Passover Butter Cookies Redux

Last year I posted a recipe for a Passover version of my Aunt Fanny’s famous butter cookies (which we call Fannies in her honor). They were a big hit at our house.

But this year, after reading an article in Hadassah magazine by food writer and cookbook author Adeena Sussman, I took yet another approach. The article suggested using the grain-free products such as almond flour and coconut flour that have become available in recent years.

I made several versions, experimenting with amounts (you can’t just substitute all-purpose flour or matza cake meal 1:1 for grain-free flour) and had my “tasters” try all of them.

We had two winners. Most people liked the almond and coconut flour recipe; it is tender and buttery. But some liked the matza cake meal and coconut flour recipe; it is dense, more crumbly, and suitable for nut-free diets.

I’m not finished experimenting. Aunt Fanny, wherever you are — your cookie recipe is immortal, now in the original and in Passover versions now and yet to come.

Here are both recipes.

Almond and Coconut Butter Cookies (Passover)

• 2 cups almond flour

• 1/2 cup coconut flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 pound unsalted butter

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 2 large egg yolks

• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• jam, lekvar, chocolate chips, etc.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the almond flour, coconut flour and salt in a bowl and set aside. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes or until the ingredients are evenly combined.or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the almond flour mixture and mix another 1-2 minutes, or until the ingredients are almost blended. Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract. Mix the ingredients 1-2 minutes, or until a uniform dough forms. Refrigerate the dough for at least 45 minutes. Scoop pieces of dough and shape them into balls about 1" in diameter. Flatten the balls between your palms. Press each circle with your thumb to make an indentation in the center. Place the cookies on a cookie sheet, leaving an inch of space between them. Fill the thumb print spaces with a small amount of lekvar, jam, etc. Bake for 18-23 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown.

Makes about 50

Matza Cake Meal and Coconut Butter Cookies (Passover)

• 1 cup matza cake meal

• 1 cup coconut flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 pound unsalted butter

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 4 large egg yolks

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• jam, lekvar, chocolate chips, etc.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the matza cake meal, coconut flour and salt in a bowl and set aside. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes or until the ingredients are evenly combined.or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the dry ingredients and mix another 1-2 minutes, or until the ingredients are almost blended. Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract. Mix the ingredients 1-2 minutes, or until a uniform dough forms. Scoop pieces of dough and shape them into balls about 1" in diameter. Flatten the balls between your palms. Press each circle with your thumb to make an indentation in the center. Place the cookies on a cookie sheet, leaving an inch of space between them. Fill the thumb print spaces with a small amount of lekvar, jam, etc. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown.

Makes about 50

Irish Whiskey Cake

Purim is an extraordinarily joyous holiday and it’s been Jewish tradition to celebrate with a glass or two of wine or some other alcoholic beverage. The focus on drinking has its roots in something that Rabbi Rava said in the Talmud: on Purim, people should drink until they can no longer distinguish between "Cursed be Haman" and "Blessed is Mordecai."

Well, I’m not giving advice on how much booze anyone should drink

BUT

the fact that Purim comes on the same day as St.Patrick’s Day, gave me this most stupendously delicious thought about whiskey and such: eat Irish Whiskey Cake.

I have made this particular cake often. There is never a crumb left.

Celebrate Purim AND St. Patrick’s Day. Make Merry! Have cake!

Irish Whiskey Cake

• 1 cup golden raisins

• 1 tablespoon grated fresh orange peel

• 1/4 cup Irish whiskey

•  2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

• 3/4 cup butter at room temperature

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1/3 cup orange juice

Frosting

• 3/4 cup butter, at room temperature

• 2 cups confectioners' sugar

• 1/4 cup Irish whiskey

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two eight-inch cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper and lightly grease the paper. Place the raisins and orange peel in a bowl, pour in the whiskey and let soak for at least 30 minutes. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cloves in a bowl. Set aside. Beat the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer set at medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until smooth and well blended. Add the eggs and beat for another 2-3 minutes or until the mixture becomes smooth (scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula). Add the flour mixture and beat for 1-2 minutes to incorporate it into the other ingredients. Add the raisins (with any remaining liquid) and the orange juice and beat for another 1-2 minutes until a uniform batter has formed. Spoon the mixture into the cake pans. Bake for 20-22 minutes until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove the cakes and let them cool completely. Make the frosting by beating the butter and confectioners’ sugar together until smooth. Gradually add the whiskey and beat until smooth. Frost the bottom layer, place the second layer on top and frost the top of the second layer.

 Makes 8 servings

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie

During the run-up to Purim, the media is loaded with recipes for hamantashen. (Of course!)

But, because historians have speculated that the heroine of this holiday, Queen Esther, was a vegetarian, meatless meals are also traditional.

A vegetarian version of classic Shepherd’s Pie is hearty and filling enough to convince even a hardcore meat eater. And it’s also a festive dish worthy of a celebratory meal.

Note to self: this dish also makes a splendid choice for Break-the-Fast after Yom Kippur.

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie*

•  6 medium all-purpose potatoes such as Yukon Gold

• 1/3 cup vegetable stock

• 4 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1 cup lentils, preferably French green

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 3 carrots, chopped

• 12-14 ounces mushrooms, chopped

• 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 1 medium zucchini, cut into bite sized pieces

• 2 cups vegetable stock

• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

• 1 cup frozen peas or cut up cooked green beans

• paprika 

Peel the potatoes, cut them into chunks and cook them in lightly salted water for about 15 minutes, or until they are fork tender. Drain the potatoes and mash them with a ricer or potato masher until the lumps have disappeared. Stir in the stock, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.  

Cook the lentils according to package directions. When the lentils are tender, drain them and set them aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, mushrooms and garlic and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until the vegetables have softened slightly. Add the zucchini and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add the cooked lentils, vegetable stock, thyme and soy sauce. Bring to a boil. Mix the cornstarch with enough water to make a smooth paste. Add to the vegetable mixture. Stir and cook for 2-4 minutes or until the pan liquid has thickened. Stir in the peas. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.

Place the vegetables in a lightly oiled baking dish. Cover the top with the mashed potatoes. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika (can be cooked ahead up to this point).

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pie is hot and bubbling around the edges and the crust has browned lightly (if you make this ahead and refrigerate the dish, it may take 25-30 minutes to reheat).

Makes 8 servings

*a version of this dish appeared in The Jewish Week Food&Wine.

Fried Barley

Tu B’shevat, which starts at sundown on January 16th, reminded me that I have to make more barley, which is one of the traditional foods for this not particularly well-known Jewish holiday, otherwise known as New Year of the Trees.

We don’t eat barley often enough. Sure, I add it to soup, but it’s so good on its own — for salad and casseroles in particular — that it should be more of a standby.

I decided to make it like I do fried rice, except I added mushrooms, which I think overwhelms fried rice but pairs perfectly with whole grains.

So, this is actually a two-fer. I can make this for Tu B’shevat and also for Lunar New Year (February1st)(Year of the Tiger), because why not celebrate even if it’s not part of my heritage? Delicious food is appropriate any time.

Fried Barley

• 1 cup pearled barley

• 2-1/2 cups water

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 3 large eggs, beaten

• 4-6 scallions, chopped

• 10-12 medium mushrooms (about 8 ounces), coarsely chopped

• 1 cup thawed frozen peas

• optional: chopped water chestnuts, cooked carrots, corn kernels

• kosher salt

Place the barley and the water in a saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover the pan and cook for about 45 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Let cool. Heat one tablespoon vegetable oil in a wok or stirfry pan over medium-high heat. Add the eggs and let set, then scramble the eggs slightly and turn them over to cook both sides completely. Remove the fried eggs from the pan and chop into bite size pieces. Set aside. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in the pan. Add the scallions and mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes, or until the mushrooms are soft and all the liquid has evaporated. Add the barley, breaking it up into separate kernels with a spatula or wooden spoon, and stir to incorporate the vegetables. Add the peas and optional ingredients, sprinkle with salt and cook, stirring often to distribute the ingredietns evenly, for 3-4 minutes or until the ingredients are hot.

Makes 4-6 servings

Snails! The Dessert Kind (M'Hencha)

Years ago, when we were in Egypt, I tried this dessert, called m’hencha, because it looked so pretty.

It was like a Proustian moment because it tasted so similar to my Romanian Jewish grandma’s turte, which is like baklava only made with almonds instead of walnuts, and sweetened with sugar syrup, not honey.

Unlike my grandma’s version, m’hencha is shaped like a snail, which I think looks much lovelier and so I decided to make this for New Year’s, when the cousins come for a visit. (I’m using honey instead of the syrup my grandma used.)

I’ll be curious to see if my cousin also remembers this delicious pastry from back in the day.

M’Hencha

• 2-1/2 cups ground almonds

• 1/2 pound butter, melted

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1-1/2 teaspoons grated fresh orange peel

• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 pound phyllo dough

• 6-8 tablespoons honey

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix the almonds, 4 tablespoons melted butter, sugar, orange peel and cinnamon until well combined. Set aside. Using one phyllo sheet at a time, spread the dough out on a flat surface and brush lightly with melted butter. Top with the next phyllo sheet and repeat, using 4 sheets of phyllo. Spread about an inch of the almond mixture in a line about an inch from the edge on the long side. Roll the dough, jelly roll style, then coil it into a snake shape. Place the pastry on a cookie sheet. Brush with butter. Repeat 5 more times to make 6 pastries. Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. While the pastries are baking, heat the honey until it is warm and liquefied. Pour the warm honey over the pastries and serve. NOTE: you can make smaller pastries: cut the phyllo sheets in half and proceed as above (makes 12).

Makes 6 servings

Meat Kreplach

Although it is an Ashkenazic tradition to eat filled kreplach on Simchat Torah, I don’t need any reason to eat kreplach. It’s one of my favorite foods of all time.

Meat Kreplach

dough:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 3 large eggs, beaten

• 2-3 tablespoons cold water, approximately

• chicken soup or a saute pan and vegetable oil

Place the flour, salt and eggs in a food processor. Process, gradually adding just enough water for a ball of dough to form. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let rest for at least one hour. Roll the dough, a portion at a time, on a floured surface until the dough is very thin (less than 1/8-inch). Cut dough into 2-1/2 to 3-inch squares. Place one heaping teaspoon of filling in the center of each square. Fold the dough over the filling to make a triangle. Pinch the dough together to seal the edges (if necessary wet two edges of the square before folding). Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the kreplach about a dozen at a time, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, or until they are tender. To serve, place the cooked kreplach in chicken soup and cook for 4-5 minutes. You may also fry the kreplach (on one side until golden brown) in vegetable oil.

filling:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 medium clove garlic, finely chopped (optional)

• 12 ounces chopped, cooked beef

• 1 large egg

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the vegetable oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for about 2-3 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened. Place the meat in a bowl. Add the softened onion (and garlic), egg, paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly.

Chicken with Date Honey, Ginger and Orange

I know brisket is traditional for Rosh Hashanah but have you seen the price of brisket this year?

Yikes!

How about chicken instead?

Please don’t say “ho hum.” Chicken absolutely doesn’t have to be boring.

For example — this recipe for chicken with honey and a little spike of fresh ginger. Plus some refreshing orange.

I’ve made this dish with both bee honey and date honey (silan). Either way, it’s a perfect choice for Rosh Hashanah.

Chicken with Date Honey, Ginger and Orange

• one cut up chicken (or 6-8 pieces)

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1/2 cup orange juice

• 1/4 cup date honey (or substitute regular honey)

• 1 large shallot, chopped

• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger

• 1 teaspoon grated fresh orange peel

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chili pepper, optional (or use a pinch of cayenne pepper)

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

• salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in an ovenproof pan. Dry the chicken pieces and cook them a few at a time in the pan until they brown lightly, about 6-8 minutes. Mix the orange juice and date honey and pour over the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken with the shallot, ginger, orange peel, chili pepper, rosemary and salt to taste. Place the pan in the oven and cook for 35-40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through, basting occasionally with the pan juices. Serve the chicken with the pan juices.

Makes 6 servings 

Poached Green Figs with Orange Juice and Honey

The early Jewish holidays this year mean one big delicious bonus for us, fresh fig eaters that we are. This luscious fruit will still be in season.

In keeping with Rosh Hashanah I recently poached some fresh figs using honey (also, some ginger, whole cloves and orange peel for LOTS of flavor). The result was ….. oh-my! worthy. It’s on my dessert menu this year.

Poached Green Figs with Orange Juice and Honey

• 1 cup orange juice

• 1 cup water

• 1/4 cup honey

• 1/2-inch chunk peeled fresh ginger, coarsely chopped

• 6 whole cloves

• 2 2-inch strips orange peel

• 8-10 fresh green figs

• ice cream, whipped cream, sorbet, optional

Place the juice, water and honey in a saucepan. Add the ginger, cloves and orange peel and bring the liquid to a boil. Stir to blend the liquids, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the figs and simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the ingredients cool. Remove the figs from the pan and cut each in half. Set aside. Strain the ingredients in the pan. Discard the solid ingredients. Pour the liquid back into the pan and cook over high heat for 5-6 minutes or until the liquid is syrupy (the consistency of maple syrup). Let the syrup cool. Before serving, some of the fig halves in serving dishes, pour some poaching syrup on top. Place some ice cream, whipped cream or sorbet on top.

Makes 4-6 servings

Beet Salad with Orange and Feta Cheese

Beet Salad with Orange and Feta Cheese

We’re all fully vaccinated and starting some sort of normal again.

So — the cousins are coming for the long Memorial Day weekend. It’s supposed to rain — so probably no outdoor grilling or eating!

And one of the cousins can no longer eat beef, veal or lamb. There will be lots of fish on the menu.

What to serve for side dish?

Cole slaw for sure. I have several versions, both parve and dairy.

Vegetables. Like these carrots, which everyone loves.

Salads. Like this one, chock full full of vegetables.

And this beet salad, which is tangy with feta cheese (you can use goat cheese) and is also amazingly refreshing because of the orange.

To all who observe —- have a good Memorial Day weekend.

Beet Salad with Orange and Feta Cheese

• 3 large or 6 small beets

• 1 navel orange

• 3 medium scallions, chopped

• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

• 2 teaspoons grated fresh orange peel

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Scrub the beets, then wrap them tightly in aluminum foil. Place the package on a baking sheet and roast the beets for 40-70 minutes, depending on size, or until they are tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Let cool, then unwrap and peel the beets. Cut the beets into bite size pieces and place them in a bowl. Peel the orange, remove the pith and cut the flesh into bite size pieces and add them to the beets. Add the scallions, feta cheese and orange peel and toss the ingredients to distribute them evenly. Pour in the olive oil and toss the ingredients to coat them with the oil. Add the vinegar and toss again. Spoon the ingredients into a serving bowl and scatter the parsley on top for serving.

Makes 4-6 servings

Chicken: Soup to Salad

Every year before Passover I think about new ways to eat the chicken from the chicken soup that I cook for my Seder. I make the soup several days ahead, strain the liquid and freeze it. 

The cooked vegetables and boiled chicken do make a good, plain, old-fashioned meal for dinner, but we don't always want that. So, with the vegetables? Best bet has always been veggie burgers.

The chicken? Salad. Made all sorts of ways.

Here's one way. Fortunately ataulfo (honey/champagne) mangoes are in season and they are easy to peel and cut for salad; they’re also not stringy like some mango varieties. Bonus: I put aside some of the dill I use to season my chicken soup and it is a lovely seasoning for chicken and mangoes.

Chicken and Mango Salad with Dill

• 2-1/2 to 3 cups diced cooked chicken

• 1 small (I used ataulfo) ripe mango, peeled and diced

• 2-3 teaspoons chopped fresh dill

• 3-5 tablespoons white wine vinegar

• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the chicken and mango dice in a bowl. Sprinkle the dill on top. Mix 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar with 2 tablespoons olive oil and pour over the chicken and fruit. Toss. Season with salt and pepper. If you prefer a moister salad, add more olive oil and/or white wine vinegar to taste. Or fold in a bit of mayonnaise. Let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 2-4 servings