The Kosher Girl

Passover 2010

chef sam — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 01:13:54 +0000

I’m thrilled to be back cooking after taking a break to have my son, Zion. He was born July 18^th and he is a joy. He loves to play on the kitchen floor while I cook, his favorite toy is a set of measuring cups..of course! I’m getting ready for Passover by cleaning house and working on some new recipes. Check out my favorite Passover granola. We continue to make it all holiday long.

Would you like to bring The Kosher Girl to your community. I’m available this spring for personal cooking lessons or new cooking demonstrations including Healthy Weeknight Dinners, Kid-Friendly Cuisine, Spice Up Your Shabbat Table and more.

Springtime Asparagus

chef sam — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:57:26 +0000

This is an extremely simple yet delicious way to prepare asparagus. For this recipe the quality of the asparagus is important to look for fresh, large, thick spears of asparagus from your local farmer’s market.
Serves: 2 people
Prep. Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Tools: Baking sheet
INGREDIENTS
1 bunch of asparagus stalks
2 tablespoons olive oil
pinch of kosher salt
1 slice of lemon
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 400º.
2. Wash the asparagus spears and gently break off the ends of the asparagus to get rid of the woody parts. The asparagus should naturally break in the right place.
3. 3. Drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle the salt over the asparagus.
4. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, tossing once.
5. Squeeze lemon over the asparagus and serve immediately.

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Terra Chip Chicken

chef sam — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:53:05 +0000

This chicken dish is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. You can find kosher for Passover Terra chips at most grocery stores. Your children will enjoy it because they get to eat chicken dipped in potato chips (sssh don’t tell them that the chips are made with veggies)…what could be better?
Serves: 8 people
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Tools: 8×8 pyrex or casserole dish or aluminum tin, 3 medium bowls. 1 large ziplock bag
INGREDIENTS
12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts (pounded)
2 cups apricot jam, duck sauce or honey mustard type marinade*
1 bag terra vegetable chips
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs
6 tablespoon margarine, melted
DIRECTIONS
1. Marinate your chicken in the jam, duck sauce or honey mustard. The chicken should marinate for at least 30 minutes, it can be left in the refrigerator to marinate overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of a pyrex dish, casserole dish or aluminum tin with cooking spray or margarine.
3. Pour the terra chips into a zip lock bag and mash the chips until they turn into crumbs.
4. Pour the chip crumbs into a bowl; add the garlic powder and black pepper and mix.
5. In another bowl whisk the eggs.
6. Using a fork, remove the chicken from the marinade and dip each piece into the scrambled eggs and then the terra chip crumbs. Lay the chicken in a single layer in the greased pyrex, casserole dish or tin.
7. Pour the melted margarine over the top of the chicken.
8. Bake the chicken in the oven for 45 – 60 minutes or until it is cooked through. The amount of time in the oven will depend on the thickness of your chicken and whether you use white or dark meat.
9. Remove chicken from the oven and place on a platter to serve.
* What you’re looking for is a sweet marinade that is kosher for Passover, apricot jam, duck sauce or a honey mustard marinade will do

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Passover Granola

chef sam — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:22:42 +0000

This granola has saved my mother for years. Right after the Sedarim she makes four batches and stores them in a huge plastic container. Two days later, she makes four more! She uses it as a topping for sweet potato casserole and to add a little crunch to baked apples. In our household we eat it for breakfast, dinner, and dessert. It’s also perfect for grab-and-go munching when you’re in the mood for a snack. Make this recipe and I’m sure you’ll find it disappearing in your house too!
Serves: 4 people
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Tools: Cookie sheet, 2 quart sauce pan, spatula, airtight container
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups matzah farfel
1 cup shredded coconut l
3/4 cup chopped nuts (I like walnuts and a few slivered almonds)
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup margarine
1/4 cup brown sugar
Optional Add-Ins: dried apricots (chopped), dried cherries, dried cranberries or raisins
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. On a jelly roll pan, toss together the matzah farfel, coconuts, and nuts. Bake for 15 minutes, tossing 2 times. Keep an eye on it to make sure the coconut doesn’t burn.
3. In a sauce pan, mix together the honey, margarine, and brown sugar. Simmer this syrup over a low flame for 5 minutes. Stir it continuously so it doesn’t burn.
4. Remove the farfel from the oven and pour the syrup mixture over the top of the farfel mixture. Toss it together with a spatula. This mixture is very sticky, so have patience and be prepared to get your fingers a little messy. Make sure to coat all of the farfel with the syrup.
5. Bake for 20 minutes more, tossing once. Watch the granola to make sure it doesn’t burn. When you remove the granola from the oven it will still be sticky. Allow the granola to dry for a few minutes in the pan and then transfer it to an airtight container to finish drying. The granola will stick together; break it into smaller pieces with your fingers.
6. Add in your favorite dried fruit, if desired.

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Sauteed Leek and Fig Salad

chef sam — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:20:21 +0000

I love to introduce my classes to new and interesting ways to mix up a salad. Salads are such a big part of our lives, we enjoy them for lunch or as a starter before dinner. After a while I just get sick of salad, which is why I love to mix it up with fun ingredients, different textures and varying temperatures.
Serves: 4 people
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Tools: Medium sauté pan, small sauce pot, large platter to serve
INGREDIENTS
3 leeks
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
4 cups mixed spring lettuce
5- 6 fresh figs, sliced into thin slices (about 5 slices per fig)
pepper grinder
DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare leeks by slicing off the root ends and the green portion of the stalk. Slice the leeks in half lengthwise and wash well. Slice leek into ¼ inch thick slice horizontally.
2. Add the olive oil to the sauté pan and place over a medium flame. Add the leeks and ¼ teaspoon salt. Sauté leek until they are softened tender about 10 minutes. Stir leeks occasionally so that they do not burn.
3. Add the vinegar, brown sugar and remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt to the sauce pot and place over a low flame. Simmer the vinegar mixture until it reduces by half about 10 minutes. Take care not to burn.
4. Spread the lettuces out on a flat platter. Add the sautéed leeks and their cooking oil over the lettuce. Scatter the peaches over the top of the leeks. Drizzle the balsamic over the lettuce and grind fresh black pepper over the top.
As an added bonus you can grate some fresh manchego cheese over the top.

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Quinoa Cakes

chef sam — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:09:51 +0000

I love Quinoa for it’s healthy qualities and versatility. It’s delicious for breakfast with a drizzle of honey and it makes a fabulous side dish for dinner. You can throw in some roasted vegetables or dried fruit and nuts to add flavor. In this recipe I decided to take advantage of it’s nutty flavor when it’s crispy and make it into small cakes plus kids love them even though they’re full of veggies. I’m giving you two preparations. The first is lightly fried and the second is baked.
Serves: 6 people
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Tools: medium saucepot, food processer, medium sauté pan, mixing bowls, measuring cups, baking sheets (baked option)
INGREDIENTS
1 cup Quinoa
½ zucchini, roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
½ small onion, peeled and roughly chopped
¼ cup frozen spinach
¼ cup canola oil
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon tehini paste
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ cup part skim ricotta cheese
pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg
½ cup flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare the quinoa according to the directions on the package (2 cups water for 1 cup quinoa).
2. Add the zucchini, carrot, onion and spinach to the bowl of the food processor. Pulse 20 times so that the vegetables are all evenly chopped and mixed together. You want them to be small but not pureed.
3. Place the sauté pan over a medium flame and add 1 tablespoon of canola oil. Add the vegetable mixture and sauté for 5 minutes until the vegetables are no longer raw. You want them to soften.
4. Add the cooked vegetables and quinoa to a large bowl and allow the mixture to cool completely.
5. In another bowl mix together the ricotta cheese, tehini paste, lemon juice and egg.
6. In small third bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper.
7.Once the quinoa has cooled add the flour mixture and ricotta mixture to the quinoa and stir thoroughly. At this point the mixture may be refrigerated for up to 1 day.
8. To prepare the cakes place the cleaned sauté pan over a medium flame and add the remaining canola oil. Allow it to get hot for 3 minutes.
9. Take a ¼ or ½ cup measuring cups depending on the size cakes you want to prepare. Fill the measuring cup with the quinoa and drop the mixture into the hot oil. Pat down like a latke. Allow the cake to cook for 7 – 10 minutes depending on it’s size. The cake should be golden brown on the bottom and not stick to the pan. Flip the cake over and allow it to cook for another 7 – 10 minutes on the other side.
10. Transfer the cake to a plate lined with paper towel to soak up the excess oil. Serve immediately or reheat on an oiled baking sheet in a 350º oven for 12 minutes.
An alternative to frying: You can scoop the cake mixture onto an oiled baking sheet and place in a 400º oven for 20 minutes. Be sure to press down lightly on the cakes when you place them on the sheet. The cakes will only be crunchy on one side but they’ll still be tasty.

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Chocolate Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Rum Sauce (Parve)

chef sam — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:00:51 +0000

So this is not one of my healthiest recipes but can you say DECADANT! Wow, it’s so delicious and you’ll never believe that it’s parve. Trust me, anyone you serve this to will be eating out of the palm of your hand. This recipe is adapted from a recipe I found in “Epicurious.com”
Serves: 10 – 12 people
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Tools: 8×10 pyrex or baking dish, large bowl, whisk
INGREDIENTS
1 challah bread (plain or whole wheat) with crust, cut into 1 inch cubes
10 tablespoons of buttery sticks (or butter), melted
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups non-dairy creamer (or half and half)

2 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons brown sugar

½ cup dried cherries or apricots, chopped (OPTIONAL)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350º and spray your baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Place the bread and chocolate chips in the large bowl, pour 8 tablespoons of melted butter over them and toss to coat. Transfer the bread and chips to the baking dish.

3. In the same bowl add the non-dairy creamer (or half and half), eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, salt and whisk well to combine.

4. Pour the custard mixture over the bread mixture and let stand in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (up to 1 day). Occasionally press the bread cubes down the coat them in the custard.

5. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over the pudding and sprinkle with brown sugar.

6. Bake 1 hour until puffed and brown.

7. Serve immediately with cinnamon rum sauce.This dish can be made up to 4 hours ahead and reheated in the oven.

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Cinnamon Rum Sauce

chef sam — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:56:09 +0000

Once again….this is not healthy but it is decedent and delicious. You’ll want to eat it by the spoonful. I recommend reserving the extra in the freezer, reheating it over a low flame and spooning it over frozen yogurt or ice cream. This recipe is adapted from a recipe I found in “Epicurious.com”
Serves: makes 2 cups
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Tools: small saucepot, whisk
INGREDIENTS
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted buttery sticks or butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups non-dairy creamer (or half and half)

2 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup dark rum

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the mixtures is bubbling – about 6 minutes.

2. Remove from heat and whisk in the rum and vanilla.

3. Serve warm.

Sauce can be kept in the refrigerator or freezer and reheated over a low flame.

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Roasted Brussels Sprout

chef sam — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:07:49 +0000

I love brussels sprout when they’re prepared simply in the oven. The leaves get crispy and some begin to fall off and brown. Just a sprinkle of salt and they are ready to pop into your mouth.
Serves: 4 people
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Tools: baking sheet
INGREDIENTS
3 cups brussels sprout
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400º. Clean brussels sprout by slicing off the ends. If you’re working with large brussels sprout then slice them in half. If you’re working with small brussels sprout then just clean off some loose, brown leaves.
2. Spread brussels sprout out onto baking sheet,drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put in oven to bake for 45 minutes.
3. They are ready when they are tender and crispy. Serve immediately or reheat for 5 minutes in a hot oven.

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Jeweled Rice

chef sam — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:00:14 +0000

The recipe was shown to me by my dear friend Nava in Israel. It is a very flavorful way to dress up your rice.
Serves: 4 people
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Tools: 2 quart sauce pot, mesh strainer, large glass bowl
INGREDIENTS
2 cups white rice, medium or long grain
2 tablespoons kosher salt, separated
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, minced
2 large or 3 medium carrots, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon tumeric
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup currants or raisins
DIRECTIONS
1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a 2 – 3 quart sauce pot.
2. Add the 2 cups of rice and 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. When the rice returns to a boil, cook for 5 minutes then take it off the heat and drain the rice in a strainer. Once drained, add the half-cooked rice to a large bowl.
3. Do not wash the pot. Put the pot back over a low flame and add the two tablespoons of olive oil.
4. Add the onions and sauté for 3 minutes.
5. Add the carrots and sauté for another 3 minutes.
6. Add the cumin, cinnamon, tumeric, cloves, black pepper, currants and remaining tablespoon of kosher salt.
7. Saute for 5 more minutes, mixing all of the spices into the onions and carrots with a spatula.
8. Remove the pot from the heat and add the spiced vegetables to the large bowl of rice. Mix the spices throughout the rice.
9. Do not wash the pot. Add the remaining teaspoon of olive oil to the pot. Put it back over a low flame and add the spiced rice.
10. Place a top on the pot and cook for 20 minutes.
11. Serve the rice and don’t forget to scrape the crispy rice from the bottom of the pot. It’s most people’s favorite part.

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