For a Snow Day or Meatless Monday

Yesterday, after the big blizzard of 2016, I was delighted to look at the photos my friends posted to Facebook -- their kids sledding or playing in the snow, all wrapped up in layers of sweaters and parkas and boots and other winter gear.

But I -- was snug inside. Warm. Enjoying the thick, white, beautiful fluff from inside.

My kids are grown. But I do remember the days when they were young and wanted to go outside for snow fun. I'd get the sweaters on. The snowsuits. Hats, scarves, gloves, boots.

Of course then one of them would have to pee and off everything would come off. Then the re-do. 

Those days are over. It's my daughters' turn to do that now.

I can be inside. Warm. Cooking. Enjoying the lazy day.

I knew Sunday would be one of those stay-at-home days, so, in preparation I had soaked some beans overnight on Saturday, then cooked them for just under an hour in the morning. That meant that when it was dinnertime I could make a quick, easy dish to go with the chicken I was roasting for dinner.

This is the dish we ate. It was a perfect end to a perfectly warm and comfy day. Inside.

You can make this dish with canned white beans of course. I use canned beans often. But the texture of homemade cooked white beans if so much better -- firmer, meatier, less mealy -- that I highly recommend them for when you have the time to prepare them ahead (they'll keep in your fridge for several days). Either way, this is a quick and easy side dish for most dinners. And a good choice for a meatless Monday too.

Sauteed White Beans and Tomatoes

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1 large clove garlic, chopped
• 2 cups cooked white beans (or use one 15-ounce can beans, rinsed and drained)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh herbs such as oregano, thyme, chives, or a mixture of herbs
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
• salt to taste

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes and garlic and cook briefly. Add the beans, parsley, herbs and red chili flakes and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes, or until the tomatoes have softened and the ingredients are hot. Salt to taste. 

Makes 4 servings

The Easiest, Most Comforting Tomato Soup

Last week I was at my daughter Meredith's house and she had just finished cooking tomato soup. The fragrance -- warmth, security, satisfaction -- lingered in my memory into the next day.

I had to have some.

And so I did. I cooked a batch at home.

That enticing smell! I had it right there, in my own kitchen.

It was so easy too.

I separated the soup into packages for freezing, but they didn't last. We ate it all, a soup-plateful before dinner over the course of three evenings.

Now I will make some more.

Tomato Soup

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 28-ounce cans Italian style tomatoes, including juices
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup uncooked white rice

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about another minute. Add the tomatoes, stock, basil and salt and pepper. Break up the tomatoes coarsely with a wooden spoon. Bring the soup to a simmer, cover the pan and cook for 30 minutes. Add the rice, cover the pan and cook for another 25 minutes. Blend the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender. 

Makes 6-8 servings

Roasted Plum Tomatoes

When it's really really cold outside, (like it is where I live) I think of soup and make a pot or two. 

But I also dream about summer and sunshine and the garden fresh tomatoes you can only get at the end of August.

Winter tomatoes are not good. Not for salad anyway. They're typically too hard and the flesh is usually too dry.

But a good tomato taste does come out when you cook them, especially if you use Roma (plum) tomatoes. Use them for sauce for spaghetti or in Shakshuka. Braise them with string beans as a side dish.

Roasted tomatoes are also flavorful, even if you use winter tomatoes. This dish couldn't be simpler. It goes with any meat protein and also as part of a meatless Monday meal. 

Roasted Plum Tomatoes

• 4 large plum tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh herbs
• 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
• cayenne pepper, optional

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and place them cut side up in an ovenproof pan. Mix the olive oil and Dijon mustard and brush this evenly over the tops of the tomatoes. Sprinkle with the herbs and breadcrumbs. Dust lightly with a pinch of cayenne pepper for more flavor. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until the tops are crispy.

Makes 4 servings

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Pineapple

It seems to me that vegetables are more well-loved these days. Or at least less hated.

I'm not sure why that is, but I haven't seen many food articles lately about trying to get your family to "eat that broccoli" or "try some of those string beans."

I once posted that giving a vegetable dish a cute name such as X-Ray Vision Carrots may inspire kids and other nay-sayers to try vegetables. But I also think that, as a whole, we are making vegetable dishes more interesting nowadays and that's why people are more likely to eat them.

I mean -- Roasted Green Beans with Aleppo Pepper tastes better than plain old steamed string beans. Broccoli with Lemony Bread Crumbs is much more delicious than boiled broccoli. 

And so, those vegetable side dishes become big winners. It just takes a bit more effort.

Like this sweet potato dish (which you can also make with winter squash). The pineapple chunks are a nice, tangy balance for the sweet potato. Orange peel and fresh ginger give the dish a refreshing zip. I sometimes sprinkle in a pinch or two of cayenne pepper, but it isn't essential.

This dish is perfect with roasted chicken or turkey.

 

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Pineapple

• 2 medium-large sweet potatoes
• 1/4 fresh pineapple
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh orange peel
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Peel the potatoes and cut the flesh into bite sized chunks. Place the chunks on the parchment. Cut the soft flesh of the pineapple quarter into bite size chunks. Place on the baking sheet. In a small saucepan, combine the coconut oil, maple syrup, orange peel, ginger and nutmeg, stir and cook over medium heat just briefly enough to melt the coconut oil. Pour the mixture over the potatoes and pineapple and toss to coat all the pieces. Salt to taste. Roast for about 30 minutes, or until tender, tossing the pieces once or twice.

Makes 4-6 servings

New Year's Shakshuka

I'm finding it a bit weird to be thinking about New Year's, even though we are well into December, because the weather where I live is balmy. For Connecticut in December that is. It feels more like October.

It is December though and New Year's is coming and Ed and I always spend New Year's Eve with my brother and sister-in-law, Jeff and Eileen, and also cousins Leslie and Neil. Then Les and Neil stay for a few days and we just hang out, watch movies and eat. And drink.

Most of the time we have smoked fish for breakfast 3-4 days in a row but for several reasons we are changing course this year. One day of lox-and-bagels will do.

So then what?

I'm planning to serve shakshuka one morning. I have several versions, some with cheese, some with mergeuz sausage, some all-vegetarian. Some with middle eastern seasonings, some with Mediterranean herbs such as basil or oregano. A quickie or two.

This is the one I'm thinking of for this year, a substantial dish that reminds me of Huevos Rancheros. The pita bread sops up the juices from the vegetables. Also, the eggs aren't poached, but baked under a layer of grated cheese. I can set this up ahead and just pop it into the oven before we are ready to eat.

Huevos Rancheros Shakshuka

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 1 medium serrano pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 4 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 pita breads
• 8 large eggs
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper and serrano pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the vegetables have softened.

Add the tomatoes, cilantro, cumin, salt and pepper. Turn the heat to low, cover the pan and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until the ingredients are soft and sauce-like.

While the sauce is cooking, spread the butter over one side of the pitas and place the pitas in a large baking pan. When the sauce is done, spoon it over the bread.

Crack the eggs into a small bowl one at a time then transfer each one next to the other on top of the vegetables. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Place the baking pan in the oven and cook for 15-18 minutes or until the eggs are cooked but with slightly runny yolks and the cheese is hot and bubbly.

For a crispier looking top, place the pan under the broiler for a minute or so.

Makes 4 servings.

Ginormous Parsnips

We are a parsnip-eating family and I am always amazed when people say they've never tried one. Or that they once had a bite of one from some soup or other.

This is a vegetable that doesn't get its due.

It should.

Parsnips -- those white-ish, carrot-looking things -- are sweet. Kids and vegetable-haters of all kinds also usually like them (after you convince them to take a bite). 

And there is so much you can do with them. Make "fries." Roast them with garlic and herbs. Glaze them with Chermoula. Use it for soup. 

Slim parsnips make the best fries or other vegetable side dishes. But these ginormous ones can be woody. It's best to use them for soup or recipes that require longer cooking (and you'll have to remove the hard, inner core. Cut the parsnips in half, crosswise, then cut around the core; discard the core).

This Parsnip and Potato Puree can be dairy or dairy-free. It's a good choice for a vegetarian dinner or Meatless Monday dish. It's also a nice side dish for Thanksgiving dinner because it tastes good with turkey and other poultry.

Parsnip and Potato Puree

• 1 pound parsnips, sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1 pound Yukon gold or all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 McIntosh or other crisp, tart apples, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup milk or unflavored soy milk, rice milk or coconut milk
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cook the parsnips and potatoes in lightly salted boiling water for 10 minutes. Add the apples, lower the heat, and cook for another 5 minutes or until the parsnips and potatoes are tender. Drain the ingredients and return them to the pan. Add the butter and mash it into the other ingredients. Continue to mash, adding the milk gradually, until the ingredients form a smooth puree. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 4–6 servings.

Panzanella -- the Ultimate Summer Salad for a Crowd?

Panzanella Salad 

There's a crowd coming to my house for lunch. 

Not really. It's a "virtual" lunch, connecting my fellow kosher bloggers who live throughout the world. We are celebrating three years of friendship. Everyone will post a recipe so we can feast together, if only in our imaginations.

So, what to feed a kosher crowd?

It isn't as straightforward as you might think. The rules of kashruth are not simple. In fact, books have been written on the subject. Most people, even those who aren't Jewish and/or kosher, know the basics: no pig, no shellfish, no meat with dairy; only kosher meat, etc. etc.

But there's more to it and not everyone who is kosher follows the same rules. For example, some people only eat dairy products produced under the supervision of a Jewish person who will make sure the animals are kosher. People who are orthodox won't eat fish together with meat, whereas people who are conservative will. 

And more, too much to go into here.

That, plus all the other, nonkosher dietary stuff -- lots of folks these days are lactose intolerant or gluten intolerant. Some people don't eat meat. There are fish allergies! Nut allergies!

I want to avoid all that.

Oh myohmyohmy. 

Here's what I decided to make:

It's August and it's hot out. No one want s a heavy meal. The best food on the market now?

Tomatoes.

So my lunch is a salad built around summer's gorgeous produce. Plus a sprinkling of August's other culinary gem: fresh basil from my garden.

It's still a filling lunch, because I've added lots of vegetables to the usual bread-and-tomato salad. For the gluten-free folk there are plenty of good, crusty breads to substitute for the Tuscan-style or ciabatta called or in my recipe.

This dish has no meat, no fish, no poultry, no cheese, no dairy. Can be gluten-free. Strictly kosher. Delicious too.

Happy 3rd everyone!

Panzanella

• 1 pound crusty, 2-day old Tuscan style bread or ciabatta
• cold water
• 1 medium red onion, sliced
• 3 medium tomatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1/2 sweet red bell pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 1/2 yellow or green bell pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 1 small zucchini, chopped
• 1 cup cooked peas
• 2 tablespoons drained capers
• 3-4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 7-8 tablespoons olive oil
• 3-4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the bread into large dice and place them on a baking sheet. Bake the bread for 8-10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove from the oven and place the pieces in a large bowl. Let cool. Add the red onion, tomatoes, red pepper, yellow pepper, zucchini, peas, capers, basil and garlic and toss the ingredients. Mix the smaller quantities of olive oil and red wine vinegar and pour over the salad. Sprinkle with freshly ground back pepper to taste. Toss the salad and add more olive oil and/or vinegar as needed to taste. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 6 servings

More delicious Kosher Connection recipes right here

Mamaliga with Creamy Mushroom Ragout

Today is one of those days when I don't feel like eating meat. I don't even feel like removing the grill cover to cook up an easy burger or hot dog. I don't want fish or chicken either. It's just one of those days.

But I do want something substantial, filling and savory. For this kind of mood, nothing fills the bill better than something with mushrooms. 

Mushroom Pot Pie is one of our family favorites. But today I decided on a creamy mushroom ragout served over cooked cornmeal -- also known as polenta, but which my grandma called mamaliga (and my father called cornmeal mush).

Bonus: it can be reheated either in the microwave or preheated 350 degree oven.

Dinner's done. Maybe some sliced tomatoes on the side.

 

Mamaliga with Mushrooms in Sour Cream Sauce

• 4 cups water
• 1 cup cornmeal
• salt, approximately one teaspoon
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1-1/2 pounds mixed fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 2/3 cup dairy sour cream or plain, Greek style yogurt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Pour the 4 cups of water into a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Gradually add the cornmeal and about one teaspoon salt, while also stirring constantly. Continue to cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, for about 15 minutes or until the mixture is thick. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter. Cover the pan and set it aside. Heat the olive oil and the remaining one tablespoon of butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and looks foamy, add the onions and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and all the juices have evaporated from the pan. Stir in the sour cream, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and remove from the heat. Spoon the mamaliga into serving bowls, spoon the mushrooms on top, sprinkle with chives and serve.

Makes 4 servings

Meatless

We're big meat eaters here. During the summer, when the grill is open for business on our patio, we especially like beef ribs and veal chops, chicken and salmon.

But sometimes veg-only is on the menu. Maybe it's a meatless Monday -- or Tuesday, Wednesday -- whatever.

Or a fast during the Nine Days.

Or we are too tired to have a big, heavy meat meal.

Or it's just plain too hot to eat a heavy protein meal.

At those times we like a light, vegetarian, filling salad.

Like this one:

Tomato and Pasta Salad with Egg, Avocado and Blue Cheese

• 1 cup elbow macaroni or other small shape pasta
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups halved grape tomatoes
• 1 avocado, peeled and cut into dice
• 1 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 3 tablespoons chopped dill
• 3–4 tablespoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cook the pasta until al dente, drain and place in a large bowl. Set aside. While the pasta is cooking, heat a half tablespoon of the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Beat the eggs together and pour them into the pan. Cook for about one minute, stirring slightly, turn the egg over and cook for 30-60 seconds or until the eggs are cooked through. Place on a cutting board and chop into pieces. Add to the pasta. Add the tomatoes, avocado, cheese, red onion and dill and toss ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining olive oil, 3 tablespoons vinegar and the mustard. Pour the dressing over the salad. Toss and let rest for at least 5 minutes before serving. Taste for seasoning and add more vinegar if desired. Season to taste with pepper.

Makes 4 servings.

Veggie Here, Veggie There

When my family comes I buy about 83 pounds of fruits and vegetables. And it is never enough! After a couple of days with 6 grownups and 5 kids eating three meals/day plus snacks, I have to run out again and get a few packages of blueberries or a bunch of spinach and stuff.

But last visit I got it right! Not only did I buy enough, there were a couple of leftover items.

Not enough of one particular thing to do much with -- a couple of yellow squash, two portobello caps, a few grape tomatoes. Like that.

I put them all together in a saute pan with a little olive oil and some fresh basil and we polished it off as a side dish for dinner. The recipe will serve 4, but Ed and I finished most of it.

Mixed Vegetable Saute

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, chopped
• 2 small yellow squash, cut into bite size pieces
• 2 portobello mushroom caps, cut into bite size pieces
• 1 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the jalapeno pepper, scallions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 1-2 minutes, or until softened. Add the squash and mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes, or until softened. Add the tomatoes, basil and salt and pepper to taste, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes or until the tomatoes have softened slightly.

Makes 4 servings