And then, of course, there are the desserts. Tying the Mains section with 31 recipes, this is the chapter that most calls my name. Brownie mousse cake, reverse chocolate chip cookies and kitchen sink chocolate bark are all must-tries (surely you know by now that I adore all things chocolate). Rounding out Kosher Taste is a section called Odds & Ends, featuring chutneys, dressings, salsas and other yummies that are definitely worth a second look.
A Feldheim publication, Kosher Taste has more than 100 all-new recipes and is 300 pages of yum.
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Mushroom Chicken
Serves 6-8
Plan: The sauce for this chicken can be made and stored for later use. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week or frozen for up to three months. The chicken can be grilled, if you prefer.
Ingredients
Chicken
8 chicken breasts, sliced in half horizontally
2 tbsp canola oil
Salt and pepper to season chicken
Sauce
2 tbsp canola oil
1 onion, sliced
16 oz. mushrooms, cleaned and checked, sliced
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup white wine
2 tbsp flour
1 cup cold water
Salt and pepper to taste
Prepare
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Coat chicken with oil, salt and pepper.
- Bake for 10 minutes on each side, or until chicken is cooked through.
- To prepare mushroom sauce, heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.
- Sauté onions until translucent.
- Add mushrooms and sauté for another 5 minutes.
- Add soy sauce and wine, and let reduce for an additional 5 minutes.
- Mix in flour and cold water, adding slowly to mushroom mixture in stages.
- Mix continuously until sauce thickens. Pour over chicken.
Plate
Serve this for a weekday or Friday night dinner. Always add sauce directly before serving. It can also be served over your favorite steak or salmon.
Quoted with permission from Kosher Taste (distributed by Feldheim) by Amy Stopnicki.
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Elephant Garlic Soup
Dairy or Pareve
Serves 6-8
Plan
Elephant garlic falls somewhere between a leek and an onion. While not actually garlic, it gives a light, mild flavor that makes this soup perfect every time. This soup is delicious and creamy and may be made pareve by using soy milk or pareve cream. Freezes well.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
12 cups water
3-4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
8-10 cloves elephant garlic, peeled
1 tbsp flour
1 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Green onions, cleaned and checked, chopped (for garnish)
Sour cream (for garnish)
Prepare
- In a large stockpot, heat oil over medium-high heat.
- Add onion and cook until soft.
- Add water, potatoes and garlic and bring to a boil. Simmer for 1 hour, partially covered.
- Blend soup with an immersion blender.
- Combine flour and milk in a separate bowl and blend until smooth. Add to soup.
- Season and continue cooking, partially covered, for 5 minutes before serving.
Plate
This soup is great served with chopped green onions or a dollop of sour cream. I like to serve it as a first course for Shavuos.
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Watermelon Ice Pops
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4-6
What can be better and healthier for everyone than real fruit on a stick? Kids will love the taste of these popsicles and you can dish them out freely knowing the ingredients are wholesome and healthy!
Ingredients
2 cups seedless watermelon chunks
5 tbsp lime juice or to taste
1 tbsp honey or agave nectar or to taste
You will also need
Popsicle molds
Directions
Blend all ingredients together until completely smooth. Taste and adjust flavors as needed. Strain through a sieve and pour into popsicle molds; insert handles. Freeze for 5 hours until set, preferably overnight.
To serve, run the molds quickly under warm water for 15 seconds and then gently twist the stick to release. Serve immediately. Teach your children to remember the golden rule: lick, don’t chew!
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Savory Chicken and Apple Bake
This dish is delicious and very appropriate for the season. This recipe lends itself either to chicken pieces or chicken breasts. Choose whatever suits your taste.
Ingredients
4 tsp olive or canola oil
2 tart apples, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic (optional)
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 cup apple juice
1 tbsp cider vinegar/lemon juice
1 tbsp cornstarch
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
In a heavy skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat.
Cook apples, onion and garlic for about 4 minutes until just tender but still a bit crisp. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the skillet. Braise chicken, turning once, for 2 to 4 minutes or until golden brown on both sides. Reduce heat to medium-low.
Set 1 tablespoon apple juice aside and pour remaining juice into the skillet along with the cider vinegar or lemon juice. Cover and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.
With a slotted spoon, remove chicken to platter. Keep warm.
Combine cornstarch with reserved tablespoon of apple juice. Stir into skillet along with juice and cook over high heat, scraping up any browned bits for 2 minutes or until thickened.
Return apple mixture to pan and heat through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon apple mixture around cooked chicken
Note: For chicken pieces, follow the same instructions, but cook the chicken for 1 hour total until tender.