New Nosh Now

First Course:

Cauliflower and Watercress Salad - T & J

Main:

Jerusalem (Israeli) Salad - L & T

Broccoli Kugel - J & K

Kibbeh - Z & K

Dessert:

Cloud Cake - B & A

Broccoli Kugel

Inspiration

Broccoli Kugel

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
1 large onion diced
6 cups of broccoli florets finely chopped
¼ cup raw quick cooking oats or potato starch
3 large eggs lightly beaten
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
½ cup chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 9-inch pie plate with olive oil.

Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes, and transfer to a large  mixing bowl.  Add broccoli, oats, eggs, parsley, dill, salt, and pepper, stir and let sit for 5 minutes.  Poor kugel mixture into prepared pan.

Bake at 400°F for 1 hour, until golden on the top. 

Lebanese Kibbeh

Original Syrian Kibbeh Source 

The one actually made for dinner

Kibbeh

Ingredients

Kibbeh Shell

1 ½ cups cold water

2 cups bulgur wheat

1 pound ground turkey

2 peeled and roughly chopped yellow onions

1/2 tsp Coriander

1/2 tsp Allspice

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

2 teaspoons sea salt

Kibbeh Filling

2 tablespoons Olive oil

2 peeled and small diced yellow onions

1 pound ground turkey

1 tablespoon paprika

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

salt to taste

¼ cup toasted pine nuts

neutral-flavored oil for frying

Method

Soak the bulgur: Pour the water over the bulgur wheat in a medium-size bowl just until covered. Mix and set aside for 15-20 minutes.

Cook the filling: Next, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large frying pan over low to medium heat and add in the 2 small-diced onions and brown stirring occasionally, which takes about 20 minutes.

Turn the heat to high and add in the ground lamb and cook until lightly browned and cooked through out, which takes about 4-6 minutes. Stir often to break up into small pieces.

Stir in the spice blend, fresh basil, fresh mint, salt, and toasted pine nuts, and set aside.

Make the shell: Transfer the soaked bulgur wheat to a food processor along with the roughly chopped onions and pulse on high speed until the onions are finely minced.

Next, add in the ground lamb, spices, fresh herbs, and salt, and pulse on high speed until it becomes smooth.

Form the Kibbeh:

Lightly dip your hands in some water and grab about a golf ball size of the processed meat and wheat and form to a ball.

Dip your thumb in some water and press in the center while rotating the meat with your other hand to form a hollow cone-like shape.

Spoon in some of the cooked lamb and caramelized onion mixture into the inside of the hollowed-out kibbeh shell.

Pull up the sides of the kibbeh shell and pinch the top.

Cupping your hands, roll the kibbeh to form a pointy cylinder-like shape or quenelle.

Repeat this process until all the ingredients have been used up and place them on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper.

Fry and Serve:

Fry the kibbeh in batches in a pan of neutral flavored oil at 350° for 2 ½ to 3 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked throughout.

Drain on a rack lined cookie sheet tray.

Notes

Make-Ahead: These are meant to be eaten when they are done cooking. However, you can keep this warm on a rack-lined cookie sheet tray in the oven at 165° for up to 30 minutes before serving.

How to Store: Cover and store in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. You can freeze these covered for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.

How to Reheat: Add the desired number of kibbehs to a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and bake at 350° for 6-8 minutes or until hot on the inside.

You can use a combination of beef and lamb, but all lamb is traditional.

If the outside shell ingredients in the food processor are too dry and not moving, add a few tablespoons of water. If it’s too wet, add some flour or corn starch.

Be sure to have little bowls of water and or oil to dip your hands in before forming the kibbeh so the meat does not stick.

There should be enough oil to cover half of the kibbeh while they’re cooking.

If at any point the kibbeh is sticking to your hands at all, just lightly coat your hands in a little bit of cold water.

Jerusalem (or Israeli) Salad

Source - Check out this page for the history of this salad

Israeli Salad

Ingredients

1 pound Persian cucumbers, diced
1 pound fresh ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/3 cup minced onion (optional)
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste (I use about 1/2 tsp)

Method

Slice the Persian cucumber in half lengthwise.  Slice each half into 4 slices lengthwise, so you have 8 long, thin pieces total.  Hold the long, thin pieces together with one hand, and slice the bunch into very small pieces with the other hand. 

Place the diced cucumbers into a large mixing bowl along with all the other ingredients.

Mix until vegetables are well coated with parsley, oil, lemon juice, and salt.

Best served fresh at room temperature. You can also serve chilled for a more refreshing salad.

Chocolate Cloud Cake

Source

Chocolate Cloud Cake

 Ingredients

Cake

8 ounces (225g) best-quality bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (110g) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into 1-tablespoon pieces
6 large eggs
1 cup (200g) sugar
2 tablespoon cognac or Grand Marnier (optional)
Finely grated zest of 1 orange (about 1 tablespoon; optional)

Whipped Cream

1 1/2 cup (355g) heavy cream, very cold
3 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Unsweetened cocoa powder and/or bittersweet chocolate shavings, for topping

Method

Make the cake: heat the oven to 350°F (175°C), with a rack in the center. Line the bottom of an 8-inch (20cm) springform pan with parchment paper. (Do not butter the pan and parchment.)

Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over but not touching gently simmering water in a saucepan. You can whisk it occasionally to help it along. When it’s melted, remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the butter until smooth.

In two small bowls, separate 4 of the eggs. In a large bowl, whisk 2 whole eggs and the 4 egg yolks with 1/2 cup (100g) of the sugar just until combined. Slowly whisk in the warm chocolate mixture. Whisk in the Cognac and the orange zest. Using a handheld mixer in a separate bowl, beat the 4 egg whites until foamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup (100g) sugar and beat until beautifully glossy, soft peaks form that hold their shape but aren’t quite stiff, about 5 minutes more. Very gently fold about a quarter of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining whites. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top.

Set the pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the top is puffed and cracked and the center is no longer wobbly, 35 to 40 minutes. Be careful not to bake the cake beyond this point.

Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack. The center of the cake will sink as it cools, forming a sort of crater.  Let the cake cool completely on a rack.

Make the whipped cream, whip the cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl with a handheld mixer until billowy, soft—not stiff—peaks form.

To Serve:

Using a spatula, fill the sunken center of the cake with the whipped cream, swirling the cream to the edges of the crater. Dust the top lightly with cocoa powder.

Run the tip of a knife around the edge of the cake, carefully remove the sides of the pan, and cut into wedges to serve.

Store any leftovers airtight in the refrigerator

Cauliflower, watercress and Feta Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

Source 

Make ahead - the spelt and dressing can be prepared up to 1 day ahead and stored in refrigerator.  Bring to room temperature before serving.  The cauliflower can be roasted up to 12 hours ahead - bring to room temperature when serving.

Cauliflower, watercress and Feta Salad

Spelt, a wheat species from Eastern Europe, is available at health food markets. substitute with any wheat grain you prefer such as farro or wheat berries.

Ingredients

2 small cauliflowers
Oil spray
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup spelt
1/2 cup pine nuts
8 cups water cress or baby arugula
1/2 lb. crumbled feta

For the green Goddess dressing

1.5 cups Greek yogurt

1.5 cups basil leaves
1 cup mint leaves
8 green onions, green part only
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil

Method

Cauliflower: Oven to 375 degrees. Separate cauliflower to small 1-2 inches florets. Spray two rimmed baking sheets with oil, spread florets on sheets. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle 1 teaspoons kosher salt, mix with your hands and roast for 45-50 minutes, flipping cauliflower and rotating pans at about 25 minutes for even roasting. Cool.

Spelt:  (Follow package directions if substituting Farro or wheat berries) Bring 4 cups of water to boil, lower heat and cover pot and cook until tender, about 50 minutes. Strain and keep aside.

Roast pine nuts in a skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until golden. Remove immediately from skillet and let cool in a bowl.

Dressing: put all ingredients in a mixer and mix until smooth. Transfer to small bowl.

To Serve: Divide greens among plates, top each serving with cauliflower, spelt, pine nuts and feta.  Drizzle the plates with some of the dressing.  Serve the rest of the dressing on a side.

Happy Yummy Yummy Six

Recipes to celebrate the New Year from around the world

Appetizer

America -  Black-eyed pea appetizer - B & A

Main Course

China - Lionshead meatballs - Z & K

Greece, Turkey and parts of Italy - Pomegranate Salad - J & K

Rosh Hashana - Scallion Challah - L & T

Dessert

Japan - Mochi Muffins (Strawberry or a Variation) - T & J