Recipe from Laura Cohen adapted from Epicurious.

“This recipe came out so good…. i even love the topping for a pasta dish…My changes: I did half red cherry tomatoes and half yellow tomatoes for pretty color. I also added a splash of white cooking wine while I cooked the tomato mixture.”

Kosher Recipe Ingredients

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 pounds tilapia, red snapper, or orange roughy fillets
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup Kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced

Directions for this Kosher Recipe

Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Add half of fish to skillet and sauté until cooked, about 5 minutes per side depending upon thickness of the fish. Transfer fish to platter. Repeat with remaining fish. Add parsley and crushed red pepper to same skillet; sauté 1 minute. Add tomatoes, olives, and garlic; sauté until tomatoes are soft and juicy, about 2 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper; spoon over fish.

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Use Eggplants to create Sicilian Eggplant - Chopped Meat Casserole

by Vivien Hidary

Sicilian eggplants are sweeter and creamier than any other variety of eggplant. My friend Vivien, a gourmet cook, makes sure that this stuffed eggplant dish is on most of her Jewish holiday menus because its a family favorite! It can be prepared in advance, frozen, and baked before serving.

How to Create this Kosher Dish:

- Peel and slice about 4 sicilian eggplants and place on a tray sprayed with Pam.

- Brush a little olive oil on top of the slices.

- Bake on  350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.

- Meanwhile, mix equal parts of chopped meat and cooked rice with allspice and salt to make filling.

- When eggplant is done roll each slice around a small mound of filling.

- Arrange in a roaster or Pyrex in rows. Cover with a mixture of water, salt (or chicken consommé) allspice and a drizzle of oil.

- Bake at 350.Bake covered. .

These eggplants are soft and the perfect comfort food . You can also bake them whole and eat with a spoon! Enjoy!

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• Eggplant, Garlic, and Chopped Sun Dried Tomato Spread (thejewishhostess.com)

There is nothing like a fresh delicious chocolate chip cookie. This is why I make the batter and freeze them raw.   I can pull them out and just bake before serving.

Kosher Ingredients: 2 cups cake meal

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 sticks margarine

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 package (12 oz) chocolate chips

Directions

Combine dry ingredients, cake meal, baking soda and salt

Melt margarine in microwave, cream with sugars add eggs and vanilla

Add in dry mixture then chips

Shape into balls and flatten a little (these cookies will remain the same shape after baking )

May freeze at this point

Bake 350 (preheated oven) for 10-12 min do not over bake

Enjoy,

Lisa Bailey

Related Kosher Recipes

• Not Another Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (christiescorner.com)
• Homemade Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe (shaicoggins.com)
• Baking Tricks: How to Tell if Baking Soda has Expired (thekitchn.com)

When is Tu Bishvat this year?

Friday Evening at nightfall January 25! Mark your calendars!

Here’s a head start to your Sheva Minim menu!

I made this recipe last year for Tu Bishvat and it was a great hit- everyone who was health conscious and was watching their waistline knew that this slightly sweet grain salad would nudge them to pass on dessert.

This kosher recipe makes a large bowl of pilaf. If you are only making it for two people and do not want a lot of leftovers, I suggest halving it. Also, I always love using fresh fruits, but if no fresh figs are available in your area, you can always find dried ones. Just remember that dried fruits are often sweeter than fresh, so change the recipe accordingly.

Recipe Ingredients

• 1 cup wheatberries
• 1 cup barley
• 1 box of fresh figs
• 1 cup pitted chopped dates (I like to thinly slice them width-wise to create rings)
• 1 cup grapes or 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
• 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds and/or 1/4 cup pomegranate juice
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• salt and pepper to taste

Kosher Recipe

Directions cont’d

Cook the wheat berries and barley according to their package directions in two separate pots (usually the barley takes half an hour longer to cook so put that up first). While the grains are simmering, take out a large glass bowl and whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, and some salt and pepper. When grains are tender and still hot, dump them into the glass bowl, give them a mix, and let it sit to absorb the flavors. Meanwhile, cut up all of the fruits, then add them to the mix. I drizzled pomegranate juice on top to give it a little bit more sweetness and flavor. Enjoy!

More Kosher Recipes

• Almond Date Truffles for Tu B’shvat (thejewishhostess.com)
• 5 Cool Tu Bi’ Shvat Activities for Today’s Kids (thejewishhostess.com)
• Kosher Tropical Sangria for Tu B’shvat (thejewishhostess.com)
• 4 Gorgeous Fruit-Filled DIY Tu B’ishvat Centerpieces (thejewishhostess.com)
• Tu Bi’ Shvat Wheat Berry Pilaf (thejewishhostess.com)
• 4 Gorgeous Fruit-Filled DIY Tu B’ishvat Centerpieces (thejewishhostess.com)

Related articles

• Tu Bi’ Shvat Wheat Berry Pilaf (thejewishhostess.com)
• 4 Gorgeous Fruit-Filled DIY Tu B’ishvat Centerpieces (thejewishhostess.com)

“Who knew kibbeh could be grilled? This Turkish recipe is a healthy alternative to fried kibbeh torpedoes and is really delicious. These are easy to make – all of the ingredients are mixed together and formed into a torpedo shape. I like using a medium or coarse grain bulgur for a crunchy exterior. These are also excellent made with ground beef or lamb. Serve with pita bread, Israeli salad or fatoush, and lemon wedges. I love this as an appetizer for a holiday lunch! Perfect  for your Thanksgiving menu! Lisa Ades”

TURKEY KIBBEH KEBABS

Adapted from Food and Wine magazine

• 1 pound ground turkey (*see note below)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup medium or coarse grain bulgur, rinsed
• 1/2 med. onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (flakes, not ground)
• lemons, cut into wedges

‘How to’ Create kibbeh

In a mixing bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, rinsed bulgur, onion, flour, salt, allspice, cumin and Aleppo pepper. Add ground turkey and mix well. Form the mixture into 1-by-3-inch “torpedoes”.

Grill for 5 minutes over moderately high heat, turning frequently on all sides until they are golden brown and cooked through.  You can also broil them.

Serve the turkey kebabs with pita bread warmed on the grill, salad and lemon wedges. Makes about 16. Serves 4.

* note:  This is not great with all white meat turkey – it will be very dry.

Try this “healthier” version of french fries. The fresh basil is a nice surprise on the crispy sweet potatoes. This is a delicious side dish for a dairy or meat meal, but don’t expect any leftovers. I would make these fresh out of the oven on Sukkot with cruchy salads salads and some sreaming barbeque or fish as a main dish!

• • 5 sweet potatoes, cut into about 1 by 5-inch “fries”
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt or sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Place the sweet potato “fries” on a foil-lined baking sheet and toss with the olive oil. Bake until crisp, about 45 minutes.
3. Meanwhile combine the basil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
4. When the sweet potato fries come out of the oven, sprinkle with the “basil salt.”

Recipe courtesy of Giada de Laurentiis

Pumpkin season is not over!

Try this delicious Pumpkin spelt bread when you are on the run on a cold winter’s day. Pumpkin is another member of the squash family and contains lots of fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, Carotenoids, and a host of other health benefits.

Thank you Paula Shoyer, author of the brand new bestselling cookbook The Kosher Baker!

Serves 12 to 15

Spray oil containing flour or spray oil plus 2 tablespoons flour for greasing and flouring pan

Kosher Recipe Ingredients

• ½ cup canola oil
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¼ cup honey
• 1 cup canned pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• ½ cup spelt flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½  teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

Directions for this Kosher Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a Bundt or tube pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat the oil, sugar and honey with a stand or hand-held electric mixer on medium-high speed until mixed. Add the pumpkin purée and beat again.
3. Use a silicone spatula to scrape down the bowl. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix well. Add the white, wheat and spelt flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.  Mix all the ingredients together. Use a silicone spatula to scoop the batter into the pan and then smooth the top.
4. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Let cool for 10  minutes in the pan and then turn out onto a rack and let cool completely.  Store covered in plastic at room temperature for up to five days or freeze wrapped in plastic for up to three months.

Paula Shoyer

Paula’s Parisian Pastries

www.paulaspastry.com www.kosherbaker.blogspot.com

About Paula Shoyer

Paula Shoyer is a pastry chef who owns and operates Paula’s Parisian Pastries Cooking School in Chevy Chase, Maryland.  She received her pastry diploma from the Ritz Escoffier Ecole de Gastronomie Francaise in Paris, France in 1996.   Paula Shoyer is the author of The Kosher Baker: 160 dairy-free desserts from traditional to trendy (Brandeis University Press, August 2010). Paula Shoyer is the editor of two popular Kosher cookbooks: Kosher by Design Entertains and Kosher by Design Kids in the Kitchen.

When Jamie Doueck gives me a Passover recipe, its a guaranteed winner.  This tart doesn’t look like a Passover recipe, but it looks and tastes like an all year round Martha Stewart  fruit tart. – For this recipe, place the rasberries or strawberries carefuly and everyone will think that you bought it!

Kosher for Passover Crust Recipe:

• 2 cups toasted pecans
• 1/2 stick margarine or butter
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 6 tbsp brown sugar

Passover Tart Directions:

1. Mix above ingredients in food processor till like consitency of oatmeal.
2. Press into 9 or 10″ tartpan
3. Bake at 350 degress for 20 or 30 minutes.
4. Melt 6 oz of good quality Passover chocolate in the microwave or double boiler.
5. Fold in 1 container of rich whip .
6. Pour onto cooled crust.
7. Melt 4 tablespoons of raspberry preserves in pan.
8. Spread onto chocolate mixture.
9. Top with fresh raspberries.(please check the raspberries according to halacha- please ask your rabbi.)
10. Recipe can also be used with strawberries and strawberry preserves.

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