Author: lisaandfrancescook

Roasted Strawberry Cheesecake

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It is traditional for Jews to eat dairy foods on the holiday of Shavuot (The Feast of Weeks). This Jewish holiday commemorates the giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai and occurs seven weeks after Passover. It also celebrates the Summer grain harvest and is one of three “Pilgrimage” holidays observed in Judaism. There a number of theories as to how the dairy tradition started, but cheesecake and blintzes are very popular at this time of year. However, you don’t have to be Jewish to make (and love) this Roasted Strawberry Cheesecake which is liberally flecked and perfumed with orange zest.

While I did not make my cheesecake in time to post ahead of the holiday, you can (and should) make this delicious, creamy, berry intense cheesecake anytime. And there is always next year to celebrate the holiday! So keep this Roasted Strawberry Cheesecake at the ready!

In 1973/1974 I lived and worked on Kibbutz Kissufim in the Negev. Yep, that’s me in the photos below. I was in charge of the calves.

When it came time to celebrate the Festival of Shavuot, everyone on the kibbutz went out to the field where children with flower wreaths on their heads, danced among the rows of golden wheat ready to be harvested. It really brought home this holiday to me in a way that was impossible to see living in a city.

Growing up in New York, wonderful cheesecakes were ubiquitous. My mother made a fabulous mocha cheesecake. But the problem with most of these is that they generally are geared to feeding at least 12 people! And while I LOVE a good cheesecake, it is just for me and my husband these days. So this recipe uses a 6-inch springform pan and makes 6 generous portions – enough for us or a small group of family or friends to enjoy without more left-overs than we want.

The recipe may seem long, but it is actually quite simple to make. And as for the Roasted Strawberry topping, I make a big batch of this ahead of time and store the unused portion in my fridge for weeks. It will turn any simple cake or ice cream into a special dessert. It can even be spread on toast in place of jam.

A note about the photos this time. They simply don’t do justice to the finished cheesecake. I was rushing, doing several other things at once, and as a consequence made a couple of esthetic mistakes. The taste was fabulous but my cake looked a little raggedy. If you follow the instructions, yours should turn out beautifully.

For other cheesecake options, I have created three additional variations on this recipe and they are all wonderful. You can’t go wrong with any one of these. And as an extra bonus, these cheesecakes do not require any eggs! Given the price of eggs these days, that’s a plus.

Blueberry Cheesecake

Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake

Coconut Macadamia Cheesecake

Recipe

Yield: About 6 servings

Ingredients

Crust (This is the amount in the original recipe which makes a delicious but fairly thick crust)

200 g of crushed biscuits (Digestive, Oreos, Biscoff or graham crackers)

5 Tablespoons melted butter (salted or unsalted) (You might need 1 Tablespoon more if using a plain biscuit rather than an Oreo cookie.)

Filling

8 oz. (225 g) full-fat cream cheese in a block, softened

1/2 cup (120 g) heavy or double cream

1/4 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup (10g) freeze-dried strawberries, pulverized into a powder

Zest of one large orange

14 oz. can (396 g) of Sweetened Condensed Milk

Directions

NOTE: If you want to serve the cake completely off of the springform pan, lightly oil the bottom of the pan and line it with parchment paper. Once the cake has cooled and you break the suction with the bottom of the springform, the cake should release easily. This time, I was rushing and chose to serve it directly on the bottom section of the pan.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F or 160 C.

Blitz the biscuits in a food processor or with a rolling pin until you have fine crumbs. Pour the melted butter over the crumbs and mix through so that all of the crumbs are moistened. If you use a plain biscuit, the crumbs should resemble wet sand. If you are using Oreos, which have a cream filling, the mixture will be wetter than if you use a plain biscuit. I liked that it made for a lighter, less compacted base, but a traditional Graham Cracker or Digestive Biscuit are also great. Press the mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the 6-inch springform pan. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

Using a hand beater or the food processor beat the cream cheese and salt until light and fluffy.

In a smallish bowl or measuring glass, whisk the heavy cream and corn starch until smooth. Add this to the cream cheese. Add the vanilla, sweetened condensed milk, freeze-dried strawberry powder and citrus zest. Blitz until the batter is completely smooth and a lovely pale shade of pink. Pour the batter into the pan over the crumb base.

Wrap the bottom of the pan in two layers of aluminum foil to prevent any leakage. Set the pan in a baking dish large enough to hold it. I used a 9-inch square pan. Carefully add hot tap water to the pan until it comes up about half-way up the sides of the springform mold.

Place in the oven and bake for about 1 hour or until the center just slightly jiggles. Turn off the oven and leave the door ajar with the cheesecake inside. Keep the pan in there until your oven fan turns off or the cheesecake cools down. This prevents the cheesecake from cracking and will finish off the baking. If it does crack, don’t worry. The topping will cover it and it will taste just as great!

Completely cool the cheesecake on a wire rack. Then add the cooled slow-roasted strawberry mixture to the top of the cheesecake while still in the mold. Allow the cake to be refrigerated for at least 4 to 6 hours. but longer is even better if you have the time.

When you are ready to serve, run a thin sharp knife around the inner rim of the mold. Carefully unlock the springform and remove the ring. I leave the cake on the bottom and place the whole thing on a serving platter. Now enjoy!

Michelle Polzine’s Slow-Roasted Strawberries

Yield: About 1.5 cups (450 gr.)

Ingredients

2 pounds (900 gr.) of fresh, ripe strawberries (I double the recipe because it is THAT good)

1/2 cup (100 gr.) of granulated sugar (You can add 2 additional Tablespoons if the strawberries are not especially sweet on their own.)

Directions

  1. Heat the oven to 250 degrees F. Rinse and hull the berries. Leave any tiny ones whole and either quarter or halve the rest so the pieces are all about the same size.
  2. In a non-reactive pan (I used a stoneware baking dish) that will hold all of the berries closely packed in a single layer, gently toss the strawberries with the sugar.
  3. Roast slowly in the oven, uncovered for 3 to 6 hours, gently moving them around occasionally with a wide spatula. Mine took 5 hours. They are done when the juices have reduced to a syrup but not darkened into caramel and the berries are jammy. They can be stored in the fridge in an airtight jar or container for at least two weeks.

Spring Greens Soup

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During the pandemic, when we were all stuck inside, afraid to venture out, I became obsessed with YouTube vlogs. As an armchair traveler, I chose vlogs where I could “wander” in the open air, listening to the sounds of nature, while watching the seasons change. I was especially drawn to three vlogs that showed life in the mountains of Ukraine as well as one in Azerbaijan. In each of these, people live small but rich lives largely off of land they farm.

My husband could always tell where I was wandering by the sounds emanating from my computer. Roosters crowing meant Azerbaijan. Rushing water was a particular place in Ukraine. The call of the muezzin was Turkey.

Unlike in much of the US, their food was seasonal and often foraged – wild berries, mushrooms, edible flowers etc. or grown by them. Recently, I have watched soups being made from foraged spring greens. My grandmothers would have recognized these soups as a version of green borscht that we called schav. Served without meat – not because they were vegetarians, but because they were poor. It was usually made from sorrel and served cold, perhaps with a dollop of sour cream on top. But the versions I watched here were served hot. While they contained meat – usually pork – they can be made vegetarian, which is what I have done here.

There is no one recipe for this soup and I didn’t use one. But Spring Greens Soup is a fresh, simple soup that is a hopeful harbinger of spring. Depending on where you live in the world, you will have access to different greens so your version will be slightly different than mine. I have yet to find sorrel in any of my markets. However, I was able to find beautiful dandelion greens which will give me that slight almost acidic bitterness that I crave. I have mixed them with collard greens and lacinato (dino) kale, fresh leeks and lots of dill. And because I eat in color and wanted to round out the flavors of the soup and to add a bit of bulk, I have also added carrots and potatoes.

This is not a recipe to slavishly follow. It is a guide. You almost certainly have different greens available or may wish for more carrots or potatoes. Perhaps you don’t have any nice leeks, but beautiful onions instead. Whatever ingredients that you use, though, don’t make Spring Greens Soup to be more than it is – a delicious sign of hope in a rather dismal time. That is more than enough for me.

While I eat very little meat, I do prefer chicken stock as a base for my soups. However, vegetable stock would be delicious as well. This type of soup is frequently garnished with chopped hard boiled egg and fresh herbs, which is how I have served it. But some cooked vegan apple sage sausage would be a delicious alternative. No rules – just suggestions.

And did I mention how healthy this Spring Greens Soup is? However, if it were only healthy but didn’t taste great as well, I would not be making it and sharing it with all of you. No matter how you choose to serve this lovely soup, do not forget the bread! And if you are not vegan, some nice cheese to enjoy with the bread.

Recipe

Yield: About 10 servings

Ingredients

4 Tablespoons of any: unsalted butter, EVOO, avocado, Canola or other healthy neutral oil

2 leeks, trimmed, washed well and thinly sliced, including the light green part

1 bunch collard greens, stemmed and coarsely chopped

1 bunch dandelion greens, coarsely chopped, including tender stems

1 bunch lacinato (dino) kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped

About 6 smallish potatoes or their equivalent, peeled and cut into medium dice (I used red potatoes because that is what I had. But golden, russet or other variety works well too.)

2 large carrots, peeled and sliced or diced

1 large bunch of fresh dill with thinner stems included

1 bunch flat-leaf parsley with thinner stems included

About 10 to 12 cups of liquid (Stock (preferably unsalted), broth, water with added bouillon)

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat oil of choice in a large pot on medium high heat. Add the leeks, 1 teaspoon of salt and sauté until softened – about 8 to ten minutes.

Add the carrots and potatoes and mix through. Cook for another 5 minutes. Then add all of the greens, and enough of the liquid to cover the greens. Add in the pepper (I like white pepper here but black is fine if that is all you have.) You can add more salt, but how much will depend on whether you used stock, bouillon or broth with salt as well as personal taste. It is a big pot of soup so can take a fair amount. However, remember that you can always add salt, but reducing the amount once added is difficult.

Give a good stir and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 90 minutes.

Add half of the chopped fresh herbs, reserving the remainder to use when serving. Mix through and simmer covered for another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust your seasonings. When ready to serve, garnish with chopped hard boil egg and the remaining fresh herbs or with a browned vegan or other sausage, if desired.

Turkish Pide Bread

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Normally I am Team Dark, Crusty Bread. However, this traditional Turkish flatbread, which is soft and fluffy on the inside and golden on the outside, has given me pause. I first tried this bread at a local Turkish restaurant that my husband and I stumbled into after one of our long walks around Chicago. It was served warm and fresh from the oven and we fell immediately in love. Frankly, we happily could have been satisfied to only eat that with some feta cheese and a salad or dip. I knew that I had to find a recipe to make this at home.

Turkish Pide Bread is relatively quick to make and is perfect for lapping up sauces and spreads. It is best enjoyed the day you make it, fresh from the oven. However, we have eaten left-overs drizzled with olive oil and lightly toasted. The version I made contains dairy, but I don’t see why it couldn’t be made vegan with non-dairy milk and yogurt.

Turkish Pide Bread comes in several versions, including a boat-shaped version with meat or veggie toppings. The recipe below is referred to as Ramazan Pidesi and is often served for iftar during Ramadan. It has a classic woven pattern on top and is liberally sprinkled with Nigella and sesame seeds.

As I always do with a new recipe, I searched my extensive selection of cookbooks as well as the web. I then often mix and match, choosing ingredients from one with a method from another etc. This version comes from Zerin and Yusuf although the method was from watching various YouTube versions.

Enjoy this lovely bread soon.

Recipe

Yield: One large round loaf – about 8 servings

Ingredients

Dough

3 cups of unbleached, all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons active, dried yeast (you could use instant yeast)

3 Tablespoons olive oil (I used a wonderful flavored oil from Sciabica but any good quality EVOO would do.)

1 cup lukewarm milk

2 to 3 Tablespoons warm water (more if necessary)

Topping

1 egg yolk (skip if making this a vegan version)

1 Tablespoon milk or natural yogurt (dairy or non-dairy)

About 1 to 2 Tablespoons of sesame or nigella (or a mix) seeds

Directions

Mix the yeast, sugar and warm milk and allow to proof. If you are using instant yeast, you can skip the proofing step.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt and EVOO. Add the warm milk with the yeast and sugar. Gently mix it with your hand, slowly adding just enough warm water to make a soft, slightly sticky dough. (I would not use a mixer for this. It’s too easy to add too much flour that way.) Only knead it enough to incorporate the flour for a smooth-ish dough. Roll the dough ball in about 2 teaspoons of EVOO and cover the bowl to allow it to rise. Depending on the warmth of your kitchen and your yeast, the dough can take anywhere from 40 minutes to 1.5 hours to rise. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat.

Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Using your hands, gently release the air and push the dough into a circle or oval, leaving and thicker edge all around.

Using your finger tips, firmly press down into the dough to make the woven pattern.

Allow the dough to rest uncovered for about 15 minutes. Then stir your topping and brush the entire surface with the mixture.

Liberally sprinkle with your seeds.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden. Then reduce the heat to 325 degrees F. and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from the oven serve immediately. If you are not serving it immediately, wrap in a clean, slightly damp tea towel to keep the bread soft.

Matboucha

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Matboucha

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Matboucha is to Morocco and the Middle East what ketchup is to Americans. But OH SO MUCH MORE interesting! This compote of tomatoes, garlic and peppers can be fiery, but you get to control the heat. My husband and I like a fairly mild heat, but you do you.

Matboucha is often served as part of an appetizer platter and as a complement to couscous. However, only your imagination will limit your uses. My husband loves it on sandwiches and it often appears on our Shabbat table to be lapped up with challah. Matboucha will brighten up chicken, meat, tofu, or fish and is great with roasted vegetables and hummus. If you like hot sauce on your eggs (or matza brei), give Matboucha a try instead.

Matboucha

And if you love tomato achaar next time try matboucha with your Indian food!

I like to prepare a large batch and then I freeze half so it is always fresh. It will hold up in your fridge for about a week – if it lasts that long. There are many, many variations for this wonderful condiment but they mostly differ in ingredient quantities or how much you chop up your ingredients. This particular version comes from Shuk, From Market to Table. the Heart of Israeli Home Cooking by Einat Admony and Janna Gur. Sweet and smoked Paprika were added by me after reading other recipes that included it.

Plum tomatoes are easy to find and are perfect for this recipe. However, if they are not available where you live, canned tomatoes can be used. But make sure that they are best quality Italian plum tomatoes!

Matboucha

Recipe

Yield: About 10 to 12 servings

Matboucha

Ingredients

1/4 cup neutral vegetable oil (I used olive, but avocado or any other good quality neutral oil will do)

15 to 20 cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

4 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into smallish dice

2 to 4 jalapeno or Fresno chiles, cored, seeded and thinly sliced (I actually used dried arbol chiles since my fresh peppers had gone bad)

12 ripe plum tomatoes, cut into quarters (OR a 28 ounce can of Italian plum tomatoes)

1.5 to 2 teaspoons sweet or smoked (or a mix) paprika

kosher salt

Matboucha

Directions

Heat oil in a large, flat-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Do NOT allow the garlic to burn!

Add in the peppers and chiles, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until the peppers have softened – about 15 minutes.

Matboucha

Add the tomatoes, season with a teaspoon of salt and 1.5 teaspoons of sweet paprika to start. You can always add more. Sauté for another minute, mixing everything through.

Matboucha

Reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan and simmer for 1.5 to 3 hours or until the matboucha is thick, shiny and bright red. Give a stir every so often so that nothing sticks or burns. If your tomatoes are dry, add a tablespoon or two of water to the pan. Depending on how juicy the tomatoes are, this could take longer. I uncovered my pan after 1.5 hours to cook off some of the liquid from a batch of particularly large, juicy tomatoes.

Taste at the end and add more salt if your tastebuds require it. Serve at room temperature.

Chickpea Frittata

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Chickpea Frittata

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While people generally associate “frittata” with an egg-based dish, the word actually means “fried” in Italian. This chickpea version simulates the eggy taste without actually using any eggs. Chickpea Frittata is an easy, riffable dish. Every time I have made it, the veggie ingredients, spices and herbs have changed. You can give it any flavor profile you like simply by switching out the herbs and spices.

And while the version I am presenting below is vegan, I have also made it adding cheese. Served with a salad and a good bread of your choice, this Chickpea Frittata is a healthy, satisfying and delicious option that can be eaten any time of the day.

Chickpea Frittata

The recipe originated with the vlog/blog Pick Up Limes, which I started following during the pandemic. I have tried several of the recipes on this site and every one has worked out well so far. Being me, I use them as a jumping off point and then make tweaks of my own. However, even made as is, these vegan recipes are a great place for people to start on healthier eating habits without making sacrifices to taste.

The only even remotely tricky part to this recipe is when you flip over the frittata. And while this most recent time of making the frittata, I lightly sautéed the vegetables first, it has also been delicious when skipping this step. The whole dish can come together in about 30 minutes, making it a great weeknight option. Can it be eaten without an accompanying salad? Of course! A cup of soup would also nicely round out the meal. And if you don’t have a big appetite, just eat the frittata on its own.

Only one ingredient was not a standard in my pantry – kala namak. This Himalayan Black Salt has a sulphur smell which mimics the taste of eggs when cooked. The smell is much stronger before cooking so don’t be put off by it. The first time I made this Chickpea Frittata, I had a hard time convincing my husband that there were no eggs in the dish!

Personally we love eggs and cheese and I have no intention of giving them up anytime soon. But our godson/great nephew was deathly allergic to eggs and so I began to explore great desserts and meals that didn’t include them. A number of these options appear on my blog.

This protein-packed, cholesterol-free frittata is a great option that anyone can make. Left-overs can be stored in the fridge and eaten either at room temperature or warmed in the microwave. Garnishes are entirely up to you. We ate it with caramelized onions this time but it also pairs well with avocado and plain yogurt (dairy or plant-based). Let your imagination go.

Do you eat ketchup or hot sauce with your eggs? Go for it here as well. Use any or several of the optional ingredients listed below or come up with your own options.

Chickpea Frittata

Recipe

Yield: 2 to 3 servings

Ingredients

1 cup (116 g) chickpea flour

3/4 teaspoon kala namak (this is easily available at a number of places online)

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup (180 ml) water

1 medium tomato (I like Roma tomatoes which don’t have as much liquid as others do. However, you can also use about 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup of grape or cherry tomatoes)

1 small or half of a large zucchini grated (If the zucchini has a lot of liquid, squeeze some of it out with your hand or the back of a spoon over a strainer.)

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/4 cup roasted peppers, rinsed, patted dry and chopped (Optional) or sun-dried tomato, packed in oil

1/4 green beans, chopped (Optional)

1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced (Optional)

1/4 cup grated cheese (vegan or dairy) (Optional)

1/2 teaspoon each/any: dried oregano, basil, thyme (Optional)

1/4 teaspoon each/any: ground turmeric, dried mushroom powder, crushed chili flakes (Optional)

Garnish (Optional)

sliced avocado

Plain yogurt, any kind

Caramelized onions

Fresh chopped herbs

Chickpea Frittata

Directions

Using a non-stick 9-inch pan lightly sauté the veggies in a teaspoon or two of EVOO. (If you choose not to sauté the veggies first then just add them to the batter after the following step.)

Chickpea Frittata

Add the chickpea flour, kala namak, baking powder to a large bowl. Mix well with 3/4 cup water until you have a smooth batter. Then add in any fresh or dried spices/herbs and mix through. Add in the veggies and mix through. (Do this whether they have been sautéed or not.)

Spray well the 9-inch non-stick pan with cooking spray. For extra flavor you can also add in 1 Tablespoon of a good, flavored olive oil, but it’s not essential. Heat on medium high heat. Pour in the batter and spread it evenly in the pan with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Cover the pan (I have used a silicone cover or the flat cover from another pot). Cook for about 8 minutes. Using a spatula, check if the underside is browned and comes away easily from the pan.

Chickpea Frittata

You now need to flip the frittata over. I used the flat bottom of the cover but you use a plate or cutting board or cookie sheet. If you are really talented, you can throw the frittata in the air and flip it back into the pan. I AM NOT THAT TALENTED! Once the browned side is on top, recover the pan and continue cooking for another 8 minutes. Cut it in the pan or turn it out onto a cutting board. Enjoy!

Cannellini Bean Roasted Pepper Dip

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Cannellini Bean Roasted Pepper Dip

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Cannellini Bean Roasted Pepper Dip should be your new go-to dip or spread. Liven up your crudité platter or sandwich with this zippy, zesty cousin of hummus. It just might become your new favorite way to get your beans! The beautiful, vibrant color will be a welcome addition anywhere you would eat hummus. That color makes it such a happy dish!

Don’t get me wrong – I love a good hummus and we eat it weekly. However, sometimes it’s nice to shake things up a bit. So don’t think of this as saying goodbye to hummus, but rather as a BIG HELLO to a zestier cousin.

Cannellini beans are a particular favorite of mine. When cooked, they are creamy and delicious and a wonderful addition to so many soups, salads and pastas. And they are easily available in both canned and dry options. The robust seasoning of this dip is a perfect foil for the creamy texture of the pureed beans.

Despite the list of ingredients, this is very easy to make in a food processor and is quick to whip up when unexpected guests show up. Cannellini Bean Roasted Pepper Dip will last several days in the fridge in a well-sealed container.

Cannellini Bean Roasted Pepper Dip

Recipe

Yield: About 3 cups

Ingredients

2 cups of cooked cannellini beans or one 15.5 ounce can, rinsed and drained beans

2 roasted red peppers, rinsed and patted dry, plus a slice for garnish

1 large clove garlic

3/4 to 1 teaspoon of kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon Rajasthan (Mathania Chillies) chilli or cayenne (Rajasthan chili has such a lovely complex flavor with just enough heat. I highly recommend trying it. It can be readily found online or in South Asian markets.)

2 T Evoo plus more for drizzling

2 T tahini paste

Juice of one very juicy lemon

Optional garnish: Coarsely chopped parsley or cilantro

Directions

Place all of the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor. Blitz until the mixture is smooth and silky. When you are ready to serve, plate the mixture, drizzle it with some EVOO and garnish with chopped cilantro, parsley or a slice of roasted red pepper.

Zesty Carrot Raisin Walnut Salad

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Zesty Carrot Raisin Walnut Salad is my new, zippier, vegan version of an old staple. This refreshing addition to my weekly salad rotation is easy to make and will last for several days in the fridge. I chose to use the colorful variety of carrots that I had recently purchased, but any carrot will work.

As my followers know, every week for Shabbat I prepare at least 4 or more salads and dips, which we then happily consume throughout the week. While we have our favorites that appear on repeat most weeks, I always try to add something new. Zesty Carrot Raisin Walnut Salad fits the bill. This bright snappy salad is not weighed down by mayonnaise and can shake up even the most jaded palate.

I chose to grate my carrots by hand, but you can absolutely use a food processor. Pre-grated carrots might be available in your grocery store, but grating them fresh will make the salad fresher, more vibrant and will have a longer shelf-life. But you do you!

Don’t be put off by the list of ingredients. Most will be pantry staples – or should be. Other than a light toasting of the walnuts, everything else is simply measured out and mixed through.

Because there is no mayonnaise in this recipe, it not only is vegan but would be a great addition to any picnic. Unlike standard carrot salad, there is no mayonnaise to go bad when left out in the heat or sun.

Recipe

Yield: About 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients

Zesty Carrot Raisin Walnut Salad

1 pound carrots (multi-colored if available), peeled, trimmed and grated

1/2 cup raisins (any kind, but I used a medley)

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, lightly toasted in a dry pan (takes about 5-ish minutes)

Rounded 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or Rajasthan chili (I LOVE Rajasthan chili and use it anywhere cayenne is called for. Super flavorful but not overwhelmingly hot. It’s available online and in South Asian grocery stores.)

Zest of one navel orange

2 Tablespoons maple syrup

2 Tablespoons orange juice

2 Tablespoon EVOO

2 teaspoons to 1 Tablespoon pomegranate molasses

Zesty Carrot Raisin Walnut Salad

Directions

Place the carrots, raisins and walnuts in a medium large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dressing. Pour it over the carrot mixture and using a spoon or spatula, mix through. Yup, that’s it.

Mississippi Mud Cake

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Mississippi Mud Cake

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Dark, rich and boozy, Mississippi Mud Cake is everything you could want in a chocolate cake. While paging through one of my hand-written and collated cook books, I came across this recipe by Susan Purdy from her book A Piece of Cake. It was on yellowed newsprint from an old New York Times. Cut out, stapled and scotch-taped into my collection of recipes, this old friend called out to me to bake it. My husband and I were not disappointed.

Mississippi Mud Cake

Why Mississippi Mud Cake? Supposedly the finished cake (or more often, pie) resembled the dark river mud of the Mighty Mississippi. Call it what you will, but make this delicious cake the next time you crave a really, really great chocolate cake. And while there is a fair amount of booze (Bourbon in this case) in the recipe, the alcohol will all be cooked off during the baking process. All that remains are the the slightly sweet, caramel and vanilla flavors that define a good Bourbon. If you really don’t like Bourbon, you could sub in Rum, Cognac or Amaretto. The flavor profile will be somewhat different, but still delicious.

While this cake requires no adornment, it is wonderful served with a dollop of creme fraiche, good vanilla ice cream or freshly made whipped cream. Or just before serving, give this wonderful cake a dusting of powdered or icing sugar or unsweetened cocoa.

And while not strictly necessary, if you wish to amp up the booziness a bit, you can add a sugar glaze. It is one cup confectioner’s (icing) sugar and 1 Tablespoon milk or water, a pinch of salt and one Tablespoon of good Kentucky Bourbon. Stir well and pour over the top of the cake.

Mississippi Mud Cake

For chocoholics – also check out these recipes:

Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake

Chocolate Marble Cake

Chocolate cupcakes – pssssst! they’re vegan!

Rye Chocolate Crumb Cake

Vegan Italian Chocolate Cookies

Chocolate Amaretti Torte

Raspberry Chocolate Tart

Pistachio, Chocolate and Dried Cherries Tart

Molten Chocolate Cakes for Two

Sachertorte

Recipe

Mississippi Mud Cake

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

Ingredients

5 ounces of unsweetened baking chocolate (I like Baker’s Chocolate for this recipe)

2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt

1/4 cup powdered instant espresso

2 Tablespoons hot or boiling water

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons cold water

1/2 cup Bourbon, rum, cognac or Amaretto

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted room temperature butter

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups granulated sugar (Remember, you are using “unsweetened” chocolate!)

3 large eggs plus 1 additional large yolk at room temperature

1/4 cup full-fat sour cream, creme fraiche or whole-milk natural yogurt

Directions

Generously grease a 10-cup bundt or tube pan. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pot of hot, but not boiling water. The bottom of the bowl should NOT touch the water. When the chocolate is almost all melted, remove it from the heat and stir it through until smooth and glossy. Set it aside.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside. In a bowl or 2-cup measuring cup, dissolve the espresso in the 2 Tablespoons of hot water. Then stir in the cold water and Bourbon and set this aside.

Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until fluffy and creamy. This should take at least a good 5 minutes with occasional pauses to scrape down the bowl and beater. Don’t skimp on the timing. It will make a huge difference to the finished product!

Beat in the eggs and additional yolk, one at a time. Then scrape down the bowl and add in the sour cream. Mix it well to thoroughly incorporate it.

Now add in the slightly cooled melted chocolate and beat until smooth and incorporated.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and using a large spatula start adding in the flour and reserved liquid mixture alternately, beginning and ending with the flour. Every time you add in the liquid, the mixture will look a bit curdled and as if the liquid will never incorporate. It will. And when you add in the flour, the mixture will no longer look curdled. DO NOT OVER MIX! Just mix gently to thoroughly incorporate the flour so there are no lumps or flour bombs in the finished cake.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until the top looks somewhat cracked and a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. This will take about 65 minutes, although ovens do vary. Do not overbake the cake.

Remove the pan to a wire rack for 15 to 20 minutes. Using a thin blade or spatula, carefully run it around the cake to make sure that it will release from the pan. Then place a cake or board over the top of the pan and invert the cake. Lift off the pan and allow the cake to cool completely. At this point you can serve it as is, or dust it with confectioner’s sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder.

The cake should be good for several days at room temperature if kept under a dome or well-wrapped.

Eggplant Shawarma

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 1 Comment
Eggplant Shawarma

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I have never met an eggplant dish that I didn’t like and Eggplant Shawarma is no exception. Meaty and packed with so many flavors and textures. There is definitely A LOT going on with this Eggplant Shawarma. No photo can do it justice. By its very nature, the final dish is layered in an opaque pita and its wonderfully drippy and messy. This is not haute cuisine. It’s street food. And like a great falafel sandwich, if it isn’t dripping down your arm while you eat – then you just aren’t doing it right!

Each element is simple to make. And while I prepared everything the same day I ate it, you can prep the individual components a day ahead. My version is a cross between a shawarma sandwich and a sabich, that wonderful Iraqi Jewish street food. The original recipe, tweaked by me, comes from My Jewish Learning.

Origins of Sabich and Huevos Haminados

Observant Sephardic Jews will put together a dish that cooks slowly overnight to be eaten hot for the Saturday Sabbath meal. Since lighting a fire would violate Shabbat, the dafina/t’bit/ skhina must be started before sundown on Friday and be able to cook on a low heat until the noon meal the following day. It goes by different names depending on the country, but one common element is the addition of hard boiled eggs which cook slowly in the sauce from the meat/chicken and/or beans. Think of a Jewish cassoulet that is unique to every family and whose tradition goes back centuries. The slow cooked eggs become a creamy brown and are infused with the cooking flavors. Huevos Haminados can be made by themselves, however, in as little as 4 to 5 hours.

Huevos Haminados

Now some people collect stamps. I collect onion skins. I have bags of the stuff. Red onion skins, shallots, yellow onions, both sweet and not. Sometimes I have even trolled the onion bins at the grocery store, collecting the discarded papery skins. When I want Huevos Haminados, I just whip out my onion skins, some tea bags or coffee grounds and voila! Slow cooked eggs to use in Sabich or on their own. They are especially delicious with caramelized onions on top!

Onion Skins for Huevos Haminados

But I digress. To round out this meal, I added the salads from my Shabbat meal and used a quality store-bought pita. As mentioned in previous posts, each week I make at least 4 different salads and dips, which we then enjoy for the week. They are like having gold in your fridge. Add them to almost any protein or grain and you suddenly have a colorful and tasty feast.

For other shawarma options, including mixing your own spice mix (extra spice mix will keep in a tightly sealed jar for several months)

Easy Peasy Vegan Shawarma

Chicken Shawarma with Tahini Sauce

Recipe

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Ingredients

For the eggplant steaks:

5 Tbsp olive oil or more, as needed

1 large eggplant, sliced lengthways into 5-6 1 inch-thick slices 

2 Tbsp tomato paste 

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp honey or agave 

3/4 tsp shawarma spice 

¼ tsp chili flakes

kosher salt 

1/2 cup water

For the parsley salad

Parsley Salad

1 medium bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, washed and dried, very finely chopped

5 or 6 fresh mint leaves, chopped with the parsley

zest of 1 lemon

1 clove garlic, crushed

juice of 1 lemon

1 Tbsp olive oil

a pinch of kosher salt 

For the pickled cabbage

Pickled Cabbage

¼ large white or red cabbage, stem removed and very finely sliced

juice of 2 lemons or limes

½ tsp dried chili flakes or to taste

3/4 tsp kosher salt 

1 Tablespoon olive oil 

2 Tablespoons freshly chopped dill

To serve:

2 pieces of fluffy pita bread

4 Tablespoons plain yogurt, Greek yogurt or dairy-free yogurt OR Amba sauce OR tahini sauce

Hard-boiled eggs, peeled and sliced, if using

Directions

Brush the eggplants generously with olive oil. Heat a large frying pan and add 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Add the eggplant slices to the pan. Make sure each piece is touching the surface of the pan; you may need to work in batches. Once the bottom sides have softened and become golden, turn them over. Add a little more oil if necessary. Press down on the slices with a spatula or wooden spoon to help them cook through. Transfer the eggplant onto a paper towel to remove the excess oil. 

To make the parsley salad, combine the chopped parsley with the garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, and a pinch of salt.

Combine the sliced cabbage with the lemon juice, sea salt, chili flakes, and olive oil and mix well. Set aside so it softens and pickles.

Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in the same pan that you used for the eggplants and add the garlic. Once it becomes slightly golden and aromatic, add the tomato paste and mix to soften it. Add a pinch of sea salt, the honey, shawarma spice, and chili powder. Add ½ cup water and mix until you have a silky consistency.

Add the cooked eggplant slices back into the sauce, coating them on all sides. Leave each piece to slightly caramelize, turning them over once the bottoms are slightly sticky and browning, about 2 minutes on each side.

Eggplant Shawarma

To serve, warm the pitas in the microwave for 30 seconds or in the oven for three minutes. Cut the tops off the pitas (don’t discard them!) and stuff each one with some cabbage, eggplant steaks, a sliced hard-boiled egg, if using, a few spoons of yogurt or tahini sauce and finally the parsley salad. Enjoy the extra pickled cabbage, yogurt, and parsley salad with the leftover pita tops. And if you don’t like that ordering of ingredients – switch it up. There are no rules. Just deliciousness.

Cabbage, White Bean, Leek Soup

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 1 Comment
Cabbage White Bean Leek Soup

The Walrus and the Carpenter

By Lewis Carroll

The time has come,’ the Walrus said,

      To talk of many things:

Of shoes — and ships — and sealing-wax —

      Of cabbages — and kings —

And why the sea is boiling hot —

      And whether pigs have wings.’

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Support Humanitarian Efforts in Ukraine

Nothing beats a warm and warming bowl of soup to chase away those chilly damp days of fall and winter. Cabbage White Bean Leek Soup is as delicious and comforting as they come.

Ahhhhh, the humble, ubiquitous cabbage. This cruciferous vegetable is present in almost every cuisine, in one variety or another. Cabbage can be fermented, baked into pastry, stuffed with meat or vegetables simmered in a sauce and eaten raw in slaw. Readily available and inexpensive, cruciferous vegetables are nutrient rich powerhouses. However, none of that would matter if they didn’t also taste wonderful when properly prepared.

Unfortunately, too many people have memories of smelly, over-cooked cabbage permeating school cafeterias and hesitate using it. But if you are one of those people, please give cabbage another chance. The shredded cabbage and leeks soften and just melt into the broth, resulting in a flavorful bowl of comfort and yumminess. The leeks and cabbage take on a sweetness when cooked this way, so adding a grated hard cheese with some saltiness to it like a pecorino or asiago is the perfect accompaniment. I know that vegan cheese options have come a long way in recent years, so if making this as a vegan option, I would strongly encourage adding a vegan cheese when serving.

We eat soup all year long. Hot soup in the spring, fall and winter and cold in the summer. Sometimes as a starter to a larger meal and more often as a meal in itself. My Cabbage White Bean Leek Soup recipe should be viewed as a starting place. Made exactly as written, the end product will be wonderful. But, if you don’t have leeks, use onions or shallots. Not into cooking your own beans, use canned. More carrots? Sure, why not? No farro? No problem. Use potato, peeled and cubed or wheat berries or leave it out. Going vegan with the recipe? Use all oil or a vegan “butter” substitute, add two to three rounded tablespoons of nutritional yeast and leave out the parmesan rind.

In other words – don’t get bogged down in exactness. And don’t get too precious with the soup. While I eat with my eyes as well as my taste buds, this soup will still be delicious even without the large handful of fresh herbs that I have added at the end. Instead, just add a drizzle of a good, flavored olive oil when serving up this delicious soup.

So when you are ready, give Cabbage White Bean Leek Soup a go. You won’t be disappointed.

Recipe

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients

Cabbage White Bean Leek Soup

2 pound green or white cabbage, trimmed and cut into shreds

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 large leeks, washed, trimmed and thinly sliced

2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

2 large carrots, trimmed and sliced into thinnish rounds

1 good hunk of parmesan rind with some cheese attached (optional but recommended) OR 2 rounded Tablespoons of Nutritional Yeast

2 bay leaves

6 whole cloves

3 cups cooked white beans of choice (cannellini are my personal favorite)

8 to 10 cups (2 to 2.5 quarts) of veggie or chicken stock, preferably unsalted (or bean cooking liquid plus stock)

kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

3/4 cup uncooked farro, potatoes, wheat berries or barley

a large handful of fresh herbs (I used dill, parsley and thyme, but almost any will do) for serving

Cabbage White Bean Leek Soup

Directions

In a large stockpot, sauté leeks in the butter/oil on medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until softened.

Cabbage White Bean Leek Soup

Add in the sliced carrots, garlic and one teaspoon of salt. and sauté for 3 more minutes. Next in is the shredded cabbage. Sauté to soften, adding in about 1 cup of the liquid to help move things along.

Finally, add in the cooked beans, bay leaves, cloves and parmesan rinds, if using. Stir everything through and pour the stock and/or the bean liquid, if using, over all of the ingredients in the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat. Then cover the pot, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 to 40 minutes.

Cabbage White Bean Leek Soup

Uncover the pot, add in the farro and give a good stir to everything. Bring the mixture back to a boil, recover the pot and turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes more or until the farro or potato is tender and cooked. Taste the liquid and adjust your seasonings adding in the black pepper at this time.

When you are ready to serve, ladle soup into a bowl and top with lots of fresh, chopped herbs and a drizzle of a good olive oil. I love the Sciabica Mediterranean Medley. But any good olive oil that you like will do. Warm up a nice, crusty bread and dig in!