Ponchiki - Russian Donuts

Ponchiki are a type of Russian donut (or donut hole), that is made with farmer’s cheese. I love these for Hanukkah, as they are simple to make, and require know yeast, kneading, or proofing. The farmer’s cheese make them light and bright. Rolling them in sugar makes them perfectly sweet. You can also flavor your sugar with citrus or spices for extra flavor.

Ponchiki

Makes about 2 dozen ponchiki, depending on the size

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs

• ½ cup sugar

• 2 cups farmer’s cheese

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• 1.5 cups all purpose flour

• 1.5 tsps baking powder

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• Oil for frying, peanut or canola

• 1 cup sugar (or as needed), for rolling the donuts in

In a large bowl, beat together the eggs and ½ cup sugar. Add in the farmer’s cheese and vanilla, and mix until well combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the farmer’s cheese mixture, and mix until just combined. Be careful not to over-mix. 

Add about 3” of oil to a large heavy bottomed pot. Using a candy thermometer, heat the oil to 350-360°F, or without a thermometer you will know the oil is hot enough when you stick the end of a wooden spoon into the oil, and bubbles form quickly around it. The key to good ponchiki is to make sure that your oil is not too hot or too cold -- they can easily burn on the outside and stay raw on the inside if the oil is too hot -- turn the heat up and down as needed to maintain the right temp. 

Using a small ice cream scoop or two spoons, scoop the batter into a ball and drop it into the hot oil. Fry, and turn the ponchiki as needed so that they are golden on all sides, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer them onto a rack, or paper lined plate to drain the excess oil. Allow them to cool for 30-60 seconds, then roll the ponchiki in sugar. These are best served fresh and warm. 

Baked Pumpkin Challah French Toast

Baked French toast is the answer to feeding a crowd at breakfast without having to stand over the stove for lengthy periods of time, flipping slices of french toast piece by piece. And baked pumpkin challah French toast is the answer to what to do when Thanksgiving, Shabbat, and Hanukkah all happen over the course of the same weekend and you’re trying to feed a crowd for breakfast.

This recipe uses leftover ingredients and holiday pantry staples. It is made with a day-old loaf of challah, that extra can of pumpkin puree from the cupboard, and a little bit of heavy cream leftover after making pie. This dish can be thrown together in 10 minutes and is ideally assembled the night before you want to serve it. The next day before putting it in the oven, you can make a quick pecan streusel topping to sprinkle over the top for extra crunch and flavor, or omit it if desired. The spices add flavor and warmth to this French toast, but can also be omitted or modified to your liking. This is a festive and rich dish that is best served warm with good maple syrup or a shower of powdered sugar.

Baked Pumpkin Challah French Toast

Serves 6-8

Prep time: 10 minutes, plus chilling overnight

Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 (about 1.5 lb/ 600g) loaf challah

• 6 large eggs

• 1 can (15 oz/ 425 g) unsweetened pumpkin puree

• 2 cups whole milk

• ½ cup heavy cream

• ⅔ cup brown sugar

• 2 tsps vanilla extract

• 2 tsps cinnamon

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• ¼ tsp allspice

• ¼ tsp ground ginger

• Pinch of nutmeg

For the pecan streusel:

• ½ cup chopped pecans

• 3 Tbsps unsalted butter

• 2 Tbsps sugar

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp kosher salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9” x 13” baking dish.  

Slice the challah into ½”-1” slices. Layer the challah into the baking dish in overlapping slices. Cut any slices in half or quarters if needed so that every inch of the baking dish is evenly covered in layers of challah.

 In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the pumpkin puree, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, allspice, ginger, and nutmeg to the eggs. Beat until everything is smooth and incorporated. Pour the custard evenly over the challah. If any pieces are sticking up above the liquid, lightly press them down to submerge them.

 Cover the baking dish and refrigerate overnight, or for a minimum of 1 hour. As the challah chills, it will fully and evenly absorb all of the liquid.

 Before baking make the streusel by combining the pecans, butter, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Using your hands or a fork, combine the mixture until it easily clumps together. Sprinkle the streusel over the top of the challah.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes covered, and additional 15-20 uncovered. 

 Serve warm, along with maple syrup, powdered sugar, or your favorite french toast toppings.

To make ahead and freeze:

Bake for 30 minutes covered, and allow the dish to fully cool then wrap tightly and freeze. When ready to serve, remove from the freezer, and bake for 20 minutes covered, and 15 minutes uncovered at 350°F.

Harira

Harira is a North African soup made with tomatoes, legumes and lots of spice. This hearty, nutritious dish is a staple during Ramadan where it is served at Iftar, the evening meal when Muslims break their daily fast. Jews from Morocco adopted the recipe as a traditional break-fast dish after Yom Kippur, and it has become popular in Israel and across the diaspora. 

Recipes for harira vary from family to family, and can be made with lamb, beef or vegetarian, as you’ll find here. This soup is intended to be thick and stew-like. Some cooks thicken their harira with beaten egg, a flour slurry or the addition of red lentils that break down as they simmer. Cinnamon, ginger and turmeric are added for complexity and warming heat. Tomatoes, whether fresh or canned, are essential to harira and offer sweetness and acidity, which pairs perfectly with starchy chickpeas, lentils or fava beans. Noodles like vermicelli are also added to harira for extra heartiness. While there are ample ingredients, this soup is simple to make and it can be prepared on a stovetop, in an Instantpot or in a slow cooker. 

Harira is often served with hard-boiled eggs, bread, dates and dried fruit. It is most often a starter but is filling enough to be a meal in and of itself. 

Note: This recipe is best made at least one day in advance of serving, which makes it ideal for preparing a break-fast meal in advance. It will last for up to a week in the fridge, but will thicken in the refrigerator, so you may need to add water when reheating. 

Harira

Serves 4-6

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 90-105 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp oil

• 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced small

• 2 stalks celery, diced small

• 1 large yellow or white onion, diced small

• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 Tbsp harissa paste, or 2 tsp harissa spice blend (or to taste)

• 2 tsp ground turmeric

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp ground coriander

• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 2 Tbsp tomato paste

• ¾ cup dried chickpeas (soaked overnight), or 1 (15 oz) can

• ½ cup French green lentils, rinsed

• ½ cup red lentils, rinsed

• 6 medium tomatoes, or 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

• 8 cups vegetable stock, or water with 1 added bouillon cube

• ¼ bunch fresh parsley, stems and leaves chopped fine

• ¼ bunch fresh cilantro, stems and leaves chopped fine

• 1 cup fine egg noodles or vermicelli 

• salt, to taste

• lemon slices, for serving (optional)

• Olive oil, for serving (optional)

For stovetop: Add oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced carrot, celery and onion to the pot. Sauté for 5-6 minutes, or until starting to soften. Add the minced garlic to the pot, and sauté for 1-2 minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant. 

Add the harissa, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, coriander, pepper and salt to the vegetable mixture. Stir until everything is well coated, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste to the pot, stir and sauté for another 1-2 minutes. Add the soaked chickpeas (if using canned chickpeas do not add them at this point) and stir. Add the green lentils and red lentils to the pot. Stir everything so that it is well coated in the tomato paste mixture.  

Add the diced tomatoes, vegetable stock, chopped parsley stems and chopped cilantro stems to the pot, then increase the heat to high. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer. Allow the soup to simmer for 60-90 minutes, or until the chickpeas are tender and the soup is starting to thicken.

Add the noodles and simmer for 15 minutes. If using canned chickpeas, add them along with the noodles. Taste and season as needed, add more liquid if needed. Turn off the heat and add the freshly chopped parsley and cilantro.

For Instant pot or slow cooker: Combine all of the ingredients except the noodles in a pot and cook according to the manufacturer’s recommendation for soups and stews. Add noodles to the soup after it is cooked; simmer for 15 minutes or you cook the noodles separately and add them to the soup when serving.

Apple Sharlotka (Apple Cake)

Apple Sharlotka is a popular Russian and Polish apple cake that is easy to prepare and requires only a handful of ingredients. This dessert is dense with apples, but the cake surrounding the fruit is light and airy.  

Sharlotka comes from a style of cake or trifle called “Charlotte Cakes,” which are typically made with ladyfingers or sponge cake. The first apple Sharlotka is credited to a French chef, who prepared it in honor of the wife of Tsar Alexander I of Russia. While early versions of Sharlotka were decadent and complicated, over time the cake has evolved into a simple treat that can be easily baked at home. My own Ukrainian grandmother made apple Sharlotka more than any other cake, likely due to the fact that it is as easy to make as it is comforting and delicious. Along with a few apples, the batter is made all in one bowl with eggs, sugar, flour, and vanilla. 

Apple Sharlotka is best made with sweet and tart Granny Smith apples, or an heirloom apple, like Winesap. When the cake comes out of the oven it will have a crisp and crackly crust on top that softens the longer it sits. Just before serving, shower the cake with powdered sugar for added sweetness on top. 

Apple Sharlotka

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

• 3-4 (1.5 lbs/680 g) medium apples, like Granny Smith

• juice of ½ a lemon

• 3 large eggs

• 1 cup (220 g) sugar 

• 2 tsps vanilla extract

• ¼ tsp salt

• 1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour (or sub with 1:1 gf flour)

• powdered sugar, as needed

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9” springform pan with parchment paper; you can also use e a 9” round or square baking pan for this recipe. 

Peel and core the apples. Cut the apples into 1” pieces, about ¼”-thick. Toss the apples in lemon juice, and then add them to the baking dish. 

In a large bowl using a hand mixer, or in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the eggs and sugar. Alternatively, you can beat the eggs and sugar by hand using a whisk. Beat until the eggs are pale, fluffy, and have doubled in size, about 3-4 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and beat for one more minute.

Sift in half of the flour and salt to the egg mixture, and fold the dry ingredients into the batter. Sift in the remaining flour and salt, and fold them in until they are just incorporated. Be careful to gently fold in the dry ingredients, and to not overmix the batter. 

Pour the batter over the apples in the baking dish. If needed, use a spatula or spoon to smooth the batter over the top so it evenly covers the apples.

Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden brown and firm on top, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for at least one hour prior to serving. 

Before serving, sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar. Sharlotka can be made a day in advance and stored covered at room temperature, the crust will soften as it sits. 

Kreplach Two Ways - Chicken and Vegetarian

I will be teaching how to make these kreplach on August 22nd at 4:30 PST, for The Nosher’s High Holiday Cooking Class Series. The class if free to all, register via the link!

Kreplach became a staple of Ashkenazi cooking in Germany and Eastern Europe by way of Italian Jews. Kreplach are stuffed dumplings, often made with a dough that is similar to Italian ravioli or tortellini. They are traditionally served in chicken soup for holidays and Shabbat meals.

 Fillings for kreplach vary from home to home, as do their shapes and sizes. Here you’ll find two filling options: classic chicken and onion, and vegetarian mushroom and cabbage. The chicken filling can be made with the same chicken you might use to make your chicken soup, or with any pre-cooked chicken. The chicken gets shredded chicken and then mixed with caramelized onions and fresh herbs, making the kreplach flavorful and light. The mushroom and cabbage version is meaty with a rich flavor, and they are a great alternative for vegetarians.

The same dough can be used with any filling you desire and in any shape. Triangular-shaped kreplach are common, especially during Purim when it is customary to eat foods in the shape of a triangle. Kreplach are also often served for the pre-fast meal at Yom Kippur. While kreplach take a little time and effort to make, there are few dishes that are as rewarding, comforting, and festive as dumplings.

Kreplach Two Ways

(Makes 28-30 dumplings)

Ingredients for the dough:

• 2 cups (270 g) all-purpose flour

• 3 lg eggs, at room temperature

• 1 Tbsp oil

• 1 tsp kosher salt

To make the dough by hand: Add the flour to a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle of the flour, then add the eggs, oil, and salt. Using a fork, beat the eggs in the center of the well, then slowly begin to incorporate the flour into the egg mixture. Once you can no longer mix the dough with the fork transfer it onto a clean surface. Begin to combine the dough with your hands until it forms a ball; if it is very sticky add a little more flour. Knead the dough until silky and smooth, about 5-6 minutes. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 8 hours.

To make the dough in a food processor: combine all of the ingredients in the food processor. Pulse 5-6 times, then press on and let the food processor run until the mixture forms a ball, about 30-60 seconds. Transfer the ball of dough onto a clean surface, knead for one minute, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 8 hours.

To assemble the kreplach: Divide the dough in half. Keep one half wrapped or covered while you roll out the first batch of dough.

Lightly dust your surface with flour, then roll out the dough as thin as possible; you should be able to almost see through the dough. Once the dough is rolled out, cut it into equal-sized 3” squares. Fill each square with approximately 1 teaspoon of filling, be careful not to overfill your kreplach.

Fill a small dish with water, then begin to form your kreplach. Dab the edges of the dough with water, then fold into a triangle shape, seal the edges by firmly pressing the dough, or by using the tines of a fork. Place the formed kreplach on a parchment-lined baking sheet; dust lightly with flour if they are sticky on the outside. You can cook the kreplach immediately, or place them in the freezer in a single layer. Once frozen, transfer them into an airtight container; they will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To cook and serve: When ready to cook, fill a large pot of water to a boil. Simmer the kreplach for 15-20 minutes, or until very tender. If cooking the kreplach from frozen, simmer for 5-10 minutes longer. Once cooked and tender, add the cooked kreplach to your soup and serve.

FILLINGS

Ingredients for the chicken filling:

• 1.5 cups shredded cooked chicken

• ½ a medium yellow or white onion, diced fine

• 2 Tbsps chopped parsley or dill

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Oil, as needed

To make the chicken filling: Shred the chicken. You can use the chicken from making your chicken soup, or rotisserie chicken.

Add a drizzle of oil to a pan over medium heat, then add the diced onion to the pan and cook until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Season with salt.

 In a bowl, combine the shredded chicken, browned onion, chopped parsley, and season with salt and pepper. The filling can be made up to 1 day in advance.

Ingredients for the vegetarian filling:

• ½ a medium yellow or white onion, diced fine

• 8 oz crimini mushrooms, chopped fine

• 2 cups finely shredded cabbage

• 1-2 Tbsps soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Oil, as needed

To make the vegetarian filling: Add a drizzle of oil to a large pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion to the pan and sauté until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the chopped mushrooms to the pan, and sauté until they have released all of their liquid and are beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the cabbage and soy sauce to the pan. Sauté until the cabbage is softened, about 3-4 minutes. Taste and season with more soy sauce, salt, or pepper. Transfer to a bowl and allow to fully cool before assembling your kreplach. The filling can be made up to 1 day in advance.

Labneh Cheesecake with Strawberry Sauce

Cheesecake is a staple of Shavuot, a holiday that celebrates receiving the Torah, and that also celebrates the Spring harvest and the abundance of dairy that come from pastured animals during this time of year. While cream cheese is typically used in cheesecake, swapping it for labneh transforms traditional cheesecake into something lighter, tangier, and silkier. Labneh is easy to make at home, as it's simply yogurt that has been strained in cheesecloth. You can also find it pre-made at Middle Eastern and Kosher markets.  

This cheesecake can be eaten as is, but it levels up with a fruit topping. I’ve included a recipe for strawberry sauce, but any other berry or stone fruit can be swapped for the strawberries. In lieu of a cooked sauce, you could also top this tart with fresh berries and whipped cream. 

This recipe requires no special equipment, and if you don’t have a springform or tart pan, you can use any standard 9” pie dish. A pre-made graham cracker crust is another convenient time-saver; the extra filling can be baked separately in a small ramekin or baking dish. While the pie comes together quickly, it does need to spend time in the fridge to fully set; it’s best to make this the day before you intend to serve it. 

Labneh Cheesecake with Strawberry Sauce

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1 sleeve (150 g) graham crackers (9-10 crackers depending on the brand)

• 2 Tbsps sugar

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 5 Tbsps unsalted butter, melted

For the labneh filling:

• 2 cups (16 oz) labneh*

• ½ cup (4 oz) sour cream

• ½ cup sugar

• 3 large eggs, at room temperature

• 2 tsps vanilla extract

• ¼ tsp salt

For the strawberry sauce:

• 3 cups strawberries, fresh or frozen

• ½ cup sugar

• ¼ cup water

• Juice of ½ a lemon

• ¼ tsp salt 

• 2 tsps cornstarch + 2 tsps water, whisked together

*To make labneh: line a mesh sieve with cheesecloth, and place it over a large bowl. Add a 32 oz container of plain full-fat yogurt to the lined sieve. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight. Transfer to an airtight container and discard the liquid. 

Directions

Remove your labneh, sour cream, and eggs so they can come up to room temperature while you make the crust. 

For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9” springform pan, 9” pie pan, or 9½” tart pan.

Crush the graham crackers in their unopened sleeve, or if they are open, place them in a bag. This recipe will work with 9 or 10 graham crackers, as different brands carry different amounts of crackers in their sleeves. Crush until the crackers are fine crumbles. Transfer to a small bowl, and crush any pieces that are larger than a pea in size. Combine with sugar and salt.

Add the warm melted butter, and using your hands mix the butter into the crumb mixture until it resembles wet sand. Transfer the mixture into the greased pan. Press the crumbs towards the sides of the pan, making a thin even layer on the bottom. The bottom can be much thinner than you think it needs to be; the crumbs on the sides should be thicker, and should go up about ½-1”-high depending on the pan you are using. Using the bottom of a measuring cup, press the crumbs into the bottom and sides of the pan. It will seem fragile but will hold up well once baked and filled.

Bake the crust for 10 minutes, or until darker in color and firmer. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes. 

For the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the labneh, sour cream, sugar, and salt until smooth.

Whisk in one egg at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.

Whisk in the vanilla extract.

Pour the mixture into the slightly cooled crust. Bake at 350°F for 20-24 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to set but the center is still very jiggly when you move the pan. If using a tart pan, the cooking time may be quicker, check after 15 minutes. Be careful not to over-bake the tart.

Allow the tart to fully cool at room temperature for 1 hour. Once it’s fully cooled, transfer it to the refrigerator and let it set for a minimum of 6 hours or overnight. Once set, serve the tart as is, or topped with fruit, whipped cream, or strawberry sauce. The tart will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge. 

For the strawberry sauce:

In a medium pot, combine the strawberries, sugar, water, lemon juice, and salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and simmer for 3-4 minutes, or until sugar is fully dissolved and strawberries are beginning to soften but still hold their shape. Add in the slurry of cornstarch and water, and simmer for 1 minute more. The cornstarch will immediately thicken the sauce, which should easily coat a spoon.

Allow the sauce to fully cool, then transfer it to the refrigerator. Sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance and will keep for up to one week in the fridge. 

Blueberry Cheesecake Danish

The danish came into being as a result of a kitchen mishap and a workers’ strike. In the early 1600s, a French baker forgot to add butter to his flour at the “right” time, and in an attempt to salvage his pastry he folded chunks of butter into his flour mixture. He inadvertently created a delicious flaky puff pastry dough. From there, danish-like pastries were made in France, then Italy, and Austria. A few hundred years later during a labor strike in Denmark in 1850, business owners hired bakers from abroad to replace local workers. Several such Austrian bakers began making danish-like pastries, and when the strike was over, Danish bakeries continued to bake and improve upon these newly beloved pastries. In 1915, a Danish immigrant chef baked danishes for Woodrow Wilson’s wedding to great success and acclaim. Soon after, the same baker encouraged a New York Jewish restauranteur to start selling the pastries at his establishments. Danishes have been a staple in bakeries and delis across the country ever since. 

Danishes are typically made with puff pastry, which is a buttery laminated dough. If you love baking projects you can make this recipe with homemade puff pastry. For a quicker and easier danish, pre-made puff pastry is ideal. Any store-bought frozen version will work, but using an all-butter puff pastry will yield better quality and flavor. These pastries are crispy on the edges with a buttery flaky dough, and soft in the middle with a fruity cheesecake-like filling. Always a crowd-pleaser, they’re perfect for any holiday brunch or lunch spread.

Blueberry Cheesecake Danishes 

Makes 12 danishes

For the pastry:

• 1 (17.25 oz or 1 lb) package all-butter puff pastry, defrosted

• 1 egg, beaten

• Turbinado sugar (or any course sugar), for sprinkling

For the cream cheese filling:

• 1 (8 oz) block cream cheese

• 3 Tbsps sugar

• 2 tsps vanilla extract
  
  

For the blueberry sauce:

• 2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)

• ½ cup water

• ¼ cup sugar

• Juice of ½ a lemon, or to taste

• 1 Tbsp cornstarch + 1 Tbsp water, whisked together 

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the blueberry sauce:

In a medium pot combine the blueberries, sugar, water, and lemon juice. In a small dish, whisk together the cornstarch and water and reserve. On medium-high heat, bring the mixture up to a simmer. When the blueberry mixture starts to bubble, add in your slurry of cornstarch and water. The sauce will immediately begin to thicken. Stir and let the blueberries simmer for 2 more minutes until the sauce is thick, easily coats a spoon, but the blueberries still hold their shape. Turn off the heat and add in the vanilla.

Remove from the heat, and allow the sauce to fully cool. Transfer to the fridge or freezer to cool the sauce quickly.

For the cream cheese filling:

Using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. To make this without a mixer, allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature, combine it with sugar and vanilla, and beat vigorously together with a wooden spoon.

Assemble the danishes:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Roll your puff pastry sheets into a 12” x 8” rectangle (if it is already roughly this size, there is no need to roll it out). Divide the pastry into even-sized 3” x 4” rectangles. For square danishes, roll your pastry into a 12” x 12” square, and cut them into  4” x 4” squares. 

Using a small paring knife, gently score each rectangle with a ½” border, so that there is an outline of a smaller rectangle inside each pastry. Transfer the squares to two parchment-lined baking sheets, and place them at least 1” apart.

Add a heaping tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture to the center of the rectangle. Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the mixture into an even layer, so it roughly fills only the interior rectangle of the pastry. Top the cream cheese with a tablespoon of the blueberry sauce. 

Before baking, brush the border edges of the pastry with the beaten egg, and sprinkle Turbinado sugar on top of the egg wash. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until the pastry has puffed up and is deep golden brown in color. Allow the pastry to cool for 15 minutes prior to serving. Danishes are best eaten the same day they are made and can be stored at room temperature. If you have leftovers, they can be reheated in an oven or toaster oven the next day. 

To make ahead:

Form the danishes up to the point of topping them with blueberry sauce. Freeze the cream cheese filling-topped danishes in a single layer, then transfer them to an airtight container or bag. If making more than a week in advance, freeze the sauce, and then defrost before assembly. 

When ready to bake, top the danishes with the blueberry sauce as instructed above. Add the egg wash and sugar to the edges of the frozen pastry. Bake as directed until golden brown. Frozen pastry may take 3-5 minutes longer to bake.

Golubtsi - Classic Stuffed Cabbage

In our family, we preferred our golubtsi (stuffed cabbage) with chicken, and my grandmother taught me to use Savoy cabbage. Savoy’s leaves are softer and more pliable than standard green cabbage, with a subtle sweet flavor. This recipe is meant to merely be a guide; add more or less rice, use the meat you prefer, add seasonings or herbs you love, and adjust the sauce to your own liking. This dish can be easily be made in advance and reheated before serving, and it also freezes well. I like to serve mine with a big salad, sliced toasted crusty bread, or fresh challah.

“Golubtsi” - Stuffed Cabbage

Ingredients:

For the sauce-

• 28 oz tomato sauce/purée + equal parts water

• 1 onion, chopped fine

• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced fine

• 1 small apple, diced fine

• 2 Tbsps tomato paste

• 1 bay leaf

• 2-3 Tbsps maple/agave syrup, or 1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste

• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the stuffed cabbage-

• 1 large savoy cabbage

• 1½ lbs ground chicken, turkey, or beef

• ⅔ cups basmati rice, rinsed

• ½ medium onion, diced fine

• 1 large egg

• 2¼  tsps Diamond kosher salt

• 1-2 tsps garlic powder, or 1 clove garlic minced very fine

Directions:

For the sauce- In a large pot or Dutch oven, sauté the onions and garlic until softened and aromatic, about 5 minutes. Add the apple, and sauté for another 2-3 minutes or until slightly softened. Add tomato paste and stir and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato sauce, and an equal amount of water, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and sweetener of choice (if using). Your sauce should start out thin and liquidy; it will thicken as it cooks. Bring the sauce to a boil, and simmer on low for at least 30 minutes, or while you prepare the cabbage and filling. Taste the sauce before adding the stuffed cabbage, and adjust if necessary for salt or sweetness. Dilute with more water if needed.  

For the cabbage- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously, and then add the cabbage to the water. Boil the cabbage for 2-3 minutes. Then remove it and allow it to cool. 

While the cabbage is cooling, add the rinsed rice to the same pot of salted boiling water. Let the rice boil for 8-10 minutes until partially cooked. Drain, and allow to cool and dry. 

Make the filling: combine the ground meat, cooled and drained rice, diced onion, egg, salt, and garlic powder. 

To assemble and cook: Separate the cabbage leaves, trimming any thick part of the stem. If your cabbage isn’t separating easily, place it back in boiling water for an additional 2-3 minutes. 

Place a leaf of cabbage down flat, fill it with approximately ¼-cup of filling near the base of the leaf. Fold the base of the leaf over the filling, fold the sides of the leaf towards the center, and then roll until the cabbage is formed into a burrito-like package. Place seam-side down into the pot; cabbage rolls can be stacked on top of each other as long as they are all submerged in the sauce. 

Cover the pot, and let the cabbage simmer for 45-60 minutes on low heat, or until tender and cooked through. Add more water if the sauce appears too thick at any point. The sauce should be easily spoonable over the cabbage.

Stuffed cabbage can be reheated in a covered baking dish in the oven at 350°F, a covered pot on the stove , or in a microwave. 

Pampushky - Ukrainian Garlic Bread Rolls

Pampushky are fluffy, soft, Ukrainian garlic rolls. Ukraine was known as the “breadbasket” of the Soviet Union, and both garlic and bread are staples of the cuisine. These rolls are traditionally served alongside borscht; the garlic’s sharpness compliments the sweetness of borscht’s beets. Garlic + bread is such a common side to borscht, that my own grandparents would often simply eat slices of brown bread and whole raw cloves of garlic with their soup. 

I was first inspired to make pampushky years ago when I came across a recipe in Mamushka, Olia Hercules’ exceptional Ukrainian cookbook. This recipe differs slightly, but the idea is the same for all pampushky: make pillowy soft buns, and top them with a mixture of oil and copious amounts of freshly minced or grated raw garlic. I prefer sunflower oil for this recipe, which is traditionally used in Ukrainian cooking. The moment the rolls come out of the oven, generously slather them with the garlic and oil mixture. The heat of the bread cooks the garlic just enough to slightly mellow its flavor. Fresh parsley and dill are also added to the garlic oil, which offers a bright herbaceousness to the spicy heat of the garlic. Make no mistake, these rolls are adamantly for garlic lovers. 

Pampushky are best served warm, either soon after coming out of the oven, or reheated just before serving. As you set the rolls on the table, make sure to announce that you are serving  “pampushky.” Saying the word out loud is part of the joy of making these rolls. 

Ingredients-

• For the dough:

• 1 cup (250 ml) milk 

• 2¼ tsps (1 packet) active dry yeast

• 2 Tbsps sugar

• 2 Tbsps oil (sunflower, avocado, or olive) 

• 3 cups (380 g) all-purpose flour

• 2 tsps salt

• 1 egg, beaten

For the garlic oil:

• 3 Tbsps oil (sunflower, avocado, or olive) 

• 3-4 garlic cloves

• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill

• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley 

• Flake salt (optional)

Directions-

Warm the milk until it is between 80-100°F, and just warm to the touch. Add the milk to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, or add the milk to a large bowl if kneading by hand. Add the sugar to the milk, then sprinkle the yeast on top. Whisk the mixture and allow it to activate and become foamy for about 5-10 minutes. Once the yeast is activated, add the oil to the milk mixture, then add the flour and salt. If using a stand mixer, start mixing the dough on the lowest setting. Once the dough starts to form a ball, increase the speed to medium and knead for 6-8 minutes. Alternatively, knead for 10-12 minutes by hand. The dough is done when it is elastic, glossy, soft, and easily comes away from the sides of the bowl/surface. Add the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, and cover with a clean damp kitchen towel. Let the dough rise for 1-1½ hours, or until doubled in size. 

Once the dough has risen and doubled in size, punch it down to remove the air, and transfer it to a clean surface. Form the dough into a rectangle, and then divide it into 8 equal-sized pieces; weigh each one to be exact. Form each piece into a ball by pinching the edges inward, and then on a flat surface, roll the dough into a ball shape.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9” round or square baking dish, preferably metal as opposed to glass or ceramic. Beat the egg for the egg wash. Place each ball of dough in the baking dish, with an equal distance between each ball. Allow the dough to rise a second time for 30 minutes, or until the rolls have puffed up and filled the pan. Brush the tops of the dough with the egg wash and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until deep golden brown.

While the rolls bake, make the garlic oil mixture. Finely mince the garlic using a garlic press or a Microplane. Combine the oil, garlic, chopped dill, and chopped parsley together. Brush the garlic-herb mixture over the rolls immediately after they come out of the oven. Allow the rolls to cool for 15 minutes before serving. Pampushky can also be served at room temperature or reheated.

Vegan Apricot Hamantaschen with Chocolate Drizzle

Vegan Hamantaschen

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup (6 oz) plant-based butter, at room temperature (e.g. Miyoko’s brand)

• ⅔ cup granulated sugar

• ¼ cup apple sauce

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch

• 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour 

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• Pinch of salt 

• Apricot jam, as needed (or your favorite jam)

For the chocolate drizzle:

• 1 cup chopped vegan dark chocolate or chocolate chips

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil or sunflower oil

Directions:

In a large bowl using a handheld mixer, or in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the vegan and sugar together until fluffy. Add the apple sauce, cornstarch, and vanilla extract and mix until just combined; the apple sauce and cornstarch will act as the binder for the dough. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Add the flour mixture to the vegan butter mixture. Mix until just combined.

Transfer the dough onto a clean surface, and form into a disc. Wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, and up to 24 hours.

Once the dough has chilled, lightly flour your surface. Roll the dough until it is about ¼”-thick. Cut 3”- 4” circles out of the dough, using a cookie cutter or a water/wine glass. Fill each round of dough with 1-2 teaspoons of jam; be careful not to overfill your cookies. Pinch the edges upward and tightly together to form a triangle. Place the cookies on a parchment or Silpat-lined baking sheet, about 2” apart. Freeze or refrigerate the hamantaschen for 15 minutes before baking (don’t skip this step as it will help your cookies keep their shape). 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown at the edges. Cool on a rack. Once fully cool you can eat them as is, or drizzle them with melted chocolate. Hamantaschen can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days. 

For the chocolate drizzle:

In a bowl, combine your chocolate and coconut oil. Melt the chocolate in a microwave, or in a heat-proof bowl placed over a pot of simmering water (a double boiler). Once the chocolate is just melted, mix until smooth. Drizzle each cookie with the chocolate using a spoon or fork. Let the chocolate harden and set, about 1 hour.  

Queen Esther's Cookies / Mohn Kichlah

Poppy seeds are the key ingredient in these Eastern European cookies. Mohn Kichlach , or Queen Esther’s Cookies, are made and eaten year-round, but they have special significance at Purim. The poppy seeds are meant to remind us of how Queen Esther was able to secretly keep kosher in Ahasuerus’ palace by only eating seeds, legumes, vegetables, and fruits. In fact, at Purim it’s traditional to eat all kinds of dishes with beans, seeds, or that are vegetarian.

These are simple sugar cookies, that are often flavored with almond extract, but here I’ve added lemon zest and lemon juice for their bright and citrusy flavors. You can make and eat these plain, but they are also delicious drizzled with a simple icing or with melted white chocolate. 

This dough can also be used to make hamantaschen; instructions are included at the bottom of the recipe.

Mohn Kichlah - Queen Esther’s Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (275 g) all-purpose flour

• 2 Tablespoons poppy seeds

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¾ cup (1½ sticks/170 g) unsalted butter

• ⅔ cup granulated sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• zest of one lemon

• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice

For the icing:

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 1-2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt. Reserve.

In a large bowl using a handheld mixer, or in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until lightened in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, and beat until fully incorporated. Beat in the vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice. 

Add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture, beat until everything just comes together, be careful not to overmix. 

Form the dough into a disc, and wrap it with plastic or beeswax wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and up to 2 days. 

When ready to make the cookies, preheat the oven to 325°F.

Roll out the dough about ¼”-thick. Cut the dough into desired shapes such as triangles, hearts, or circles. Gather the scraps of dough, and roll them out again until you use up all of the dough. Place the cut out shapes onto the lined baking sheets, leaving 1”-2” of space between each cookie. Bake for 15 minutes, or until just becoming golden at the edges and starting to firm up. Allow the cookies to fully cool on a rack before serving, icing, or drizzling with melted white chocolate. 

For the icing:

Whisk together the sugar with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. If it is too thick, add a little more juice or water until you have a loose consistency. Drizzle over the cookies with a spoon or fork. 

For Hamantaschen:

You can also use this dough for hamantaschen. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the dough into rounds using a biscuit cutter or water glass. Fill each circle of dough with a small spoonful of jam or your favorite filling. Pinch the sides upward to form a triangle shape, pinch each side closed. Place the dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze or chill for a minimum of 15 minutes. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until firm to the touch and just golden at the edges.

Vegan Turmeric Everything Challah

Vegan Turmeric Everything Challah

Makes 1 large loaf, or 2 small loaves

Dough:

4 cups (550 g) bread flour, plus more for dusting and as needed

1 cup warm water 

2½ teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

3 Tablespoons maple syrup 

2 Tablespoons avocado or sunflower oil

2 teaspoons kosher salt

Egg replacer mixture (see below)

1 Tablespoon ground turmeric

Everything bagel seasoning mix, as needed

Egg replacer:

¼ cup warm water 

¼ cup oil

1 Tablespoon baking powder

Vegan egg wash:

¼ cup unsweetened plant-based milk (oat, almond, soy or rice)

1 tablespoon avocado or sunflower oil

2 teaspoons maple syrup

Directions:

Start by adding the yeast and sugar to warm water; the water should be around 105-115°F. Stir, and then allow the yeast to activate for 5 minutes or until it looks thick and foamy at the top. 

In a large bowl or in the bottom of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, combine the oil, maple syrup, and salt. 

In a separate small bowl, make the egg replacer mixture by combining the water, oil, and baking powder. The baking powder will cause the mixture to fizz.

Once the yeast is activated, add the liquid to the bowl or stand mixer. Add the egg replacer to the mixture. Then add the flour and turmeric to the stand mixer or to the large bowl. Either by hand or with the stand mixer on low, begin to combine everything together. Once the mixture forms a ball, knead the dough by hand on a clean surface, or by increasing the speed of the mixer to medium. 

Knead until the dough is mostly smooth and elastic, and doesn’t stick to your hands, about 6-8 minutes. If you find the dough is too sticky, add flour a few tablespoons at a time until the dough doesn’t excessively stick to your hands as you knead. The amount of flour needed depends on the weather, temperature, and brand of flour.  

Lightly grease a large bowl with oil, and then place the dough in the greased bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp clean kitchen towel, and allow the dough to rise in a warm part of the kitchen for at least 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size. The rate at which the dough rises will depend on the temperature of the kitchen. 

After the dough has doubled in size, punch it down. Lightly dust your work surface with flour, and transfer the dough onto it. 

Divide the dough into even-sized pieces, depending on how many strands you will braid the dough with. Form each piece of challah into a strand with tapered ends. 

Braid the challah. Place the challah on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover with a very lightly damp towel. Repeat the braiding process for the second half of the dough. Allow the covered braided loaves to rise for another 30-45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a small dish, combine almond milk, maple syrup, and oil. Brush the challah with the wash. Top with everything bagel seasoning mix. Bake the challah loaves for 30-40 minutes, or until the challah is a deep golden brown - exact timing will depend on the size of your challah and your oven. Once baked and still hot, brush a second time with the wash mixture. Transfer to a rack and allow to cool. 

Apple Piroshki

Piroshki are a popular pastry in Russia, Ukraine, and other parts of the former Soviet Union. Piroshki is a catch-all term for a variety of stuffed pastries, often oval in shape. You’ll find piroshki that are fried or baked, made with yeast-leavened dough, puff pastry, or shortcrust pastry. They can be either savory or sweet, and common fillings include sautéed cabbage, mashed potato with caramelized onion, and sweet apple.

 When piroshki are made with fried yeasted dough they are akin to a donut. Hanukkah, and its celebration of fried foods, is my favorite time of year to make apple piroshki. If you have ever made sufganiyot, this dough recipe will be similar in its ingredients and methods. What makes piroshki different from most sufganiyot is that the filling is added before the dough is fried. Like sufganiyot, piroshki benefit from a generous shower of powdered sugar before serving.

 This is the kind of recipe that takes some time and is ideal for a chilly day when being in the kitchen is calming and warm. Like any fried food, these are unquestionably best eaten straight away or on the same day they are made. Warm and fresh, the golden-brown exterior has the subtlest crisp to it, giving way to soft airy dough beneath, and caramelly apple filling inside.

 If you’re steering clear of oil but have an affinity for piroshki, you can use this recipe to make a baked version. Instructions are provided below. Baked piroshki are also best eaten fresh, but can last an additional 2-3 days if they are warmed up again just before serving.

An apple pirozhok is a warm, festive treat for any winter day. If you’ve added enough powdered sugar, when you take your first bite you can happily expect that sugar to somehow make its way onto your upper lip, and maybe even the tip of your nose.

Apple Piroshki

Makes 16

For the dough:

1¼ cup warm milk

2¼ teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast

2 Tablespoons sugar

4 Tablespoons (½ stick) butter, melted and cooled

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3¾ -4 cups (446-480 g)  all purpose flour, start with less and add more flour if needed

1 liter (33 oz) neutral oil for frying (e.g. sunflower, canola, or vegetable)

For the filling:

2½ lbs (about 6-7)  apples, (Crimson, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or any baking apple)

½ cup granulated sugar

⅓ cup light or dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Big pinch of salt

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the dough-

Warm the milk so that it is just warm to the touch, but not simmering (between 90°F-110°F). Combine the warm milk with the yeast and the sugar. Allow the yeast to activate and become foamy for 5-10 minutes.

 Add the flour to a stand-mixer with the dough hook attachment or to a large bowl if making the dough by hand. Start with 3¾ cups (446 grams) of flour; if you later find the dough too sticky as you are kneading, add more flour one spoonful at a time.  Make a well in the center of the flour.

Add the melted cooled butter, egg, egg yolk, and salt to the well in the flour. Then add the milk and yeast mixture.

Combine the wet and the dry ingredients on the mixer’s lowest setting, or gently by hand. Once the ingredients are combined and start to form a ball, increase the speed on the mixer to medium, or transfer the dough to a flat surface and begin to knead the dough. The dough will be very sticky, especially at first, but as you knead it will become smoother.

Knead the dough until silky, soft and smooth, about 5-6 minutes in the mixer, or 10 minutes by hand. The dough will slightly stick to the sides of the bowl, but will easily form a smooth soft ball in your hands.

 Once the dough is kneaded, transfer it to a lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lightly damp towel, and place in a warm part of the kitchen; allow the dough to rise for 1-1½ hours or until doubled in size. While the dough is rising, make your filling.

For the filling-

Peel and core the apples. Dice them small, and add them to a bowl. Combine them with sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Add them to a deep skillet or large pot, and cook them on medium heat for 15-20 minutes, or until softened and most of the liquid has evaporated. The mixture will start to look like apple pie filling, the liquid will thicken and become syrupy, and the apples will be golden brown. Turn off the heat, and stir in the vanilla extract. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.

To assemble the piroshki-

Line two baking sheets with parchment.

 Once the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into 16 equal-sized pieces. To do so, form the dough into a rectangle, divide it into 4 equal parts, and then divide each section into 4 again. For exact uniformity, weigh each piece. Form each piece into a ball, and cover with a clean kitchen towel so they do not dry out as you work.

 On a lightly floured surface, form the piroshki by rolling each ball into a thin circle, about 4-5 inches in diameter. Add 1½ tablespoons of the filling into the center of the circle of dough. Fold the dough upwards towards the center, equally on each side, and pinch the piroshki firmly closed along the top forming them into a sealed oval shape.

Place the formed piroshki onto the parchment-lined baking sheets seam-side down, 8 per sheet with 2-3 inches between each pastry. Cover the piroshki with loose plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and allow to rise again, for 30 minutes.

While the dough is rising for the second time, preheat your oil for frying (if baking, see instructions below.)* Fill a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with 2-3 inches of oil. Use a candy thermometer to make sure the oil is at 350°F, you will have to monitor and raise or lower the temperature as needed. If you do not have a thermometer, you will know the oil is ready when you place the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil and small bubbles form around the spoon; if the dough is browning too quickly, lower the oil slightly as needed.

Fry the piroshki-

Once the piroshki have risen a second time you can begin frying or baking the piroshki. Fry the piroshki in batches of 2-3 at a time, depending on the size of your pot; be careful not to crowd them. Place the piroshki seam-side down into the oil and fry for 40-50 seconds on each side, until they are nicely golden brown all over. Transfer to a papertowel-lined rack or sheet pan. Continue to fry all of the piroshki. Once they are done, allow them to cool 10-15 minutes before serving.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.

*For baked piroshki-

Once the piroshki have risen a second time, beat an egg with a splash of water. Brush the piroshki with the egg wash, and then bake them for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, rotate the baking sheets and bake for another 8-10 minutes, or until the piroshki are evenly golden brown on all sides,

Transfer to a rack to cool slightly, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Instant Pot Georgian Pomegranate Chicken

For the full article, head over to The Nosher!

As documented by the queen of Jewish cooking, Joan Nathan, and by Georgian food guru, Carla Capalbo, the Georgian Jewish community traditionally makes chicken cooked in pomegranate juice for Rosh Hashanah. It’s a perfect recipe for the High Holidays: sweet, tart, flavorful, and eye-catching. This recipe is an adaptation from multiple recipes for this dish, but in any variation the chicken is braised in a generously-spiced, fruity pomegranate juice-based broth, and then topped with fresh red jewel-like pomegranate kernals.

The pomegranate juice adds expected sweetness, but there’s also an assertive and awakening tang that comes through, especially with the addition of tamarind and pomegranate molasses. The copious amounts of onion and garlic add deep levels of sweet and savory flavors to the dish. The coriander, hot pepper (not too hot), and thyme play off each other with their respective perfumy-ness, heat, and minty-ness. It is Rosh Hashanah, so a hint of honey makes its way into the pot to remind you of sweetness without being at the forefront of the show. After 15 minutes at high pressure, the chicken barely clings to its bones, and the sauce becomes rich with and fortified by the golden schmaltz left over from browning the chicken. Take the chicken out and let that liquid simmer (still in the Instant Pot), and the mahogany-colored sauce will thicken and become silky and as decedent as a festive meal demands. Once the chicken and sauce are plated, you shower them with the bright green fresh herbs and the glistening ruby red pomegranate. Dark meat works best for this, but you can certainly make it with white meat as well. And like all great holiday dishes, you can make this several days in advance and it only gets better when reheated. It also freezes well, just leave off the fresh garnish until right before serving. And yes, if you really don’t want to cave to culinary social pressure, you can make this recipe the old fashioned way.

Instant Pot Georgian Jewish Chicken in Pomegranate Juice

Serves 6-8 (recipe can be doubled)

• 12 whole chicken legs, or 6 bone-in thighs + 6 legs (about 4 lbs)
• Sunflower or avocado oil, as needed
• 3 medium red onions, halved and sliced thin
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced fine
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1½ teaspoons aleppo pepper, or ½ teaspoon red pepper flake, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 2 Tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 2 Tablespoons tamarind paste
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Arils/seeds of 1 whole pomegranate
• ½ bunch fresh cilantro or parlesy, for garnish
• Salt and pepper, as needed

Start by generously seasoning your chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.

Turn your Instant Pot or pressure cooker to the sauté setting, which should produce high heat for browning. If needed increase the heat to MORE or according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Once the pot is hot, add a drizzle of oil. Brown each piece of chicken until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Cook the chicken in batches so as not to crowd the pot and cause the chicken to steam instead of brown. On the stoevtop, brown the chicken in a large pot or Dutch oven on medium high heat. Once all of the chicken is browned, transfer it from the pot and reserve.

Next, add all of the onions to the same pot so that they can cook in the remaining chicken fat. If your chicken did not release very much oil, and another tablespoon or two of oil to the pot. Season the onions with salt and sauté for 5-6 minutes or until softened and starting to slightly brown. Add the garlic, coriander, and paprika to the pot and sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the tomato paste, and stir everything until the onion mixture is well coated in the tomato paste. Nestle the reserved browned chicken back into the pot. Press CANCEL to turn off the sauté function on the pot. Follow the same steps on a stovetop.

Add the pomegranate juice, pomegranate molasses, tamarind paste, honey, thyme and bay to the pot. Place the lid on the Instant Pot, close the pot and seal it. Press the POULTRY or MANUAL setting and set the time to 15 minutes. Let the steam naturally release for 10-15 minutes, and shift the valve to venting if more air needs to be released. On the stovetop, cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes on medium-low or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.

Press CANCEL, open the lid and transfer the chicken to a platter and lightly cover with foil to keep the chicken warm. Remove the bay leaf and thyme stems. Turn on the SAUTE function again. Allow the sauce to simmer and reduce by half, or until its reached your desired thickness. On the stovetop, turn the heat to medium-high and simmer.

Once the sauce has reduced and thickened, pour the sauce over the chicken. At this point you can keep dish warm in a low oven, or you can cool it and freeze if making in advance.

Just before serving, garnish the chicken with the fresh pomegranate and roughly chopped cilantro or parsley.

Rhubarb and Strawberry Galette

Galettes are just about my favorite thing to bake. I like the ratio of dough to filling. I like that the results of most galettes aren't too sweet. And I love the beauty of the arrangement of fruit against a browned flaky crust.

I use my go-to crust recipe/ratios for every galette, but for the filling I rarely use a recipe. I'll use fruit that's in season, toss them with sugar, vanilla/lemon zest, and let them hang out for an hour while the dough is chilling in the fridge. 

This galette was no different. I had a bunch of rhubarb that I brought home from work, and I had a handful of good strawberries too. I also had some rye flour I wanted to use up. The rye flour went into the dough, and the fruit got added to the filling. A short time later, the galette came out of the oven, warm and fragrant. This galette is perfect for any beautiful spring day.

Rhubarb Strawberry Galette

For the crust:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup rye flour (or all purpose flour)
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 sticks butter, cold and cubed
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 3-4 Tablespoons ice water
• 1 egg yolk + 1 teaspoon of water (for the egg wash)
• Turbinado sugar, to sprinkle on top

For the filling:

• 1 lb rhubarb, cut into equal-sized pieces
• 1 cup strawberries, halved or quartered depending on size
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the crust:

In a food processor: pulse the flour, rye, sugar, and salt together. Add the cubed cold butter and pulse until pea-sized crumbs form. Add the apple cider vinegar and ice water and pulse until the dough just gets combined and forms a ball. Be careful not to over-mix.

By hand: whisk together the flour, rye, sugar and salt. Add the cubed cold butter and combine with the flour with a pastry cutter or by hand until pea-sized crumbs of dough form. Add the apple cider vinegar and ice water and incorporate quickly with your hands until a ball of dough is formed. Be careful not to over-mix.

Form the dough into a round disc shape, and tightly cover with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight.

For the galette:

Combine the cut rhubarb and strawberries with the sugar and vanilla. Allow to sit for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Roll out the dough into a circle about 1/4" thick. The edges don't have to be perfectly round, and the dough doesn't have to be a perfect circle either. Transfer the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet

Add the macerated fruit to the dough, leaving a 2-3" border around the perimeter. Fold over the dough over the fruit, overlapping as you fold each piece.

Brush the dough with egg wash and sprinkle with Turbinado sugar. You can sprinkle the inside of the galette with sugar if you like it extra sweet, too. 

Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown with tender rhubarb.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Keeps at room temperature. covered, for 1 day. 

Tahini Chocolate Chunk Cookies (with Rye flour)

For the full article, head over to .alma

...What I love most about these cookies is that they’re endlessly versatile. I like to add rye flour to the batter for extra nuttiness, and flake salt before baking for a pop of flavor and crunch, but you could easily use entirely all purpose flour and leave the flake salt out completely. If you’re not into chocolate, you could substitute the two cups of chocolate chunks with two cups of chopped dried fruit or chopped nuts. If you’re feeling adventurous (or frisky?) you can even use all three. In keeping with romantic cliches, just as in matters of finding true love, these cookies benefit from patience. If you chill the batter overnight the cookies taste even better when you bake them off the next day. But between you and me, you can break the rules and succumb to instant gratification and make the cookies the same day and they’ll still work out just fine.

I always hope that Valentine’s Day can be less a celebration of coupledom and traditional forms of romantic love, and more of a an excuse to celebrate all love-filled relationships, including with one’s self. I can assure you that whether these are made for your partner, secret crush, lonely hearts club band, or for you yourself and only you, making these cookies in all their tahini-chocolate goodness is a rich expression of love and all things good.

Tahini Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Makes 24 cookies

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup all purpose flour

• ¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons rye flour (optional, can substitute this with all purpose flour)

• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• ½ cup tahini

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• ¾ cup brown sugar

• ¼ cup sugar

• 1 large egg, at room temperature

• 2 cups (8 oz) chopped chocolate chunks or chips

• Flake salt, as needed (optional)

Directions:

1.     In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, rye flour if using, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Reserve.

2.     Using a stand-mixer or handheld electric mixer, cream together the tahini, butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. You can also do this by hand, but it will take slightly longer.

3.     Add in the egg, and mix until well incorporated.

4.     On a low speed, slowly add in the flour mixture to the tahini mixture. Mix until just incorporated, be careful not to overmix.

5.     Stir in the chocolate chunks until just incorporated. Ideally, refrigerate the cookie dough for 24 hours or overnight. If you can’t wait that long, let it chill in the fridge for at least one hour.

6.     Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

7.     Scoop out the dough, one heaping tablespoon at a time, and roll into equal-sized balls. You can also use a small ice cream scoop to do this. Place the dough balls on the baking sheets a few inches apart - they will spread as they bake. Sprinkle the dough with flake salt, if desired.

8.     Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until golden around the edges. Allow the cookies to cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

9.     Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Spiced Pomegranate Molasses Wings

What do I want in a wing? Something that is crispy with a sauce that packs tons of flavor. Pomegranate molasses is a perfect base for wing sauce. Pomegranate molasses isn’t a molasses at all, it’s actually just pomegranate juice that is reduced until it is thick and syrupy. You can even make it yourself at home, but it is easy to come by at any Middle Eastern or Persian market, as well as online. I’ve even spotted it at Whole Foods. Pomegranate molasses is tangy, a little sweet, and with the dark and shiny sheen of real molasses. It’s a common ingredient in Middleeastern cooking, where it’s added to all kinds of dishes from stews, to dips, to glazes for meats, and more. If you’ve ever read an Yotam Ottolenghi cookbook, than you know it’s also one of his favorite ingredients to add to vegetable dishes.

Years ago, I first got inspired to add pomegranate molasses to wings when I saw Aarti Sequeira make a version of this dish on Aarti Party, her Indian-themed cooking show. Since then I’ve reworked the dish to skew it towards my own preferences, and in a slightly more Middle Eastern direction. These wings get generously marinated in a spice mixture of coriander, cumin, cardamom, allspice, and pepper. The pomegranate molasses sauce gets Sriracha added to it for heat, which is a decidedly un-Middle Eastern ingredient, but a perfect compliment to the dish with its peppery garlicky spiciness. To make cooking for a crowd a little easier, the wings are baked not fried; they still crisp up nicely, but you don’t have to deal with the mess, work, or the extra calories that comes with deep frying. Spiced pomegranate molasses wings have become a staple party food recipe in our house, Superbowl Sunday or otherwise.

Spiced Pomegranate Molasses Wings

Serves 4-6 (recipe can be doubled and tripled to serve a larger crowd)

For the wings-

• 2 lbs. chicken wings
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice

For the pomegranate molasses sauce-

• ⅓ cup pomegranate molasses
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup or agave, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons Sriracha, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon oil (coconut, safflower, or canola)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons vegan butter

Directions:

1.   Pat the chicken wings dry and place them in a large bowl.

2.   In a small bowl, combine the salt and spices. Add the spices to the chicken, and toss the wings until they are all well coated. Cover and refrigerate the wings for 1 hour to allow the chicken to marinade in the spice mixture.

3.   Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place a rack on a baking sheet and spray or brush the rack with oil. If you don’t have a rack to cook the wings on, you can place them directly on a baking sheet, they will just get slightly less crisped. Add the marinated wings to the baking sheet, leaving ½” of room between each wing.

4.   Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until cooked through with an internal temperature of at least 165°F. Flip the wings once after 15 minutes of cooking time.

5.   While the wings are in the oven, prepare the pomegranate molasses sauce. Add the pomegranate molasses, maple syrup, Sriracha, and a tablespoon of oil to a small pot. Heat on medium low, and allow the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sauce has slightly thickened. Taste and add salt & pepper as needed, or more Sriracha/maple syrup depending on your preference and the tanginess of the pomegranate molasses.

6.   Once simmered and slightly reduced, remove from the heat and add the vegan butter; this will add a smooth richness to the sauce.

7.   Once the chicken is cooked, transfer it to a large heatproof bowl, pour the warm sauce all over the chicken, and toss until everything is well coated. Serve hot with your favorite sides or dippings sauces.

Salad Olivier

Full article is available via The Nosher

...This salad was first prepared by Lucien Olivier in the 1860’s. Olivier was the French chef of a famous restaurant in Moscow called The Hermitage, hence the very French name for this now popular Russian salad. Also, Russians were obsessed with French culture at that time. Salad Olivier was an immediate hit, and it became the restaurant’s signature dish. Originally, it was made with crayfish, capers, and even grouse. After the revolution, simpler and easier to come by ingredients were more commonly adapted into the recipe. These ingredients are also all conveniently available in the dead of winter.

The popularity of the salad spread beyond Russia to Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and even to Iran and Pakistan. In fact, in our family we call this dish Salad de Boeuf (pronounced as “de beff”), which is what this salad is inexplicably called in Romania and Western Ukraine. Boeuf means “beef” in French, and this salad contains no beef at all. In each geographic locale, the salad might differ slightly. Sometimes the potatoes are mashed instead of cubed, or there’s shredded chicken instead of smoked meat, or sometimes there’s no meat at all, as was the custom in our family. What makes this type of potato salad uniquely a Salad Olivier is the presence of potatoes combined with carrots, peas, pickles, and hard boiled eggs. Everything should be chopped to roughly the same size. The appeal of something seemingly odd and vaguely average is ultimately mysterious, but the combination of hearty firm potatoes, sweet cooked carrots, crisp pickles, earthy peas, and silky eggs in a creamy tangy dressing just works. The ingredients meld all together, each losing its own particular edge to combine to make a complete range of salty, sweet, tangy, satisfying tastes in each bite. I think this salad’s enduring and far-reaching popularity proves that it’s eaten for more than tradition’s sake.

If you’re going to attempt to make this for the first time there are a few things to know. For one, this recipe reflects how my family likes this dish. If you’ve had this before it might be slightly different from what you’re used to. More importantly, the quality of each ingredient matters to the overall success of the dish. I like to use Yukon Gold potatoes because they hold up well and have a pleasant rich sweetness, but you can definitely try it with your favorite potato. Taste the carrots before you cook them; they should be sweet and flavorful, not the dull astringent variety you sometimes end up with. The best pickles for this dish are ones that come from the refrigerator section, that still have a crunch, and are brined in salt with zero vinegar added. They’re also known as “naturally fermented” pickles. The type of mayonnaise you use is also key, and I swear by Hellmann's/Best Foods brand mayo.

Salad Olivier

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, about 4-5 medium
• 3 large carrots
• 4 large eggs
• 3 large dill pickles, or to taste (use naturally fermented/brined pickles)
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed (you can substitute with fresh cooked peas or even canned)

For the dressing-

• 1 cup good quality mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Juice of ½ a lemon, or to taste
• 1 Tablespoon pickle liquid (optional)
• ¾ Tablespoon kosher salt, or to taste
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill (optional)

Directions:

 Wash the potatoes and carrots well. Add them to a pot, and fill with water. Bring the water to a boil, and boil the potatoes and carrots until easily pierced through with a knife. The carrots will cook faster, about 15-20 minutes. Once they’re tender remove them from the pot and allow the potatoes to finish cooking, about 15-20 minutes more, or 30-35 minutes in total. Be careful not to overcook your potatoes and carrots, you do not want them to end up as mush in the salad. Once cooked, set aside to cool or refrigerate. This step can be up to 2 days in advance.

While the potatoes and carrots are cooking, hard boil your eggs and allow them to cool.

Once cooled, carefully remove the peels from your potatoes. You can either remove or keep the peel on your carrots depending on your preference.

Cube all of the potatoes, carrots, and eggs to the same size. I like a medium-small dice.

Dice the pickles slightly smaller than the other ingredients as they have a stronger flavor.

Add the cubed potatoes, carrots and eggs to a large bowl. Add the pickles and thawed peas to the bowl.

In a separate small bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the dressing and whisk together. Taste and adjust accordingly.

Add the dressing to the potato mixture, and carefully stir until everything is fully coated in the dressing. Taste and add more salt if desired (every brand of kosher salt differs in salinity). If you want it creamier/tangier, add more mayonnaise or lemon juice. You can also use sour cream or yogurt if desired.

Allow the salad to chill for at least one hour before serving so that the flavors can all come together. This salad can be made up to a day in advance, and stores well for 2 days. You can also make this without the dressing up to 3 days in advance, then add the dressing before serving.

Before serving, transfer the salad to a serving bowl. This salad is known for being creatively decorated and festively garnished with fresh herbs, vegetable roses, etc. You can doll it up in any way you like.

Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Burekas

This is a seasonal twist on classic burekas that I wrote up for alma. (check out their site for the full article). The caramelized onions are the key ingredient in this dish; they always take longer than you think to caramelize, but the resulting flavor is worth the work. This makes a great side, appetizer, or snack during the holidays. 

Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Burekas

Makes 24 burekas

INGREDIENTS

• 2 sheets puff pastry (10” x 15”), defrosted in the refrigerator overnight
• 1½ lbs. butternut squash (1 large squash), halved lengthwise and seeds removed
• 1 large yellow onion, medium diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
• 1 big fat clove of garlic or 2 medium-sized, minced fine
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2-3 sprigs thyme, leaves removed from stems
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 large egg yolk
• Black and/or white sesame seeds, to garnish

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Drizzle the halved butternut squash with oil, then place it cut-side down on a sheet pan. You don’t need to peel the squash. Roast until the squash is fully cooked and tender, about 35-45 minutes.

While the squash is baking, caramelize your onion by putting a few tablespoons of butter with a drizzle of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium low heat. If keeping the dish non-dairy, use just olive oil. Add the diced onion to the pan, and sauté over low or medium low heat until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Season with a generous pinch of salt and then continue to let the onion cook and caramelize, stirring occasionally so the onion doesn’t burn; make sure to keep the heat fairly low. This is where patience comes in, beautiful caramelized onions can take 30-45 minutes to make. You want your onions golden and sweet, you don’t need to caramelize them until they’re a deep brown. This is a good tutorial if you need it.

Add the minced garlic to the caramelized onions, and sauté for another 2-3 minutes or until the garlic is fragrant but not at all browned. Turn off the heat.

Once the squash is cooked and slightly cooled, scoop the inside of the squash into a bowl and discard the peel. Add the caramelized onion to the squash. Mix together. The mixture should be soft and not too lumpy.

Mix in the ground coriander, thyme, and cayenne. Taste, and then season with salt and pepper as desired. Allow the squash mixture to cool before assembling the burekas. You can make this filling up to two days in advance and store in the fridge.

To assemble the burekas: roll out a sheet of puff pastry until rectangular and just slightly thinner than when it comes out of the package. Divide the dough into 12 squares: cut the dough in half widthwise, and then cut each half into half again. Next, cut the dough into thirds lengthwise. Put a spoonful of the filling into each square. Fold over the dough to form a triangle shape, and press the edges together. There’s no need to crimp or press too hard, the filling will stay put, and you want to ensure there are layers of flaky pastry.

Transfer the formed triangular burekas onto a baking sheet, place each bureka about an inch apart, 12 will fit on each baking sheet. At this point, you can freeze the burekas and reserve them for when you’re ready to bake.

Before baking, combine the large egg yolk with a small splash of water. Beat well. Brush the tops of the burekas with the egg wash. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and flaky. Transfer to a wire baking rack, and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Burekas are best served warm or at room temperature.

Matzah Ball Pho

I wrote up my matzah ball pho recipe for The Nosher. Head over there to read the full article, and check out other great recipes :)

MATZAH BALL PHO

Ingredients

For the broth:

• 2 medium unpeeled yellow onions, halved
• 1 large 4”-5” piece of ginger, cut in half lengthwise
• 5 quarts cold water
• 1 4-5 lb. chicken, cut into parts
• ½ lb. chicken wings
• 2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
• 1 Tbsp rock sugar or Turbinado (raw) sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 star anise
• 1 tsp whole coriander seeds
• 2 Tbsp fish sauce or tamari
• 1 small white onion, thinly sliced
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced

For the matzah balls:

• 1 cup matzah meal
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• ¼ cup schmaltz or oil (vegetable or safflower)
• ¼ cup minced scallion

For the toppings:

• 1 large bunch of fresh Thai basil
• 2-3 limes cut into wedges
• 3 cups mung bean sprouts
• 2 Fresno chilies or jalapenos, sliced thin
• Hoisin sauce, to taste
• Sambal oelek (garlic chili sauce), to taste
• Sriracha, to taste

Directions

To make the broth:

1. Char your onions and ginger by either placing them on a baking sheet under a broiler for 8-10 minutes or by charring them over a gas flame on your stovetop for a few minutes on each side. The onions and ginger should be nicely charred but still firm — this essential step will deepen the broth’s flavor. Once the onions and ginger are charred, remove the skin from the onion. Rinse the onion and ginger, and use a small knife to scrape off excess charred bits to prevent your broth from getting murky.
2. Cut your chicken into parts, separating the breasts, legs, wings and backbone. This will ensure that your chicken cooks evenly and that the breasts will not become dry or tough when simmered.
3. In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the cinnamon, anise and coriander until lightly browned and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to burn the spices. Add the onion, ginger and chicken to a large pot. Fill the pot with 5 quarts of water. Bring the water to a simmer; skim the impurities as they rise to the top.
4. After 20 minutes of simmering, or once they’re cooked through, remove the chicken breasts and allow them to cool. Add the toasted spices, salt and sugar to the pot. Continue to gently simmer the mixture for 1 hour.
5. Remove the remaining chicken parts and strain the liquid through a fine meshed sieve. Bring the liquid back to a simmer for another 20-30 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by about a quarter. This step will further deepen the broth’s flavor.
6. While the broth is simmering, shred the chicken meat and reserve for serving. Once reduced, turn off the heat and add the fish sauce or tamari to the broth. Taste, and add additional seasoning if desired.

To make the matzah balls: 

1. While the soup is simmering, in a large bowl whisk together the matzah meal, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add the beaten egg and schmaltz/oil. Add the scallions. Mix everything together until just combined. Do not over-mix.
2. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 30 minutes, and up to a day.
3. Form the matzah ball mixture into even-sized balls. You can determine the size based on your preference, but know that they will double when cooked. It makes it easier to form the matzah balls if you rub a little oil on your hands beforehand.
4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Lower to a simmer and gently drop the matzah balls into simmering water. Place the lid on the pot and continue to simmer for 30 minutes. Once cooked, matzah balls are best stored in their cooking liquid.

To serve the matzah ball pho:

1. Add the shredded chicken, raw sliced onion and scallions to a bowl. Ladle hot broth into the bowl. Add the matzah balls to the soup.
2. Serve along with basil, bean sprouts, lime wedges, hoisin and hot sauces. Allow people to garnish and customize their pho to their liking.

Note about the recipe: Traditional Pho Ga calls for fish sauce in its broth. Fish sauce is made of fermented anchovies. Red Boat makes one that is certified kosher, but many who keep strictly kosher will not combine fish and meat in the same dish. To make this kosher, you can use tamari in lieu of fish sauce for extra umami flavor in the broth.