Perfectly Pareve Challah Stuffing with Fennel, Leeks, Apples and Walnuts

Stuffing may be the last word you want to hear right now, but there was so much interest in my challah stuffing experiment, I thought it worthy of a follow-up.

Since E was celebrating Thanksgiving with us for the first time, I had to reconsider all of my recipes to make them kosher. My typical spinach-artichoke-brie stuffing wouldn’t work with turkey (no milk and meat mixed). I found a recipe for stuffing with fennel, apples and raisins on Williams-Sonoma (perfect!) but when my Mom shopped for baguettes she returned with challah, not wanting to trip-up with something unkosher. My feathers were ruffled at the thought of soggy stuffing since challah has a different texture but I asked for opinions on Twitter.
Since the majority of replies were favorable, I decided to give it a go. Then I encountered the next stuffing issue: milk! Milk can be substituted for soy in many recipes, so I knew what I had to do. But could challah soy milk stuffing actually be good? Oh yes it can! A bonus is that this worked perfectly for my vegetarian relatives. It really satisfies a lot of food restrictions without skimping on flavor. If you don’t need a non-dairy stuffing I would still encourage you to shake your fear of soy! It adds a lovely sweetness that works perfectly with the apples and raisins.

Here is the recipe for the “perfectly pareve” stuffing with fennel, leeks raisins and apples. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
I multiplied to yield a dish for 30 people but adjust according to your guests.

Directions:
Spread the challah out on a baking sheet and let dry overnight.

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Spread margarine on a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.

In a fry pan over medium heat, melt the margarine. Add the shallots and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the fennel, leeks, walnuts and apples and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the fennel is tender, 3 to 4 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine the bread and the shallot mixture. Add the coriander, thyme, sage, raisins and the soy milk and stir gently to mix. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until the milk is absorbed, about 30 minutes. If the dressing seems dry, add more milk as needed. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.

Transfer the dressing to the prepared baking dish and bake until browned and crispy, about 1.5 hours.

Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Chickpeas

It has been a long time since I made orecchiette but when I caught this recipe in our pairings book , I remembered how much I love the little parcels of pasta. This is a real hearty, healthy pasta dish that would be plenty on its own but I made it as a side with a rack of lamb, for a terrifically huge Shabbat dinner.

As a hummus freak,  I feel silly that I never thought of blending chickpeas in a pasta sauce. The chickpeas thicken things up and coat the pasta perfectly. Tiny bursts of rich chickpea and tomato get trapped in the little ears. The original recipe calls for pancetta and ricotta salata but as I was making lamb and a kosher dish, I ommited these two items. With the pine nuts, currants and chickpeas the dish had a lot going on even without pancetta and cheese.  Though maybe I just tell myself that so I don’t feel bad about cutting pancetta from my diet ;) If you do ommit them, you may want to compensate with some extra salt.

Ingredients, Serves 4:

2-3 whole canned plum tomatoes with their juice
1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
4 slices pancetta, cut into 1/4 inch pieces (*optional)
Kosher or sea salt
1 bunch broccoli rabe (recipe also suggests dandelion greens but I made a salad with them instead)
1 pound orecchiette
crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups crumbled ricotta salata cheese (*optional)
2 tbsp dried currants
1/4 cup pine nuts or almost, toasted

Combine the tomatoes and half of the chickpeas in a food processor with 1 cup water; process until smooth.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion and pancetta (if using), stirring often, until lightly browned. Add the rest of the chickpeas and cook a minute or two longer. Stir in the pureed chickpea mixture. Reduce the heat until the mixture is barely simmering.

Meanwhile, combine 6 quarts water with 2 tablespoons salt in a large pan. Bring to a boil. Cook the broccoli rabe a minute or two until just limp; remove with tongs and cool under running water. Add the pasta to the boiling water, stirring well. While the pasta cooks, coarsely chop the greens. Stir the greens into the chickpea sauce. Add salt and crushed red pepper to taste.

When the orecchiete is al dente, reserve about a cup of the cooking liquid, then drain. Return the pasta to the pan and mix in the sauce, adding pasta water as needed for a saucy consistency. Stir in half of the ricotta salata (if using) and all of the currants. Serve the pasta in a large bowl or plate individually. Sprinkle the remaining ricotta salata and the pine nuts on top. Serve immediately.

We enjoyed this with an Eden Valley Syrah since I was serving lamb, but you could also match it up with a lean, juicy Italian red like a Barbera to really make the chickpeas stand out.

Slow-Cooked Rack of Lamb

This rack of lamb is both basic and beautiful. I made it for dinner last Friday and its easy preparation allowed me time for more complex side dishes. I served it with an orecchiete with chickpea-tomato sauce (recipe to come) and a golden beet salad.  The fragrant sauce this dish renders would be lovely on a variety of meats .

Ingredients:

1 rack of lamb, trimmed and frenched
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dry red wine
1 fresh thyme spring, plus additional sprigs for garnish
1 small fresh rosemary sprig, plus additional sprigs for garnish
1 cup meat stock (lamb, beef or duck) or canned low-sodium beef broth
2 tablespoons butter or margarine to make kosher

Preheat the oven to 300°F

Season the rack of lamb all over with salt and pepper. Set a small roasting rack over a heavy pan, set the lamb on the rack and place on the middle rack of the oven. Cook for 30-40 minutes, until the temperature in the center of the middle rib reaches 125F for rare, 130°F for medium-rare or 140°F for medium. Transfer the roasting rack to a work surface and cover loosely with foil.

Set the roasting pan over high heat on top of the stove. Add the wine and herbs and cook, stirring to loosen any bits of meat, until the wine is reduced to about 3 tablespoons. Add the stock and cook until rich and thick. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Remove the sauce from the heat and discard the herb sprigs.

Whisk 1 tablespoon butter/margarine into the sauce and when it is completely incorporated, whisk in the remaining. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Cover the pan and set aside briefly. Carve the rack of lamb between the rib bones.

Serve the sauce alongside the lamb either by pouring onto plates or in a small bowl. Garnish the lamb with herb sprigs and serve immediately.

We enjoyed this lamb with a meaty Edna Valley Syrah. The peppery notes of the Syrah and its robust mouthfeel made an awesome pairing. Enjoy!

This recipe is from our Wine and Food Pairings Cookbook which consistently offers me creative, thoughtful recipes. If interested, you may learn more about it here!

Adobo-Marinated TLT (You MUST Try This Sandwich, Trust Me)

This vegetarian sandwich from 101 Cookbooks (with minor adjustments) is so packed with flavor that even without meat I’m still saying “holy cow, that was good!” I made it for Shabbat lunch last week and it held well overnight in the refrigerator, so it’s perfect for making in advance.

A few simple ingredients (grainy bread, tempeh, avocado, tomatoes, lettuce) plus a bit of extra care and you’ll have it. Roasting the cherry tomatoes with a touch of sugar and olive oil leaves them sweet and blistering. The cross-section of flavor between the smoky tempeh, sweet tomatoes, creamy avocado and crunch of bread is simply awesome. If you’re a big meat eater this sandwich will convince you that vegetarian food can still be packed with flavor and supremely filling. It’s no joke. Enjoy!

3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers

8 ounces of tempeh, cut into 1/3-inch thick strips

1 small basket of cherry tomatoes (2 cups)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil olive oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
scant 1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 small head of romaine lettuce, cored, then cut into 1/4-inch ribbons
1-2 large avocados, mashed with a pinch of salt and a dash of lemon juice just before assembling
4 or 8 extra-thin slices of hearty whole grain bread, well toasted
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whisk together the 3 tablespoons of olive oil, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and adobo sauce. Pour 1/3 of the tempeh marinade into an 8×8 baking dish (or something comparable) – you want a dish that is just big enough to hold the tempeh in a single layer – this way it will be fully enveloped by the marinade. Pour the remaining marinade over the top of the tempeh, cover and keep in the refrigerator for a couple hours, overnight or until ready to use.

While the tempeh is marinating, roast the tomatoes. Cut each tomato in half and arrange them in a large oven-proof baking dish. Mix together the olive oil, sugar, and salt and pour this over the tomatoes. Gently toss them a bit, making sure they all get coated, finishing with each tomato facing cut-side up. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or so, until the tomatoes are shrunken and sweet.

When the tempeh is done marinating heat a large pan over medium-high heat and cook the tempeh slices for a few minutes on each side.  Set the tempeh slices aside until you are ready to assemble the sandwiches.

To assemble each sandwich take one slice of bread and slather a generous layer of mashed avocado. Place a small helping of the shredded lettuce on top of the avocado, a few tomatoes, then a few slices of the tempeh, and more tomatoes. Slather avocado on the other side and place face-down on top, for a complete sandwich.

I drizzled a tiny bit of olive oil on top to add a hint of moisture and richness since I made these in advance, though that’s not necessary.

Whole Wheat Margherita Pizza with Heirloom Tomatoes

I was always intimidated by the idea of homemade pizza, until I found a very basic recipe from Giada de Laurentis and realized how simple it can be. It’s part of my repertoire now, and I’ve used her dough here, with some improvisations of my own. Heirloom tomato season is almost over and Whole Foods had some plump yellow and red ones that I had to buy. Their gorgeous color and unique sweetness are the centerpiece of this pizza, plus some gooey mozzarella, herbed jack, loads of garlic and basil. With only a few tools and a little bit of time, a homemade pizza is very attainable!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup purchased marinara sauce- I’ve used the 365 Whole Foods brand or Enrico’s
1 cup coarsely grated hard cheese like herbed jack or fontina
Fresh mozzarella, cut into thick slices (I used about 10 slices)
2 heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
10-15 basil leaves, plucked from the stem

3/4 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
1 envelope active dry yeast
2 cups (or more) whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil

Begin by making the pizza dough. You can also make this a day in advance if it is more convenient. Pour 3/4 cup warm water into small bowl; stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes.

Brush large bowl lightly with olive oil. Mix 2 cups flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add yeast mixture and 3 tablespoons oil; process until dough forms a sticky ball. Transfer to lightly floured surface. Knead dough until smooth, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if dough is very sticky, about 1 minute. Transfer to prepared bowl; turn dough in bowl to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Punch down dough. Roll out dough by starting in the center and working outward toward the edges, but not rolling over them.

Preheat oven to 475°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface into a rectangle. Transfer to a baking sheet. Spread marinara sauce over pizza, leaving 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle garlic and hard cheese all over the surface of the dough. Then alternate between tomato slices, mozzarella and 10 basil leaves. Finely chop the other 5 basil leaves and mix with a teaspoon of oil in a small bowl. Spread the basil/olive oil mixture on the crust. Sprinkle with salt and generous amount of pepper. Drizzle with a touch of olive oil.

Bake the pizza until it’s brown on the bottom and the cheese has melted, about 15 minutes. Cut the pizza crosswise into rectangles.

We enjoyed this pizza with an arugula salad with baby beets and sliced almonds, plus some extra cheese from the recipe. Paired it with our favorite Pinot Noir from our trip to Oregon, the Scott Paul Audrey, it was a divine combo!

My crust needs improvement, which I hope will come with practice. Anyone have any tips for pizza crust? What’s your favorite pizza recipe?

Garlic Chicken Breasts with Sauteed Fennel and Spaghetti

Sometimes I find myself in the mood to cook, without much time for planning. In these times, I don’t have the luxury of looking up a recipe and running out to the store to get all of the perfect ingredients. In these times, I’m happy to have fennel on hand.

Fennel needs a better PR department. It is wholly under-appreciated by many people who are averse to that anise/black licorice flavor. Not me! Though I would still give all of my black jelly beans away to my Dad (he loves’em!), a little bit of aromatics adds spunk to a vegetable like fennel. Fennel is so versatile it can be chopped up in a salad, roasted, or sautéed like below. And it’s a lot fancier than broccoli, right?

E was coming over for dinner and I had some chicken breasts, fennel, mushrooms and pasta that I figured could lead to a great dinner. But I needed inspiration. I consulted with some of my Twitter buds, Evan Dawson (of Lenndevours) and Catie (Wild Walla Walla Wine Woman) to develop a recipe. The result is this nourishing, flavorful dinner, made with basic ingredients. Perfect for a weeknight in!

Enjoy!

Serves 2

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 fennel bulb
1/4 package whole wheat spaghetti
1 package of cremini mushrooms, washed, and sliced in half
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, coarsely chopped
Parsley, a generous handful, coarsely chopped
1 lemon
8 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 tbsp olive oil
Splash of chicken stock
1 tsp honey
Fresh thyme, a few sprigs
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Chop the fennel bulb away from its wispy stem and discard the stem. Cut the bulb into quarters.

2. Wash the chicken and pound it with a mallot, for a thinner breast which will absorb more of the flavors. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Soften the fennel in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes until slightly soft, but not cooked through. Empty the water from the pot and put the fennel on the side.

4. Place a large skillet on the stove on medium-high heat. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the garlic cloves. Add the fennel to the pan and sauté on each side of the fennel for a few minutes until slightly brown and until the pieces start to pull apart. Add salt, to taste. While the fennel sautes, refill the pot with water and bring to a rolling boil again, for the pasta.

5. When the fennel is done, remove from the pan and divide the pieces amongst 2 plates. Some of the garlic cloves will adhere to the fennel and some will remain in the pan for the chicken, that’s fine.

6. Add a splash of chicken stock to the pan and stir up all of the bits of garlic from the bottom. Add the honey to the sauce and stir together in the pan, then add the chicken breasts and turn down the heat to medium.

7. When the pot of water reaches a boil, add the pasta and cook for about 8 minutes, or until just soft.

8. While the chicken sautées add handfuls of parsley to the pan. Add the mushrooms and saute together for about 10 minutes, or 5 minutes on each side for the chicken. While the chicken and mushrooms cook, pluck some thyme leaves from your sprigs and add them to the pan.

9. Drain the pasta when done and place in a large bowl. Toss with remaining olive oil, salt to taste, and sundried tomatoes.

10. When the mushrooms are done, toss them with the pasta.

11. When the chicken is done, place a breast on each plate along side the fennel and spoon the pasta onto the plate, or serve in a bowl along side.

12. Serve with slices of lemon to squeeze on the chicken

Quinoa Salad with Lemon-Tahini and Chickpeas

Did you know that quinoa is actually not a grain, but a protein in the same group as spinach? I learned this the hard way in a heated debate with E (I was on the losing side). So you can eat mountains of this stuff without guilt, if you care about that sort of thing. Anyway, here is a healthy, hearty side featuring quinoa and plump chickpeas with a zesty lemon-tahini dressing. Leftovers will stay well in the refrigerator for weekday lunch at the office, just add an extra spritz of lemon to keep the quinoa moist. Inspired from a recipe on 101Cookbooks, where I seem to get all of my side dish recipes these days! She makes the tahini from scratch but I cut a corner with a store-bought Sabra brand (sue me!). Enjoy!

Serves 4
1 cup Quinoa
2 cups water
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 can of garbanzo beans
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 red onion, chopped

1/2 cup (about) creamy tahini dressing, Sabra brand works, or make it from scratch:
Tahini Dressing:
1 garlic clove, smashed and chopped
1/4 cup tahini
Zest of one lemon
scant 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons hot water
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

In a medium saucepan heat the quinoa and water until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa fluffs up, about 15 minutes. Drain any extra water and set aside.

While the quinoa is cooking make the dressing. Whisk together the garlic, tahini, lemon zest and juice, and olive oil. Add the hot water to thin a bit and then the salt.

Toss the cooked quinoa, beans, cilantro, red onion, and dressing to taste. Serve garnished with a bit of cilantro. Add more lemon juice and salt to taste if you’d like.

Turkey Burgers Stuffed with Sundried Tomato, Olives and Thyme

If you’re tired of boring hamburgers and hot dogs these Mediterranean-inspired turkey burgers provide a creative reprieve. I made these for E for lunch a few weeks ago and I loved the quick prep time and great flavors. Prepare the meat in advance for a big BBQ to impress guests with minimal effort!

Serves 4

Ingredients:
10 pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
1 1/4 pounds of ground turkey
2 tbsp chopped sundried tomatoes packed in oil
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
4 sesame buns
arugula leaves

Optional: basil mayonnaise spread
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup mayonnaise

In a small bowl blend together the olives, turkey, tomatoes, thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Form mixture into 4 1-inch-thick patties. Handle the meat as little as possible for a juicier burger. Combine basil and mayonnaise in a small bowl on the side.

Prepare the grill or heat a large pan over medium heat. Grill or saute burgers for 4 minutes on each side for medium, or less time if you prefer a rarer burger. Transfer burgers to buns and top with basil mayonnaise and arugula.

Adapted from Gourmet Magazine via Epicurious.com

Tom Kha Gai Soup (Ginger, Chicken and Coconut Soup)

This is a fool-proof recipe for this deeply flavorful Thai soup. We enjoyed it last week prior to the awesome roasted Asian-style duck. The galangal and kaffir lime leaves can be tricky to find, I recommend checking out a specialty food shop. If you’re NY-based you can find them at Kalutsyan’s on Lexington. You can make the soup without these 2 ingredients but I think it would be a little one-dimensional. Galangal is related to ginger, it comes as a root either fresh or frozen. Kaffir lime leaves are literally the leaves of a kaffir lime which is native to Thailand. They give off a strong aroma that is really lovely in the soup. Don’t make the  mistake of trying to eat one and choking on it like me, just let them soak in the soup and eat around them ;) Though this is a hot soup, the refreshing citrus and the tropical notes make it appropriate for a Summer meal.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:
4 lemongrass stalks, roots trimmed
1 3/4 cups canned coconut milk
2 cups chicken stock
1-inch piece galangal, peeled and thinly sliced
10 black peppercorns, crushed
10 kaffir lime leaves, torn
11 oz. skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
1 cup button or straw mushrooms
1/2 cup baby corn cobs, quartered lengthwise
4 tbsp lime juice
3 tbsp nam pla (fish sauce) or soy sauce
chopped fresh red chiles and/or scallions and fresh cilantro leaves, to garnish

1. Cut off the lower 2 inches from each lemongrass stalk and chop it finely. Bruise the remaining pieces of stalk. Bring the coconut milk and chicken stock to a boil in a large pan. Add all the lemongrass, galangal, peppercorns and half the lime leaves, lower the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Strain into a clean pan.

2. Return the soup to the heat, then add the chicken, mushrooms and corn. Simmer for 7 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.

3. Stir in the lime juice and nam pla or soy sauce. Then add the remaining lime lives. Serve hot, garnished with chiles, scallions and/or cilantro.

This recipe is from a comprehensive cookbook on Asian cooking called “Fresh Tastes of Asia”, a book that I’ve had a lot of fun experimenting with growing up (though it was supposed to be a present for my Mom!).

Whole Roasted Asian-Style Duck

I decided to make an Asian smorgasboard meal for E last Friday and to have a whole roast duck as the centerpiece. As a duck rooky, it was pretty risky. It’s far more common to make duck breasts than it is to roast a whole duck, probably because there is a lot of fat to contend with. But there is something so romantic to me about making a whole roast of anything, because of the special attention that it requires. So I went for the gold, and it turned out beautifully! I borrowed this recipe from Epicurious and modified it for a larger bird, with a couple of my own adjustments. The combination of the red wine, hoisin, soy, and szechuan peppercorns made it so succulent. Match this dish up with a soft Pinot Noir, we had one from Edna Valley.

Serves 3-4
Ingredients:
1 5-lb Duck, cleaned and groomed with giblets removed
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1 tbsp sichuan peppercorns (optional, or add more if you like extra spice)
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp dried hot red pepper flakes
6 garlic cloves, smashed with the side of a knife blade
1 generous piece of peeled fresh ginger, coarsely chopped
1 large onion, quartered
2 cups of water
2 tbsp flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F

Using a sharp knife, score the skin of the duck. This will allow the skins to get crisp and for the fat to distribute evenly (thanks to Chef Shaya for the tip!) Combine all of the ingredients except the flour and water in a large sealable plastic bag and add the duck. Toss the duck with the ingredients and place the bag into the refrigerator for 1 hour or longer, depending on how much time you have. You can also pour the duck and marinade into a large disposable roasting pan if you have one like I did, as long as the duck is coated in the marinade.

When it’s done marinading, transfer the duck to a roasting pan and reserve the marinade. Roast for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, pour the marinade through a sieve into a saucepan. Boil the marinade and with a baster or a large spoon, baste the duck with the marinade as it roasts. Alternate periodically basting the duck with the marinade and the juices that run into the bottom. Continue to roast the duck until a meat thermometer registers 160°F in the meaty thigh, which should take another hour.

When the duck is almost ready, you’ll make the sauce. Add 2 cups of water to the remaining marinade in the saucepan and bring to a boil. Combine flour and 1/4 cup of the hot marinade in a heatproof bowl and whisk to combine. Whisk this mixture back into the remaining marinade in the saucepan until well-combined, about 5 minutes. Keep warm over a low heat.

Remove the duck from the oven and let stand about 15-20 minutes before carving to retain the juices and allow it to cook a bit more fully. Serve the duck with the sauce and enjoy!