Brown meat in heavy pot; add onions & brown over medium heat; add wine, other liquid & dried fruit; bring to simmer; add salt & pepper to taste; simmer covered for 2-1/2 hours or until tender. Remove roast from pot to slicing board; skim fat from gravy; slice meat. Arrange on platter & top with fruited gravy. (Serves 8 to 10)
MEAT PIE
6-7 hard boiled eggs
6 potatoes, boiled and mashed
2 egs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil or chicken fat
2 pounds chopped meat
1 large onion pinch of salt
In separate pot, boil eggs to hard-boiled. Set aside.
Boil and mash potatoes with eggs and salt. Set aside.
In frying pan, brown onion and chopped meat.
Grease pan with olive oil or chicken fat. Put chopped meat on bottom of pot. Peel and slice hard-boiled eggs for second layer. Top with mashed potatoes.
Cook at 350° for 1 hour or until done. Scoop out carefully so layers do not lose shape.
When baking you may want to add an additional layer of mashed potatoes on the bottom of pan. Serves 6
HONEY GOLDEN CHICKEN-SABRA STYLE
1 chicken, cut into serving pieces
½ lemon
2 tsp ground ginger
Salt to taste
1/3 cup oil
¼ cup honey
Rub chicken pieces with lemon. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. ginger and salt. Combine oil, honey and remaining ginger and brush the chicken with this mixture. Roast it in moderate over (350 F) for 1 ½- 2 hours, basting occasionally with honey mixture.
ROASTED LEMON HERB CHICKEN
1 (3-pound) whole chicken
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 lemons
2 tablespoons olive oil
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C)
Combine the seasoning, salt, dry mustard, garlic powder and black pepper; set aside. Rinse the chicken thoroughly, and remove the giblets.
Place chicken in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle 1-1/2 teaspoons of the spice mixture inside the chicken. Rub the remaining mixture on the outside of the chicken
Squeeze the juice of the 2 lemons into a small bowl or cup, and mix with the olive oil. Drizzle this oil/juice mixture over the chicken
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes, until juices run clear, basting several times with the remaining oil mixture.
APRICOT BRISKET
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 pounds beef brisket (could be smaller)
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
1 pound dried apricots
In a large heavy skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, brown the beef on all sides. If the brisket is too large, cut it in half first, and brown in two stages. Place the meat in a large Dutch oven with a lid.
Add onions to the drippings in the skillet. Saute over medium heat until the onions are beginning to brown. Stir in garlic, and cook for 2 or 3 more minutes. Pour over the brisket in the Dutch oven.
Empty one package of dry, instant onion soup mix over the browned onions and meat. Arrange all of the apricots on top of the soup mix. Pour enough water around outside of meat, not on top, to cover the sides of brisket. Cover
Bake at 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) for 1 hour. Check liquid; if dish is starting to look dry, add a bit more water around meat. Cover, and cook another hour. Remove lid, and stir apricots into gravy. Leave uncovered, and cook for another hour. Stir gravy again, and add more water if the gravy is too thick. Meat should be very tender; if necessary, bake for an additional 1/2 hour. Cut across grain to serve.
CHICKEN IN ORANGE SAUCE
Six 4-oz. chicken breast halves, skinned
3 tablespoons orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 cup defatted chicken broth or water
3 whole cloves
1 3-inch cinnamon stick
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper to taste
1-1/2 teaspoons potato starch
Orange slices for garnish
Parsley sprigs
In a nonstick skillet, over medium-high heat, brown the chicken breast on both sides in the orange juice concentrate and 1/4 cup of the broth for about 15-20 minutes
Add the cloves, cinnamon stick, pepper, cayenne, and 1/2 cup of the broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 7-10 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink inside
With the remaining 1/4 cup broth, blend in the potato starch until smooth. Add this mixture to the skillet and stir until the gravy thickens and begins to bubble. Arrange the chicken on a platter and pour the sauce over all or pass the sauce around to individual plates. Garnish with the orange slices and parsley. Serves 4-6
PASSOVER (PESACH) BROWNIES
5 eggs
2 ½ cups white sugar
1 ¼ cups vegetable oil
1 ¼ cups matzo cake meal
1 ½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ¼ cups chopped walnuts
Beat eggs and sugar. Add oil. Mix in cake meal and cocoa. Add nuts (or use the nuts as a topping).
Bake in a greased 9 X 13 inch pan at 325 degrees F for 35 minutes. The secret to moist brownies, pesach or otherwise, is to underbake them. Check them at 30 minutes. I also put nuts on top rather than in the brownies for two reasons. They make the top look good without having to frost them and, for those who don't or can't eat nuts, they are easily removed without having to search for them.
CHOCOLATE ALMOND TORTE WITH STRAWBERRY SAUCE
1 ¼ cup sugar
1 cup margarine, softened
4 eggs, separated
2 ¼ cups almonds, sliced, blanched
7 oz. unsweetened chocolate
SAUCE:
2 cups strawberries, frozen, unsweetened
1 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 300. Line the bottom of a 9 inch spring-form pan with wax paper; grease paper. With blender, mix sugar and margarine until fluffy. Add egg yolks. In a food processor, process almonds and chocolate until finely ground. Stir into sugar mixture. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites to still peaks. Mix 1/3 whites into batter. Gently fold in remaining whites. Spread batter into pan, smoothing top. Bake about 1 ½ hours, until top springs bake. Cool for 10 minutes before releasing.
Sauce: In small saucepan, combine sauce ingredients and puree. Simmer 3 minutes. Cover and cool.
To Serve: place sauce on plate, place torte on top.
PERSIAN FRUIT SALAD
2 seedless oranges, peeled and cored
2 apples, peeled and cored
2 bananas, sliced
2 cups pitted dates, chopped
1 cup dried apricots, chopped
1 cup orange juice
1 cup almonds, chopped
Place fruit in serving bowl
Pour orange juice over fruit and mix gently
Garnish with almonds or coconut
Cover and chill several hours before serving.
PASSOVER CHEESECAKE WITH STRAWBERRY SAUCE
2 cups soft coconut macaroon cookie crumbs (kosher for Passover)
6 tablespoons margarine, melted
4 (8 ounce) packages Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
4 eggs
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
1 (10 ounce) package frozen strawberries in lite syrup, drained, reserving ¼ cup syrup
2 teaspoons orange juice
Mix cookie crumbs and margarine.
Press into bottom and 1 inch up sides of lightly greased 9-inch spring-form pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in peel; pour over crust.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until center is almost set.
Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate.
Place strawberries in blender or food processor container; cover. Blend until smooth. Strain. Stir in reserved syrup and juice. Serve with cheesecake.
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE
12oz. chocolate chips
1 tbsp. sweet wine
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted margarine
4 eggs, separated
¼ tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. salt
Melt chocolate and wine in double boiler or microwave
Add margarine and mix.
Beat whites until stiff.
Beat yolks until creamy.
Add vanilla, salt and chocolate to yolk mixture and mix.
Fold whites into chocolate.
Pour into greased and sugared 9 inch spring-form or round cake pan.
Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.
APPLE CAKE WITH STREUSEL
3 eggs
¾ cup sugar
1/3 cup oil
¾ cup cake meal
5 apples, peeled and sliced streusel topping
½ cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
Beat the eggs with sugar and oil until the mixture is light colored.
Add the cake meal and mix well.
Pour half of the mixture into a greased pan. 8 or 9 inch pan.
Put half of the apples over the batter.
Pour the rest of the batter over the apples and over with the remaining apples.
Mix the topping in a small bowl and sprinkle over the cake.
Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 1 ½ hours.
PASSOVER RASPBERRY JAM CAKE
8 eggs separated
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 lemon, juiced & rind
2 tbsp raspberry jam / preserves
½ cup cake meal and ½ cup potato starch, combined
¼ tsp salt
Crushed walnuts
Raspberries (for garnish)
Preheat oven to 325
Spray a long pan with cooking spray. Cover bottom & sides with parchment paper (makes it easier to remove)
Beat egg whites and salt until very stiff
Beat egg yolks and sugar until smooth and light
Add lemon juice and rind, jam, and dry ingredients; mix well
Gently fold egg whites into mixture
Pour into prepared pan. Top with nuts
Bake for 1 hour or until set up nicely
Remove cake and invert on cooling rack.
When cool, turn cake over so nuts are on top
Garnish with raspberries
PASSOVER HONEY NUT CAKE IN SOAKING SYRUP
CAKE
¾ cup white sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup oil
3 eggs
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest, finely minced
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup matzoh cake meal
½ cup finely chopped hazelnuts or almonds
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
Soaking Syrup
2/3 cup sugar
¼ cup honey
1/3 cup orange juice
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 7 inch round layer cake pan. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, using a wire whisk, beat the sugar, oil, and eggs. Beat very well until mixture is thick and a pale yellow. Stir in orange juice, zest, salt, cinnamon, cake meal, and nuts. Turn batter into prepared pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes for until top is light brown and set. (Cool at least 20 minutes before adding syrup)
Soaking Syrup:
In a medium saucepan, heat the sugar, honey, orange juice, water, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Heat to dissolve sugar and simmer 5-10 minutes until mixture becomes syrupy. Cool well. Pour syrup over cooled cake, poking holes in cake with a fork, a permit syrup to penetrate cake. Allow to stand 2-4 hours to absorb syrup. I prefer to refrigerate this cake so that while it is absorbing liquid, it is also firming up. Also, the chilled cake offsets its innate sweetness and makes it easier to cut.
MOCHA ROLL CAKE
1/2 cup matza meal
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
cream of tartar
1 cup ground walnuts
1 pint heavy cream (for whip cream)
powdered sugar
2 teaspoons coffee
Line cookie sheet with wax paper
In a large bowl, put ½ cup of matza meal. Beat 6 egg yolks with a ½ cup of sugar.
In another bowl, beat the egg whites with cream of tartar.
Slowly pour the mix into the bowl with the egg whites, and stir. Add walnuts.
Pour the mix into the cookie sheet and bake for a ½ hour until done.
Remove from oven.
Put powdered sugar on a towel.
Roll the baked mix while still hot.
Make whipped cream and add 2 tsp. coffee so you make it mocha. Add powdered sugar to taste.
Open towel carefully. Spread mocha all over the cake and roll the cake again (without towel) and put it on a platter with the whipped cream.
Decorate with walnuts. When frozen, it tastes like ice-cream. This may be refrigerated.
POTATOES & ONIONS BAKED IN BROTH
6 medium potatoes, peeled & sliced into ½ inch slices
2 cups onions, chopped
1 ½ cups vegetable broth
1 tsp oil
salt & pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350
Grease 9X13 inch baking pan
Place all ingredients in pan, mixing up potatoes & onions
Cover
Bake for 1 hour. Uncover last few minutes to brown a little.
Serves six
HERBED POTATOES
6-8 potatoes, peeled
4 shallots/spring onions, chopped
2 tbsp parsley
1 tbsp dill, chopped
¼ - ½ cup butter, melted
Salt & pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350
Grease 9X13 inch baking pan
Place thin layer of potatoes in pan
Combine onions, parsley, dill, salt & pepper.
Alternately layer herbs & potato slices, finishing with potatoes on top.
Put butter over top of potatoes
Cover with foil
Bake 1 hour, removing foil for last 15 minutes to brown the top
PILAF
1 cup quinoa (you can get at Sprouts or Whole Foods)
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup celery, minced
8 oz mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
Soak quinoa in bowl of water for 5-10 minutes
Saute onions, add celery, then mushrooms & briefly sauté all together
Drain & rinse quinoa
In medium saucepan, combine all ingredients with broth and bring to boil. Add a little water
Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15-20 minutes until just tender
Drain any liquid, then serve
Serve warm
POTATO LATKES
4 medium potatoes, peeled & scrubbed
1 medium onion, chopped finely
2 eggs, slightly beaten
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2-3 tbsp matzah meal (ground matzah)
Oil (or cooking spray) for frying
Applesauce or sour cream (optional)
Grate potatoes
Add onions, eggs, salt, pepper and matzah meal; mix well
Pour enough oil in a frying pan to just cover the bottom
Fry batter by heaping tablespoons in oil
Drain, top with applesauce or sour cream
Serve warm
BROCCOLI KNISHES
1 cup potatoes, mashed
1/3 cup matzah meal (ground matzah)
2 tbsp potato starch
½ small onion, finely chopped
2 egg whites
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp salt
1 cup broccoli (fresh or frozen), steamed & finely chopped
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 375
In a bowl, combine potatoes, matzah meal, starch, onion, egg whites, pepper & salt, then mix together
Divide dough into balls and flatten.
Divide broccoli evenly onto each flattened circle, fold over, and press edges to seal. They should be half-moons.
Spray baking sheet with cooking spray
Arrange knishes on baking sheet
Bake on bottom rack of oven 15 minutes until just browning
Serve hot
BROCCOLI AND CARROT VINAGRETTE
1 pound broccoli, fresh & cut up
2 carrots, sliced
¼ cup oil
2 tbsp wine or cider vinegar
1 tbsp chives
1 tsp parsley (or 1 tbsp fresh)
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp paprika
Salt & pepper to taste
Steam broccoli & carrots until tender; allow to cool
Whisk together all other ingredients.
Combine everything and chill
Toss and serve cold
CARROT TZIMMES
6 carrots, sliced & cooked
1 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp matzoh meal
½ cup brown sugar
2 tbsp butter
Salt & pepper to taste
Melt better in frying pan. Stir in meal & add broth; stir until thickened
Add sugar, salt, and pepper
Gently fold in carrots.
Keep warm until serving time.
CARROT KISHKA
2 cups carrots, grated
½ small onion, grated
½ tsp salt
1 cup matzah meal (ground matzah)
1 stick butter, melted
Preheat oven to 400
Combine all ingredients
Place on a sheet of foil and shape into loaf
Fold foil around the loaf and twist ends closed
Bake on a cookie sheet for 1 hour
Slice
Serve warm
SPINACH WITH CHICKPEAS AND FRESH DILL
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 ½ cups canned chickpeas, drained
1 pound fresh spinach, washed with thick stems cut off
½ cup fresh dill, minced
2 lemons, juiced
Salt & pepper to taste
In large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat
Add onion & sauté until soft
Add chickpeas; toss and coat in oil
Add spinach and dill to skillet; cook until spinach starts to cook down
Stir in lemon juice
Season with salt & pepper
Serve warm
PASSOVER SPINACH FRITATTA
Two 10-oz packages of frozen, chopped spinach
3 matzah meal (ground matzah)
4 eggs, beaten
Salt & pepper to taste
1 pinch nutmeg
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
Heat spinach in a saucepan with ½ cup water until thawed.
Drain spinach, reserving half of the liquid
Crumble matzoh into mixing bowl, pour the spinach and remaining liquid over it
Mix thoroughly until matzoh is softened.
Add half the cheese, eggs, salt, nutmeg, and pepper
Melt butter in 12 inch skillet, and add the mixture.
Cook over medium heat, uncovered, 5 minutes each side