Plum and Rosemary Challah

Round challahs dipped in honey are traditionally eaten for Rosh Hashanah and the High Holidays. With the addition of a simple homemade plum jam added to the dough, this challah adds a little extra sweetness to the New Year. Making the jam requires no special ingredients or canning equipment; you simply cut up the fruit, mix it with sugar, and simmer it on the stove until thickened. Once cool the plum jam can be used as a filling for the strands of challah dough. The tartness of the plums balances out their sweetness, and chopped fresh rosemary adds a savory aromatic flavor to the challah. Topped with a sprinkle of coarse sugar, the challah crust gets a beautiful subtle sweet crunch on top. 

This excellent challah dough recipe was generously shared with permission by Shannon Sarna, the founding editor of The Nosher. You can find her challah dough and other recipes in Modern Jewish Baker: Challah, Babka, Bagels and More, and find out more of her incredible recipes in her recently released cookbook: Modern Jewish Comfort Food: 100 Fresh Recipes for Classic Dishes from Kugel to Kreplach. 

Plum Rosemary Challah
Makes 2 challahs

For the challah dough:

• 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water (100ºF to 110ºF)

• 2 (1/4-ounce) packets active dry or instant yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)

• 3/4 cup plus 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar, divided

• 5 cups bread flour, preferably King Arthur, divided, plus more for dusting

• 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more for the bowl

• 3 large eggs, divided

• 2 to 4 tablespoons sesame seeds, poppy seeds, nigella seeds, flaky or coarse salt, or everything bagel seasoning (optional)

For the filling:

• Plum jam, as needed (see recipe below)

• 3-4 large sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped

• 2 Tablespoons Turbinado sugar
  

Directions:
For the dough:

1. Place 1¼ cups of lukewarm water in a small bowl. Sprinkle with 2 packets active dry or instant yeast and 1/2 teaspoon of the granulated sugar, and stir to combine. Let sit until foamy on top, about 5 minutes. If it doesn’t smelly “yeasty” or bubble up, throw it out and start again with new yeast. Meanwhile, place 1½ cups of the bread flour, the remaining ¾ cup granulated sugar, and 2½ teaspoons kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer.

2. If using a mixer: When the yeast is ready, mix the flour mixture with the whisk attachment on medium speed until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the water-yeast mixture and ¼  cup vegetable oil and mix on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Stop the mixer and switch to the dough hook attachment. Add the remaining 3½ cups bread flour and 2 of the large eggs. Mix on high speed until the dough is smooth and pulling away from the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes.

3. If kneading by hand: In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Make a well and add the eggs, oil, and water/yeast mixture. Combine until it forms a shaggy ball, then transfer to a clean surface and knead by hand for 8-10 minutes, or until the dough becomes smooth, soft, and very elastic when stretched.

4. Lightly coat a large bowl with vegetable oil and transfer the dough into the bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk and puffy, about 3 hours at room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator.

Assemble and bake:

1. If the dough has been refrigerated, let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

2. Transfer the dough onto a very lightly floured work surface. Divide into two portions (about 22 ounces each). 

3. Divide one half of the dough into the 4 equal-sized pieces, or into the number of strands you intend to braid with. Roll out each piece of dough into a long rectangular shape, about 12” long and 3-4” wide. Add 1-2 tsps plum jam to the center of the dough. Top the jam with a sprinkle of chopped rosemary. Fold over the dough and firmly seal it shut, then roll the dough into a long. If the strand splits a little, just press it closed again; minor splitting will not be a problem. After filling each strand, braid your challah.  Repeat the process with the remaining half of the dough. 

4. Transfer the braided challahs to the baking sheet, spacing them evenly apart. Let the challah rise uncovered until risen by about ½  inch and puffed, 25 to 35 minutes. This step is very important to ensure a light and fluffy challah.

5. Meanwhile, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 375ºF. Place the remaining 1 large egg in a small bowl and beat with a fork to break up.

6. Brush the egg wash liberally over the challah. Sprinkle each loaf with 1 to 2 tablespoons of chopped rosemary, and a 1 tablespoon of Turbinado sugar if desired. 

7. Bake until the challah is golden on the outside and sounds hollow when you “knock” on the bottom, 24 to 28 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving or freezing.

Small-batch Plum Jam 
Makes about 2 cups of jam

•  2 lbs plums

• 1 cup sugar, or to taste

• Juice of ½ a lemon

Slice the plums, discarding the pits. 

To a medium pot, add the plums, 1 cup of sugar, and lemon juice. 

Bring the mixture up to a boil, and lower it to a simmer. After five minutes carefully taste the hot mixture, if you would like it sweeter, add more sugar ¼ cup at a time. I prefer to keep this jam more tart than sweet, as the challah will likely be dipped in honey. 

Simmer the jam for 35-45 minutes or until easily coast the back of a spoon, and has substantially thickened and reduced; it will continue to thicken as it cools. 

Allow the jam to fully cool, and then store in the fridge for up to one month, or in the freezer for longer. Jam can be made in advance of the challah, and is best made at least one day ahead of time. If you need to cool it quickly, place it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. 

One-bowl Sour Cherry Snacking Cake

Sour cherries are only available fresh for a few short weeks in early summer, and are especially good in baked goods, like this one-bowl sour cherry and sour cream snacking cake. This simple recipe can be prepared with either fresh, frozen, or jarred sour cherries, and the sour cream can be substituted for Greek yogurt. The sour cream adds a rich tenderness to the cake that perfectly pairs with the bright acidity of the cherries. If you’re looking for a dairy-free alternative, you can substitute the butter for vegan butter, and the sour cream for non-dairy unsweetened yogurt. This simple cake is perfect as a sweet treat at the end of a meal, or alongside a morning cup of coffee or tea. Whenever you eat it, sour cherry cake will sweeten your day. 

Sour Cherry Sour Cream Cake

Makes one 9” cake

Active time: 10 minutes

Baking time: 40-5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggs

• 1 cup sugar

• 4 Tbsps (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted

• 1 cup (225 g) sour cream or Greek yogurt

• 2 Tbsps lemon juice (about ½ a lemon)

• 2 tsps pure vanilla extract

• 1½ tsps baking powder

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• ¼ tsp baking soda

• 2 cups (290 g) all purpose flour + 1 Tbsp, divided

• 2 cups pitted sour cherries, fresh, frozen, or jarred

• 1 Tbsp Turbinado sugar (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9” square or round cake pan with parchment. 

2. In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together the eggs, sugar, and melted butter. Whisk until the mixture is light and fluffy, and increased in volume, about 2-3 minutes. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, vanilla, baking powder, kosher salt, and baking soda and whisk together until fully incorporated.

3. Add 2 cups of flour to the bowl, and using a wooden spoon or spatula, mix the batter until just combined and mostly smooth — be careful not to overmix. 

4. Dust the pitted cherries in the remaining tablespoon of flour; this helps the cherries from sinking to the bottom of the cake. Add the dusted cherries to the bowl, and mix until just evenly incorporated. 

5. Transfer to the lined and greased baking pan. Top with the Turbinado sugar and a few extra cherries if desired. 

6. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until golden brown on top, and a small skewer or cake tester comes out clean. Cool and serve topped with powdered sugar or whipped cream. Keeps for 3-4 days stored covered at room temperature. 

Bubliki - Ukrainian Bagels

Bublik looks a lot like a bagel, sounds a little like a bagel, but is not quite a bagel. Bublik (pronounced boob-leek) or bubliki (pl), is the Ukrainian version of a yeasted, boiled, round bread that dates back to 18th century Odessa. Just like New York or Montreal-style bagels, bubliki came to the Ukraine by way of Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants from Poland and Eastern Europe, and later became popular throughout the former Soviet Union. While bread shaped into rings dates back to at least the 13th century, written records of the beygl (Yiddish for bagel), date back to 1610 in Krakow, Poland, where bagels were mentioned in Jewish community ordinances. The word bublik comes from the proto-Slavic word boubl, which means swelling or bubble. These delicious rings of bread are also affectionately called bublichki, and there is even a famous Yiddish-Ukrainain song from the 1920’s with this diminutive name.

Popular across the former Soviet Union, bubliki are not typically eaten as a breakfast food, and are instead traditionally served with tea, topped with butter, jam, or even smetana (sour cream). Compared to bagels, bubliki have a tender crust, are a little sweeter, and sometimes have a larger hole in their center. The chewiness of the bublik varies by baker, but they’re most often lighter than their New York counterparts. While bagels are made with a simple dough of yeasted flour and water, bubliki are typically made with an enriched yeasted dough that includes butter, egg, and milk. Both bagels and bubliki are boiled in water before being baked, which gives them their unmistakable glossy crust, but bagels are traditionally boiled in water with barley malt syrup added to it, whereas bubliki are boiled in plain water. In some ways, the flavor of bubliki is closer to a Montreal-style bagel, which is sweetened and boiled with honey.

In all its forms, bubliki and bagels have made their way into kitchens and bakeries around the world. While bubliki take time to make from scratch, you will be rewarded with the incomparable  joy of eating a fresh, warm bublik, and your home will be filled with the smell of one of the most comforting Jewish breads.

Bublik (Ukrainian Bagels)

Makes 10 bubliki

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups (350 ml) milk (or non-dairy unsweetened milk)

• 2¼ tsps (7 g/ 1 packet) active dry yeast

• 2 Tbsps sugar

• 4 cups (525 g) bread flour, or all-purpose flour

• 4 Tbsps (65 g) unsalted butter or vegan butter, melted

• 1 large egg

• 2 Tbsps honey

• 2 tsps kosher salt, or 1½ tsps sea salt

• Poppy seeds or sesame seeds, optional

Directions:

1.     Heat the milk until it is just warm to a touch, between 80-100°F. Add the active dry yeast and sugar to the milk and stir. Let the yeast proof for 5-10 minutes, or until it is foamy on top.

2.     In a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, add the flour, melted butter, egg, honey, and salt. Add the milk and yeast mixture to the bowl. Combine the dough together by hand, or turn the mixer on to low. Mix until it forms a craggy ball. If kneading by hand, transfer the dough onto a clean surface and knead until the dough is smooth, elastic and firm, about 10-15 minutes. If using a stand mixer, increase the speed to medium, and knead for 8-10 minutes. Check to see if enough gluten has formed by doing the window pain test: rip off a small piece of dough, and gently stretch it until it is thin enough that you can see light coming through it. If it starts to tear before you can stretch it thin, then continue to knead the dough for a few more minutes, and test it again.

3.     Transfer the dough to a large lightly oiled bowl and cover it tightly with plastic wrap or a lid. Refrigerate the dough overnight, or for at last 8 hours. It is ideal to let this dough slowly proof in the fridge, but alternatively, you can cover the bowl with a damp towel and allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 1.5-2 hours, or until doubled in size.

4.     Remove the proved dough from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Transfer the dough onto a clean surface, and press it down to fully deflate any bubbles in the dough. For even-sized bubliki, weigh the dough, and divide the toal amount by 10. Each bublik should weigh  1/10th of the total weight of dough (or roughly 90g per bublik). If you do not have a scale, divide the dough into 10 approximately equal-sized pieces.

5.     Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper, and lightly sprinkle the surface with flour. Make 10 balls of dough, by taking each piece of dough, and pinching the edges of the dough towards the center to form a ball. Roll the dough into a ball. Place the balls of dough a few inches apart from each other on the lined baking sheet. Loosely cover the balls of dough with plastic wrap, and allow them to rise for 15 minutes.

6.     After 15 minutes, shape each ball of dough into a bublik by sticking your thumb down into the center of the dough, forming a hole, and then using both hands to stretch it into a ring about 5-6 inches in diameter (it will quickly shrink back a bit when you place it back onto the lined parchment paper). Cover all of the formed bubliki with the loose plastic wrap and allow them to rise for another 20 minutes.

7.     While the bubliki are rising, preheat the oven to 500°F and arrange the baking racks on the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Line two more baking sheets with parchment paper.

8.     Once the water is boiling and the bubliki have risen, add 2-3 at a time to the boiling water (be careful not to crowd the pot). Let the bubliki boil for 30 seconds on one side, then flip them and let them boil for 30 seconds on the opposite side. Transfer the bubliki to the parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving several inches of room between each bublik, about 4-6 bubliki per baking sheet. If topping with seeds, immediately sprinkle poppy or sesame seeds over each bublik.

9.     Place one baking sheet on the top third of the oven, and one baking sheet on the lower third. Immediately lower the oven temperature to 450°F. Bake for 5-6 minutes, then rotate the baking sheets and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes or until deep golden brown on the top and the bottom of each bublik.

10.  Allow the bubliki to cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Bubliki are best eaten the same day they are made, but they also freeze well, and can be reheated in an oven or toaster.

Whitefish Salad

For the full article and more history on whitefish salad, head over to The Nosher!

There’s nothing wrong with traditional whitefish salad, but I love to add a few extra ingredients to my whitefish salad to brighten up its salty smoky flavors. For one, when I can’t find whole smoked whitefish, I use smoked trout or smoked Sable. Mayonnaise is essential, but I also add sour cream for tangy creamines (you can skip the dairy and substitute it with more mayo if desired). Fresh dill and parsley give the salad lightness, and lemon zest and juice add citrusy acidity and flavor. However you like to make it, you can never go wrong serving whitefish salad at your next holiday spread. 

SMOKED FISH SALAD 

Makes 2 cups/1 pint - Recipe can be doubled or tripled

• 8 oz. smoked whitefish (or smoked trout or sablefish)

• ¼ cup mayonnaise, or to taste

• 2-3 Tbsps sour cream (or additional mayonnaise)

• 1 Tbsp chopped parsley

• 1 Tbsps chopped dill

• 1 tsp lemon juice

• ½ tsp lemon zest

• Black pepper, to taste

Start by crumbling the fish off its skin into small pieces. Make sure to remove any bones in the process, especially if using a whole fish. 

To the fish add mayonnaise, sour cream (if using), parsley, dill, lemon juice, lemon zest, and pepper. Taste and adjust to your liking. Salad will keep for up to 1 week refrigerated.

One-Bowl Blueberry Lemon Snacking Cake (Grain-free/ Dairy-free)

Snacking cakes are typically simple cakes made with one-bowl batters, that use easy-to-find ingredients, and are baked off in a single baking dish. This simple blueberry-lemon version is perfect for Passover, or as a grain-free/dairy-free dessert for any meal. Almond flour replaces regular flour, and well-whisked eggs and sugar help give the cake lightness and volume. You can also replace the blueberries with raspberries or blackberries; frozen or fresh berries both work in this recipe. This cake is delicate, soft, light, and full of citrusy lemon and sweet berry flavor

Blueberry Lemon Snacking Cake (Grain-free/Dairy-free)

Makes 1 9” round or square cake 

Prep time: 15 minutes

Bake time: 30-35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 lg eggs, at room temperature

• ½ cup granulated sugar

• 2 Tbsps oil

• Zest of 1 lemon (about 2 tsps)

• 2 Tbsps lemon juice

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ¼ tsp almond extract (optional)

• 2¼ cups super-fine almond flour

• 1 Tbsp potato starch, plus more for dusting the berries

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ¼ tsp salt

• 1¼ cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

• 1 Tbsps turbinado or coarse sugar (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease and line a 9” round or square baking dish with parchment paper.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a large bowl using a whisk or handheld mixer, beat together the eggs and sugar until doubled in size and pale yellow, about 5-6 minutes. 

To the egg mixture, add the oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, and almond extract if using. Whisk together until just combined, being careful not to deflate the egg mixture too much. 

To the center of the bowl, add the almond flour, potato starch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gently fold the mixture until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated into the wet ingredients. Toss the blueberries in a spoonful of starch, and add 1 cup of the berries to the batter. Gently fold and combine. 

Transfer the batter to the lined and greased baking dish. Top the cake with the remaining ¼ cup of berries. Sprinkle the top of the cake with turbinado sugar. 

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until it looks evenly golden brown and set on top, and a cake tester comes out clean. Allow the cake to fully cool before serving. This cake is best served the same day it is prepared but can be made one day in advance if needed. Top with powdered sugar, or whipped cream before serving if desired. 

Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage

From Italy to Poland, from Ukraine to China, stuffed cabbage is a classic comfort food in many parts of the world. While it takes some time to make, the effort put into the dish is rewarded in its results: the cabbage turns tender and sweet, and the savory filling is enhanced by the tanginess of the tomato sauce it slowly simmers in.

While stuffed cabbage is typically made with ground meat, this Ukrainian-style stuffed cabbage is vegetarian and is made with eggplant. The recipe for the filling is versatile, it is gluten and dairy-free, and it can be made vegan by omitting the egg. If you’re not a fan of eggplant, you can replace the eggplant with zucchini or your favorite vegan ground meat substitute. If you prefer meat, you can substitute the eggplant in this recipe for an equal amount of ground beef or chicken. I find the eggplant offers its own “meatiness” to the dish; and when it is peeled and cut into small cubes it becomes tender and soft, and easily absorbs the flavors of the caramelized onion, garlic, and spices that help create the unmistakable flavors of Eastern European-style stuffed cabbage. The sauce is slightly sweet and sour and demands to be eaten with a slice of good crusty bread to mop up any last drops. If you’re like my Ukrainian Jewish family, you might also want to serve this stuffed cabbage alongside creamy mashed potatoes. Top the stuffed cabbage rolls with parsley, dill, and a dollop of sour cream and you’ll have a hearty, comforting, meal.

Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage

Serves 4-6, makes 12-13 stuffed cabbage

Prep time: 1 hour / Cooking time: 50-60 minutes

Ingredients:

For the stuffed cabbage-

• 1 large Savoy or green cabbage

• ⅔ cups Basmati rice, rinsed

• 3 Tbsps oil

• 1 large onion, diced fine

• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced fine

• 1½ lbs pounds (2 medium) eggplant, peeled and cubed small

• 1 small carrot, diced fine

• 1½ tsps garlic powder

• ½ tsp Paprika

• ½ tsp umami season blend/dried mushroom seasoning blend (optional)

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 1 large egg, optional

For the sauce-

• 28 oz tomato purée, plus an equal amount of water

• ½ a large onion, chopped fine

• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced fine

• 1 small apple, peeled and diced fine

• 2 Tbsps tomato paste

• 2-3 Tbsps maple syrup, or 2 tsps sugar, or to taste

• 1 bay leaf

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

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 4-5 minutes. Then remove the cabbage from the pot and allow it to cool, reserve the water to boil the rice.

 Once cool to the touch, remove the leaves, and place them on a clean kitchen towel to remove any excess liquid. The center of the cabbage/smaller leaves will not be as pliable and can be reserved for other uses.

For the filling- Bring the pot of water back to a boil, and add the rice. Boil the rice for 8-10 minutes, or until partially cooked. Drain and reserve.

To a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil and chopped onion. Allow the onion to get golden brown and slightly caramelized, stirring occasionally for about 15-20 minutes. This step takes some time but adds a lot of flavor; prep the other vegetables while the onion caramelizes. Add the garlic to the onion, and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the cubed eggplant and diced carrot to the onion mixture; add more oil if needed. Generously season with salt and pepper, and sauté the eggplant mixture until the eggplant is softened, about 10-15 minutes. Taste, and adjust the seasoning.

Turn off the heat. Add the par-boiled rice, garlic powder, paprika, and if using, add the umami/dried mushroom seasoning blend. Allow the eggplant filling to cool. Add the egg if using, and mix until it is well combined.

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 add an equal amount of water. Then add bay leaf, salt, pepper, and maple syrup or sugar. Your sauce should start out very thin, but it will thicken as it cooks. Bring the sauce to a boil, and simmer on low for at least 30 minutes. Taste the sauce before adding the stuffed cabbage, and adjust for salt or sweetness. Dilute with more water if needed. 

To assemble - Separate the cabbage leaves, and cut out the thickest part of the center vein/core.

Fill each cabbage leaf 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 50-60 minutes on low heat, or until tender and the rice is completely cooked through. Add more water if the sauce appears too thick at any point, or when reheating. The sauce should be easily spoonable over the cabbage.

Served topped with fresh herbs and/or sour cream.

Rice Pudding

Rice pudding may differ by country and region but typically consists of some form of rice, milk, and sugar. In Indian kitchens, you’ll find kheer (or payasam), a rice pudding made with basmati rice, milk, or coconut milk, that is flavored with cardamom or other spices. In many Ashkenazi kitchens, rice pudding took on the form of rice kugel and was cooked in a frying pan. In former Soviet countries, rice pudding is called molochna risova kasha and is simply prepared with rice, milk, and sugar. In Turkish kitchens there’s sütlaҫ, a rice pudding made with rice flour that is served at weddings and holidays. In North Africa, and throughout the Middle East, you’ll find malabi (or mhalbiya/muhallebi), believed to be derived from sütlaҫ, it is a pudding made with ground rice or rice flour that is flavored with rose, orange, or geranium water. Portuguese-speaking countries call their rice pudding arroz doce, and in Spanish-speaking communities, you’ll find arroz con leche flavored with cinnamon or anise. Persian cooks have sholeh zard, a golden saffron-infused rice pudding made with rice or rice flour, that is aromatically flavored with rose water, cardamom, and other spices. Here in the States, you’ll typically find rice pudding made with milk, sugar, and studded with raisins.

This recipe for rice pudding is rich, silky, and deeply vanilla flavored. I recommend using good quality Arborio or short-grain rice, as it offers a firmer and creamier texture in the pudding; but you can substitute Arborio for long-grain rice. Whole milk and a little half & half make this pudding decadent and silky, but you can substitute whole milk for reduced-fat milk for a lighter and slightly less creamy pudding. For a non-dairy version, substitute the milk with full-fat canned coconut milk, and the rice pudding will be just as creamy, but with added coconut flavored. Using a vanilla bean provides a special kind of decadence to this rice pudding; if you can’t get your hands on a whole bean, you can use vanilla paste or extract in its place. You can keep your pudding plain, or add raisins or toppings. I like mine with citrus for a hit of acidity and brightness; and I drizzle date syrup on top just before serving, for an extra molasses-like hit of sweetness. Rice pudding can be served warm or chilled. However you like to eat or serve this pudding, it’s addictively comforting.

Vanilla Bean Rice Pudding

Serves 4

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 40-45 minutes

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Arborio or short-grain sushi rice

• 3¾ cup whole milk (or substitute with low-fat milk, or coconut milk)

• ¼ cup half & half, or milk

• 3 Tbps sugar

• ½ a vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla paste, or substitute with 2 tsps pure vanilla extract

• Pinch of salt

• 2 Tbsps raisins or currants (optional)

Toppings:

• Citrus segments or berries

• Date syrup

Directions:

Rinse the rice well. In a medium pot, combine the rice, milk, half & half, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Split the vanilla bean, scrape out the seeds into the pot, or add the vanilla paste, and stir. If using vanilla extract, do not add it at this point. Bring the mixture up to a boil, and lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally so the mixture doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Once the liquid has reduced and the mixture is thick and creamy, remove the pudding from the heat. Stir in the raisins and vanilla extract if using. Allow the pudding to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving or chilling.

You can serve rice pudding warm or chilled. Top with a drizzle of date syrup and citrus segments if desired.

Savory Mushroom Blintzes

You may think of blintzes as always filled with a sweet cheese filling and topped with preserved fruit, but in Russia and the former Soviet Union, blintzes are made savory just as often as they are made with a sweet. My Ukrainian grandmother loved to make blintzes with a variety of fillings: from farmers' cheese and cherries to one's stuffed with mushrooms and ground meat. She called her sweet blintzes blinchiki, and her savory blintzes nalesniki. Some even call savory blintzes blini. While the names may vary depending on the cook or region, they are always delicious. These savory blintzes are filled with mushrooms and leek, and are light and flavorful. They’re vegetarian and can be made dairy-free by using non-dairy butter and milk. The mushroom filling can be made with just crimini or button mushrooms, but I love to add shiitake, oyster, or chanterelle mushrooms to the mix for a richer mushroom flavor. Breadcrumbs help bind the filling, although my grandmother would have likely used her beloved matzo meal instead. While these blintzes require a few steps to prepare and assemble, each element can be prepared in advance. Both the crepes and filling can be prepared and refrigerated 1-2 days ahead of serving. You can also pre-assemble the blintzes and brown them just before serving, which makes them a great dish for hosting. I particularly love to serve these for a lunch or brunch, topped with freshly chopped parsley or dill, and a generous dollop of sour cream. 

Mushrooms blintzes

Makes 10-12, Serves 4

Prep time: 30 minutes/ Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

For the crepes-

• 4 large eggs

• 1 cup milk (can substitute with unsweetened non-dairy milk)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 2 Tbsps melted unsalted butter or oil, plus more as needed

• 1 tsp sugar

• ½ tsp kosher salt

For the mushroom filling-

• 1 lb (450 g)  crimini or button mushrooms

• ½ lb (225 g) shiitake, oyster, or chanterelles, mushrooms (or substitute with more crimini)

• 1 large leek

• 2 Tbsps oil, plus more as needed

• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs, or gluten-free panko breadcrumbs

• 1 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari

• 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar or rice vinegar

• ½ tsp salt, or to taste

• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Toppings-

• Sour cream

• Chopped parsley or dill

Directions:

For the crepes- Using a blender, immersion blender, or whisk, blend the eggs, milk, flour, 2 Tablespoons melted butter, sugar, and salt together until smooth. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight. 

Using a non-stick spray, or using a brush with oil or melted butter, lightly grease an 8-9” non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Add ¼ cup of batter to the pan, and swirl the batter so that it forms an even layer in the pan. Cook the crepe for 1-2 minutes, then flip it and cook for another 1-2 minutes on the other side – or until the crepe is golden. Transfer to a plate. Repeat the process by spraying or brushing the pan with oil between each crepe. Stack finished crepes on top of each other. Crepes can be made 1-2 days in advance and refrigerated until ready to assemble. 

For the mushroom filling-  Trim the woody stems of the mushrooms, then dice them very fine. To save time, you can finely dice the mushrooms in a food processor by pulsing them several times; be careful not to over-process the mushrooms into a paste. 

Trim the darker, green ends of the leek. Slice the leek lengthwise, and wash it of any remaining grit. Finely dice the leek.

Over medium-high heat, add a few tablespoons of oil to a large castiron or non-skillet skillet. Add the mushrooms and leeks to the pan and sauté until the mushrooms have started to brown, and have released most of their liquid, about 10-15 minutes. 

Add the breadcrumbs to the pan, and add another drizzle of oil if needed. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are starting to stick to the mushrooms. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, salt, and pepper to the pan and stir. Taste and adjust the salt or pepper as needed. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, then remove the filling from the heat. The filling can be used immediately or can be made a day ahead of assembling. 

To assemble and cook the blintzes- Add 2 heaping tablespoons of the mushroom filling to the center of each crepe. Fold over each side towards the center of the crepe, then fold the top over the two sides and roll the crepe up, like you would a burrito or eggroll. Continue assembling the blintzes, and place them seam-side down until ready to cook. 

Add a little butter or oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Place the blintzes seam-side down in the pan, and let it brown, about 2-3 minutes. Flip the blintz, and brown it on the opposite side for an additional 2-3 minutes. Prepare the blintzes in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan. Serve warm topped with fresh herbs, sour cream, or your favorite toppings.

Tahini Coffee Cake

Full article is up on The Nosher.

Tahini Coffee Cake

Makes 1 9x13 cake, serves 15-20

 Prep time: 30 minutes

Baking time: 40-45 minutes

Ingredients:

 For the cake-

• 10 Tbsps (141 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1¾ cup sugar

• ⅓ cup tahini

• 4 large eggs, at  room temperature

• 1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt

• 1 Tbsp sesame oil

• 2 tsps vanilla extract

• 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour

• 2 tsps baking powder

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ½ cup milk

For the brown sugar ribbon-

• ½ cup brown sugar

• ¼ cup (62 g) all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp cardamom

For the tahini streusel topping-

• 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour

• ¼ cup brown sugar

• ¼ cup tahini paste

• 4 Tbsps (56 g) unsalted butter, melted

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp cardamom

• Pinch of salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and generously grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.

For the cake - To a large bowl, or to the bowl of a stand mixer, add the room temperature butter, sugar, and tahini. Beat together the butter mixture using a handheld mixer, or the paddle attachment on the stand mixer, until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

To the bowl, add 2 eggs, and beat until incorporated. Add 2 more eggs and beat until they are incorporated. Add the sour cream, sesame oil, and vanilla extract, and mix until smooth.

 In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Add half of the flour mixture to the batter, with half of the milk. Stir until just combined. Add the remaining flour mixture to the batter, and the rest of the milk. Stir until just combined, be careful not to overmix (your batter may be slightly lumpy).

For the brown sugar ribbon - In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, cardamom.

For the tahini streusel- In a bowl, using a fork, combine the flour, brown sugar, tahini, melted butter, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt until the mixture comes together and forms pea-sized crumbles.

To assemble and bake- Add half of the batter to the greased baking dish. Smooth it into an even layer. Top the batter evenly with the brown sugar ribbon mixture. Dollop the remaining batter on top, then carefully smooth it over in an even layer with an offset spatula or knife. Top the cake with the streusel mixture.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool, then serve. Tahini coffee cake can be stored covered at room temperature for 4-5 days, or it can be frozen and defrosted as needed for up to 3 months.

Vegan Carrot Lox

Carrots make a surprisingly delicious plant-based substitute for traditional lox. By cooking carrots and marinating them in a few simple and flavorful ingredients, they become smoky, salty, and bright with acidity. The combination of liquid smoke and toasted seaweed gives the carrots a transformative smoky seafood flavor. Liquid smoke can be found in most grocery stores and is made from actual wood smoke that is condensed into liquid form (and a little goes a long way). You can substitute liquid smoke with good-quality smoked paprika if desired, or omit the liquid smoke entirely for vegan lox that is less smoky. Carrot lox adds a pop of color to any brunch spread, and they pair perfectly with schmear, cucumber, fresh dill, and all the traditional bagel fixings.

Vegan Carrot Lox

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 3 large carrots, about 1 lb. 

• Salt, as needed

• ¼ cup water

• ¼ cup soy sauce or tamari

• 2 Tbsps rice vinegar or white vinegar

• Juice of ½ a lemon 

• 1 Tbsp maple syrup or agave

• 1 tsp dried dill

• ¾ tsp liquid smoke (or 1 tsp smoked paprika)

• 1 sheet toasted Nori, or 3-4 pieces of seaweed snacks

Directions:

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Season the water generously with salt. Boil the carrots for 10-15 minutes, or until just tender when pierced with a small knife.

Peel the carrots by rubbing off their peels. Using a mandoline, vegetable peeler, or sharp knife, slice the carrots lengthwise into long strips. 

In a large bowl, combine the water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lemon juice, maple syrup, dried dill, and liquid smoke. Whisk together, then add the nori. Add the carrot strips to the bowl and toss everything together. Transfer to the refrigerator and marinate for at least 6 hours or overnight; the carrot lox will last up to 1 week in an airtight container in the fridge.

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.

Honey Sesame Cake/ Oogat Soomsoom V'Dvash

Honey and sesame are a perfect pair to welcome in the new year. Customarily eaten at Rosh Hashanah, honey is used to add sweetness to the new year, and sesame seeds are eaten for increased abundance, as their size makes them too numerous to count. Symbolism notwithstanding, honey and sesame are a classic flavor combination. 

Sesame seeds are also a favorite ingredient in Israeli desserts, and across the Middle East. In Hebrew, this cake is known as oogat soomsoom v’dvash, and Syrian Jews have a similar version called ka’ikeh b’ah’sal.  This cake is all about the earthy nuttiness of sesame seeds that comes from using both tahini and toasted sesame in the batter. Once it’s baked and cooled, a honey glaze on top adds another layer of sweetness, and it can be drizzled on decoratively for a festive presentation.

This recipe can be made in one bowl without any special equipment, it is pareve (non-dairy) and uses simple ingredients. You can bake this a day or two ahead of time, and the cake will be equally delicious as the first day you made it. While this would be a welcome addition to any High Holiday spread, it is also an addictively delicious snacking cake that you’ll want to make year-round. 

Honey Sesame Cake 

Serves 9-1

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• ⅓ cup white sesame seeds, plus more for garnish

• 2 large eggs, at room temperature

• ⅓ cup honey

• ⅓ cup oil 

• ¼ cup tahini, stirred well

• ¼ cup strong black coffee or black tea, warm or at room temperature

• ¼ cup (60 g) granulated sugar

• ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• ½ tsp kosher salt

• 1½ cups (190 g) all purpose flour 

• 1½ tsp baking powder

• ¼ tsp baking soda

For the glaze:

• 6 Tbsp powdered sugar

• 1 Tbsp honey

• 1 Tbsp water

• 1 Tbsp black and white sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. Line and grease a 9” round or square cake pan. (This cake can also be baked in a loaf pan, but the baking time will increase.

Add the raw sesame seeds to a dry skillet over medium-high heat; toast the seeds until fragrant and just starting to brown, 3-4 minutes. Immediately remove the sesame seeds and transfer them to a dish; reserve and allow them to fully cool before using. You can use pre-toasted sesame seeds, but toasting them yourself will give this cake a deeper sesame flavor. 

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, honey, oil, tahini, strong coffee or tea, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Whisk until smooth.

Using a mesh sieve or flour sifter, sift in the flour, baking powder and baking soda into the wet ingredients. Mix until everything is just combined, be careful not to overmix the batter. Add the toasted and cooled sesame seeds to the batter, and mix until just evenly incorporated. 

Transfer the batter to your pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown, and a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cake to fully cool.

While the cake is cooling, make the glaze by combining the powdered sugar, honey and water in a bowl. Whisk until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cake, and top with extra sesame seeds if desired.

The cake can be made ahead of time and will last 5-6 days at room temperature, covered or in an airtight container.

"Health Salad

Health salads — sweet and tangy slaw-like, cabbage-based salads that often include carrots, bell pepper and cucumber — are a fixture of New York Jewish delis. They’re  sold by the pound in the deli case or sometimes generously arrive alongside your complimentary plate of pickles. While the dressing is typically sweetened with sugar, the purported “health” is derived from the volume of raw vegetables and the notable absence of mayonnaise. 

If you’re from New Jersey you may also know this dish as a Claremont Salad. In the 1950s, the Bauman brothers operated the beloved Claremont Diner in Verona, New Jersey. The diner was famous for its cheesecake, but it was also known for its “courtesy” cabbage salad that came with every meal. Morris and Leo Bauman never claimed to have invented the salad, but it became so popular that local supermarkets started offering Claremont Salad  in their own deli cases. 

East Coast Jewish delis aren’t the only places you can get this addictive salad. Across Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union you’ll find salat vitiminniy(vitamin salad). Like health salads, the base is typically made of cabbage and carrot, and may also include cucumber, pepper, tomato, onion and other seasonal summer vegetables. Again, this style of salad gets its healthy-sounding name because of its contrast to the many richer salads that make up Soviet cuisine, which tend to be made with lots of mayonnaise or sour cream. Vitamin salad dressings are also acidic but tend to include less sugar than health salads. Instead, they may include raisins or apples for sweetness. 

While the exact origin of health and vitamin salads is unknown, they have been popular among Ashkenazi Jews for decades. In the “Vilna Vegetarian Cookbook” by Fania Lewando — the first woman to publish a Yiddish vegetarian cookbook in Europe who tragically died in the Holocaust in an attempt to flee the Vilna ghetto — published in 1938, there are four separate vitamin salad recipes. Each features a different combination of seasonal raw vegetables, shredded or chopped, and dressed with oil and lemon juice. 

Whatever you call this salad, and however you make it, the idea is the same: combine lots of hearty, raw vegetables in a salty, acidic, sweetened dressing. The salad will taste great right away and, like everything in the pickle family, it will taste even better as it continues to marinate in the fridge. This salad is refreshing, light, and particularly satisfying when it is served ice-cold on a hot summer day. 

Health Salad

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1 lb cabbage (about ½ a medium cabbage)

• 2 medium carrots

• 1 red or green bell pepper

• 1 medium Persian or Kirby cucumber

• 4-6 small radishes

• 2 tsps Diamond brand kosher salt, or more to taste

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

• 2 Tbsps water

• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 Tbsp white distilled vinegar 

• 2 Tbsps sugar, or to taste

Directions:

Prepare the vegetables by shredding the cabbage with a knife, mandoline or by using a food processor.  Peel and shred the carrots. Core and thinly slice the bell pepper. Halve or quarter the cucumber, remove the seeds, and slice. Thinly slice the radish into rounds or half-moons. Combine all of the shredded and sliced vegetables together in a large bowl. Season with salt, and toss until everything is coated. 

For the dressing, whisk together the water, apple cider vinegar, white vinegar and sugar. Let the sugar dissolve for a few minutes, then whisk the oil into the vinegar mixture. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss the salad. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Taste prior to serving, season with more salt if necessary. The salad keeps for up to a week in the fridge but will soften more each day. 

Chicken Tabaka and Garlic Sauce

Chicken tabaka is a Western Georgian dish where a whole chicken is flattened and pan-fried while being weighed down by another pan or heavy object. The chicken ends up golden brown and crispy on the outside while staying juicy inside.

Tabaka (or taphaka) comes from the name for a Georgian frying pan called a tapa, which is traditionally used to make this recipe. You can make chicken tabaka with any heavy-bottomed skillet or cast iron pan, along with something you can weigh the chicken down with, such as a second heavy skillet, a heavy pot, or bricks wrapped in foil. You can also make this recipe on a grill by cooking the chicken directly on the grates while weighing it down. This dish is similar to spatchcocked chicken (where the backbone is removed from the chicken), but for chicken tabaka it is common to flatten the chicken by simply cutting down the center of the breastbone. Flattening and pressing the chicken allows it to cook quickly and evenly while creating the perfect texture and taste. 

This rustic and simple dish is often served with garlic sauce or tkemali, a Georgian wild plum sauce. Chicken tabaka pairs perfectly with fried potatoes or rice, and with a big simple salad of fresh tomatoes and cucumbers. I like to serve mine with a Georgian garlic cilantro sauce made in the same pan you cook the chicken in, along with lemon wedges to squeeze on top for an extra pop of flavor. 

Cooking notes: Make sure to cook the chicken over medium-low heat. If the temperature is too high, the chicken will burn on the outside. This recipe works best with a smaller chicken that is between 3-4 lbs, if you’re using a larger bird the cooking time will take longer.

Chicken Tabaka

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the chicken-

• 1 (3-4 lb) chicken

• 2-3 tsps paprika

• Salt, to taste

• Oil, as needed

• Lemon wedges, for garnish

For the garlic sauce-

• 1 head of garlic, about 10-12 cloves, peeled and minced fine

• ¾ cup water

• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

For the chicken: Slice the chicken down the center of the breastbone using a sharp knife or kitchen shears. Open the chicken and press it down flat, skin-side up. (Note: you can also flatten the chicken using the spatchcock method of cutting out the backbone). Cover the chicken with a piece of parchment or plastic wrap, and using a meat mallet or rolling pin, lightly pound on the chicken to flatten it. Season the chicken generously with salt, add the paprika, and rub the salt and spice all over both sides.

Over medium-low heat, add a generous drizzle of oil to a large cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet. Once the pan is hot, add the chicken skin-side up. Place a clean heavy object on top of the chicken to weigh it down, such as a second cast-iron skillet, a sheet pan topped with a large pot on top, or bricks wrapped in foil. Let the chicken cook for 25 minutes, maintain medium-low heat, and occasionally rotate the pan if your burner cooks unevenly. After 25 minutes, flip the chicken so that it is now skin-side down, and cook for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until the juices run clear when pierced, or it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F when tested with a meat thermometer.

Once cooked, transfer the chicken to a serving dish and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. While it rests prepare the garlic sauce.

For the garlic sauce: Over medium heat, add a drizzle of oil to the same pan you cooked the chicken in. Add the minced garlic to the pan, and sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until the garlic is aromatic but not browned. Add ¾ cup of water, scrape off all the delicious bits in the pan, and allow the mixture to simmer and reduce for another 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat, and add the chopped cilantro. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the sauce over the chicken just before serving, or serve the sauce on the side. 

Strawberry Tiramisu

Strawberry season in the Pacific Northwest is here! Fresh strawberries and cream are classic, and this tiramisu perfectly combines the two in a no-bake dessert.

A note about ingredients: unlike classic Tiramisu, here, the Lady Fingers are dipped into juice (instead of espresso). I used an orange/peach/mango-juice, but a wide variety of juices would taste wonderful here, from regular OJ to passionfruit or pineapple juice (a little acidity is what we’re looking for). For the Lady Fingers, I prefer using Italian brands as they tend to be lighter - I found mine at my local grocery store, and you can also find them at Italian markets. For the strawberries, fresh, sweet, smaller-sized strawberries work best for this recipe. 

STRAWBERRY TIRAMISU

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1½ quarts (6 cups) fresh strawberries, hulled (divided)

• ⅓ cup sugar, plus ¼ cup (divided)

• 1 Tablespoon Chambord, or fruit liqueur (optional)

• 3 large egg yolks

• 16 oz. (1 lb) mascarpone

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• Pinch of salt

• 2 packs (28 oz) Italian Lady Fingers

• 2 cups juice (Orange/Mango/Peach, or any good orange juice), or as needed

Directions:

Wash your strawberries, remove their green tops (hull), and allow them to fully dry on a clean kitchen towel before using. Slice 1 quart (4 cups) of the strawberries, and top them with 2-3 Tablespoons sugar (if your strawberries are very sweet you may need less sugar); reserve the remaining strawberries for the top of the tiramisu. Add a Tablespoon of Chambord, or you can substitute the liqueur with 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Stir and allow the berries to sit (macerate) while you prepare the cream filling. 

In a double boiler, or in a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water, continuously whisk together the egg yolks and ⅓ cup of sugar over a low simmer for 5 minutes; the mixture will double in volume and turn pale yellow, and the sugar will fully dissolve. (This will kill any bacteria in the egg yolks.) Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes, whisking occasionally as it cools.

Once cool, add the mascarpone and heavy cream to the yolk mixture. Using a handheld mixer or a whisk, whip until the mixture thickens and forms soft peaks. Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, and mix until incorporated; be careful not to over-beat the cream.

Pour the juice into a bowl that is big enough that the Lady Fingers can be fully submerged in the liquid. 

To assemble:

You will need a 9 x 13 deep cake pan baking/casserole dish for this recipe.

Dip each Lady Finger in the juice for 3-4 seconds, and layer the bottom of the dish with the cookies.

Add half of the cream mixture to the bottom layer of Lady Fingers, spread it out into an even layer. Add the 4 cups of the macerated strawberries in an even layer on top of the cream mixture. Add a second layer of Lady Fingers dipped in the juice, and then top with the remaining half of the cream mixture, spread evenly over the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

Before serving, slice the remaining strawberries and toss them with a Tablespoon of sugar. Top the tiramisu with the freshly sliced strawberries.

Tiramisu will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge, but it is best on the first day.

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.