I could tell you that it is worth buying Kosher Soul Food just for Croonquist’s recipe for candied pastrami strips. Sweet, crunchy and oh so addictive, these make a great garnish and are a great accent to a number of the recipes in this book, but quite frankly, you may just eat them all straight out of the pan, like I did, because that is how good they are. Smothered fried chicken with waffles and grits will immediately transport you south of the Mason Dixon Line and salmon in a bag (technically a foil or a parchment pouch) is another one of those must-try recipes. The duck confit salad with watermelon croutons has more than a few steps, but this wonderful dish, bursting with greens, duck, avocado, wild rice, craisins, balsamic watermelon cubes and a cranberry duck dressing is well worth the effort. If you’ve ever had a hankering for collard greens, black eyed peas, authentic hush puppies, fried okra (with pecans!) or real succotash, Croonquist and Weinblut will happily take you there and serve you up serious helpings of real southern comfort food. And while BLTs are off limits to those of us who keep kosher, Croonquist’s PLT, made with pastrami and spicy peach ketchup, is an awesome substitute.
With 101 recipes, many of which are totally off the beaten path, Kosher Soul Food, published by Putnam & South, is a frolicking adventure that may just leave you whistling Dixie.
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In a world where it seems as if some cookbook authors deliberately go looking for obscure ingredients that none of us own, Mia Adler Ozair’s Cook, Pray, Eat Kosher is a breath of fresh air. Ozair offers a warm blend of Ashekanzic and Sephardic cooking, mixed with frequent but not heavy handed reminders that while eating may fill our tummies, it also nourishes our souls. Ozair pays homage to her own German roots while simultaneously offering the Iraqi-Israeli recipes of her husband’s childhood, blending them all into a warm collection of comfort foods, the tried-and-true recipes we sometimes neglect in our quest for something innovative and different.
For those who may be new to Orthodox Judaism, or who could use a gentle reminder about why we eat some of the foods we eat, Ozair’s Shabbos and Yom Tov recipes come with descriptions that highlight the connection between traditional foods and the times that they appear on our tables.
The offerings here are simple but classic, with some original recipes by Ozair and her family members and others attributed to sources, including other cookbooks. Herbed roasted garlic requires minimal preparation but will have everyone slathering the addictively creamy bulbs on bread with wild abandon and the decadent cookie cheesecake is a guaranteed diet killer that is worth every calorie. A recipe for taffy apples in the short children’s section at the end of the book is another must-try, because who among us hasn’t wished we could sample one of those gorgeous caramel apples that you see displayed in stores? Finally, be sure to check out Bambia, an Iraqi meatball and okra medley that is truly delicious.
Cook, Pray, Eat Kosher, distributed by Feldheim, is comfort food at its best with an extra touch of spirituality that may just leave you with a greater appreciation for foods that you already know and love.
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Short Ribs In Spicy Pineapple Sauce
(Serves 4-6)
Ingredients:
2 ½ lbs full-size, bone in beef short ribs
Fresh pineapple, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces
½ cup soy sauce
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp sized piece of ginger, peeled
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp fresh garlic
1 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp Chinese 5 spice powder
Directions:
Preheat a large skillet.
Sear all sides of the short ribs and place in a dish deep enough for the ribs and the sauce for braising in the oven.
Blend all of the above ingredients until smooth, and pour over the meat in the braising dish.
Cook at 275-300°F for 5-6 hours.
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Deconstructed S’mores
I wish that I could take credit for this idea, but I can’t. This is the most perfect, delicious, quirky dessert. I love the new bite-sized approach to food, and I think it’s really neat to go to a party and be handed tuna tartare in a spoon or gazpacho in a shot glass. So why not attempt it with desserts? My cousin Natou had me over for dessert and gave me a deconstructed lemon meringue pie, nestled in its own mini glass jar with matching lid. It was to die for. Of course, it’s one thing if the dessert looks unbelievably scrumptious, but it’s a whole other ball game when it tastes as good as it looks. Well, these babies do. Here is my adaptation of a campfire favorite. I’ve used Greek yogurt and chocolate, but you can use store-bought chocolate pudding instead. And if chocolate is not your thing, try vanilla or coconut pudding, or even lemon or lime curd. Have fun with it.
3 oz (90 g) of your favorite chocolate, chopped, or ½ cup (3 oz/90 g) chocolate chips
3 cups (24 oz/750 g) plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
¾ cup (2 ¼ oz/70 g) Graham Cracker Crumbs
About ¾ cup (2 oz/60 g) marshmallow fluff
Have ready 12 individual dishes, such as mini glass jars, shot glasses, or small bowls, 3-4 fl oz (90-125 ml) each. I find these at a local dollar store.
Put the chocolate in the top pan of a double boiler over (not touching) simmering water and heat, stirring often with a heat-resistant spatula, until melted and smooth. Let cool completely, then stir in the yogurt until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until ready to assemble.
To assemble, fill the individual dishes halfway with the chocolate yogurt, sprinkle each serving with1 tablespoon graham cracker crumbs, and carefully top with about 1 tablespoon marshmallow fluff. Cover the dishes (if they don’t come with lids, use plastic wrap) and refrigerate until ready to serve or for up to 2 days.
If you like, just before serving, use a kitchen torch to toast the marshmallow fluff lightly.
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Baklava
Makes: 20 servings Source: Neon Willie
Ingredients:
1 16-ounce package phyllo dough
1 pound chopped nuts
1 cup butter or margarine
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup honey
For Dairy: use butter.
For Pareve: use margarine and be certain phyllo dough is also pareve.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Butter bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch pan.
In a bowl, toss nuts with cinnamon, set aside.
Unroll phyllo dough; cut whole stack in half to fit pan.
Cover dough with damp cloth to keep from drying out as you work.
Place two sheets of dough in pan; butter thoroughly.
Sprinkle two to three tablespoons of nut mixture on top.
Continue layering dough and mixture until you’ve reached eight layers.
Top with six to eight sheets of dough.
Using sharp knife, cut into diamond or square shapes, then bake for about 50 minutes until golden and crisp.