Holidays

Raspberry Fool

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Raspberry Fool is an incredibly simple dessert to make and is the perfect ending to a fish or vegetarian holiday dinner. If you make a non-dairy whipped cream, then you could serve this with a meat or vegan meal. However, as a lover of real whipped cream made by me, I would prefer to eat this dessert when it doesn’t violate the laws of kashrut. But you do you.

There are very few ingredients to make this rich, yet somehow, light dessert. It feels luxurious somehow although there is nothing exotic about it. All that it needs to accompany it is a simple cookie. During Passover, I serve this with my Passover Florentine Cookies.

Why is this dessert called a “Fool?” It isn’t 100% clear, but many people believe that the word comes from the French verb fouler, which means to crush or press. The raspberries are macerated with sugar and liqueur and then lightly mashed or crushed before adding them to the whipped cream.

This beautiful Raspberry Fool has the fluffy white whipped cream with ribbons of fresh, macerated and crushed raspberries running through it. You can certainly make the whipped cream ahead and then place it in a sieve over a bowl in the fridge to allow any of the liquid to drain off. The raspberries can also be prepared ahead but do not assemble the dessert until you are just ready to serve it. Any leftovers (Really, there will be leftovers??) will still taste good, but won’t look quite as pretty.

While I have only made this dessert using beautiful raspberries, I can’t see why you couldn’t make it with ripe strawberries, blackberries or a mix of berries. Perhaps its because great raspberries seem so decadent.

Serve the Fool in a pretty dish. Get creative. I used small snifters that came as part of a gift of Napoleon Mandarin Liqueur. Dessert should be delicious and fun! Top it with either a few unmacerated raspberries and a sprig of mint or add a small dollop of the macerated berries that you set aside for this purpose.

While I rarely make any of Ree Drummond’s recipes, this is hers. It works perfectly every time and is simple and straightforward. I did make a couple of tiny tweaks. The most difficult thing about it is to know when to stop whipping the cream.

Of course, you don’t have to wait for a holiday to make this delightful treat!

RECIPE

YIELD: 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

3 cups fresh raspberries and a few more for garnish

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 Tablespoons Chambord or Framboise liqueur

2 cups of cold heavy or whipping cream (I try to buy it without any stabilizers)

Powdered or Confectioners Sugar

A good splash of pure vanilla extract

FOR GARNISH

3 fresh, washed and dried raspberries per serving

A sprig of mint per serving

OR a drizzle of the macerated raspberries that you have set aside for this purpose

A simple cookie to accompany it

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, gently stir together the raspberries, granulated sugar and liqueur (you could use water but it just isn’t the same). Allow this to sit for about 15 minutes.

In a separate bowl that you place in your sink to avoid any mess, add the heavy cream. (TIP: chill the beaters or balloon whisk before using.) You could do this in a standing mixer, but for this amount of cream I generally use an electric hand mixer. And for some reason having to do with physics that my husband has tried to explain to me MANY times over the years, a larger amount of cream to whip makes less mess than a smaller amount.

Whip the cream on high until it starts to form soft peaks and look like whipped cream.

At this point stop the whipping and add the vanilla extract and 2 to 3 Tablespoons of confectioners sugar. Whip it some more to mix everything through and then stop to taste it. You want the whipped cream to be fairly stiff but not turned to butter.

If it is too soft like a Chantilly, the cream will collapse as soon as you add the berries. If its perfect, you’re done. If you prefer it sweeter or with more vanilla, add a bit more, whip and taste.

You could use more of the liqueur instead of the vanilla in the whipped cream. It’s your choice. Once the cream is to your taste, set it in a sieve over a bowl. It can be refrigerated until you are ready to assemble.

Just before assembling, take a fork and mash the raspberries until all of the liquid and fruit are mashed together. Spoon half of the fruit into the whipped cream and gently fold it through once or twice with a rubber spatula to create streaks. DON’T OVER MIX! You want it to be streaked, not solid pink. Repeat with remaining raspberries, setting aside some first as a garnish. You could alternatively choose to layer the whipped cream and fruit in your serving dishes. It’s hard to go wrong.

Now enjoy!

Matzattata

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

I don’t know about you, but after two seders and Shabbat, I am ready for something lighter and simpler for dinner. So tonight I made a Matzattata. Perhaps as you can guess this is a riff on a frittata. Now I could simply have made a frittata, but I wanted to use a few less eggs while also making something just a bit more substantial.

While I am giving you how I made the Matzattata, there are almost endless variations you could make by switching out vegetables or herbs or spices. So as long as the proportions are more or less similar, make this your own.

RECIPE

YIELD: 2 to 4 servings depending on sides and appetite

INGREDIENTS

4 standard squares of matzah

5 large eggs

3 to 5 Mushrooms, sliced (Mine were very large so I only used 3)

5 of the thicker kind of asparagus, with the stem thinly sliced. Save the tips plus about 2-inches of stem to add separately

Onion or shallot, finely chopped – about 1/4 cup

1 bell pepper, finely diced

1 medium tomato, seeded and finely diced

2 Tablespoons dairy or non-dairy milk (I used cashew milk)

kosher salt and either cracked black pepper, Aleppo Pepper or red pepper flakes

Neutral oil such as avocado or a buttery olive oil

rounded 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Rounded 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Rounded 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

About 5 ounces of your favorite shredded cheese. I used a Kosher for Passover smoked Gouda and Mozzarella.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.

Break up the matzah into smallish pieces – about 2 x 3-inches. Place the broken matzah into a sieve or colander. Run cold water over the matzah and using your hand, gently toss the matzah. Only do this for about a minute. You wanted the matzah softened but not mush!

Drain and add to a medium bowl. Add the 5 eggs, milk, dried herbs and about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and mix well. Set aside.

In a 9-inch oven-proof non-stick (or well seasoned cast iron) skillet, heat 3 Tablespoons of olive oil or a neutral oil like avocado on medium heat until just shimmering.

Add the onion, pepper, mushroom and thinly sliced asparagus stems. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Sauté for 2 minutes and then add the tomato. Cook until the vegetables have softened – about 5 minutes.

Once the vegetables have softened, add in the matzah/egg mixture. Using a spatula or large spoon, spread the mixture over the top of the vegetables, covering everything. Press down slightly.

Cover the top with the cheese. I didn’t do it because I forgot, but lay the asparagus tips over the cheese in whatever way looks pleasing. Press it down slightly into the cheese.

Allow this to cook undisturbed on the stovetop for about 3 to 5 minutes. Then place the pan in the hot oven uncovered! Allow it to cook for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown. It will look like there is a LOT of oil, but it’s fine.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes. This will allow things to firm up so you can make clean slices. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs or cut tomatoes.

Eggplant Supreme

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

We all LOVE eggplant in my family. This Eggplant Supreme is sweet from roasting the eggplant. It is savory and bright with lemon, almonds and mint. Serve it with or without crumbled feta and it will be a delightful addition to any table. This Eggplant Supreme is along the lines of something I saw Jamie Oliver make on YouTube and it turned out to be a big hit.

Eggplant Supreme can be a wonderful side to a meat, fish or vegetarian meal. If you add some crumbled feta, it makes a light lunch. Best of all, it can be made ahead and will hold up in your fridge for about a week – unless you devour it like we do!

I enjoy it best at room temperature, but it can also be eaten straight from the fridge. Just be sure to use a quality olive oil. I like to use the Mediterranean Medley Olive Oil from Sciabica, but a good quality lemon or garlic oil would also be great here. Fresh mint is classic in Mediterranean cuisine and it just brightens things up. However, if for some reason you are not a fan, you could use pretty much any fresh herb as a substitute.

I chose to use a shallot, but you could use red onion, Vidalia, yellow onion or even a scallion. Because I used a shallot, I didn’t feel the need to add any fresh garlic, but you certainly can.

Another thing I love about this eggplant dish is that there is no messy frying. The eggplant planks are roasted in the oven. I do strongly encourage you to cook the eggplant on parchment rather than using foil or even directly on the pan. Using anything else tends to make the eggplant stick and then you end up with large rips in the planks. And while I used a mortar and pestle to make the topping, you could chop the things together and then mix in the olive oil, lemon juice and zest.

Eggplant Supreme is great for Passover and all year long so give it a try.

RECIPE

YIELD: About 6 to 8 servings as a side

INGREDIENTS

3 eggplants about a pound each

About 1/3 cup Olive Oil, divided

Zest and juice of one lemon

1/3 cup chopped raw almonds

About 1/4 cup of loosely packed fresh mint leaves plus more for garnish

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

1 small shallot, chopped or about 2 tablespoons of any onion you prefer

Feta cheese – Optional

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. If you are doing multiple sheet pans and have convection, preheat to 375 degrees F. Line your sheet pans with parchment and set aside.

Cut off the tops and bottoms of each eggplant. Then lay the eggplant on its side and take a thin slice off, which should mostly be skin. You then want to slice planks that are about 1/2 inch thick. Don’t worry if they are not perfectly the same. Mine NEVER are! I have found that it is easiest to stand the eggplant on its now flat bottom and to slice down vertically from the top. Some people prefer cutting with the eggplant on its side. Do whatever is easiest for you.

When you get to the last piece of each eggplant, again take a thin slice of skin off to expose the meat of the eggplant. Lay each plank on the prepared pans without overlap. Brush each plank with the olive oil and sprinkle on salt and pepper. Bake the first side for 20 minutes.

Then remove the pans from the oven and carefully turn the planks over. Brush this side with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. This side will cook faster so only bake it for another 8 to 10 minutes. Ovens vary so just watch it. You want the eggplant tender and beginning to brown.

While the eggplants bake, prepare the topping. You will use about 3 Tablespoons of the oil for this and about 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Remember that you already salted the eggplant and if you use feta, cheese, that also adds salt. Put everything into a mortar and pestle or small food processor. If you are using a mortar and pestle, bash everything to get a coarse, paste. If using a processor, pulse everything until you get a coarse paste. You want texture! If you are just chopping by hand, then add all of the chopped bits into a bowl and mix through with the olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice.

Once the eggplant has finished baking, lay the planks on a platter in a pleasing arrangement. There is no one right way.

Spread the topping over the middle of the eggplant. If you are using feta, crumble it over the top. Drizzle a bit more olive oil and add a few cracks of pepper if you are using feta. Now enjoy!

Passover Brownies

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ Leave a comment

Over nearly 5 decades of preparing Pesach meals, I have made many wonderful desserts. You will find most of them on my blog and I will also link to them below. For several years I tried to make these brownies from Joan Nathan’s Jewish Cooking in America. This doyenne of Jewish cooking tells the best stories, but I have always found her recipes to be problematic. And the recipe for these Passover Brownies created by the Capsouto Frères NEVER worked. I finally figured out that there was a mistake in the recipe.

I have fixed the mistake and made a couple of small tweaks to the recipe. These Passover Brownies are just delicious and for those who must avoid gluten, they are good enough to enjoy all year. Rich with dark chocolate, dense and yet light because of the eggs and almond flour, they are a wonderful addition to any Passover meal.

And perhaps best of all, these brownies get EVEN better as they age which makes them a perfect make-ahead dessert. The flavors intensify and the brownies themselves become a bit denser while maintaining their lightness.

This recipe is a more old fashioned Passover recipe that does not take advantage of Kosher for Passover baking soda and baking powder which was unavailable decades ago. Our only leavening was lots of eggs that we separated into the yolks and whites. The whites had to be beaten into stiff peaks and gently folded into the rest of the mixture which included the yolks. While a bit of a tedious process, it still works.

When eggs were scarce during the pandemic, it was certainly nice to have other options. But recreating some of these older recipes brings me closer to my parents and grandparents, may they all rest in peace. I especially wanted to make some of these older recipes this year when my family is far away and it is just me and my husband. It reminds me of a happier time when our family was bigger and lived close by one another.

If you have a hand or standing mixer, this recipe is not too onerous to make. But it will take a little more effort than a standard brownie recipe to achieve the delightful result. And if we can’t take a little more effort during the holiday, well when can we?

For More Passover Desserts

Turkish Walnut Cookies for Passover (Mustacudos de Muez)

Fudgy Passover Brownies – Gluten-Free

Chocolate Orange Vegan Passover Cake

Vegan Dark Chocolate Mousse

Lemon Ricotta Almond Cake for Passover

Iraqi Almond Cardamom Cookies

Passover Sephardic Wine Cookies

Passover Almond Coconut Macaroons

Passover Florentine Cookies

Passover Orange Ginger Spice Cookies

Chocolate Chip Vegan Meringue Buttons for Passover

Vegan Almond Coconut Macaroons

RECIPE

Yield: One 9″ square pan (You decide how big or small to cut them. I got 16 pieces)

INGREDIENTS

1.5 sticks of unsalted vegan or dairy butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

5 large eggs, separated

6 ounces best quality bittersweet chocolate (try for 70 to 72% cacao)

6 ounces finely ground natural almond meal or flour

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

A good splash of dark coffee (about 1 Tablespoon)

DIRECTION

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch square metal baking pan with parchment and lightly spray it with avocado oil or other kosher for Passover neutral spray.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. I just use an oven-safe bowl that I place over a pot with hot water. You can melt chocolate in the microwave but it’s a fussier process. Just heat the water and have the bowl sit in the pot just ABOVE the water. Stir occasionally with a spatula. Once melted, remove the chocolate from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.

While the chocolate melts, cream the better and sugar, scraping down the bowl periodically. You should cream the butter and sugar for at least 3 minutes in either a standing mixture or with a hand mixture. Slowly add the egg yolks one at a time. You want this to be light and fluffy.

Then add the slightly cooled chocolate, the vanilla extract, coffee and the ground almonds. Mix through.

In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Take about 1/4 of the whipped egg whites and thoroughly mix it into the chocolate batter to loosen it up. Then in 3 other portions, gently but thoroughly fold in the remaining egg whites just until no whites are showing. Use a rubber spatula for this and make figure eights through the batter to incorporate the whites without deflating them too much.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes. The top should look baked and just slightly cracked.

Allow the brownies to cool completely before cutting. Don’t worry if the center sinks a little as it cools. Now enjoy!

Turkish Walnut Cookies for Passover (Mustacudos de Muez)

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 1 Comment

Mustacudos de Muez are a Passover specialty of the Jews of Turkey. These unprepossessing cookies are simple to make and quite delicious. Unlike the many varieties of almond and coconut cookies that are ubiquitous during Passover, the Mustacudos de Muez are not as chewy or as sweet. The walnuts have a unique depth of flavor and the orange zest and cinnamon will transport you to the Bosporus.

These cookies are great with tea or coffee, but also would be wonderful with a sweet dessert wine. When you bite into one, there is a bit of crunch to the outer shell of the cookie and then you experience just a slight chewiness as you inhale the orange, walnut and cinnamon goodness.

I found the recipe in Claudia Roden’s The Book of Jewish Food.

If you looking to arm chair travel this Pesach holiday, you can’t go wrong with these delightful and simple cookie. They are fairly sturdy so also make a good treat to bring if you are lucky enough to be invited to someone else’s Seder.

There are many wonderful desserts on my blog that are Kosher for Passover and I’ve just added another. Tomorrow I will post my Passover Brownies recipe. After all, you can’t have too many great desserts.

RECIPE

Yield: Between 16 -20

INGREDIENTS

2 cups (250g) English walnuts

1/2 cup (90g) granulated sugar

1 large egg

Zest of 3/4 of a large orange (navel or Cara Cara)

3/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon of Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. or 325 degrees F if using a convection oven.

Line rimmed cookie sheets with parchment paper or use a Silpat.

Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until the mixture forms a firm paste with the walnuts still retaining some coarseness.

Moisten your hands with a bit of water or a thin coating of a neutral oil so that the paste does not stick.

Form the mixture into balls the size of walnuts in their shell. Arrange them on the prepared cookie sheets leaving about an 1.5 inches between. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool before storing the cookies in a tin or airtight container.

Triple Chocolate Banana Protein Muffins

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Triple Chocolate Banana Protein Muffins are one of my go to breakfast muffins. They taste like a great chocolate banana bread but with an ooey, gooey chocolate center and a hit of Dutch-processed cocoa to up the chocolate game. And did I mention that they happen to be gluten free? I mean, come on!

These Triple Chocolate Banana Protein Muffins will keep you going all morning long or for a healthy afternoon snack when dinner is hours away. When making these delicious muffins, it is essential to use VERY ripe, even black, bananas. These add lots of natural sweetness without adding a lot more sugar.

If you want to make these muffins a bit more tropical add 2 Tablespoons of unsweetened, finely shredded coconut to the mix before baking. These muffins can be frozen or refrigerated. I usually take out four muffins at a time which we go through in 2 days. Do zap the muffins before eating to re-gooify the chocolate centers. Sooooooo good!

RECIPE

YIELD: 12 standard size muffins

INGREDIENTS

3 medium bananas – VERY ripe, peeled and mushed leaving just a few whole bits of banana visible. If your bananas are really black, there will even be liquid.

1/3 cup dark chocolate vegan chips

1.75 cups of superfine almond flour (I like to mix blanched (without the skins) almond flour and natural (with the skins) almond flour for the best texture)

1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1/4 dark or light brown sugar

1/2 cup of your favorite protein powder (I like a Grass-fed vanilla protein powder)

2 Tablespoons peanut butter powder

2 Tablespoons Unsweetened Dutch Process Cocoa Powder (I like Valrhona but any good brand will work.)

2 Tablespoons finely shredded unsweetened coconut (Optional)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

3 large eggs

1/4 cup of Refined Coconut Oil, melted and cooled slightly

Chocolate peanut butter or chocolate almond butter

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. with a rack in the middle.

Line a muffin tin with parchment muffin cups (You could spray a non-stick pan instead of using the parchment, but I like the liners.)

In a large bowl, add the almond flour(s), nuts, chocolate chips, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa, salt, peanut butter powder and protein powder. Mix thoroughly.

In a separate medium bowl, add the eggs, brown sugar, mushed bananas and melted coconut oil. Whisk together to incorporate everything. Then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix until you no longer see bits of almond flour but don’t continue mixing after that. Allow the mixture to rest for 12 minutes to allow the almond flour to absorb all of the wet ingredients.

Using a 2 tablespoon scoop or measure, add this amount of batter to each muffin cup. It should fill about 1/2 of the muffin cup. Then add about 1 teaspoon of the chocolate almond or peanut butter to the center of each muffin. Fill the muffin cups to the top of the tin with the remaining batter.

Place the tin in the 400 degree oven for 6 minutes. Then turn the heat down to 375 degrees and continue baking for about 11 more minutes. Ovens vary so just watch it until you see how your oven does.

Remove the pan to a wire rack and allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 12 minutes. Then remove the muffins from the tin and place directly on the cooling rack to completely cool.

Once the muffins are cool, they can be store in plastic bags or stasher-type bags depending on how you plan on keeping them. I use three bags and refrigerate 2. We go through these every 2 to 3 days. Unless your house is very warm, the muffins can remain unrefigerated for 2 to 3 days without spoiling. Now enjoy!

Vegan Dark Chocolate Mousse

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 3 Comments

This simple-to-make, absolutely fabulous dessert is a must for vegans and non-vegans alike. I came across this at the Minimalist Baker site one year when I was looking for some new Passover recipes (and this can easily be made kosher for Passover). Vegan Dark Chocolate Mousse is rich tasting with a beautiful silky texture and that bittersweet chocolate finish. Once you make it, you will wonder why you never had it before. There is no going back.

However, like all things with few ingredients, the ones you use need to be topnotch. I like Valrhona Cocoa and Scharffen Berger Baking Chocolate 70% Cacao. This gives a sophisticated finish to the Vegan Dark Chocolate Mousse. Sweet chocolate pudding has its place, but this isn’t it. These are the brands I like but there are some other wonderful brands out there, including some that are kosher for Passover.

I got into making vegan desserts because of my great nephew who was deathly allergic to eggs. We shared many holidays together and I never wanted him to miss out on anything or have to “settle.” While thankfully, he successfully underwent treatment to desensitize him to eggs, I still like to make many desserts that are vegan. If you keep the laws of kashrut and want to serve a great dessert after a meat meal, vegan desserts are just the ticket.

This insanely rich-tasting, dark chocolate mousse can be enjoyed unadorned or you can have fun tarting it up as I did for this past Shabbat dinner. And pregnant women and children can safely enjoy this wonderful dessert since unlike a “true” mousse, it is not made with raw egg!

This recipe is definitely a keeper.

RECIPE

Yield: About 8 servings (A little goes a long way)

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon of unsweetened Dutch process cocoa or cacao powder (I like Valrhona cocoa for this.)

3/4 cup chopped cocoa butter 

3.5 ounces of the best dark chocolate (70%) (Bittersweet)

1 14-ounce can of full-fat coconut milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pinch of Kosher salt

1 teaspoon of Powdered or Confectioner’s sugar

6 pitted medjool dates

DIRECTIONS

In a small saucepan, combine cocoa or cacao powder, cocoa butter, chocolate, salt, and coconut milk. Begin warming over medium-low heat, whisking to combine.

Once the mixture is melted whisk until fully combined. Then remove from heat and add vanilla and confectioner’s sugar to taste (or just add more dates). I found 3/4 teaspoon sugar to be perfect.

Transfer the mixture to a blender. Add dates and blend on high until creamy and smooth. 

Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more cacao powder for rich chocolate flavor, dates for sweetness, or salt for saltiness. Frankly, I didn’t add anything. The instructions and amounts as given produced a dark, bittersweet, slightly fudgy deliciousness.

Transfer to a bowl and cover. Refrigerate until cold and thickened – at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

If you want the dessert to be softer and more traditional “mousse-like” take it out of the fridge about an hour before serving. Straight from the fridge will give a somewhat fudgier texture. There is no right or wrong here – both ways are absolutely delicious.

To serve on its own, divide between serving glasses and top with coconut whipped cream, raspberries, and chopped vegan dark chocolate or cacao/cocoa powder (optional).

Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days. 

Cabbage Curry

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Cabbage Curry takes the humble, budget-friendly cabbage and transforms it into a silky, creamy and utterly delicious curry. I know that some of you only associate cabbage with coleslaw, sauerkraut or the steamed, stuffed rolls that many of us grew up with. But the relatively slow cooking of the cabbage turns this ubiquitous and inexpensive vegetable into a star.

About the only vegetable that I am not wild about is okra. So when I came across the Cabbage Curry on Rainbow Plant Life, it didn’t take any persuading to get me to try it. I didn’t think, however, that I would be making it as a Shabbat dinner. But accompanied by salatim, the Cabbage Curry made for a lovely, delicious and festive meal. An added bonus for me was that no animal had to die so that we could celebrate this weekly holiday.

I have always thought that Middle Eastern/North African and South Asian food complimented one another. So having the main dish be a curry and the sides be Middle Eastern, with everything accompanied by my husband’s wonderful challah worked beautifully. When making another culture’s food, I try to be respectful, but I’m also not afraid to play around a bit.

Whether you make this Cabbage Curry as a weeknight dinner or as part of a holiday meal, you won’t be disappointed. And no one will think that you skimped on the meal just because you used this budget-friendly main course. So in one dish, you tastebuds will sing and so will your wallet. You can’t ask for more than that!

For more wonderful Vegetable Curries:

Butternut Squash Curry

Cauliflower Spinach Tofu Curry

Pea and Cashew Curry

Roasted Cauliflower Lentil Curry

Potato and Green Pea Curry

Kidney Bean Curry (Rajma Paneer)

Thai Style Yellow Curry with Sweet Potato

Chickpea Spinach Curry

Tofu Coconut Curry

For Chicken and Fish Curries:

Chicken Curry Punjabi-Style

Chicken Curry with Spices

Bene Israel Fish Curry with Fresh Ginger, Tamarind and Cilantro

RECIPE

YIELD: 4 to 6 generous servings, depending on sides

NOTE: Have everything prepped before you begin cooking!dd the serrano pepper and garlic

INGREDIENTS

2 Tablespoons of a neutral oil (I like Avocado)

4 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

1 to 3 serrano pepper, de-seeded and finely chopped (I’m happy using one)

8 cups green (also called white) cabbage, core and tough outer leaves removed, shredded or thinly sliced (I used 3/4 of a 2-pound cabbage)

Kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal) and freshly cracked black pepper

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder (I LOVE the slightly smokey, gentle heat from this pepper and use it on so many things. It is easily available online if you don’t have access to an Indian grocery store.)

1.5 teaspoons rounded ground coriander

1.5 teaspoons rounded ground cumin

3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

8 ounces ripe tomatoes, seeds removed and finely chopped (You could use canned if ripe ones aren’t available or you don’t have any on hand.)

About 400 ml of a full-fat coconut milk

4 cups of cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 Tablespoons unsweetened almond or cashew butter

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 lime, juiced

1 cup of fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Mix together the cumin, turmeric, coriander, Kashmiri chili and tomato paste. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large (12-inch) deep skillet or Dutch oven until shimmering. Add the serrano pepper(s) and garlic to the hot oil and stir almost constantly for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Do not allow the garlic to brown.

Next add the cabbage. Using tongs, try to coat all of the cabbage with the oil, garlic and pepper(s). Season with a 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring frequently for 12 minutes. You can add a splash or two of water if things look as if they are dry or might stick to the bottom of the pan. The cabbage should become silky and have some browning spots appearing.

Once the cabbage has reached the yummy stage, add in the spice mix, stirring to coat the cabbage for about 2 minutes. If things are looking a bit dry, add a few more splashes of water.

It’s time to add in the tomatoes. Mix through and cook for 5 minutes until they are softened and almost melting into the cabbage.

The curry is ready for the chickpeas, almond butter, coconut milk and another 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. Mix everything through and cook uncovered for 18 minutes, stirring every few minutes. The sauce will thicken, so if you have left-overs or are making this ahead, you will likely want to add some additional coconut milk or water to reheat the curry.

Add in the garam masala and juice from 1/2 of the lime and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes. Give things a taste and adjust with more salt or lime juice if necessary. (I didn’t add anything.)

Just before serving, add in the chopped cilantro, reserving a little to sprinkle over each serving for presentation.

I served this over rice and with a dollop of homemade yogurt. To keep the dish vegan, either don’t add any yogurt or use a plant-based yogurt. Since we eat a lot of South Asian food, I had 3 chutneys on hand, including my own cranberry orange relish that I make for thanksgiving! If it hadn’t been Shabbat, I would have also made naan to accompany the curry, although the challah was actually perfect. The sweetness of the challah played off beautifully with the curry spices and the soft bread was perfect for soaking up every last bit of the delicious sauce.

Tzimmes Chicken

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Tzimmes Chicken is perfect for autumn. It’s perfect for the Jewish holidays. And it is simply, just perfect. And it’s one of the dinners that you don’t need to stress over exact amounts and is even better when made ahead.

Along the lines of a tagine, Tzimmes Chicken is a mixture of sweet and savory. The recipe can easily be increased to feed the multitudes that may be coming for holiday meals.

Moroccan cooks have perfected mixing meats with fruits and often nuts and getting just the right balance of sweet and savory. There are as many variations as there are people cooking these dishes and this is one more.

While I made this with chicken thighs on the bone and with the skin, you can use a whole chicken, cut up if you prefer. However, the thighs on the bone make this dish almost impossible to dry out or ruin so it is perfect for both the experienced and the novice cook and makes reheating a dream.

When I made this dish the first time it was a favorite of my husband’s. Tzimmes Chicken not only is a great make-ahead meal but it is also a one-pot meal! So less clean-up. And who doesn’t like that!? And if you don’t have sweet potato, use butternut squash or Kuri Red. You want to stretch it a bit, add some red or golden potatoes, peeled and cut into thick slices.

As I will always preach, whenever possible, grind your own spices. The difference is huge. It’s also less wasteful since whole spices retain their flavor longer than the pre-ground ones that you buy in a jar.

When I make this for Shabbat or a Jewish holiday, I serve it along with salatim and dessert. But you don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy this delicious one-pot dinner.

For other tagine and harvest meals:

Chicken Tagine with Almonds and Apricots

Lamb Merguez and Chicken Tagine

Lamb Shank Tagine

Crockpot Chicken Tagine

Lamb Tagine with Chickpeas and Cilantro

Sweet and Spicy Harvest Chicken

Harvest Chicken (with Japanese Sweet Potato and Dried Fruits)

Vegetarian Tzimmes

Fruit and Vegetable Tzimmes – a perfect introduction to autumn

RECIPE

YIELD: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 to 4 Tablespoons Avocado oil

About 2 pounds of chicken thighs with skin and on the bone

2 teaspoons kosher salt or to taste (If you are using kosher chicken, you should add a little less)

3 teaspoons ground coriander, divided

1 rounded teaspoon ground cumin, divided

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks or quarter moon-shaped slices

3 to 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch coins

1.5 cups dried fruits (I used a mix of pitted dates, apricots and cranberries. Prunes and other dried fruits would work as well.)

Zest of 1 medium lemon or orange

1.5 teaspoons grated or finely chopped fresh ginger root

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 large pinch of your red pepper of choice (I like Aleppo pepper for it’s fruity heat)

1 large leek or onion, peeled and sliced into thin half moons

1 cup orange juice plus more if needed when reheating

1 cup red wine plus more if needed when reheating (I used a Pinot Noir)

1 Tablespoon Pomegranate Molasses, Silan (also known as date honey) or Tamarind (Optional)

Water or broth, if needed and you prefer not to use more wine or orange juice

For serving

A large handful of chopped fresh herbs such as cilantro, flat-leaf parsley and/or dill

DIRECTIONS

Pat dry the chicken and rub with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1.5 teaspoons coriander, half of the cumin and all of the cracked black pepper. Place this in a bowl or Ziploc bag. This can be refrigerated overnight or for at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare all of the remaining ingredients. Mix together the sweet potato, carrot, dried fruit, zest, hot pepper flakes, remaining spices and cinnamon stick with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt. You can always add salt towards the end so go easy.

In a Dutch Oven or heavy duty oven-safe casserole, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add as many pieces of chicken, skin side down as comfortably fit in a single layer without crowding. Brown on both sides (between 5 and 8 minutes each side). If doing this in batches, remove the browned chicken to a plate and repeat the process. Do not add more oil unless absolutely necessary to prevent burning. Remove the remaining chicken and set aside. This can be done in a separate pan from the one that will hold everything if you prefer, which is what I did. That way, if you used more oil than you want in the finished dish, you can just leave it in the pan when you remove the onions

Add the leeks or onion to the pan along with a pinch of salt. Sauté until the onions become soft and are golden around the edges. Add the garlic and sauté for one more minute. If using a separate pan for the remainder of the cooking, transfer the onions and garlic to the bottom of the Dutch Oven.

Place the chicken on top of the onion mixture. If you are making a lot, place only 1/2 of the chicken pieces. Top with the vegetables and fruits. (If doing it layers, divide the vegetable and fruit mixture so they end up on top.

Pour the orange juice, pomegranate molasses, if using, and wine over everything until most of the ingredients are submerged. Don’t drown the mixture! If you require a little more liquid, add any of your options.

Bring everything to a boil and then cover the Dutch Oven and place it into the oven for 1 hour. At this point, the dish is finished but it can be cooled and refrigerated for later use. Taste to adjust any seasoning and make sure that the pan hasn’t gone dry before reheating. Reheat at 325 degrees F. Enjoy!

Any leftovers can be frozen or will keep in the fridge for at least a week.

Fudgy Passover Brownies – Gluten-Free

~ lisaandfrancescook ~ 1 Comment

There isn’t a great deal to say about why you would want to make brownies for Pesach. I mean, why wouldn’t you? After all, who doesn’t love a good brownie? And since these Fudgy Passover Brownies are gluten-free, they also can be used all year-round for those with gluten intolerance. Dense and fudgy with a deep chocolate flavor. Be extra decadent and serve them with vegan vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

There are a LOT of brownie recipes out there and I have several on my blog. People also have very strong ideas about what makes the perfect brownie – fudgy vs. cakey, with extra chocolate chips or without, frosting or no frosting. Etc. etc. etc.

My personal all-time favorite brownie is my Java Brownie, but it is not for Passover. Is this brownie the absolute sine quinone of brownies? Probably not. But it is an easy recipe that comes together quickly, is Kosher for Pesach and is quite satisfying when you are looking for that chocolate something dessert. And best of all, I had all of the ingredients in my fridge or pantry so there were no additional trips to the store. Give it a try.

Just a note. These brownies will only be as good as the ingredients you use. If you use a cheap chocolate or cocoa, artificial vanilla etc. your results will not be as good as when using quality ingredients. There are some excellent kosher for Passover chocolate brands and you should be able to find one without too much difficulty. This recipe only calls for two eggs so make sure that they are fresh. There is also some excellent vegan butter on the market in addition to vegetable margarine. I would definitely go for the vegan buttery sticks. You will see the difference in the end result. Your output will only be as good as your input.

RECIPE

YIELD: About 9 servings

INGREDIENTS

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan butter cut into chunks, plus extra for the pan

3.5 ounces dark or bittersweet kosher for Passover chocolate, broken or coarsely chopped

1 cup superfine almond flour or almond meal

½ cup granulated cane sugar

¼ cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder

2 Tablespoons of potato starch

1.5 teaspoons instant espresso powder

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¼ cup dark, white or a mixture of chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 x 8-inch metal pan with parchment. Butter the paper and set aside.

Place the butter and chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in a microwave safe bowl. Just place a heat proof bowl over a pot of water, but do NOT allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water. Bring the water to a simmer and checking frequently, melt the chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally with a spatula. If you use a microwave for this, start with 30 seconds at full heat. Keep checking and stirring. Do small increments after that until almost all the chocolate is melted. Then remove the bowl from the microwave and stir with a spatula until the chocolate is smooth and glossy.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sugar, cocoa powder, potato starch, salt and instant espresso granules. Stir out any lumps that may have formed. Add the chocolate mixture to the dry ingredients and incorporate it using a spatula.

Lightly whisk the eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl and add it to the batter. Add in the chocolate chips and mix everything through until you have a fairly thick but smooth batter (except for the chocolate chip lumps.)

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use a spatula to spread everything evenly.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the brownies are just firm to the touch and a toothpick comes out mostly clean.

Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan. Then either invert them onto a plate, remove the paper and turn the brownies right side up to cut them OR just ease theparchment and brownies out of the pan and place on a cutting board. You can then just cut them on the parchment and peel the parchment off each piece.