Passover Cookies

These cookies are like the passover cookies that they used to make at the old My Most Favorite Dessert shop on Madison Ave in the 80's....

"Actually Good" Passover Cookies:
by François Payard

Yield: Makes 40 cookies

Parchment paper
2 1/2 cups walnut halves
3 cups (k-p) confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 egg whites (size LARGE eggs- if you have Jumbo use 3)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

note: you can also make these nutfree by substituting 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips for the walnuts.

Position 2 racks in the upper and lower thirds of oven. Cookies can easily burn if too close to bottom heating element! Heat oven to 350°. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place walnuts on a work surface and finely chop. Transfer to a separate large baking sheet and toast until fragrant, about 9 minutes. Let cool. Mix sugar, cocoa and salt in a bowl. Stir in walnuts. Add egg whites and vanilla; mix with a fork until dough is just moistened. Should be like a heavy brownie batter. Drop batter by the teaspoonful onto baking sheets in evenly spaced mounds. Bake cookies until tops are lightly cracked and glossy, about 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter. Cool thoroughly before carefully peeling off the parchment paper. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.


These are the best coconut macaroons ever-- nothing like those gross canned ones.

Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons
(Gourmet Magazine, March'92)

Yield: Makes about 30 macaroons

4 large egg whites
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla (for not-passover also use 1 tsp coconut extract)
2 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1/4 cup matza cake meal (for non-passover use flour)
1/2 cup chocolate chips, or bittersweet chocolate

In a heavy saucepan stir together the egg whites, the sugar, the salt, the vanilla, and the coconut, sift in the flour, and stir the mixture until it is combined well. Cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, increase the heat to moderately high, and cook the mixture, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes more, or until it is thickened and begins to pull away from the bottom and side of the pan. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, let it cool slightly, and chill it, its surface covered with plastic wrap, until it is just cold. Drop heaping teaspoons of the dough 2 inches apart onto buttered baking sheets and bake the macaroons in batches in the middle of a preheated 300°F. oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are pale golden. Transfer the macaroons to a rack and let them cool.
In a glass bowl in the microwave melt the chocolate, stirring until it is smooth, about 2 minutes, and dip the macaroons, 1 at a time, into the chocolate, coating them halfway and letting any excess drip off. Transfer the macaroons as they are dipped to a foil-lined tray and chill them for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until the chocolate is set. The macaroons keep, chilled and separated by layers of wax paper, in an airtight container for 3 days. (If the macaroons are made in advance, let them stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.)

The best brownies ever

Hello Readers.
You know that day that you can't get the idea of fudgy delicious super-chocately brownies out of your head? Well, that was me, yesterday.
I guess it was a week of honey cake and other dairy-free desserts, but whatever... I had to make BROWNIES.
Now, I know that a lot of you, dear readers, look to my blog for the convenience of not having to sift through dozens of recipes to find the best ones. Well, here is the definitive brownie recipe, thanks to Ina Garten, who we know, never holds back on the crucial ingredients-- in this case, butter and chocolate.
I have tweaked it a tiny bit, using espresso powder instead of instant coffee, increasing the salt a bit, and exchanging pecans for walnuts. So give it a try and let me know what you think.
*note: this makes A TON of brownies

Ina Garten’s Outrageous Brownies
The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
1 pound unsalted butter
28 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee granules, or 2 Tablespoons espresso powder
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 12x18x1 inch baking sheet. Melt together the butter, one pound of the chips, and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water. Allow to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, stir (do not beat) together the eggs, coffee granules, vanilla, and sugar. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room temperature. In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the nuts and 12 ounces of chips in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup flour, then add them to the chocolate batter. Pour into the baking sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf to force the air to escape from between the pan and dough. Bake for another 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake!
Allow to cool thoroughly, refrigerate, and cut into squares.
Ina’s notes: Flouring the chips and walnuts keeps them from sinking to the bottom.
It is very important to allow the batter to cool well before adding the chips, or the chips will melt and ruin the brownies.
Do ahead: This recipe can be baked up to a week in advance, wrapped in plastic, and refrigerated.

As American as Blueberry Blueberry Pie

PERFECT BUTTER PASTRY

2 1/2 cups  King Arthur Mellow Pastry Blend, or All Purpose flour

2 tablespoons buttermilk powder, optional

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 Tbs. sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter or vegetable shortening or a combination

6 to 7 Tbs. ice water

• Combine the flour, buttermilk powder, and salt. 
• Work in the butter in two batches, leaving some pieces as large as your thumbnail. 
• Sprinkle in ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork and adding water till the dough is completely cohesive. 
• Divide it in half, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes before rolling. 
• Roll the crust about 1/8" thick and about 2" wider than the diameter of your 9" deep-dish (at least 1 ½" deep) pie pan. 
• Place in the pan. 

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Make Filling

4 cups fresh blueberries, washed and drained

2 cups wild blueberries (frozen or canned are ok)

3 Tbs. Instant ClearJel OR 4 Tbs. instant tapioca

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1Tbs. freshly grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1-2 Tbs. butter

Milk or cream and sugar for sprinkling on the crust

TO ROLL THE CRUST: Put a clean kitchen towel on your work surface, and sprinkle with flour.

Unwrap one pastry disc and place it on the towel, and sprinkle with a bit more flour.

Roll the dough once, and turn the towel 45 degrees.

Roll again, turn again. Continue until your crust is even, about 1/8 inch thin, and big enough for about a 2 inch overlap in your pan.

Avoid over rolling the dough, or rolling your pin back and forth.

Preheat the oven to

425°F.

Toss together the berries, half the sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and lemon zest.

Let the juices develop a bit.

mix the clearjel (or tapioca) and remaining sugar together in a small cup (this keeps the thickener from clumping inside the pie).  Add to berries. Pour into the crust.

Roll out the top crust, (or make a lattice if you like) place it over the berries.

Trim excess overhang, and crimp the edges together.

Cut several slashes to allow steam to escape (if you haven't made a lattice crust). Spritz with water, and sprinkle with sparkling sugar or cinnamon sugar.

Bake the pie at 425 for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven heat to 350°F and bake for another 40 to 50 minutes, covering the edges if they seem to be browning too quickly. When done, the filling will be bubbling, and the crust golden brown. Remove from the oven, and cool for at least 1 hour before serving.

Serve with vanilla ice cream for a super treat.

Mix fresh and wild blueberries

Allow the berries to rest until the juices start to flow

package of chilled pastry

start to roll on floured cloth

lightly roll the pastry with your rolling pin

leaving overhang, gently drape into pan

pour in filling, dot with butter

King Arthur Pastry Blend and Clearjel

Use scissors to remove excess pastry

Crimp the crust (notice my festive blue nail polish!)

Brush lightly with milk or cream, sprinkle with sugar

Cut slits to allow steam to escape

Bake in middle of preheated oven, if crust seems to brown too quickly, lightly protect with foil strips

The Best Latke Recipe, and Salted Caramel Rice Krispie Treats

Time For Hanukkah Treats! Decorate with abandon! Stave off mid winter blues with Empty Carbs!
  Of Course, there are those who would object to the kinds of decorations I have come to love: but hey, why shouldn't Hanukkah be pretty? Like this Coconut Cake with a tiny Menorah, and blue M&Ms

Ina Garten Coconut Cake, Hanukkah Version

Hanukkah Cookies

Time for Fun and Family, Friends, and FOOD!

The Best Latkes
Under the influence of GG and Grandpa we learned, decadently, to love eating masses of them with creme fraiche and gravlax and caviar.

Under the influence of GG and Grandpa we learned, decadently, to love eating masses of them with creme fraiche and gravlax and caviar.




6 medium potatoes, scrubbed, peeled
1 onion
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour or cup-for-cup gluten free "flour"
1 tsp. salt
fresh pepper.
(serves about 6)
Using the shredding blade of a food processor, shred the potatoes. Set colander lined with a dish cloth in the sink to drain. Place the potatoes in the cloth lined colander, and squeeze out all the liquid you can.
Grate or finely chop onion, mix in eggs, salt and pepper.
Continue squeezing out as much liquid as you can, put half the shredded potatoes in with the onions and eggs, and return the other half to the food processor with the steel blade, and pulse a few times.
Mix the chopped potatoes in with the rest, add flour, and mix well.

You cannot really make this mixture too far in advance, as you probably know, the potato mixture will darken. However, if you cover it tightly with plastic (right on the surface of the potatoes), and cover with a dish towel, you can get about 45 minutes grace time, before the mixture turns unappealingly gray.

Heat about 2 1/2 inches of wesson oil in a large frying pan, and heat the oil till smoking. Drop a bit of the mixture in, it should sizzle like crazy. Using a deep-fry thermometer will give you the best idea of the temperature of the oil--- aim for 350 degrees for best results.

Add tablespoons of the mixture into the pan, allowing the oil to come back to temperature. Turn occasionally with a slotted spoon, and cook until they are nut-brown.

Drain on brown paper bags over a rack, and sprinkle liberally with Kosher Salt. Keep latkes warm until the batch is done on baking pans, lined with paper towels in a 225 degree oven.
Serve with Creme Fraiche, Applesauce, and Gravlax (make your own with this recipe).

"Salted Caramel" Rice Krispie Treats

Salted Caramel Rice Krispie Treats (Vegetarian)
One of the blogs that I avidly follow is called Smitten Kitchen, and I remembered seeing a recipe for these there. I have adapted it substituting Vegan Marshmallows, and Brown Rice breakfast cereal, but I invite you to try it. If you have blue sanding sugar and want to decorate with it, shake it on top of the pan while the "treats" are still warm.




1 stick unsalted butter, plus extra for the pan
1 10-ounce bag vegan marshmallows
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal or Puffed Brown Rice Cereal
Butter (or coat with non-stick spray) an 8-inch square "brownie pan"

In a large pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. It will melt, then foam, then turn clear golden and finally start to turn brown and smell nutty. Stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom as you do. Don’t take your eyes off the pot as while you may be impatient for it to start browning, the period between the time the butter begins to take on color and the point where it burns is often less than a minute.
As soon as the butter takes on a nutty color, turn the heat off and stir in the marshmallows. The residual heat from the melted butter should be enough to melt them, but if it is not, turn it back on low until the marshmallows are smooth.
Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the salt and cereal together. Quickly spread into prepared pan. Sprinkle top with Colored Sugar if desired

Thanksgiving Do Ahead Tips (also for Latkes)

I've gotten quite a few calls today about what you can do ahead of time if you are cooking Thanksgiving, and how to optimally store the do-aheads.

Here are some tips that work well for me:

FIRST THE MOST IMPORTANT THING:

4 Days Before Thanksgiving - Start Thawing The Turkey Now:

Thawing the Turkey: If you're bought a frozen turkey, you'll need to start thawing it.

Every 5 pounds of turkey will require 24 hours of thaw time in the refrigerator (i.e., a 15-pound bird will take 3 full days). Start defrosting the frozen turkey in the coldest part of the refrigerator, in the back. A slow thaw equals a juicy and moist turkey.

NEVER DEFROST TURKEY AT ROOM TEMPERATURE - bacteria multiplies at room temperature. Another REASON TO BUY AN ORGANIC BIRD

Following information on thawing turkeys from the National Turkey Federation:

Refrigerator Turkey Thawing Time (40 degrees F)
Turkey Weight	Days to Allow for Thawing Turkey
8 to 12 pounds	2 to 2.5 days
12 to 16 pounds	2.5 to 4 days
16 to 20 pounds	4 to 5 days
20 to 24 pounds	5 to 6 days

Emergency Thawing Only: If you need to thaw the turkey more quickly, you may thaw the bird in COLD water, in the original wrapping. The cold water must be changed every 30 minutes. Allow approximately 30 minutes per pound using this method. This is not my favorite method as it is a last-minute hassle and does dry out the turkey.

COLD Water Turkey Thawing Time
Turkey Weight	Hours to Allow for Thawing Turkey
8 to 12 pounds	4 to 6 hours
12 to 16 pounds	6 to 8 hours
16 to 20 pounds	8 to 10 hours
20 to 24 pounds	10 to 12 hours

What can you do before Thanksgiving? A few days before Thanksgiving, iron table linens, designate serving platters, and clean and polish your glassware and silver. Set the table if you can. Order, buy, and arrange flowers or other centerpiece and decorations. Save a few blooms to decorate platters and serving bowls. Make cranberry sauce and refrigerate. You can also make cranberry chutney and applesauce several days ahead and store tightly closed in the refrigerator. Prepare other sauces, jellies, and dressings; store in the refrigerator. Purchase, wash and cut up vegetables that you will use for your stuffing and side dishes. Chop onions, celery,carrots, parsley etc. and store in zip-lock plastic bags. Chop bunches of herbs and wrap in a damp paper towel inside a plastic zip lock bag in the freezer.

PIES:

• You can make pies up to a month in advance, and freeze. After assembling, put the entire unbaked pie — greased tin and all — into a loose-fitting plastic bag and seal tightly. Transfer it to the refrigerator the night before baking to thaw, and the next day you’ll have a fresh baked pie on your table in the hour it takes to bake it up fresh.
• Make pie crust pastry up to 5 days ahead and store, well wrapped in the refrigerator. Make the dough, and roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper. Fold up the parchment paper around the pastry and double wrap in plastic wrap. Let it warm up a bit before you start to assemble your pie.
• Cookies can be made up to a month ahead. You can make the dough and freeze, Or portion your cookies right on baking sheets, and freeze until hard, then place the individual cookies on parchment lined baking sheets and bake whenever you want. Rolled and cut cookies like sugar cookies can be baked ahead and frozen in airtight tupperware containers, and iced and decorated before serving.

LOAF CAKES LIKE PUMPKIN BREAD AND CRANBERRY BREAD

Bake up to five days ahead. Cool well, and wrap well in plastic. Keep at room temperature (think fruitcake) they actually improve.

SOUPS:

Vegetable soups can be easily frozen if they don't have cream or eggs, Making them an excellent trick. They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat the soup before serving, and thin as necessary before serving if it has thickened too much. Be sure to leave enough space in the container you freeze in. Soup can be frozen in heavy duty ziplock freezer bags.

GRAVY:

Turkey Gravy can be made up to five days ahead. When you heat it up, correct the seasoning, and add any pan drippings you have accumulated.

SALADS:

If you are using kale or cabbage or sturdy greens you can clean and cut them up in advance. Otherwise, I don't really recommend making salads ahead, because-- well, because they are supposed to be FRESH!

DIPS:

You can make hummus, eggplant dip and the like a day or two ahead. Marinate a bunch of olives with good olive oil and some herbs de provence, and a shake of red pepper.

POTATO DISHES:

Potato Dishes that cook in casserole pans- like our FAVORITE PRALINE SWEET POTATOES can be assembled a day ahead and put in to cook before the meal. Watch carefully when you are juggling a lot of dishes in the half hour before the meal, because the pecan topping can burn easily. Have some parchment handy to lay over the top if its browning too fast.

LATKES

Because of, well, you know what, you might have to be dealing with latkes too. Make Latkes (or the given sweet potato variety) ahead. Cool, and freeze individually on cookie sheets until hard. For reheating: Put frozen latkes on cookie sheets into a 375 degree oven, turning frequently until crisp and hot. Keep warm on paper towels in a warming drawer if you have one or a 225 oven.

Mashed potatos can be made ahead by boiling them 2 or more hours before the meal, and leaving them in the warm water. then mash at the last minute with olive oil, pepper and sea salt. I love a handful of whatever fresh herbs you have leftover- parsley, a bit of sage, chives, celery tops, scallions.

FOR QUESTIONS OF SAVING, STORING AND NOT WASTING GOOD FOOD BE SURE TO CHECK THIS LINK

Thanksgiving. New Traditions: Second Dessert

Blueberry Crumb, Apple Lattice, Perfect Pecan

Henry's Famous Smoked Turkey

Of course its your favorite holiday!
Browse the links below to some of our favorite recipes, or check the column of "tags" on the right edge of the blog for more ideas.
One of our favorite "New Traditions" (is that an oxymoron?) is "Second Dessert". Second Dessert solves two problems at once.
First, keeping kosher means that your Thanksgiving pie crusts will not be made with butter, and will not be served with whipped cream or ice cream. (And might contain nasty margarine/transfat/stuff).
Second, you know how after you finish all the yummy dinner, you kind of feel too full for dessert, but then you kind of start scrounging around for a snack a couple hours later.
So, our tradition has become: Dinner (at 5-ish), a light dessert for those who want it (apple cake, a brownie, some fruit). We continue on to a lively game of Charades, Trivial Pursuit, or Guitar Hero.
Then some time later (consult your Rabbi or the most "Jewy" in your crowd for the specific time frame), Dig into a rich, non-pareve, whipped cream garnished dessert.

Hey, all traditions had to start somewhere.

• Zia Salad from Casa Sena Restaurant, Santa Fe
• Smoked Turkey
• Brining Turkey-- We are HUGE fans
• Arlene's mushroom stuffing
• Cranberry Orange Sauce
• Turkey Gravy for when you are smoking or grilling Turkey
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Glazed Chestnuts
• Praline Sweet Potatoes
• Lemon Haricots Verts
• Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic
• Cranberry Nut Bread
• Pumpkin Bread
• Perfect Pecan Pie
  
• Indian Pudding

Indian Pudding
4 cups milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup cornmeal
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
grated fresh nutmeg to taste
1 tsp. salt
1 cup molasses
1 tsp. grated orange peel
Vanilla ice cream
Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a saucepan over low heat, scald milk and sugar. Gradually stir in the cornmeal. Cook and stir constantly until smooth and slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in eggs, cinnamon, ginger, molasses, nutmeg, and orange peel. Mix thoroughly. Pour into greased 2-quart casserole. Bake 1 1/2 hours. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Makes 6 servings.

Cape Gooseberries? Ground Cherries? How about a Crumble?

 Do you recognize this fruit?  The botanical name is "Physalis" , some people call them Ground Cherries, or Cape Gooseberries. In any case, I have a TON of them in my garden, and therefore you might see some in your CSA, or in the Farmers' Market this week.

They are delicious for snacking, make a terrific "new fruit" for Rosh Hashana, a great addition to any tomato salad, but in this dessert, paired with fresh apples they have a chance to toot their own tasty horn.




Cape Gooseberry Apple Crumble

Ingredients:
Serves 4

• 4 apples, peeled, cored, cut in chunks
• handful of dried blueberries
• 2 cups of husked cape gooseberries
• 1/2 cup orange juice

Put the chunked apples and the blueberries in a saucepan with the orange juice and cook until apples are soft. Stir in gooseberries, and cook for about a minute.

cooking the gooseberries, apples and dried blueberries

Make the crumb topping-
Rub flour and butter together, add other ingredients and mix until crumbly.
(you can do it in the food processor)

3/4 cup flour
4 Tbs. butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
 1 Tbsp. grated orange or lemon zest 

 Preheat oven to 400

Divide the fruit mixture into 4 individual baking dishes. Top with the crumb mixture.
Bake for about 40 minutes till bubbly and done.
If they are browning too quickly, reduce heat and place a sheet of foil loosely over the ramekins.




Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Blueberry Blackberry Cobbler

• 4 cups peeled, sliced peaches, blueberries, blackberries, pitted cherries or a mixture of all
• 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup water
• 8 tablespoons butter (one stick)
• 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour**
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• Ground cinnamon, optional

**As a substitute for 1-1/2 cups self-rising flour, place 2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a measuring cup. Add all-purpose flour to measure 1 cup. Combine with an additional 1/2 cup all-purpose flour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the fruit, 3/4 cup sugar, and water in a saucepan and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Put the butter in a 3-quart baking dish and place in oven to melt.

Mix remaining 3/4 cup sugar, flour, and milk slowly to prevent clumping. Gently pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Using a slotted spoon, put fruit on top, and then gently pour syrup around the fruit in the pan. Again, don't stir. Sprinkle top with ground cinnamon. Batter will rise to top during baking. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes.

To serve, scoop onto a plate and serve with your choice of whipped cream, creme fraiche, or vanilla ice cream.

Spring Luncheon: Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tarts with Blueberry Trifle

Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tarts

• 1 package Dufour puff pastry, defrosted
• olive oil
• 4 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (2 large onions)
• 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1 tsp. sugar
•  salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 2 tsp. chopped chives
• 1/3 cup (about) grated Parmesan
• 4 ounces herbed or plain chevre (goat cheese)
• 1 large tomato, cut into 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices
• a few basil leaves shredded finely

  

  Golden Brown and Savory

  
  

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Use Convection feature if your oven has it.

Caramelized Onions:
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to low heat and add the onions and garlic. Let them cook slowly for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and beginning to turn golden, and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet. Add sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper,  balsamic vinegar, and thyme and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Remove from the heat.

Unfold a sheet of pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it slightly with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface. Using a pizza cutter or knife, divide it into 12 rectangles. Transfer rectangles to baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

Pastry rectangles ready for Oven

Using a sharp paring knife, score a 1/4-inch-wide border around each pastry rectangle. Prick the pastry inside the score lines with the tines of a fork and sprinkle with grated Parmesan on each round, staying inside the scored border.
Divide the of the onion mixture evenly, again staying within the scored edge.

Crumble goat cheese on top of the onions. Top each with a tomato slice in the center. Brush the tomato lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper. Finally, sprinkle a bit more parmesan on top

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown, rotating sheets as necessary. Serve hot or warm.




BLUEBERRY LEMON TRIFLE
 serves 12 

• 1 Pound Cake (plain or lemon) purchased or made from your favorite recipe
• 1 jar Lemon Marmelade
• 4 pints fresh blueberries
• 1 8oz package cream cheese softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream divided
• 1/4 cup Grand Marnier or Triple Sec

1. Rinse Blueberries. Put 2 pints in a food processor and puree. Add sugar to taste, if the berries are not sweet enough. Mix pureed blueberries with whole berries and reserve in a bowl.

2. Cut the cake into 1 inch cubes.

3. Put softened cream cheese into the bowl of an electric mixer with the sugar, and begin to beat. Slowly pour in one cup of cream, and beat until smooth and thick. Spoon in a large dollop of the lemon marmelade.

4. Put remaining marmelade in a saucepan or a microwave-able bowl. Heat either on the stovetop or into the microwave until melted, add in the Grand Marnier or Triple sec. Cool.

Assembly:

In a straight-sided glass bowl, carefully spoon in a layer of the berry mixture. Follow with a layer of cake cubes. Spoon or brush the cake cubes with the marmelade-liqueur mixture. Spoon in a layer of the cream mixture. Repeat layers ending with berries.

Be careful to keep the sides of the bowl as clean as possible, to show off the layers.

Put remaining cup of cream in mixer and whip until stiff peaks form, with about 1/4 cup additional sugar. Spoon over the top (or put in a pastry bag with a star tip and pipe it on if you are feeling fancy). Decorate with mint leaves, flowers, crushed cookie crumbs, or whatever is handy. Enjoy with champagne.

The Hamentaschen Axiom: Its Always Something

No matter what you do, something is going to be wrong with your Hamentaschen.

Hamentaschen baking and garden planning are always linked in my mind. Even Henry just asked "Is it spring yet?".  Seed Catalogues were my sole companion during last week's Involuntary Arctic Exile, and I stayed busy convincing myself not to plant any number of exotic heirloom varieties. And Amanda and I sent links for Hamentaschen Recipes back and forth in gchat.

Hamentaschen are like Connecticut vegetable gardens. In the garden, either its too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry. Spring is too early, or too late. Its either blossom-end rot, or tomato horn worms. And if its none of those, deer or woodchucks get in. And there are rabbits. Hamentaschen are either tasteless and dry, or tasty and deformed. If you make poppy, people complain that they are not apricot. If you make apricot, you wish you had raspberry. And although you never really had a scrumptious triangular cookie with a Yiddish name and a fruity filling, you always secretly believe that, like a hardy but tasty tomato seed, eventually all will be revealed. Why do we persist?  Seed catalogs and baking hamentaschen are signs that spring is on the way. And Jews and gardeners are nothing if not persistent.

Amanda went with tasty dairy hamentaschen made with a rugelach- like cream cheese and butter pastry. Alas, they did the come-unstuck-flop-open-into-circles- with-blobs-of-jam thing.

I decided to revisit and tweak a recipe that I thought had potential, one that boldly claimed to be "The Best Hamentashen You Will Ever Eat"
Although I wouldn't go that far, they really don't taste too bad. (Jews and gardeners...hopeful).The problem with these is that they are seriously UGLY. Part of the problem is mine-- in my last frenzied stock up at Whole Foods, I bought Organic Cane Sugar- which is significantly coarser than my usual Domino. And thinking that more is more in the taste department of non-buttery baked goods, instead of using my microplane grater, I grated the orange peel coarsely. So the dough was lumpy, ergo lumpy result.
The combo of the coarse sugar and the coarse orange peel, however made for a crisp and flavorful cookie, one that even improved a bit with time.
So take off your glasses and bite into one of these

UglyTaschen

Adapted from an adaptation from the Molly Goldberg Jewish Cookbook
 
¾ cup sugar
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup room temperature shortening, butter or margarine (I used half Earth Balance Sticks, half Fleishman's pareve margarine)
1 egg, beaten
3 Tbs. orange juice
1 tsp. grated orange zest
2 tsp. vanilla extract (or your choice)
1 tsp Princess Flavoring optional

Filling of your choice-- Solo/Lekvar/Lemon Curd/ Jam

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, orange zest, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer.

Add shortening or butter in tablespoon-sized pieces and combine with the paddle attachment until the dough has big crumbs.

Combine orange juice, extract, and beaten egg.

Add these wet ingredients to the dough and mix until a dough is formed. I found the dough very dry and added  an extra Tablespoon more juice or soy milk.

Divide into two mounds, and roll each out between 2 sheets of parchment to a thickness of about 1/8 inch.
Chill well-- at least an hour. For more about this see the sugar cookie entry.

Heat oven to 400

Remove a chilled dough sheet from the fridge. Remove top parchment and flip over onto baking sheet.

Using a 3”  round cutter, (or a glass like your "Oma" did), cut dough sheet into circles.

Place  1 (scant) teaspoon of filling in the center of each circle. Fold up the corners and seal well forming triangles.

Place cookies on cookie sheets and bake 12 – 15 minutes, rotating if your oven requires it until light golden brown.

Let cool on sheets about 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: about 2 dozen
Easy to double.

Matzo Crack: Time for something (anything) Yummy for Passover

4 pieces matzo 1 cup salted butter 1 cup brown sugar 2 cups chocolate morsels 1 cup walnuts, pistachios or almonds (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Line a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil.  Lay pieces of Matzo in one layer on the pan. Break it into pieces to fit as needed.  Melt butter with brown sugar over medium heat.  Stir frequently until it bubbles.            Pour over matzo and spread to cover.  Put in the oven for a minute or two.  Sprinkle 2 cups of chocolate morsels on top and return to oven for 1 minute           to melt morsels.  Remove from oven and with a spatula spread chocolate. Sprinkle with nuts if desired.  Freeze 20 minutes until hard.  Crack into pieces and store in a zipper bag in the freezer.

A Persian Passover Treat

Sohan Asal, Persian Almond Brittle with Saffron

 These candies, called Sohan Asal in Iran, and are a very traditional Passover treat. They make a terrific addition to any cookie platter, and are quick to make. A candy thermometer really helps.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 ½ cups slivered almonds
¼ teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
2 tablespoons rose water (optional)
1/4 cup  chopped pistachios, for garnish

Preparation
Spread parchment baking paper on a cookie sheet or marble countertop

Cook the sugar, honey and oil together in a heavy saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.

Add the slivered almonds to the mixture, and continue stirring for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture turns a golden color and starts to come together.
Add saffron and rose water and cook for another 2 to 4 minutes, until mixture foams and turns golden. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon until the mixture reaches a golden brown color, and turns very foamy.

If you have a candy or deep-fry thermometer it should read 285 degrees. If you don't have a thermometer, put a few ice cubes in a glass of ice water, drop a small amount of the mixture into the water, if it hardens immediately, it is done.

Place teaspoonfuls of the mixture on the parchment paper at 1-inch intervals, immediately scatter the chopped pistachios.

Allow the candies to cool thoroughly, then remove them from the paper and store in an airtight container for up to a week, between layers of parchment.

Passover Brownies

Passover Brownies
Good enough for anytime

So easy, if you just throw it all in a food processor:

Heat oven to 350

put following ingredients in food processor:
4 Eggs
2 sticks k-for-p margarine (I know...but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do)
scant 2 cups sugar
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup Matza cake meal
1 bag chocolate chocolate chips divided

Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips briefly in food processor
mix in half of the chips
put in greased 8 x 11 pan. bake about 30 minutes until knife comes out clean

When you remove the pan from the oven, sprinkle on the remainder of the chips. allow to melt, and spread over the top.
Cool well, cut into squares.

Passover Menu. Traditions with a Twist (or two)

Fish Course--on deck

Chopped Liver with Jicama Slices and Celery Sticks

Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls

Tri-Color Vegetable Terrine (below)

Turkey Roast with Mango Sauce and Mango Salsa

Asparagus

Cauliflower Kugel "Muffins"

Spring Garden Quinoa Pilaf

Lemon Meringue Pie (below)

Coconut Macaroons

Chocolate Cookies

This recipe by Levana Kirschenbaum is from www.chabad.org. You can make it a day or two ahead of time and keep it chilled. It makes a great change from Gefilte Fish, especially if you are making two seders.

3 leeks, white and light green parts, sliced 2 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut in large chunks 1 large turnips, peeled and cut in large chunks 2 large parsnips, peeled and cut in large chunks 1 medium celery root, peeled and cut in large chunks 1/4 cup olive oil Pinch nutmeg 2 eggs 1/4 cup potato starch Salt and pepper to taste 1 box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed thoroughly dry 1/4 cup basil leaves, packed 1/3 cup tomato paste Place the leeks, potatoes, turnips, parsnips and celery root, with water to barely cover, in a heavy pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender. If you have any liquid left in the pot, reduce on a high flame. The mixture must be absolutely dry. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal chopping blade. Add the oil, nutmeg, eggs, potato starch, salt and pepper, and process the whole mixture, in batches if necessary, until perfectly smooth. Preheat the oven to 375*f. Grease a 2-quart rectangular mold with straight sides, and line with plastic wrap, letting the excess overhang. Divide the mixture in thirds, and place in three bowls. Process one third in the food processor with the spinach and the basil until smooth. Pack tightly in the mold. Pack the second (white) third on top of the green layer in the mold. Process the last third with the sun-dried tomatoes until smooth (rinse and dry the bowl of the food processor first to get rid of the green batch), and pack tightly on top of the white layer in the mold. Fold the overhanging plastic on top of the mold. Bake for 1 hour or until the top is firm. Chill the mold. Serve alone or with red pepper sauce (recipe follows). Red Pepper Sauce: 2 red peppers 1/2 cup basil leaves, packed 2 large cloves garlic 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons paprika Salt and pepper to taste Bottled hot sauce or cayenne to taste Puree all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Store refrigerated in a glass jar.

Another option is this one:

Roasted Vegetable Terrine adapted from Emeril Lagasse

• 1 (1-pound)  eggplant, stem and bottom end trimmed, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 pound zucchini, stems and bottom ends trimmed, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 1/2 pounds yellow squash, stems and bottom ends trimmed, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
• Salt
• Ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons minced parsley
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large red bell peppers (about 1 pound), roasted, with cores, seeds and skins removed
• 2 large yellow bell peppers (about 1 pound), roasted, with cores, seeds and skins removed
• 16 ounces fresh spinach, washed and stems removed, blanched and squeezed dry
• Sun-dried Tomato Sauce, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Line 2 large baking sheets with aluminum foil, and lightly grease with olive oil. Lay the eggplant, zucchini, and squash slices in a flat layer, slightly overlapping. Brush with olive oil and lightly season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven until soft and just golden around the edges, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a plate to cool. Repeat with the remaining vegetable slices.
In a food processor, combine the basil, parsley, and extra-virgin olive oil. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper, and mix well.
In a 6-cup terrine (12 by 3 by 3-inches), arrange the eggplant slices across the bottom and over the sides, overlapping the slices to completely cover the terrine. Top with slices of red pepper, zucchini, squash, spinach, and yellow pepper.   Repeat layering with the remaining vegetable slices, brushing with parsley-basil. Wrap the overhanging eggplant over the bottom of the terrine. Wrap the terrine loosely in plastic wrap. Top with an equal sized terrine, or a piece of cardboard wrapped in aluminum foil. Place a brick or 2 heavy cans on top of the terrine and refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.
Remove from the refrigerator. Remove the weight and unwrap. Slice with a very sharp knife and serve 1 large or 2 thin slices per person with the Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce.

Sundried Tomato Sauce

• 1 cup tightly packed sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed), reconstituted in hot water and drained
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt, red pepper and black pepper, and puree on high speed. With the motor running, gradually add the oil through the feed tube and process until well combined.

Pour into a container until ready to serve.
Yield: about 2 cups

 Cauliflower Kugel Muffins (serves 6)

• 2 large onions thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon honey
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets (about 8 cups)
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup matzo meal  (breadcrumbs can be substituted if not for Passover)
• 3 tablespoons chopped dill 
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 

• Preheat oven to 450°F Toss cauliflower with 2 tablespoons oil, reserving remainder. Place cauliflower on a baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes tossing occasionally or until browned and tender. Reduce oven heat to 350
• Heat remaining oil in skillet over medium-high heat and add onions. Sprinkle with salt to help the juices come out. Sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes or until onions have softened.
• Turn heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 18 to 20 minutes or until onions are a thick tangled golden mass. Stir in honey.
• Pulse cauliflower in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in onions, eggs, matzo meal, dill and parsley. Season well with salt and pepper and place in oiled baking dish, or in well-greased muffin tins.
  
  
  
  
  
  Passover Lemon Meringue Pie
  Lemon Meringue Pie (very slightly adapted from The Molly Goldberg Jewish Cookbook) 
  1 crust for a 9-inch pie or Manischewitz coconut pie shell
  
  Filling:
  3 eggs
  3 egg yolks
  7/8 cup sugar
  6 tablespoons margarine or butter
  1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  grated zest from 1 lemon
  1/2 tsp. lemon extract
  Meringue:
  3 egg whites
  1/4 cup sugar
  1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  
  (If not using the Manischewitz shell, make a passover crust of your choice or this one into a 9-inch pie pan. Line the crust with a sheet of foil and fill with dry beans to help the crust keep its shape and not shrink while pre-baking. Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden. Remove foil and beans and set aside.)
  
  Prepare filling:
  Place 1 inch of water into the bottom of a double boiler and set the double boiler onto a burner.  Bring water to a boil, then turn heat down to simmer.
  Place the filling ingredients into the top of the double boiler and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens — 10 minutes or so.  When it's ready, the mixture will coat the back of a spoon: you can dip the spoon into the filling and run your finger through the coating, but the mixture won't seep back in to fill the space. Pour the filling into the prepared crust and set aside while making the meringue.
  
  Prepare meringue:
  Place the egg whites into a large mixing bowl. With an electric mixer, beat until the whites hold soft peaks. Add the sugar slowly and continue beating until the whites hold stiff peaks. Spread the meringue over the lemon filling, being sure that the meringue adheres to the crust all along the edge of the pie, sealing it completely, otherwise  the meringue will shrink and not cover the filling.
  Bake for 5-10 minutes until lightly golden.
  Refrigerate uncovered at least 4 hours or until time to serve.
  Do not cover with Plastic Wrap.