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No-Cook Lazy Day Beet Borscht
No-Cook Lazy Day Beet Borscht
By Norene Gilletz @ 4:19 PM :: 11483 Views :: 310 Comments :: :: All, Salads, Entrees / Main Courses, Dairy, Vegetarian

Food Editor’s Note: Food Editor’s Note: This is a great summer soup from Norene Gilletz, author of several popular kosher cookbooks. The borscht is easy to make, cold and refreshing, and beautiful in appearance. Serve it in glass mugs for an elegant presentation. This recipe took no more than ten minutes to prepare from start to finish. Traditional borscht recipes call for sour cream as the dairy ingredient, but Norene has substituted buttermilk - it is healthier, the texture is smooth and creamy, and the taste is wonderful. The borscht aficionados in my family gave it their seal of approval! [Norene lives in Canada, so I have adjusted the amounts in Norene’s original recipe to correspond to U.S. measurements and packaging. You can easily double this recipe to serve a crowd or to have on hand in the fridge for quick lunches.]

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Kreplach
Kreplach
By Rosalind Joffe @ 4:18 PM :: 11404 Views :: 294 Comments :: :: All, Entrees / Main Courses, Meat, Holidays

As I was growing up, one of my grandmother's specialties was a meat-filled kreplach which she made in great batches every year before the high holidays. We would eat some on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and then freeze the rest in small plastic bags and bring them out on special occasions throughout the year. These were like gold in our family -- they were counted out carefully, watched over constantly once put on one's plate (lest a table neighbor get mischievous), and bartered for in creative ways. In later years, after I was married, my grandmother would come to my house to make the kreplach. (One brazen, but still-loved, sibling was caught more than once raiding my freezer for the valuable packages.) I have precious videotape of Grandma rolling out the handmade dough, placing the meat filling onto the cut up pieces, and pinching the edges together before dropping into the boiling water. I have no written recipe from her, however, as she never used one -- everything was done by look or feel or taste. She measured water into the dough in the cracked eggshells and she sniffed the meat filling to see if there was the right amount of onion.

 

After I was married, I discovered that kreplach were also a specialty of my husband's grandmother. Nana's kreplach looked and tasted different, but were equally treasured in her family and I came to love them also. Nana's kreplach were smaller and had rounded edges, while Grandma's were larger triangles with pointed edges. Nana's dough was thicker, but the filling was made with cooked flanken or brisket; Grandma's dough was thinner and filled with hamburger meat. Nana's were served in chicken soup or pan-fried in oil or margarine, while Grandma's were either served in soup or broiled gently with a shmear of chicken fat.

 

After both our grandmothers passed away, my husband David and I finally decided it was time to make our own kreplach. In honor and memory of our two grandmothers, we make a version that is a combination of both of their recipes, and includes a short cut or two. Making kreplach the old-fashioned way all in one session is a time-consuming activity, taking hours to produce these treasured morsels that are consumed in a flash. We always marvel at how our elderly grandmothers managed to make these themselves, in small kitchens without the modern conveniences that we have today. DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY THE LENGTH OF THIS RECIPE. There are many steps, but they are not difficult, and they don't have to be done all at one time. You can also halve the recipe and, although you'll get only about 50 kreplach, it will take much less time and labor.

 

We serve kreplach only to our most special guests, and hope that they taste the love and history that goes into each one.

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Killer Horseradish
Killer Horseradish
By @ 4:16 PM :: 151483 Views :: 0 Comments :: :: All, Salads, Holidays, Passover, Pareve

This is not much of a recipe and the process is very simple, but here it is.

 

Food Editor's Notes:

I made maror (bitter herbs – usually horseradish) for the first time using this recipe. Don’t be scared away by Larry’s description of the horseradish fumes. They weren’t quite as strong as he says. I grated the horseradish in my food processor under the range hood in my kitchen. When I opened the processor and removed the grated root, I did have to hold my face away, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be. This is an easy and quick recipe and you will feel good about making from scratch this essential seder food. If you are used to the red color and slightly milder flavor of store-bought horseradish, use canned beets (one small or large can, drained) instead of or in addition to the sugar.

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Julie's Potato Salad
Julie's Potato Salad
By Julie Weisman @ 4:11 PM :: 10703 Views :: 254 Comments :: :: All, Salads, Holidays, Pareve, Vegetarian

Food Editor’s Notes:  I like almost all potato salads, but this is a spectacular version that can be served at a casual meal or an elegant buffet or dinner party.  There is no mayonnaise in the dressing, just a tasty dressing of olive oil, vinegar, and other simple ingredients.  The most unusual part of this dish is the addition of asparagus pieces.  They add flavor and color, and elevate the dish to a level of sophistication not usually associated with potato salad.  This is easier to make than you imagine, can be made a day ahead of serving, and will be a great accompaniment to almost any entrée or salad.

 
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Italian Beef Stew with Rosemary
Italian Beef Stew with Rosemary
By Jamie Stolper @ 4:10 PM :: 10898 Views :: 190 Comments :: :: All, Soups, Entrees / Main Courses, Meat, Holidays

This is a very flavorful beef stew that is a favorite with my family. My oldest son, now living on his own, always requested this dish when he came home from college. The stew is fairly spicy - thanks to the onion, garlic, and black pepper - but tastes wonderful accompanied with noodles, rice, or even boiled or mashed potatoes. I make a double batch of this recipe and freeze half for a future dinner.

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Israeli Frozen Halvah Parfait
Israeli Frozen Halvah Parfait
By @ 4:08 PM :: 138296 Views :: 0 Comments :: :: All, Desserts, Holidays, Dairy

Food Editor's Notes:
 
If you are looking for a unique dairy dessert, this is it!  The creation of Israeli chefs Tsachi and Linda Buchester, it has been widely copied both in Israel and Europe, but we have yet to see it at restaurants in the United States.  It is similar to an ice cream, cold and creamy with a distinct flavor of sesame.  If you enjoy halvah, tahini, and the like, you will enjoy this dessert.  Even those who don't appreciate halvah, like my son, will delight in the cold creaminess of this unusually-flavored frozen confection.  Just call it "Israeli Frozen Parfait," serve it with a few bright-colored berries and some whipped cream, and it will be a big hit!
 
This recipe says to serve the parfait in slices.  You will have to use a knife to loosen the parfait from the sides of a pan, and a small knife or flexible spatula to remove it.  Or, as suggested in a similar recipe in Joan Nathan's book The Foods of Israel Today, spoon it into glass parfait cups and drizzle it with a little amaretto, kirsch, or the brandy of your choice.  You can also toast one cup of roughly chopped nuts, fold half into the parfait before freezing, and sprinkle the other half on top when serving.  This is a great dessert for company – although it takes about an hour to make, it will be done well ahead of time, leaving you free for other tasks or pleasures.  Enjoy!

 
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Homemade Ice-Cream Sandwiches
Homemade Ice-Cream Sandwiches
By @ 4:07 PM :: 100786 Views :: 0 Comments :: :: All, Desserts, Holidays, Dairy

This is a fun summer dessert that appeals to both kids and adults. The sandwiches can be made in advance and stored in the freezer, wrapped individually, or assembled just before eating. My husband David makes an open-faced sandwich for himself as a summertime bed-time snack, just by scooping a tablespoon of vanilla ice cream onto a home-made chocolate chip cookie. They are very hard to resist!

 
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Hungarian Potatoes
Hungarian Potatoes
By Babs Glazier @ 4:06 PM :: 16715 Views :: 212 Comments :: :: All, Salads, Entrees / Main Courses, Holidays, Dairy

This is a potato casserole that my Hungarian mother always made and was a family favorite.  One year it occurred to me that it was perfect for Passover.  I didn't really have the recipe written down so I tried my best to create it.  It is actually better reheated the second day.  My mother mixes it up before reheating so more parts get crispy.  I like how it looks, though, so I leave it as is.

 

Food Editor's Note:  This is the winner of the Passover 2003 ShalomBoston.com Recipe Contest!  It is a delicious departure from the typical potato dish – satisfying and creamy, with the unexpected added taste of eggs and a bit of tang from the sour cream.  With a few simple ingredients and easy instructions, this is a great addition to our recipe file.  Serve the potatoes as a side with a fish entree or with a salad for a complete main course.

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Hummus and Variations
Hummus and Variations
By Jamie Stolper @ 4:05 PM :: 17895 Views :: 726 Comments :: :: All, Salads, Holidays, Pareve, Vegetarian

Hummus was originally brought to Israel by Jews from Arab countries.  It is now eaten by everyone in Israel and by Jews and non-Jews throughout the world.  It is healthy, easy to make from scratch, and has a delicious, distinctive flavor.  It is traditionally eaten with fresh, warm pita bread, but can also be used as a dip with fresh vegetables or as an accompaniment to Israeli salad, falafel, and other Israeli dishes.  Tastes vary when it comes to hummus – some like it very thick, some thinner, some with added flavorings, and some with olive oil drizzled on top.  This basic recipe produces a fairly thick hummus – just add some of the reserved bean liquid or water or reduce the tahini paste to produce a thinner version.  There are instructions for flavor variations below the basic recipe.  Store the hummus in the refrigerator, but stir and let sit to take the chill off a bit before serving.

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Honey and Ginger Glazed Carrots
Honey and Ginger Glazed Carrots
By Jamie Stolper @ 4:04 PM :: 13497 Views :: 492 Comments :: :: All, Salads, Holidays, Pareve, Vegetarian

Food Editor's Note:  This is a vegetable dish that many people like to serve with a Rosh Hashanah dinner, as carrots are naturally sweet and provide good color and texture to a dinner plate.  But often the carrots come out too soft, too crunchy, too sweet, too gingery, or otherwise not up to expectations.  This recipe is a very easy one that leaves little room for variation in the final product.  Make sure you cut the carrots into pieces of equal size, so they cook evenly, and cook them just before serving so they don't soften more with a second heating.  It really is easy to do if you cut the raw carrots in advance and prepare the glaze in a separate bowl, ready to pour over the carrots and toss just before bringing to the table.

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