The Giving Table

Thanksgiving was just over but it feels like a zillion years ago because I’m already thinking about Hanukkah and even New Year’s weekend, when we always have our cousins over for several days.

That means: gifts and food.

One gift: Naomi Ross’ new kosher cookbook, The Giving Table (Menucha).

Food: several items from Naomi’s newly published cookbook.

My cousins come for several days, so there is ample opportunity to eat. On New Year’s Eve we always have hors d’oeuvres only, three different times during the day for meat, dairy and finally, smoked fish.

I made several of the recipes in the book and have already decided on several hors d’oeuvre for the meat-fest: Tamarind Glazed Meatballs, Korean Fusion BBQ Wings and Apricot Chicken Skewers. They were outstanding! And for one of the dairy hors d’oeuvre hour - definitely the Khachapuri. I’ve made that one a few times and it is too good to miss.

Before New Year’s Eve I am also going to try the Salmon Stuffed Avocadoes, 5 Spice Duck Breast Salad and the Lemon Ombre Trifles (with lemon curd AND lemon cream!!), for dessert because all sound fabulous.

But there is so much more to this book.

Great globally-influenced recipes, so far, yes, but more.

One of the most helpful aspects of the book are the QR codes in some of the chapters for some of the more intricate or could-be-confusing parts of a recipe. For example, I used a code for Khachapuri so I could watch a video to see how to roll and stuff the dough and then stir in the butter and egg (and also how to actually eat it).

I also used a code to see how Naomi braided a four (and six) strand challah – it was so helpful to see her do it not a zillion miles an hour like on Instagram or FB – but nice and slowly so you can actually see how it’s done.

Naomi is obviously a born teacher because there is so much information stuffed here and there and in between the recipes. Short essays that personalize the chapter to come. Notes from the Talmud. Food suggestions, recipes and information for special diets and special events such as visiting and providing food for the sick and elderly or for new mothers: chesed cooking.

There are tips on how to make meal prep easier, on tools and cooking equipment, what to do when you’re short on time, how to refresh food that’s cooked ahead.

She answers questions such as “what is a roux?” “What is risotto rice?” and gives suggestions for equivalents and substitutions.

There is also a chapter on cooking for a crowd (though the recipes can be cut down for a more usual number of people – like those Lemon Ombre Trifles that I plan to serve for dessert).

And more – an appendix chapter with advice on how to be good to yourself even though you are preparing food for others. That one made me smile because those of us who cook regularly, even those of us who absolutely love to prepare food for our families and friends, need someone to acknowledge the time, effort and sometimes the struggle it is for us to do it.

Thanks Naomi for hearing us.

Marinated Avocados

Here’s a simple, easy-to-prepare, inexpensive nibble that’s terrific with cocktails or just for sitting around on a summer afternoon. Or for watching the Superbowl. Or as a first bite for break-the-fast.

It’s so easy to make stuff like this. I’m done relying on supermarket salads bars.

Marinated Avocados

• 2 ripe Haas avocados

• 1 medium clove garlic, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon chopped red onion

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 to 1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Peel the avocados and cut the flesh into bite size pieces. Place the pieces in a bowl. Add the garlic, red onion and parsley and toss the ingredients to distribute them evenly. Pour in the olive oil and one tablespoon lemon juice; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Taste and add more lemon juice if desired. Let marinate for at least one hour. Best served at room temperature.

Makes 8 hors d’oeuvre servings

Apricot-Orange Sticky Wings

Chicken wings have been among my favorite things to eat for as long as I can remember. When I was a kid, my mother always made sure my brothers and I got them because, she said, wings were the “best part” and she wanted us to have the best part.

So of course I am going to contribute some to the Superbowl party I’m invited to.

I have so many recipes for chicken wings! But these are the ones for the occasion:

Apricot-Orange Sticky Wings

• 2 pounds chicken wing pieces

• 1/2 cup apricot preserves

• 3 tablespoons orange juice

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger

• 1-1/2 teaspoons grated fresh orange peel

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 1 teaspoon Sriracha

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Rinse and dry the wing parts. In a large bowl, combine the preserves, orange juice, soy sauce, ginger, orange peel, garlic and Sriracha and mix to blend the ingredients. Add the wing pieces and toss to coat them evenly. Place the wings on a foil or parchment lined baking sheet. Spoon any remaining sauce over the wings. Bake for 30-35 minutes, turning 2-3 times, or until the wings are golden brown and well glazed.

Makes 6 servings

Pomegranate Chicken Wings

I know that Labor Day is not the end of grilling season, but somehow it's a reminder that so much in our lives is about to change. In the month or so ahead, leaves turn to red and gold. School begins. There's a vague chill in the air at night. The sun sets earlier and nighttime comes sooner.

I also realize that many people continue to grill outdoors throughout the year.

I'm not one of them. If it's below 45 I don't feel like slaving over a hot grill in the cold night air.

So, knowing how way leads on to way, I am making the most of the grilltime that's left.

These wings will be on my menu soon, before I close up shop for the winter.

Fyi, you can use the glaze for other chicken parts and bake the pieces n the oven or broil them in an oven broiler. It’s also fine to use for basting a whole roasting chicken.

 

Pomegranate Wings

• 2 pounds chicken wings

• olive oil (about one tablespoon)

• 1/2 cup pomegranate jelly

• 2 tablespoons orange juice

• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 2 scallions, chopped

• pinch or two cayenne pepper

• salt to taste

Preheat an outdoor grill or oven broiler. Wash and dry the wings and cut them into separate pieces. Brush with olive oil and grill, turning once, for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. While the wings are cooking, mix the pomegranate jelly, orange juice, cider vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, scallions cayenne pepper and salt to taste until well blended. Brush this glaze on the wings and cook for another 10-12 minutes, turning the wings occasionally and brushing with remaining glaze, until crispy and fully cooked.

Makes about 24

Kosher Baked Beans and "Bacon"

It’s really cold outside.

Really cold.

And yesterday there was a snow squall. Cold, snowy and blowy with no visibility for about a half hour.

I can’t complain though. It’s MUCH colder in the midwest.

Also my house is nice and warm and toasty.

And I have these baked beans for dinner. Real, authentic Boston baked beans with bacon. Ok, kosher bacon. There are many brands to choose from, but I used Abeles & Heymann’s newish chunk beef bacon because Seth Leavitt, A&H owner, gave me a piece of it a while ago. He said “go experiment.” Which I did. And out came these fabulous beans.

Dinner. Add a green vegetable.

Just like in Colonial times (minus the green vegetable).

Btw, this is a good dish for Superbowl parties — by itself, but it’s also a nice accompaniment to chicken wings.

Kosher Baked Beans and “Bacon”

• 1 pound dried navy or great northern beans

• water

• 6 ounces kosher bacon, cut into chunks

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1/2 cup ketchup

• 1/3 cup honey

• 1/4 cup molasses

• 4 whole cloves

• 2 teaspoons powdered mustard

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Place the beans in a large saucepan and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and cook for 2 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat and let the beans soak for one hour. Drain the beans and return them to the pot. Cover the beans again with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. (Alternatively, cover the beans with water and let them soak for at least 8 hours.) Drain. Place the beans in a casserole. Add the bacon, onion, ketchup, honey, molasses, cloves, mustard and salt and mix thoroughly to blend the ingredients. Stir in 3 cups water. Pour the mixture over the bean mixture. Cover the casserole and put it in the oven. Set the temperature at 300 degrees and cook the beans at least 4 hours, or until they are tender, stirring them occasionally and adding water, if necessary to keep the beans moist. 

 Makes 8 servings

More Chicken Wings: Maple-Mustard

In our family we don’t wait for Superbowl Sunday to feast on chicken wings. We eat them throughout the year, often.

In fact, I have an enormous file folder filled with recipes, maybe almost as many recipes for wings as for banana bread (and as everyone who reads this blog knows, I have a lot of recipes for banana bread!).

Here’s one of the latest versions. Eat anytime. Don’t wait.

Grilled Maple-Mustard Chicken Wings

• 2 pounds chicken wings, separated into pieces

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoons chopped chives or scallion

• 2 teaspoons cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon soy sauce

• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• salt to taste

Preheat an outdoor grill or oven broiler. Wash and dry the wings and cut them into separate pieces. Brush with olive oil and grill, turning once, for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. While the wings are cooking, mix the maple syrup, mustard, chives, cider vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, cayenne pepper and salt to taste until well blended. Brush this glaze on the wings and cook for another 10-12 minutes, turning the wings occasionally and brushing with remaining glaze, until crispy and fully cooked.

Makes about 24

Curry Kosher (Chicken Wings, et al)

Back in the day, before so many modern kosher cookbooks hit the market (including my own Hip Kosher and The Modern Kosher Kitchen), anyone who was kosher and wanted to expand home cooking beyond the traditional family favorites would buy a cookbook and adapt recipes in accordance with kashrut.

Although it’s easier now to find contemporary kosher recipes, there is still a whole world of flavors, wonderful foods and good cookbooks out there that are too good to be missed. There’s still a reason to look beyond the obvious kosher cookbook market.

Recently I came across this book: Spice Spice Baby: 100 Recipes with Healing Spices for Your Family Table at my daughter’s house. The author, Kanchan Koya, is a Harvard-trained molecular biologist who blogs about the health benefits of spices at www.spicespicebaby.com and is also a chef-creator for www.Buzzfeedtasty.com.

I found the recipes in this book irresistible. Too good to be missed. They are interesting, intriguing and globally inspired. All include one or more of 15 spices that have health benefits (which she discusses in the book).

I made several of the dishes, changing what was needed for the kosher kitchen. The original recipe here included boneless chicken — I changed it to wings because my family likes them. The sauce contained yogurt, which I changed to coconut milk plus some lemon juice, to mimic the tart dairy taste. But the spices — unchanged. They are a fabulous tasting, intoxicatingly aromatic blend.

This dish was awesome. We gobbled it up, every morsel. The flavors are vibrant, satisfying, and perfect for autumn when the weather turns and there’s a chill in the air.

Check out Koya’s website. Lots of good stuff.

Btw, I was not paid for this post nor did I receive any book or benefit. I included a photo from the book showing the original recipe (photo credit to www.wayne-wong.com) so you can see how different it looks with the chicken wings.  

 

Curry Chicken Wings

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger

• 4 medium cloves garlic, chopped

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

• pinch or two of cayenne pepper

• 1/2 cup coconut milk

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 12-15 chicken wing parts

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1/4 cup water

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, optional

Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes or until the onions are lightly browned. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste, cumin, coriander, turmeric and cayenne pepper and stir the ingredients into a paste. Stir in the coconut milk and lemon juice. Add the chicken, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the water, cover the pan, lower the heat and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the cover and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with chopped coriander or parsley if desired.

Makes 4 servings

Honey Orange Chicken Wings

Honey Orange Chicken Wings

You can never have too many recipes for chicken wings, whether or not you watch or even care about the Superbowl. 

My latest chicken wing recipe came about recently, after I attended a honey tasting with my friend Liz Rueven, who blogs at Kosherlikeme. We went to Red Bee Apiary in Weston, Connecticut, where all of us were in rapt attention as beekeeper Carla Marina Marchese told us all about different kinds of bees and different kinds of honey. Then we had a feast of single origin honeys with tidbits of food (cheese, fruit and so on) that went best with them.

Of course, everyone knows that there are many varieties of honey and they all have a unique flavor. No different than wine, for example. You don't have to be an expert to understand and appreciate the differences. But it is fun to taste several all in one sitting. So I recommend this place (or one near you if you don't live in Connecticut).

After it was all said and done I bought a few jars of honey and experimented with them.

Buckwheat honey proved to be very interesting to work with. It has a distinct, intense, almost molasses-ey flavor that makes it a big winner for cookies, muffins and similar types of baked goods. Or baked apples. Or mashed sweet potatoes and so on.

But my favorite was this recipe for chicken wings. Just in time for Superbowl. Or whenever.

 

Honey Orange Wings

• 1/4 cup honey (I used buckwheat honey)

• 2 tablespoons orange juice

• 1 tablespoon chopped chives

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

• 2 teaspoon grated orange peel

• salt and pepper

• 24-30 dozen wing pieces

Preheat the broiler with the rack at least 6-inches from the heat. Place the honey, orange juice, chives, mustard, orange peel and salt and pepper in a bowl and mix for a minute or so or until well blended. Add the chicken wings and toss them in the liquid to coat all the surfaces. (You can let the chicken marinate for an hour or so if you wish.) Place the wings in a single layer on a baking sheet. Broil the wings for about 15-18 minutes, turning them every 3-4 minutes to prevent over-browning.

Makes 24-30

PuPu Platter Chicken Wings

What I am about to say may acknowledge me as a dinosaur but here it is: I remember the time before there was a Superbowl. 

I remember the first Superbowl. 1967.

I didn't watch. It was sort of a big deal, but not nearly the kind of nationwide (worldwide?) event it is today.

I can't recall what people served at Superbowl get-togethers. Or even if there were Superbowl get-togethers.

But I do remember that over the course of time, people everywhere used the occasion not only to watch football or bet, or both, but as time for a relaxed day with good friends and casual food. Like chicken wings.

I can remember before Buffalo Wings became a thing. And that after they did, wings of all sorts became one of the popular Superbowl foods.

For me -- wings were always a thing. The best part of the chicken. My mother told me they were the best part mostly because of the soft soft meat between the two narrow bones in the middle part of the wing.

She made chicken wings for us often.

I have made chicken wings often too. My mother was right. They are the best part of the chicken! Whether or not you serve them for Superbowl.

But if you do, how about these?

PuPu Platter Chicken Wings

• 15 chicken wings
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoons crushed crystallized ginger
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
•  

Cut the chicken wings at the joints, wash and dry the pieces and set them aside. Combine the red wine, soy sauce, brown sugar, crystallized ginger, lemon juice and garlic in a large container. Add the wing pieces and let marinate for at least 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the wings in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes. Turn the wings and bake for another 15-18 minutes or until crispy.

Makes 30 pieces

Barbecue Meatloaf

Daylight savings time ends this weekend and I always have mixed feelings about that.

I hate that it gets dark so early and that there are so few hours of actual daylight. On the other hand, I like the crisp autumn weather -- not too hot, not too cold.

I hate that it's too cold outside for me to cook something on the outdoor grill. On the other hand, I love the comforting, warmth-giving dishes I make in the crockpot and the oven.

So I've been thinking about meatloaf.

It's a winter-sort-of-dish.

But because of the barbecue sauce, this one lingers with memories of the summer gone by.

A perfect dish for transitioning to days without daylight savings time.

 

BBQ Meatloaf

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1-1/2 pounds ground beef
• 8 ounces ground veal or turkey (or use more beef)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup beef or vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic, cook briefly and set aside in a bowl to cool. Add the beef and veal and mix gently to combine ingredients. Add the eggs, stock, breadcrumbs and some salt and pepper and mix gently to combine ingredients. Place the mixture into a 9”x5” loaf pan. Spoon the barbecue sauce on top. Bake for 60-75 minutes or until the meat has come away from the sides of the pan (thermometer should read 160 degrees). 

Makes 6-8 servings