Roasted Pineapple Salad with Avocado, Arugula and Greens

We eat salads throughout the year but have them much more often when the weather gets warm. Frequently I’ll toss together some greens, dress them with vinaigrette and it’s done.

But — in the summer, when the tomatoes are good, I’ll add one (or a few baby tomatoes).

If I have a ripe avocado, that gets thrown in.

Leftover veggies, occasionally.

Croutons, sometimes.

You get the picture right?

Salads are among the most versatile and flexible of recipes.

So, this week, when I went to prepare a salad for dinner I opened the fridge to find the remnants of a cut up pineapple. And I decided to use them in the place of croutons. Same look — cut-up cubes — but I roasted and caramelized the pieces (thanks to a bit of honey or maple syrup) and this addition of lightly sweet, roasted fruit, took the salad into a completely new, different and delicious direction. Sweet (pineapple), creamy (avocado), bitter (arugula) all in balance.

When we finished I realized that I could also have added a few roasted cashews.

Next time.

Roasted Pineapple Salad with Avocado, Arugula and Greens

• 2 cups cut up bite size pineapple chunks

• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup

• 2 cups packed cut up salad greens (about 3 ounces)

• 1 cup packed baby arugula (about 1-1/2 ounces)

• 1 peeled avocado, cut into bite size pieces

• 1/4 cup chopped red onion

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar

• Aleppo pepper or freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the pineapple on the baking sheet. Pour the honey or maple syrup over the fruit, toss and roast for about 20 minutes, turning the pieces once or twice, or until they are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool. When cool, place in a bowl. Add the salad greens, arugula, avocado and red onion and toss the ingredients. Pour in the olive oil and toss the ingredients. Pour in the vinegar and toss. Season to taste with Aleppo pepper or freshly ground black pepper.

Makes 4-6 servings

Spaghetti with Fresh Puttanesca

We were on a cruise recently and the ship we were on had a separate pizza restaurant! So of course we had pizza a few times. The varieties were extensive — the chef made pizzas with all sorts of toppings. Mostly I like (and ate) plain pizza Margherita, sometimes topped with arugula, but one time I chose Puttanesca. It was an OMG moment.

Puttanesca is not for everyone. It’s salty and very tangy.

But I absolutely love it.

I’ve made Puttanesca sauce for spaghetti many times, usually with canned San Marzano tomatoes. But the plum tomatoes at the market recently were too good to pass up, so I went to my trusted recipe drawer, “sauce folder” and found my fresh tomato version. It was as good as I had remembered.

Here it is:

Spaghetti with Fresh Puttanesca Sauce

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 2 medium cloves garlic, chopped

• 3 anchovies, chopped (or 1 teaspoon anchovy paste)

• 4-5 large plum tomatoes

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

• pinch or two of crushed red pepper

• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 2-3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained

• 12-15 mixed pitted black and green imported olives, cut coarsely

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and cook briefly. Add the anchovies (or paste), mix briefly, then add the tomatoes, basil and red pepper. Cook, over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 7-8 minutes. Stir in the capers and olives and cook for another 5-6 minutes or until it has reached the desired consistency (use 2 tablespoons of capers if you want it less tangy).

Makes enough for 1/2 pound pasta

Blueberry-Orange Crumb Cake

Post Passover — what could be better than a slice of crumb cake chock full of fresh blueberries?

Blueberry-Orange Crumb Cake

Crumb Layer:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup quick oats

• 1/2 cup shredded coconut

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest

• 6 tablespoons melted coconut oil (or use butter)

Place the flour, oats, coconut, brown sugar and orange zest in a bowl and mix until well blended. Pour in the coconut oil and blend it in. Crumble the mixture with your fingers or a fork and set it aside.

Cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest

• 2 large eggs

• 1 cup orange juice

• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil (or butter)

• 2 cups blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-1/2-inch springform pan. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and orange zest in the bowl of an electric mixer. In another bowl, combine the eggs, orange juice, vanilla extract and melted coconut oil. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ones and stir only to combine: do not overbeat. Turn the batter into the prepared pan. Top with the berries. Cover with the crumb layer. Bake for about 50 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Makes one cake serving 8

Matzo Topped Turkey Pot Pie

Our first night Passover dinner always includes turkey. My grandmother served turkey on Passover, my Mom did too and so I follow our family tradition.

Also, because we are a family where some of us eat dark meat and some eat white, I roast a whole turkey (instructions here).

I change the seasonings and basting fluids from time to time. Sometimes I flavor the bird with Balsamic vinegar-ginger-pineapple and sometimes with sweet white wine and thyme, sometimes a simple sprinkle of salt, pepper, garlic and parika and a cup or two of orange juice.

My daughter Gillian is our family carver. She is so adept at carving turkey that in another century she would have had a job at some royal household or other.

There is always leftover turkey.

That means we have turkey pot pie at some point during the holiday.

Here’s my recipe for Passover Turkey Pie. Matzo crust of course!

Matzo Topped Turkey Pot Pie

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 medium onion, sliced

• 4 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick

• 2 medium all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size chunks

• 4 cups chopped cooked turkey

• 1-1/2 to 2 cups leftover chopped cooked vegetables

• 2-1/2 tablespoons potato starch

• 3 cups stock

• matzo

• 1 large egg

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes. Add the carrots and potatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the turkey and vegetables and stir to distribute the ingredients evenly. Sprinkle the potato starch on top and mix it into the ingredients. Pour in the stock and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly. Spoon the ingredients into a casserole dish. Depending on the size of the casserole, soak one or two sheets of matzo in cool water briefly to soften the pieces. Press out extra liquid with paper towels. Place the matzo on top of the ingredients. Brush with beaten egg. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until crispy on top.

Makes 4-6 servings

Cinnamon Scented Blueberry Bread

Looking for a delicious way to use up flour before Passover?

Try this blueberry bread — terrific for breakfast or for a snack during the day. It’s even good for dessert, maybe topped with some ice cream or sorbet.

Cinnamon Scented Blueberry Bread

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

• 1/3 cup solid coconut oil

• 1 large egg

• 3/4 cup orange juice

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9”x 5” or 8-1/2” x 4-1/2” loaf pan. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together into a bowl. Add the coconut oil in chunks and cut it into the dry ingredients with your fingers or a pastry blender. If you use an electric mixer, set it at low-medium speed. In a second bowl, beat the egg, orange juice and vanilla extract together until well blended. Add to the flour mixture and stir to blend ingredients. Fold in the blueberries. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 55 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Makes one loaf

Potato Pancakes for all occasions

Is there anyone who doesn’t like potato pancakes?

Can’t be!

I make all sorts of versions: Ashkenazi Jewish, Irish, Peruvian, German ….. and more. I make some with raw, shredded potatoes and some with cooked, mashed potatoes ….. and more.

I love all of them.

Recently I tinkered with one of my recipes for Irish mashed potato pancakes, basically combining it with another fabulous Irish mashed potato dish called Colcannon, which includes chopped cabbage or kale.

The result was these wonderful, crispy outside, meltingly tender inside Mashed Potato and Cabbage Pancakes.

I’ve made them with both cabbage and kale. I’ve coated them with panko, breadcrumbs and matzo meal.

They all work!

So — the recipe below, which is dairy-free and has a matzo meal crust, is a winner for St. Patrick’s Day, which is fun and gastronomically wonderful even if you’re not Irish, AND is a great side dish for Passover.

MASHED POTATO and Cabbage PANCAKES 

• 2 large all-purpose or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

• 1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped cabbage or kale

• 1 large egg

• 3 chopped fresh scallions

• 1/4 cup matzo meal (or bread crumbs)

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1/2 cup matzo meal, approximately (or use bread crumbs or panko)

• vegetable oil

Place the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. When the water begins to boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 12 minutes or until the potatoes are barely tender. Add the cabbage and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Drain and return the potato-cabbage mixture to the saucepan. Mash the vegetables with a fork or mashing tool. Stir in the egg, scallions and 1/4 cup matzo meal. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Make flat cakes, about 1/4-inch thick out of the potato mixture. Press each side of the cake into the remaining matzo meal, to coat each side. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Heat about 1/4-inch vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet or heavy, heat retaining sautepan over moderately high heat. Fry for about 3 minutes per side or until the pancakes are golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.

Makes about 12

Airfried Fried Chicken vs. Traditional Fried Chicken

Airfried breaded chicken wings

Traditional fried breaded chicken wings

I’ve continued to experiment with my air fryer and have had great success, particularly with vegetables.

I don’t love it for everything and I’ve written about that (latkes were an absolute disaster). Also, you can only do a small amount in an air fryer, so whereas cooking for two can be a plus, for a family, not so much.

Recently I made breaded fried chicken wings again and tested it out on 6 people. I served one recipe of old fashioned fried chicken (fried in soybean oil), and one recipe of airfried chicken.

The score was 3-3! Half the people liked the regular, half liked the airfried!

And so my friends, here is the recipe I used for each: you choose!

Please note: this experiment was for breaded chicken. I have a different recipe and procedure for roasted and airfried UNbreaded chicken wings.

Fried BREADED Chicken Wings

• 12 chicken wings cut into sections

• 2/3 cup all purpose flour

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 teaspoon paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• vegetable shortening or vegetable oil

Wash and dry the chicken sections. Combine the flour, salt, paprika, garlic powder and black pepper in a large dish. Coat the chicken pieces with the flour mixture. If possible, let the pieces airdry for at least 15 minutes. Heat enough shortening or vegetable oil in a deep cast iron or heavy skillet to reach halfway up the sides of the chicken. When the temperature reaches about 365 degrees (hot enough to sizzle a bread crumb quickly), add a few chicken pieces at a time — do not crowd the pan. Cook over medium heat, turning pieces occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until all pieces are well browned and cooked through. Drain the chicken on paper towels. 

To make this in an airfryer, coat the chicken with the flour mixture as above, then spray lightly with vegetable oil spray. Preheat the airfryer to 400 degrees. Place the wing parts in a single layer in the airfryer. Cook for 8 minutes, turn the pieces and cook for about 8 minutes or until nicely browned and crispy.

Makes 4 servings

Classic, Dairy-free Hamantashen

Every year in the few weeks before Purim I look with great anticipation for new variations on hamantashen. I can’t get over the creativity, not to mention how delicious so many of them sound! Halvah hamantashen (Amy Kritzer). Savory gochujang caramel hamantashen (Sharon Matten). A large, all-in-one, easy-to-bake pear-filled puff pastry hamantashen galette (Leah Koenig). Mazal tov to these fabulous women and the culinary magic they spin.

I also love tinkering and experimenting with recipes, creating new riffs on classics and making up recipes out of whole cloth. I’ve been doing this throughout my food-writing career. In fact, speaking of Purim and hamantashen, one year I won a contest run by Soom foods for my Spiced Lamb Phyllo Hamantashen with Lemon-Tahini Sauce.

OTOH sometimes I just want the old thing.

Like this past week, when I decided to bake some hamantashen for Purim and just wanted plain old apricot.

How about both? Why not!

Have fun baking hamantashen for the holiday — whether you decide to go with something new or the old classic. Or both.

Btw, if you need a good, classic dairy/shortbread version, here it is.

Here’s one for frozen dough hamantashen.

And in case you like prune-filled hamantashen, here’s my recipe for prune lekvar.

Classic, Dairy-free Hamantashen

• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

• 1-1/2 teaspoons grated orange peel

• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into chunks

• 3 tablespoons solid coconut oil

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1/3 cup orange juice

  Combine the flour, confectioners’ sugar, orange peel, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add the shortening and coconut oil and work into the dry ingredients until the mixture is crumbly. Combine the vegetable oil and orange juice and pour into the flour mixture. Mix until a soft dough has formed. Cover and chill for at least one hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll the dough thin (about 1/8” inch thick). Cut out circles with a 3-inch cookie cutter. Place about 2 teaspoons of filling in the center of each circle. Fold the dough around the filling to form a triangle. Seal them edges tightly. Place the triangles on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 20-22 minutes or lightly tanned.

   Makes 16-18

Chick Pea, Dried Fruit and Vegetable Pilaf

We have been eating more vegetarian dishes recently — somehow just in the mood and don’t have as big a yen for meat.

Besides, vegetarian dishes are traditional for Purim, which begins at sundown on Monday, March 6, 2023, so the casserole recipe below is something for you to consider this year.

We had this dish a few times (variations) and loved the combination of tangy and sweet (dried fruit), the savory chick peas and the seasoned but just gently spicy flavors in the rice.

It’s also a good way to use up rice and chick peas if you don’t eat them during Passover.

And — it’s a good bet for Break-the-fast if (as we do) you have a dairy or vegetarian feast instead of the traditional smoked fish.

Chick Pea, Dried Fruit and vegetable Pilaf

• 1 15 ounce can chick peas, drained

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• salt, paprika

• 3-4 medium scallions (or use a yellow onion), chopped

• 1 large clove garlic, chopped

• 2 medium carrots sliced 1/2-inch thick

• 1/2 cup halved dates, preferably medjool

• 1/3 cup cut up dried apricots

• 1/3 cup golden raisins

• 1-1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

• 1 teaspoon cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

• pinch or two of Aleppo pepper (or use crushed red pepper or cayenne)

• 1 cup white rice

• 2 cups vegetable stock

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the chick peas on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, pour one tablespoon of the olive oil over them and toss to coat them. Sprinkle with salt and paprika. Roast for about 20 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, or until the chick peas are lightly crispy. When they are done, remove the chick peas from the oven, set them aside and turn the oven heat to 350 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large heat-proof, oven-proof pan over medium heat. Add the scallions, garlic and carrots and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the dates, apricots and raisins. Sprinkle with salt, cumin, coriander and Aleppo pepper, stir and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the rice and chick peas. Stir to distribute the ingredients evenly. Pour in the stock, bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover the pan and place in the oven. Bake for about 45 minutes. Let rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

Makes 4 servings

Pan Roasted Chicken with Rice

We are about to celebrate Purim, a joyous, raucous holiday — this year it begins at sundown March 6, 2023.

Everyone will be feasting on hamantashen of course. And maybe other triangular shaped foods that imitate Haman’s hat. But Queen Esther was married to King Ahasuerus, a Persian, so a a traditional Purim Seudah (feast) could also include some delicious dishes from that part of the world.

Here is my recipe for Pan Roasted Chicken with Rice Stuffing, a dish inspired by the flavors of Persia. Of course it’s suitable any tine, but it is a festive, flavorful entree that’s perfect for Purim.

Pan Roasted Chicken with Rice Stuffing

Stuffing:

• 1 cup white rice

• 1-3/4 cups water

• 1 medium leek

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 cup diced winter squash

• 1 stalk celery, chopped

• 1 tart apple, peeled, cored and chopped

• 1 cup chopped dried chopped dates

• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the rice and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat and cook for one minute. Stir, turn the heat to lowest, cover the pan and cook for 18 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Trim the leek, discarding the thick, fibrous green leaves, and chop the tender green and white portion into small pieces. Set aside. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the squash and cook, stirring often, until the pieces are lightly crispy, about 3 minutes. Add the chopped leek and celery and cook for 2 minutes or until they have softened slightly. Remove the pan from the heat, add the cooled rice, apple, dates, thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly and set aside (reheat later or keep in a warm oven).

Chicken:

• 1 broiler-fryer chicken cut into 8 pieces (or use legs, breasts, etc.)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice or 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Rinse and dry the chicken parts. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat and cook the chicken, turning pieces once, for about 8 minutes, or until the skin is lightly browned. Mix the salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cayenne pepper and sprinkle over the chicken. Place the pan in the oven. Roast for about 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (an instant-read thermometer should read 160°F). Spoon the stuffing onto a serving dish, top with chicken parts, drizzle the stuffing with any accumulated juices and serve.

Makes 4-6 servings.