Smoked Salmon and Cottage Cheese Pie

Last week I made the ideal dish.

By that I mean it is light and easy to eat during the scorching days of summer.

It’s meatless, so perfect for the Nine Days and any other time we don’t want to eat the usual meat-two-veggie or salad dinner.

I got to use up leftovers and bits of this and that (smoked salmon, cottage cheese, cream cheese).

It served as dinner and also as hors d’oeuvre — I rewarmed the leftover portion and cut it into bite-size pieces for some socially distanced company.

You can use any leftover fish. I happened to have smoked salmon, so that’s what I used.

Smoked Salmon and Cottage Cheese Pie

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 1 large shallot, chopped

• 1 partially baked pie crust

• 3-4 ounces smoked salmon, chopped

• 2 tablespoons cream cheese

• 4 large eggs

• 1 cup cottage cheese

• 1 cup half and half

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

• 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and looks bubbly, add the shallot and cook for 3-4 minutes or until softened. Spoon the shallot onto the bottom of the partially baked pie crust. Scatter the salmon pieces on top. Cut the cream cheese into small pieces and scatter them on top. In a bowl, beat the eggs, cottage cheese, half and half, dill and salt together until well mixed. Pour into the pie crust. Bake the pie for about 45 minutes or until the top is nicely browned and the custard has set.

Makes 4-6 servings

Potlagela

I know I am not alone in in thinking I want “my old life back” —— seeing my kids and grandkids, giving them a hug. Seeing family and friends without having to sit at least six feet away, always outside. Going out for dinner. Going to the opera.

All that.

I’ve managed to find ways that help me through this stressful time. One of them is making foods that remind me of “the good old days.”

So I’ve baked some Apple Brown Bettys, because they remind me of my parents (z”l), who once lived nearby. It was my Dad’s favorite dessert, my Mom made it often and there was always some left for me when I’d visit, at least twice a week. (Apple Brown Betty is also good for socially distanced company because you can bake the ingredients in individual ramekins.)

Almond Crusted Chicken Nuggets have been on my menu recently because they remind me of my very special cousin and lifelong friend, Leslie. She and her husband Neil spend every New Year’s weekend with us and I always serve these for hors d’oeuvre. (Another winner for social distancing!)

There’s always a reason to make my grandma’s award-winning challah, so that’s nothing new in my house.

BUT, my other grandma used to make potlagela, a Romanian specialty. I hated this dish when I was a youngster but last year, when I grew my own eggplants, I decided to give her recipe a try and realized how delicious this dish is. That revelation also brought back some terrific memories.

SO, here it is. My Grandma Hoffman’s version of Potlagela. She used vegetable oil, but I prefer olive oil. Either will work. She also cooked her eggplant right on top of the cooktop burner, so if you have a gas burner, you can do it that way too. OR, you can cook it on an outdoor grill, which I’ve done many times.

This dip is so perfect for summer. Especially perfect for eating outdoors socially distanced because you can serve it in separate bowls for other people.

Serve with pita or bagel chips.

Potlagela

• 1 large eggplant

• 1-2 scallions or one shallot or small onion

• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

• 1 tomato, chopped, optional

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• parsley

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Wash the surface of the eggplant, then wipe it dry. Coat the surface with a thin film of olive oil. Prick the skin in a few places with the tines of a fork. Place the eggplant on a baking sheet and roast for about 25 minutes, turning the eggplant once or twice during the cooking. Remove the eggplant from the oven. When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and stem and place the flesh in a bowl. Mash the eggplant with the back of a fork. Add the scallion, garlic, optional tomato and olive oil and mix the ingredients to distribute them evenly. Add the lemon juice and mix again. Season to taste with salt and pepper; sprinkle with some parsley.

Makes 4 servings

Vegetable Pie

Everyone who knows me or reads my blog or articles knows that I can’t stand wasting food. I make it my mission to at least try to use everything wisely, including all leftovers.

These days, during a global pandemic when certain items are scarce and it’s also difficult to shop, I’m feeling even more committed.

Fortunately I have a willing and supportive husband, who loves the idea and applauds everything I make and tells me how wonderful and creative it all is.

Last week I had an overabundance of vegetables and an extra quart of half and half. I always have cheese in the fridge.

And so, I gathered up all the leftover veggies and made a vegetable pie for dinner. We had a salad with it.

It was filling and tasted wonderful and we were both happy for a day off meat.

Bonus: this recipe is extremely versatile and easy to prepare: you can use whatever vegetables you have and if you wish, a store-bought pie crust. If you prefer to make your own crust, you can find a recipe here (it makes enough dough for a two-crust pie, but you can freeze half).

Besides all that — this is a good dairy lunch or dinner during Shavuot, which begins tonight at sundown (May 28, 2020).

Vegetable Pie

•  1 tablespoon butter

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 large shallot, chopped (or use one small onion or 2-3 scallions)

• 1 medium portobello mushroom cap, cut into bite-size pieces (2 cups coarsely chopped mushrooms)

• 1 cup chopped cooked vegetable (broccoli, string beans, carrots, etc.)

• 1 partially baked 9-inch pie crust

• 3 ounces grated meltable cheese (Swiss, cheddar, mozzarella, Jarslberg, etc.)

• 4 large eggs

• 2 cups half and half cream

• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat the butter and olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and looks foamy, add the shallot and mushroom pieces and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the vegetables have softened. Add the cooked vegetable, mix the ingredients and place them in the pie crust. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Beat the eggs and cream together with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the ingredients in the pie crust. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and set.

Makes 4 servings

Chicken Egg Rolls

The first time I ever cooked a Chinese egg roll I fried the wrapper first and got it nice and crispy. Except that —— when I went to fill it and roll it — um —

And of course, then I realized that it’s a good idea to read the recipe all the way through before you begin to cook.

I never made that particular mistake again.

But I’ve made egg rolls many times. Most of the time I use a vegetables-only filling, but I had a boneless chicken breast on hand and so — this version. Quite delicious, a nice treat for Chinese New Year or whenever.

Chicken Egg Rolls

• 1 whole boneless chicken breast

• 6 scallions, shredded

• 1 cup shredded cabbage

• 1/2 cup shredded bamboo shoot

• 1 cup bean sprouts, rinsed and drained

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 8 egg roll skins

• one egg, beaten

• vegetable oil for deep fat frying

Shred the chicken and set aside. Place the scallions, cabbage, bamboo shoots and bean sprouts in a bowl and toss the ingredients to distribute them evenly. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or stirfry pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and stirfry for 1-2 minutes or until all traces of pink have disappeared. Add the vegetables and stir fry for 2 minutes,. Add the soy sauce and salt, mix the ingredients thoroughly and spoon into a colander set over a bowl to drain and cool.

Place some filling in the center of each egg roll skin. Roll one corner over the filling. Cover with two sides, envelope style. Roll until almost the end. Place some beaten egg on the edge and finish rolling, to seal the egg roll.

Heat about 2-inches of vegetable oil in a large, deep pan over high heat, until the oil is hot enough to make a crumb of bread sizzle. Deep fry the egg rolls 2 or 3 at a time, tossing them as they cook, for about one minute or until lightly tan. Lift them out of the pan with a wire basket or large slotted spoon to cool off for about 30 seconds. Return the rolls to the pan and cook for another 1-2 minutes or so until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Makes 8

Handmade Potato Chips with Smoked Salmon Tartare

Potato latkes for Hanukkah? Of course!

But homemade potato chips also satisfy the holiday requirement of crispy potato.

And SO MUCH EASIER! And HEALTHIER. Because the chips in my recipe are baked, not fried (you could fry them if you wish though). They are so crispy they crunch as if they were fried.

And of course a homemade potato chip topped with smoked salmon tartare is perfect for my New Year’s celebration.

If you’ve never tasted homemade potato chips you have missed something spectacular in life. Do try this soon, with or without the salmon. You could serve them plain or with sour cream or applesauce, just like latkes. If you want to get fancy, make a dip by mixing some chopped fresh herbs into creme fraiche or mascarpone cheese.

Potato Chips with Smoked Salmon Tartare 

• One large Russet baking potato

• Vegetable oil

• salt

• 1/4 pound smoked salmon pieces

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

• 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

• a few drops of olive oil

• few drops of lemon juice

• cream cheese, dairy sour cream, crème fraiche or mascarpone cheese, optional

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Peel the potato and slice 1/8-inch thick slices. Wipe the slices with paper towels. Brush the slices on both sides with vegetable oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 9 minutes. Turn the slices over and bake for another 8-9 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside. Chop the smoked salmon. Add the red onion and dill and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle in a few drops of olive oil and lemon juice and mix. For a dairy hors d'oeuvre, spread the chips with cream cheese, sour cream, crème fraiche or mascarpone cheese. Top with some of the salmon mixture. For a parve hors d'oeuvre, place the salmon mixture directly on the potato chips

Makes 16-24

Mini Salmon Latkes

I’m thinking ahead to Hanukkah and the New Year’s Eve weekend. For the first, of course latkes! For New Year’s? Hors d’oeuvre.

Here’s a recipe that works for either or both.

Salmon latkes in mini form. Fried right? So perfect for Hanukkah. Make them small enough and put them on some sort of base and you’ve got a super morsel for cocktail hour.

You can put the latkes on crackers or toasted bread, but I like using small tomatoes (campari tomatoes in the photo) as a base because it makes the hors d’oeuvre colorful. They are less crunchy but much juicier.

The latkes are freezable. Isn’t that nice?!

Mini Salmon Latkes

• 2 cups mashed cooked salmon

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 cup matzo meal

• 2 tablespoons chopped chives

• vegetable oil

• 12 campari tomatoes (approximately) (or other small tomatoes)

• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise

• chives or fresh dill for garnish

In a bowl, mix the salmon, eggs, matzo meal and chives until well combined. Heat about 1/8-inch vegetable oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Shape the salmon mixture into 36 small disks. Fry, a few at a time, for 2-3 minutes per side or until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Before serving, slice the tomatoes about 1/2-inch thick. Place the latkes on top of the tomato slices. Spoon a small amount of mayonnaise onto the tops. Sprinkle with chopped chives for garnish (or use a tiny leaf of fresh dill).

Makes 36

Fried Green Cherry Tomatoes

This year my tomato crop was such a bonanza that we ate tomato-something almost every day!

I am not complaining. Fresh garden tomatoes are among the treasures of the food world.

But it’s getting on in the season, the weather is turning, the Jewish holidays are around the corner and hundreds of those little things will never ripen from green to red in time.

I made some chutney of course.

I like fried green tomatoes in a sandwich but the cherry tomatoes are too small for slicing, coating and frying.

So I tried making them whole.

Yes!

Crunchy outside — and when you bite in, you get spurts of sweet-tart juicy tomato.

Terrific as an hors d’oeuvre. If you have extra, little, green tomatoes, try this:

Fried Green Cherry Tomatoes

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

• lemon juice

• 18-24 small green cherry tomatoes

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 large egg

• 1/4 teaspoon Sriracha or other hot sauce

• 1/2 cup matzo meal or breadcrumbs

• salt, freshly ground black pepper and garlic powder to taste

• vegetable oil

Combine the mayonnaise, basil and a teaspoon or two of lemon juice in a small bowl. Taste and add more lemon juice if desired. Set aside. Wash and dry the tomatoes. Place the flour in a bowl, add the tomatoes and toss them around to coat them completely. Beat the egg and hot sauce together. Immerse the tomatoes into the egg and roll them around to coat each one completely. In a bowl, combine the matzo meal with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Add the egg-coated tomatoes a few at a time and roll them around to coat them completely. Place the coated tomatoes on a cake rack or other surface for at least 20 minutes, to “air dry” slightly. Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan to a depth of about 2-inches. When the oil is hot enough to make a crumb sizzle quickly, add the tomatoes, a few at a time and cook them, turning them occasionally, for 4-5 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the tomatoes and set the on paper towels to drain. When all the tomatoes are fried, serve them with the basil mayonnaise.

Makes 6-8 servings

Chick Pea and Carrot Salad

Of course, of course we will be slicing apples and dipping them in honey on Rosh Hashanah. (which begins at sunset on September 29th).

But chickpeas are on the menu too. In his Encyclopedia of Jewish Food, the late rabbi and food authority Gil Marks wrote that “chickpeas are a traditional Rosh Hashanah food, a symbol of fertility, abundance and a wish for a well-rounded year to come.”

I usually make chickpeas into hummus, but sometimes I serve them whole, as a snack, roasted, the way my mother made them when I was growing up – a recipe called nahit. She coated the chickpeas with vegetable oil, sprinkled them with salt and paprika and baked them until crispy.

I changed her recipe somewhat -- I use olive oil, kosher salt and fresh thyme, or sometimes za’atar, as seasonings. Nahit is a delicious snack and a healthy one too: chickpeas are a good source of protein, minerals (including calcium) and fiber.

For this coming holiday though I’ll be making a chickpea and carrot salad to serve with dinner. Carrots are another symbolic ingredient of the holiday, so this recipe is a double-up of special ingredients of festive food for the holiday table. It’s a dish that can be made in advance, which makes it a good choice at such a busy time. And it is colorful too, fit for any celebration, including Break-the-Fast. 

Chick Pea and Carrot Salad

• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas

• 4 medium carrots, sliced thin

• 1/2 chopped red onion

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

• salt to taste

Rinse the chickpeas under cold running water; let drain and place in a bowl. Add the carrots, onion, parsley, mint, cumin and cayenne pepper and toss to distribute the ingredients evenly. Pour in the olive oil and lemon juice. Toss to coat the ingredients evenly. Taste for seasoning and add salt to taste.

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

Blue Salad (with green): Berries and Cheese

I love blueberries and I love blue cheese, so I figured they might go together well.

They did!

In this light, refreshing summer salad.

Nice for a full lunch — add a crust of bread. Or as a first course for dinner.

I bought the blueberries and the cheese. But the greens? Right from my garden! What a joy!

Blue Salad (with green)

• 1 head leaf lettuce or 6 cups mixed greens

• 1 cup blueberries

• 1 cup crumbled blue cheese

• 3 tablespoons chopped chives or scallion tops

• 1/3 cup olive oil (or use avocado oil)

• 3-4 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

• 1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds, optional

Tear the lettuce into smaller pieces and place them in a salad bowl. Add the blueberries, cheese and chives and toss the ingredients. Pour in the olive oil and toss the ingredients again. Add 3 tablespoons of the Balsamic vinegar, toss and taste, add more Balsamic vinegar to taste. Serve and garnish with the toasted almonds if desired.

Makes 4-6 servings