Extra Schmaltz!

ROOT VEGETABLE STEW This is a hearty, colorful stew, with a variety of textures. I invented it in my head before I went to the store, so I selected the ingredients intentionally. Of course, it is a great way to combine root veggies that have accumulated in the fridge, and it doesn't matter if they are a bit wrinkly. I do, however, suggest that you peel the vegetables for a smoother and more savory taste without too many unwanted earthy tones. Refrain from adding leafy veggies, at least the first time you make it. Ingredients: (these quantities will make a large batch, at least enough for 4-6 servings) 1 large onion 2-3 each: (cut into small/medium sized cubes) Potatoes Sweet potatoes Parsnips Beets (any color) Turnips Rutabaga 1 cup quinoa 1-1.5 quarts of broth or water Oil Salt, pepper, Tabasco or other peppy additive Sour cream or yogurt for topping Assembly: Chop onion in big chunks and saute in oil. A Dutch oven is perfect, or ...

This is a great dish to bring bright colors and fresh (non-mayonnaisey) flavors to a potluck. I used "maftoul" (giant couscous), but you could any grain that suits your fancy and stays toothsome when cooked: barley, wheat berries, bulghur, brown rice, wild rice, etc... 1.5 c. maftoul couscous 3 c. chicken broth 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 yellow bell pepper, diced 3 green onions, sliced 1/3 c. red onion, diced 1 can chickpeas, drained 1/4 c. olive oil 1 lemon 1 small bundle fresh mint, sliced thin 1 Tbsp paprika 2 tsp. black pepper 1 pinch allspice 1 Tbsp. salt or to taste 2 tsp. Aleppo pepper flakes (optional) Bring the chicken broth to a boil and add the couscous (or other grain). Reduce to a simmer and cook until tender (it is OK if there is extra liquid). Drain the grain and rinse under cold water. Cut the vegetables into uniform pieces and add to a serving bowl with the chickpeas and drained grain. Add olive oil and lemon juice and mint. Toss and se...

I snuck this hearty stew in on a cool and cloudy September day before predicted 100 degree highs--must be Indian summer. Lots of wonderful fresh fall veggies from the local farmer's market (everything one dollar!) and herb garden. I made the beef broth from scratch (to celebrate my new chest freezer), but the strong, earthy flavors would shine through just fine with bouillon.The textures will be best if you make the stew in this order, but this could be adapted for crock pot. 2.5-3 lbs. stew beef, 1" cubes 3 small onions, in chunks 4-5 Roma tomatoes (or 2 Tbsp. tomato paste) 2 c. carrots, cut bite-sized 1.5 c. pearled barley 2-3 quarts beef broth 1 bundle turnip greens 1 sprig fresh rosemary 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 Tbsp. dry sherry 2 Tbsp. butter + 1 Tbsp. oil 2 Tbsp. flour 1 tsp. black pepper 2-3 Tbsp. salt 1 tsp. paprika Sprinkle the beef cubes with some of the salt and pepper and toss with the flour and paprika. Heat the butter and oil in a dutch oven...

It's hard to find a good cabbage roll. Some of them are just absurdly large. Others are in a gross tomato sauce. A lot of them simply have too much rice and not enough spice. Well, problem solved! Here's my adaptation of this recipe from Almost Turkish. The lamb makes these pack a flavor wallop, but you can use beef instead. I like the texture of the barley better than rice and I wanted to use a whole grain, but you can use any other grain or leave it out entirely. If you can find a loose-head cabbage this will be easier, but just work with what you've got. 1 lb. ground lamb 1 large head of cabbage 1/2 c. pearled barley 1 onion, grated 1/2 c. parsley, minced 1/4 c. fresh dill, minced (or 1 Tbsp. dried) 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 Tbsp. tomato paste 1 Tbsp. salt 1 Tbsp. olive oil 2 Tsp. ground black pepper 1 tiny pinch allspice 1 lemon, juiced 2-3 Tbsp. butter hot water Cook the barley (1:1.5, 15 minutes) until al-dente. Meanwhile, boil a large pot of salted water. You can...

I've developed a backlog of recipes that I haven't loaded up to the blog, but here's one I couldn't ignore. I've always loved muesli, but it's usually ~$5 for a tiny box that will only last for a few meals. I figured that it can't be hard to make and lo-and-behold, a little internet searching and I had a recipe. This is for a lightly sweetened, roasted version that needs overnight soaking for breakfast*. I think that if I chopped the finished product up in my food processor, I could make a fast-soaking version (I'll update this when I try it). The fun part about this recipe is that you can customize it any way you want. The following recipe makes 7-8 finished cups of muesli. If you eat it a lot you'll want to double the recipe. This is the un-soaked version. Imagine it pleasantly soggy the next day with the dried fruits plumped up and juicy. Preheat the oven to 300. 4 c. rolled oats (or other rolled grains) 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil 1/2 c. honey or mapl...

Tonight I made two more dishes in my "The Art of Jewish Cooking" by Jennie Grossinger cookbook series. The barley stew was thick and hearty, almost like a congee. I accompanied it with mandlen, or 'soup nuts'--little round crackers. Barley Vegetable Stew I took a few liberties with the original recipe and I'll try to point out where I followed it and where I changed things. I took my time and made a batch of chicken broth first, which I used as the base for this soup and also for the chicken meat (and to have broth on hand). I think this extra step made the final product deliciously complex, so I strongly suggest using your own broth rather than bullion. My first alteration was using a ham shank, because I'm a heretic like that. I think the recipe would still be good without it, or you could use a smoked turkey leg, or hell you could just keep the whole thing vegetarian. I used a leek instead of the original onion, and I think it also added a lot to the soup. ...

Delicious, easy, soothing, simple. What more could you ask for in a recipe? This is based on the one featured in the Almost Turkish Blog I linked to in the sidebar. I wasn't feeling well and wanted something nourishing but simple. The mint in the recipe is soothing on the tummy and the bulghur and lentils combine to make digestible protein. 1 onion, minced 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 tsp. red pepper flakes 1/2 c. red lentils (green or brown OK too) 1/2 c. bulghur 2 Tbsp. flour 2 Tbsp. tomato or red pepper paste 6 c. broth 3 tsp. dried mint flakes 2 tsp. dried thyme half-sharp paprika or red pepper flakes to garnish s & p 2 Tbsp. butter In a nice soup pot, saute the onions in the olive oil until they are almost translucent. Add the red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute. Add the flour and stir well so that the onion is coated and the flour is distributed. Add the tomato or red pepper paste and stir so that the onions are coated and there are no paste globs remaining. Add the lentils, bul...

Hello all, Here is a recipe from my friend and co-worker Kristine (there's a link to her photography on the side-bar). Looks like she measures things the same way we do! This makes a great veggie side-dish or light meal: Try this very simple recipe when you have some bok choi. I've made it twice so far and really like it! I'm calling it red wine bok choi. Coarsely chop a mound of washed bok choi and saute it with about 1/2 cup of walnuts and ~1/2 cup of dried cranberries. I was pleased using safflower oil. Add a couple spills of red wine (I'm guessing that translates to a little less than a 1/4 cup). Add salt to taste. Saute for about 10-15 minutes or until bok choi is still a little crunchy. That's it! Serve over quinoa (rinse this grain well then saute with garlic before cooking) and top with parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Here is a fantastic side-dish that has the added benefit (?) of smelling like every Jewish home I visited as a kid. It also uses buckwheat groats (when cooked, called kasha), which is a nutritional and agricultural powerhouse. Like quinoa, buckwheat is a seed rather than a grain, and contains tons of high-quality protein and many vitamins and minerals (and if you go by the articles about it, cures and prevents nearly every ill). Buckwheat is a great cover-crop for farmers and it grow very quickly. The recipe calls for bow-tie noodles, which--face it--are just plain fun. It goes really well with roasted chicken. This is modified from The Art of Jewish Cooking by Jennie Grossinger: 1/2 box of bow-tie noodles, cooked in salted water 1/3 c. butter or schmaltz 1 large onion, diced or sliced finely 1 tsp. thyme 1 tsp. black pepper salt to taste 1 1/2 c. roasted buckwheat groats, whole or cut 2 1/2 c. boiling water 1 1/2 tsp. salt 1 egg, beaten First, cook your noodles. Heat up a large pot an...

I don't have a picture to go with this one, but we all know what tabouleh looks like (though I'm not sure how to spell it--Al, is this right?). It's the perfect recipe for late summer, with the hot weather, ripe tomatoes and cukes, and waning kitchen inspiration. Here's how it goes: Soak 3/4 or 1 c. bulgur in the juice of one lemon and enough water to cover generously for at least 2 hours, or overnight if you remember. If you don't have time, then put it in a sauce pan, bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and let it soak for 15 min. You can also use any other pre-cooked grain, like quinoa or spelt berries if you're some kind of hippie ;). Drain and squeeze out the bulgur in a fine sieve or cloth. Chop 1 large tomato, 1 small cucumber (optional), 1/2 red onion or a handful of scallions, all into smallish cubes. If you use red onions, soak the pieces in cold water for a minute before adding. Place in a large serving bowl. Mince at least 1/2 bunch parsley...