Squash Bread with Cranberries

I’m thinking about Thanksgiving even though this year we won’t have our usual family get-together. We all know why. We’re just waiting this whole Covid era out. Then we will have a proper holiday celebration.

But I am roasting a turkey because roasted turkey is one of my favorite things to eat. Unfortunately my daughter, our family carver, won’t be around to slice her perfect slices.

I’m also making my usual baked cranberries, sweet potato casserole and a green vegetable, probably Brussels sprouts.

Not sure I’ll bother with stuffing.

But definitely making this squash bread with fresh cranberries, because it’s rich and gently seasoned and not-too-sweet so it’s perfect with dinner, but also is a good snack or breakfast treat the day after.

Dessert? Probably baked apples.

Squash Bread with Cranberries

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

• 3/4 cup brown sugar

• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 2 large eggs

• 1 cup mashed cooked winter squash (such as butternut, acorn, kuri)

• 3/4 cup fresh cranberries

• 1/3 cup water

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9”x5”x3” loaf pan. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves in a bowl and set it aside. Beat the brown sugar and vegetable oil with a handheld or electric mixer set at medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is well blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the squash and cranberries and beat the mixture to blend the ingredients thoroughly. Add the flour mixture, stirring only enough to blend in the dry ingredients. Mix the water and lemon juice and add it to the batter with the vanilla extract. Stir to blend the ingredients. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan 15 minutes, then invert onto a cake rack to cool completely.

Makes one loaf. 

Quinoa, Turkey and Veggie Stuffed Peppers

My grandma made stuffed peppers for Sukkot. Unfortunately they weren’t my favorite dish because bell peppers and my stomach don’t get along, even when I was a kid.

But I did love what she put on the insides. It was sort of a Turkish-style filling. The family wasn’t Turkish, they were from Romania, which was part of the Ottoman Empire when she was a girl, and a lot of the food she made was influenced by the fabulous cuisine of Turkey.

I realized later in life that using red, orange and yellow peppers made all the difference to my digestive system. They are much easier going down than the green ones my grandma always used! So, I’ve made and enjoyed her recipe from time to time over the years.

But this year I decided on a whole new stuffing based on quinoa instead of rice. It’s nothing like grandma’s but is very tasty and it reminds me of her anyway.

Veggie and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

• 4 large bell peppers

• 1/4 cup quinoa

• 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock or water

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 chopped carrots

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 large clove garlic, chopped

• 1 cup ground veal, beef or turkey

• 2 packed cups chopped spinach

• 1 cup corn kernels

• 2 large eggs

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the top of the peppers to remove about 1/2-inch from the top. Reserve the caps. Reach inside the peppers and remove the stringy flesh and the seeds. Place the peppers open side up in a large pot. Fill the peppers with water, then carefully fill the pot with water to cover the peppers. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Cover the pan. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove the peppers with a slotted spoon and let cool. Place the quinoa and stock in a saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and cook for about 15 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy. Set aside. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes, to soften them slightly. Add the veal and spinach and cook, breaking the meat into smaller pieces, for 3-4 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the corn and quinoa and stir to distribute the ingredients evenly. Mix in the eggs, thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon equal amounts of the mixture inside the peppers. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the peppers are tender.

Makes 4

Greens with Figs and Roasted Hazelnuts

I find it incredibly sad that Ed and I will not be able to host our annual Break-the-Fast. Our group has been gathering together for what seems like forever, and unlike all the other holidays which we celebrate with family, our Yom Kippur break-the-fast included friends from our synagogue and community, people who got together, just for this occasion.

I can’t even remember when we started.

Decades ago.

Not everyone who came had fasted, but we had all done something — skipped breakfast or not had carbs or not had coffee — that reminded us to be mindful about the joy and meaning behind celebrating the new year as well as looking back on what had happened the year before, who we needed to be better to, what we needed to be better at. The Break-the-fast marked a real beginning.

But now we can’t begin because the end of what has brought us to this place doesn’t seem anywhere in sight.

Virtual break-the-fast just doesn’t cut it for me.

I will miss the food too. Our meal is always vegetarian/dairy. No fish because my daughter is allergic. Our must-haves have always been mujadarah, eggplant-mashed potato gratin, my friend Susan’s kugel, a giant challah. And much more, with some changes over the years.

Dessert of course.

But this year it’s just the two of us, so dinner will be salad and roasted salmon.

But ——— even with all the trials and tribulations of the past year as well as the health concerns and social unrest that continue into 5781, I try to be grateful. For my family, friends, my life.

As for food? It will be different this one year. Fortunately, fresh figs are now available! (But only for a short time — one of those get-them-while-you-can items.) Ed and I both love them and I’ve already made several recipes using both green and black figs.

But this salad is the fig dish I’ll be serving post Yom Kippur. It’s easy, festive enough for a holiday meal and easy on the stomach after not eating for a while.

Greens with Figs and Roasted Hazelnuts

• 6 fresh figs

• 2 tablespoons olive oil plus extra for coating the figs

• 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped hazelnuts

• 3 packed cups mixed soft greens such as spinach, frisee, Bibb lettuce, washed and dried

• 2-3 teaspoons white wine vinegar

• salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Parmesan cheese

Preheat an outdoor grill or oven broiler. Brush the figs with a thin film of olive oil and cut them in half. Place them, flesh side down, on a parchment lined baking sheet. Broil for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove the figs and set them aside. OR: grill them on an outdoor grill. Place the hazelnuts on the baking sheet and broil them for a minute or two to toast them lightly (or bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 5-6 minutes). Remove the nuts and set aside. Place the greens in a bowl. Pour in the 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss to coat the leaves. Add 2 teaspoons wine vinegar and toss, taste and add the additional vinegar if desired. Add the figs and nuts, toss, taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Grate or shave Parmesan cheese over the greens and serve.

Makes 2 servings

Smoked Salmon and Cottage Cheese Pie

Last week I made the ideal dish.

By that I mean it is light and easy to eat during the scorching days of summer.

It’s meatless, so perfect for the Nine Days and any other time we don’t want to eat the usual meat-two-veggie or salad dinner.

I got to use up leftovers and bits of this and that (smoked salmon, cottage cheese, cream cheese).

It served as dinner and also as hors d’oeuvre — I rewarmed the leftover portion and cut it into bite-size pieces for some socially distanced company.

You can use any leftover fish. I happened to have smoked salmon, so that’s what I used.

Smoked Salmon and Cottage Cheese Pie

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 1 large shallot, chopped

• 1 partially baked pie crust

• 3-4 ounces smoked salmon, chopped

• 2 tablespoons cream cheese

• 4 large eggs

• 1 cup cottage cheese

• 1 cup half and half

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

• 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and looks bubbly, add the shallot and cook for 3-4 minutes or until softened. Spoon the shallot onto the bottom of the partially baked pie crust. Scatter the salmon pieces on top. Cut the cream cheese into small pieces and scatter them on top. In a bowl, beat the eggs, cottage cheese, half and half, dill and salt together until well mixed. Pour into the pie crust. Bake the pie for about 45 minutes or until the top is nicely browned and the custard has set.

Makes 4-6 servings

Simmered Strawberry Fool

This dessert may look very fancy and I placed it on a very fancy plate. 

BUT: other than serving fresh fruit as is, this is among the simplest, easiest desserts ever. And you can also serve it in a plain old dish, custard cup, individual ramekin. However you wish.

The point is, you can transform this into a festive Shavuot holiday dessert just by using a lovely serving piece. The prep is a cinch.

Most of the time a fruit fool is a simple blend of crushed fruit and whipped cream (sometimes with vanilla or another extract added). The extra step of cooking the fruit and adding Balsamic vinegar gives the dish a richer, deeper flavor. Well worth the few (less than 10) minutes of time it takes.

Strawberry Fool 

• one pint strawberries

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange peel

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Extra berries, cookie, chocolate shavings, mint leaves, etc. for garnish

Clean the strawberries, remove the stems and chop the berries into small pieces. Place the berries and sugar in a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the Balsamic vinegar, cinnamon and orange peel and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the liquid is dark and syrupy. Remove from the heat and let cool. Whip the cream with the vanilla extract until thick. Fold the strawberry mixture into the whipped cream until well blended. Spoon the mixture onto dessert dishes (over berries or cookies, if desired). Garnish with berries, chocolate shavings, etc. 

Makes 6 servings
 

Homemade Lekvar

A few days ago, while looking into my cupboard for something, I found an unopened package of prunes that had reached its "best by" date. Indeed, when I opened it, the prunes were a bit too dry for tasty snacking.

But!

I can’t throw out perfectly good food. Rather than discard, I decided to make my own lekvar (and then use it for all sorts of recipes).

For several mornings I had some lekvar with yogurt (awesome). Just like the old days when Dannon had a perfectly wonderful prune yogurt.

I also made some of our treasured family recipe of butter cookies and used the lekvar for filling the center.

I don't ever have to buy lekvar again.

Here’s the recipe. I added fresh ginger to a portion and cooked it separately. It’s not typical for lekvar but I thought it added a good flavor. I list it as an option, but encourage you to try it too.

I’ll remember this recipe next Purim when I need to fill some homemade hamantashen.

Prune Lekvar

• one pound pitted prunes (about 2 cups)

• mixture or orange juice, apple juice or other fruit juice plus water (enough to cover the prunes)

• 4 slices of peeled fresh ginger (1/4-inch thick)

• pinch of salt

• 5 tablespoons packed brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Place the prunes in a saucepan. Add juice plus water, using enough to cover the fruit and add the ginger and salt. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the prunes are soft. Be sure there is some liquid left in the pan; if not, add a bit more. Stir in the sugar and cook for another 5-6 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and puree using a blender hand blender.

Makes 2 cups

Quarantine Charoset or Pantry Charoset or Completely Made-up Charoset

When I was growing up the Seder charoset was used symbolically only. My grandmother, and in later years my mother, would grate an apple or two, mix it with some walnuts and Manischewitz concord grape wine and that was that. It always turned brown and didn’t look very appetizing and we ate it only as commanded during the reading of the Haggadah.

Then, several years ago, charoset became a big deal. It was now expected to taste good, look good and be eaten like a side dish, the way we eat cranberry sauce or apple sauce.

And so, I stopped making the apple mush. Instead, over the years, I’ve made Persian versions, nut-free versions, coconut charosets and all sorts of others, based on different ethnicities.

This year I am making my special COVID19 jumble, made with what I have on hand in the way of dried fruit (plus an orange, which I always have in the fridge.

Should I call it Quarantine Charoset, Pantry Charoset or simply Completely Made Up Charoset?

I don’t use any nuts because of allergies, but you can add 1/3-1/2 cup of chopped nuts (any kind) to this recipe if you have some in your pantry.

Quarantine Charoset or Pantry Charoset or Completely Made-up Charoset

• 1-1/2 cups chopped dates

• 1 cup chop dried figs

• 1 cup chopped dried apricots

• 1/2 cup raisins

• 1 fresh apple, peeled and chopped

• 1/2 cup pomegranate jam (or any jam you have)

• 1/3 cup Passover wine (preferably Concord grape)

• 1/4 cup orange juice

• 1 teaspoon grated fresh orange peel

Place the dates, figs, apricots, raisins and apple in a bowl and toss the fruit to distribute the pieces evenly. Add the pomegranate jam and stir to coat the fruit. Pour in the wine and orange juice; add the orange peel. Toss the ingredients. Let rest for at least one hour before serving.

Makes about 5 cups

Potato and Cheese Kreplach

If I knew that the world was going to end or that it was my last day on earth, I would want potato-and-cheese kreplach with sour cream for dinner before I go.

For me, this simple, rustic, peasant dish is the ultimate.

I hadn’t had any for ages and ages and then, one day Ed and I were in Bratislava, Slovakia, perusing the menu at Houdini, a small restaurant conveniently located in our hotel.

They had potato-cheese pierogi!

Oh my.

There was no question about what I would order for dinner. I don’t even remember what else I could have chosen.

All I know is that the pierogies — the best I had ever eaten — came laden with sour cream and topped with chopped fresh chives.

I would go back to Bratislava just to have some more.

And I have been fantasizing about those things ever since.

However, because a trip to Slovakia is not in my immediate future, I decided to make some at home, but I made them kreplach shape in celebration of Purim, when it is customary to eat triangular shaped foods. These would be just perfect whether you make triangles or half moons.

If you’d like to make some, follow the recipe and look at the photos to see how the triangles are cut, filled and folded.

This is truly good food. Last day on earth worthy.

Potato Cheese Kreplach

FillinG:

• 3 large Yukon Gold potatoes (about one pound), peeled, cut into chunks (about 3 cups mashed potatoes)

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 1 cup farmer cheese

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the potato chunks in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Drain the potatoes and spoon into a bowl. While the potatoes are cooking, heat the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and looks foamy, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12-15 minutes or until soft and golden brown. Add the onions to the potatoes. Add the farmer cheese, sprinkle with salt and pepper and mix the ingredients until well blended. Set aside to cool before filling the dough.

DougH: 

• 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup butter, cut into chunks

• 2/3 cup water, approximately

• 1 cup dairy sour cream

Place the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and work it into the dough until the mixture is crumbly. Add 1/2 cup of the water and the sour cream and mix the dough until it is smooth, soft and well blended. If the dough seems too dry, add more water. (You can do this in a food processor.) Let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes. Using portions of the dough, roll the dough on a floured surface to 1/8-inch thick. Cut the dough into 3-3-1/2” squares. Place about one tablespoon of the filling onto each square. Slightly wet 2 sides of the square along the border. Fold the dough over the filling to make a triangle, pressing down onto the moist strips to seal the dough. Use the back of a fork to press the edges. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the filled kreplach, 8-10 at a time, and simmer for about 15 minutes or until they are tender. Remove the kreplach with a slotted spoon and set aside; repeat.

Serve with sour cream and chopped chives or scallion tops.

Makes about 30

Vegetarian Moussaka

Way back in 2009 I wrote an article about wedding feasts for Connecticut Bride Magazine, interviewed several caterers, and was astonished that among the menus they showed me there were so many choices for vegetarians and vegans. I read about creative, gorgeous hors d’oeuvres. Substantial, festive main courses. Glamorous desserts.

I’m not a vegetarian but that assignment was a sort of turnaround for me. I realized that there were lots of delicious foods I hadn’t tried and, that even if I had no intention of becoming a vegetarian or vegan, and even if I wasn’t particularly trying to cut down on meat protein, I was missing some really good food!

I don’t like to miss good food!

So, over the years I have prepared many vegetarian hors d’oeuvre and entrees, many of them spectacular.

This Vegetarian Moussaka is one of them. Portobello mushrooms take the place of meat in this creamy, tangy, comforting dinner dish. A hearty, filling meal, perfect for meatless Monday or any other day. Celebratory enough for a special occasion, wedding or otherwise.

Vegetarian Moussaka

• 2 medium eggplants, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds

• salt

• 2/3 cup olive oil, approximately

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 2 medium chopped carrots

• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 3 Portobello mushrooms, chopped

• 1 bunch fresh spinach (or 2 packed cups baby spinach leaves)

• 1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes, undrained

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled

• 6 tablespoons butter

• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 2-1/2 cups milk

• 2 large egg yolks

• 1 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the eggplant slices on a surface and salt them lightly. Let sit for about 15 minutes, then wipe the surface dry with paper towels. Brush the slices with about 4-5 tablespoons of the olive oil and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, turn the slices and bake for another 12-15 minutes, or until the slices are tender. Let the slices cool. Reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees.

Heat 6 tablespoons olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes or until the onions have softened. Add the garlic and mushrooms and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add the spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, parsley, oregano, cumin and cinnamon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the sauce is very thick.

Cook the potatoes in a large pot of lightly salted water for about 15 minutes, or until tender. Let the potatoes cool, then peel and slice them into 1/4-inch rounds and set aside.

Make a béchamel white sauce: heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and looks foamy, lower the heat, add the flour and whisk the ingredients for 2-3 minutes. Gradually add the milk and whisk the ingredients for 2-3 minutes or until a thick sauce has formed. Stir about a half cup of the hot sauce into the egg yolks, stir to blend the ingredients and add the mixture back into the saucepan. Stir in 3/4 cup of the cheese, whisk the ingredients until smooth and set aside.

Lightly grease a 9”x13” ovenproof casserole. Layer: half the eggplant on the bottom, then the potatoes, then the vegetable sauce, then the remaining eggplant. Cover with the béchamel sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese.

Bake for about 45 minutes or until top is bubbly and golden brown.

Makes 8 servings

India-style Shakshuka

We always have sleepover guests — my cousins — for New Year’s Eve. The next morning it’s always the same brunch: smoked fish, herrings, whitefish salad, bagels and coffee.

Perfect.

Except this year, for a variety of reasons, we have to consider less-salty meals.

I decided on a complete change. Something delicious, different and needs no extra salt because the seasonings are so bountiful and flavorful (the recipe says salt to taste, which can be zero).

I’ve made this for dinner and brunch. Works either way. Add a hunk of bread (naan if possible).

May become a new tradition.

Happy New Year 2020.

India-style Shakshuka

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and chopped

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

• 1 large garlic clove, chopped

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger

• 8 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped

• 2 teaspoons curry powder

• Salt to taste

• 4-6 large eggs

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and habanero peppers. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until softened slightly. Add the garlic and ginger and cook briefly. Add the tomatoes, curry powder and salt to taste. Stir, cover the pan, turn the heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until vegetables are very soft and sauce-like. Crack the eggs into a small bowl one at a time then transfer each one next to the other over the vegetables. Cover the pan and cook for 4–5 minutes or until the eggs are set but yolks are still slightly runny. Sprinkle with mint and parsley. Serve each person an egg with some of the vegetables.

Makes 4-6 servings.