.

Roasted Cauliflower with Crumbs

• 3/4 cup Panko

• 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

• 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Mix the Panko, garlic and dill together and set aside. In a large bowl, mix the olive oil and mustard together until thoroughly blended. Place the cauliflower in the mustard-oil bowl and toss to coat the pieces on all sides. Place the coated pieces on a baking sheet. Scatter the Panko over the pieces and toss to coat the pieces lightly. Roast for about 15 minutes or until crispy and tender, turning the pieces once or twice. Most of the crumbs will separate from the cauliflower. Place the cauliflower in a serving dish, scatter the crumbs on top.

Makes 6 servings

Hawaij Chicken

People send me all sorts of press releases about different foods and ingredients. But one that recently caught my attention was about Pereg’s new Hawaij spice combos. I was intrigued enough to say “yes” when samples were offered. I love trying out new spice blends and experimenting with them in recipes.

Of course Hawaij is not new — just new to me. It is a traditional Yemenite seasoning, the word in Arabic translates as “mixture.”

In fact there are two such mixtures: savory Hawaij for soups, meats, vegetables and so on, and sweet Hawaij for coffee. The Pereg savory blend includes ground cumin, turmeric, coriander, black pepper, cardamom and cloves, a flavorful combination of warmth and spice, an aroma that’s magical. The coffee-blend contains ginger, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom.

The company sent me both, so — I got cooking.

The first recipe was so good I have made it several times already: braised Cornish hens in a coconut milk based curry-type sauce, served with cooked rice and a green vegetable. I have since made this recipe a few more times using chicken wings and bone-in chicken breasts.

The coffee spice? I used it to season homemade honey muffins. I added some to my afternoon coffee (a middle-eastern counterpart to American pumpkin-spice latte). And I couldn’t leave it at that so I made some Hawaij-coffee-spice ice cream.

I see more to come in the future of this fabulous spice blend.

Chicken or Cornish Hen with Hawaij Spice

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 cornish hens, split down the back or 4 large pieces of chicken

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 1/2 lemon, sliced

• 3 cloves garlic, chopped

• 1-1/2 teaspoons hawaij

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1-1/2 cups coconut milk

• 3 cups cooked rice

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Dry the surface of the hens or chicken, place them in the pan and cook them for 4-5 minutes, turning once or twice, to brown the surface. Remove the pieces to a dish and set aside. Add the onion, lemon slices and garlic to the pan. Sprinkle with hawaij and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to coat the ingredients evenly. Return the hens/chicken to the pan, spoon some of the onion mixture on top. Pour in the coconut milk and stir to blend it in. Cover the pan. Place the pan in the oven and cook for 30-35 minutes or until the meat is tender and cooked through. Place the rice on a serving platter. Remove the hen/chicken pieces from the oven and place them on top of the rice. Keep the platter warm in the oven. Place the saute pan over high heat on the cooktop. Bring to a boil, then simmer the pan juices for about 4 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pour over the hen/chicken and serve.

Makes 4 servings

Rack of Lamb with Mustard, Apricot and Rosemary

We never eat out on Valentine’s Day. Restaurants are too crowded, the service is usually awful and the food not worth leaving the comforts of home.

Besides, there’s always the next day. My taste buds don’t know and don’t care if it’s February 14th or 15th. Valentine’s Day is an “extra” that, for us, doesn’t need the same kind of clock-like precision of Rosh Hashanah or Passover.

But I do always make a lovely dinner and serve on lovely plates with lovely utensils.

Ed would prefer Chinese food, but that’s too much of a fuss for the evening. So: rack of lamb. It’s easy. Simple. No fuss at all. An indulgence, but we deserve it, don’t we?

Roast Rack of Lamb with Mustard, Apricot and Rosemary

•  1 whole rack of lamb

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1 tablespoon apricot preserves

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary (or use 1/2 teaspoon dried, crushed rosemary)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the meat in a roasting pan. Mix the mustard and preserves and spread on the top surface. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and rosemary. Roast for 20-35 minutes, depending on degree of doneness desired (a meat thermometer should register between 120-140 degrees). Let the meat rest a few minutes before carving.

Makes 2-3 servings

Crispy Roasted Duck Legs with Hoisin-Orange Glaze

The one consistent thing my husband wants for his birthday, year after year, is Chinese food. Forget the gifts, don’t bother with cake. Just give him Chinese food and he’s happy.

So this is on the menu this week, for his birthday, which just happens to coincide with Chinese new year.

CRISPY ROASTED DUCK LEGS WITH HOISIN-ORANGE GLAZE

• 4 duck legs

• olive oil

• 1 cup orange juice

• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce

• 3 tablespoons honey

• 2 teaspoons grated fresh orange peel

• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Rinse and dry the duck legs and rub them with a light film of olive oil. Place them in a roasting pan, flat side up. Roast for 15 minutes. While the duck is roasting, combine the orange juice, hoisin sauce, honey, orange peel. ginger and garlic in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat briefly, stirring just until the honey has become blended in the liquid.. Set aside. When the 15 minutes are done, turn the legs round side up. Pour the orange juice mixture over the meat, cover the pan and roast for 30 minutes. Remove the cover. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees. Baste and bake for another 15 minutes or until the ducks are cooked through and the skin is crispy. 

Makes 4 servings

Mashed Potatoes, Two Ways (dairy-free and dairy-loaded)

In our nuclear family of 11, there are the pro-potato people and the no-potato people.

I am a top level pro-potato person.

And as you can see from the photos, so are two of my grand daughters, who helped me make some mashed potatoes for dinner a while ago.

The recipe we made was a butter-cream-cheese-sour-cream indulgence. (It could be a meal in itself!) But we’ve also made dairy-free versions. Pro-potato people like it all ways.

Are mashed potatoes on your menu for Thanksgiving? If so — or any other time — check out both recipes, dairy-loaded and dairy-free.

dairy-loaded Mashed Potatoes

• 2 pounds boiling potatoes (such as Yukon Gold)

• 4 tablespoons butter, cut into chunks

• 4 tablespoons cream cheese, cut into chunks

• 1/2 cup dairy sour cream

• 1/4 cup warm milk, approximately

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Peel the potatoes and cut them into chunks. Cook them in lightly salted simmering water for about 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and return the potatoes to the pan. Cook briefly over low heat to evaporate the excess moisture. Mash the potatoes with a ricer or potato masher. Add the butter and cream cheese and mash them in thoroughly until the butter and cheese are completely blended in. Add the sour cream and blend in thoroughly. Mix in enough milk for desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 6 servings

DAIRY-FREE Mashed Potatoes

• 5 medium all-purpose potatoes such as Yukon Gold

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 1 large clove garlic, chopped

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

• 3 tablespoons chicken or vegetable stock

• salt to taste

• pinch or two of cayenne pepper

• 3 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel the potatoes, cut them into chunks and cook them in lightly salted water for about 15 minutes, or until they are fork tender. While the potatoes are cooking, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan and add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes, then add the garlic. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until the vegetables are beginning to brown. Set aside. Drain the potatoes and mash them with a ricer or potato masher until the lumps have disappeared. Add the vegetables and olive oil and stir them in gently. Stir in the lemon juice, stock, salt and the cayenne pepper. Place the mixture in a baking dish. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the top is crispy and brown.

Makes 6 servings

Grandma Mac and Cheese

All of my grandchildren think that I make the absolute most wonderful, bestest, most delicious mac and cheese. And they expect at least one mac and cheese dinner when they come for a visit.

No worries. I always have one in my freezer, just in case there is ever a surprise knock on my door from one of them.

Of course I thought my grandma made the best mac and cheese too. Hers came out of a box and the cheese part were some granules that came in a separate foil package. She was supposed to mix the granules with milk and butter I think, but she never did. She just opened the package and sprinkled it on top of the cooked elbows. 

That's the way all of us grandchildren thought mac and cheese was supposed to taste. And of course, grandma made it best.

It's the way I made it for my kids. Because that was the best.

Somewhere along the way I tasted actual homemade macaroni and cheese. It was a revelation. It was wonderful. Which is NOT to say that grandma's wasn't good. It was just a whole different dish. I still think of it with fond memories. My daughters think of it with fond memories. And, btw, they also made the packaged kind and sprinkled the dry cheesy granules on top for their children. And their children love that too and probably will have fond memories of that dish.

But when they come to visit me, it's the other kind they expect and love. The from-scratch kind.

They're also pretty clear about how they like it too: moist but not overly sauced, with a combo of American and cheddar cheeses and a crispy top. No added things like tomato or cooked vegetables. No crust -- just maybe some extra grated cheese.

This is the one:

Grandma Macaroni and Cheese

• 1 pound small pasta such as elbows

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour*

• 3 cups milk (preferably whole milk)

• 14-16 ounces mixed American and cheddar cheeses plus extra for garnish, shredded

• salt to taste

Cook the pasta according to package directions, rinse under cold water, drain and set aside. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. When the butter has melted and looks foamy, turn the heat to low-medium, add the flour and cook, stirring with a whisk, for 2-3 minutes, but do not let the mixture become brown. Gradually add the milk, stirring with a whisk to keep the sauce smooth. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Add most of the cheeses, leaving some to top the dish as garnish. Add some salt and continue to whisk the sauce until all the cheese has melted. Add the pasta and mix to coat all the pieces. Eat as is, sprinkled with extra cheese, OR place in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes to crisp the top. 

Makes 6-8 servings

*sometimes, if the sauce seems to be too thin, I use an additional tablespoon of flour