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Name of recipe: Gnocchi

1 lb of baked (less water) or boiled russet potatoes

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil

2 ½ cups flour

Mash potatoes (no lumps) add salt and olive oil.

Add 2 ½ cups flour (can vary depends on moisture in potatoes – the dough should be firm-ish not sticky).

Roll (about 1 tbsp of dough) into a compact ball, roll to make roundish, roll fork through to make grooves. Repeat. Repeat.

Place Gnocchi in salted boiling water 4-5 minute. The pillows will float to the top when done.

Can serve immediately (with roasted tomatoes (see below), sauce, or pesto) or save up to 3-4 days and bake at 375 for ten minutes or until golden brown.

Roasted tomatoes

1-2 lbs of fresh ripe tomatoes

Olive oil

Salt

Fresh herbs (basil, oregano, parsley)

Toss tomatoes with olive oil, salt, and herbs.

Roast the tomato at 375 for 25-30 minutes.

The tomatoes should pop and they can start turn around brown

Place roasted tomatoes in the food processor and lightly process so there are still chunks

Serve with fresh mozzarella cheese and dressed greens.

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Name of recipe: Ma's fried rice and chicken kofta
My mother's rice recipe is her own and the aroma and taste stay with you long after you have eaten. Birthdays, anniversary dinners, special guest visit were occasions when she made the rice. I make it often in her memory and feel her presence but never quite achieve the level of perfection. But I keep trying...The chicken kofta (or kafta) is my attempt borrowing from cuisines from northern India where I grew up.
Ingredients: Fried rice: basmati rice (1 cup), cinnamon (1 stick), green cardamom (4), bay leaf (1-2); sugar (1 tbsp); salt (a pinch); frozen peas and carrots, cashew (1/4 cup); raisins soaked in water for a few hours
Ingredients for Chicken kofta
Ground chicken ( 1lbs); ginger garlic paste (2 tbsp); one large onion sautéed; one egg; one large onion chopped to a fine dice; breadcrumbs; coriander seeds (2 tbsp) salt, pepper, a handful of almonds, a cup of yogurt, cilantro
Method: Set aside semi cooked rice and spread it out on a flat tray to dry. Sprinkle sugar, salt and gently mix. In a pan pour oil/butter and add, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaves. Let the aroma waft through. Add cashew and as they turn light brown, add raisins which will have plumped up. Add frozen peas and carrots and allow them to cook. Add the rice and mix well on low flame. Done!
Kofta: To the ground meat add sautéed onions, garlic and ginger paste. Add salt and pepper. Add egg and breadcrumbs and chopped cilantro. Mix well. Make balls using your palms and leave them in the fridge or a while. Meanwhile prepare the sauce. In a pan pour some oil and sauté the diced onions, garlic, ginger paste. Add almonds. As they begin to cook add the cilantro seeds. In a blender, add yogurt and all sautéed onion mix and blend to a smooth consistency. In a pan empty the contents of the blender and cook on low flame. Bring the kofta from the fridge and sauté them till they are brown on all sides. Drop them in the sauce and on a low flame cook till done; add water if needed. Garnish with chopped cilantro. From my mother's kitchen to yours. I hope you do make it!

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Grandma's Stuffed Cabbage

Stuffed Cabbage like this is common throughout Eastern Europe. This version is what my Jewish Grandmother, who was born in what is now Ukraine, made. It is such a comfort food!

Ingredients:

1 large head cabbage

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 onions, sliced thin

3 cups canned chopped tomatoes

3 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey

3 Tablespoons raw white rice

4 Tablespoons grated onion

1 egg

3 Tablespoons cold water

2 Tablespoons honey

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

¼ cup lemon juice

¼ cup golden raisins

Directions

1.     Pour boiling water over the cabbage to cover and let soak for 15 minutes. Then drain and cool to separate the leaves. You may need to repeat once the outer leaves have been removed to allow the ones more toward the center to soften enough for removal. You will need 12-18 leaves.

2.     Trim any thick center parts of leaves away as it will interfere with the rolling.

3.     Heat olive oil in a heavy, high sided pan and cook sliced onions until lightly brown. Add the tomatoes, ½ of the salt (1 ½ tsps.), and pepper to the pan, then cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes.

4.     Mix together the ground meat, rice, 4 Tbsps. grated onion, egg, and water.

5.     Place some of the meat mixture on each cabbage leaf. Fold over each side of the leaf toward the middle and then roll.

6.     Add the rolls to the simmering sauce, fold side down. Then cover and cook on low heat for 1 ½ hours.

7.     Uncover and add the honey, brown sugar, lemon juice, and raisins. Recover the pot and cook on low 30 minutes.

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Soupe de Gaudes
This is an adaptation of my late cooking teacher Madeleine Kamman’s recipe from the Franche-Comte region of France.  This version is quite rich—feel free to use less butter or substitute olive oil.

3 onions, finely chopped

4 Tbs unsalted butter

½ cup fine corn meal

4 cups chicken stock

2 medium zucchini, finely julienned either by hand or machine

1 cup heavy cream (delicious but not crucial )

salt and pepper to taste

snipped fresh basil leaves

grated Gruyere or Comte cheese

In a heavy pot sauté the onions in the butter until soft.  Add the zucchini and sauté briefly.

In a separate pot heat 3 cups of the stock to a simmer. Whisk together the cornmeal and the remaining cold cup of stock and whisk this slurry into the simmering stock.

Simmer together for a few minutes until it thickens.  Add this mixture to the onions and zucchini and simmer the soup for about ½ hour.  Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper and add the heavy cream.  If the soup is too thick you can add stock, water, or milk.  Add the basil just before serving and the cheese to individual bowls.

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Elaine's Super Foolproof Matzo Ball Recipe

4 large eggs

1/3 cup canola oil

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon salt

dash of pepper

1 cup matzo meal

Directions:

Mix together eggs, oil, water, sall and pepper. Add matzo meal and mix well.

Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes. Boil water and with wet hands, form small balls and drop in water for 20 minutes. Add to chicken soup and enjoy!

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Apple Cranberry Pie (based on a recipe from Epicurious)

1. For crust

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

8 tablespoons (about) ice water

1. For filling

1 cup dried cranberries

2/3 cup sugar

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

2 1/4 pounds Pippin apples, peeled, quartered, cored, thinly sliced

1 1/2 tablespoons brandy

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3.

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon whipping cream

1. Make crust:

Blend flour, sugar and salt in processor. Add butter; cut in using on/off turns until butter is cut into 1/4-inch pieces. Add 7 tablespoons water and blend until moist clumps form, adding more water by tablespoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; divide into 2 pieces. Flatten pieces into disks; wrap in plastic. Chill at least 30 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)

1. Make filling:

Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°F. Combine cranberries, sugar, flour and allspice in large bowl. Mix in apples, then brandy and vanilla extract.

1.

Roll out 1 dough disk on floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Spoon in apple filling, mounding slightly in center. Roll out second dough disk on floured surface to 13-inch round. Drape crust over filling. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch. Press crust edges together; fold under. Crimp edge. Stir yolk and cream in small bowl to blend. Brush over top (but not edge) of pie. Cut slits in top crust to allow steam to escape. Bake pie until apples are tender and crust is golden, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Transfer to rack; let stand 1 hour. Serve pie warm or at room temperature.

I always make some changes though:

For the filling, I use a mixture of apples including some Granny Smiths or other tart baking apples and some softer apples.

I cut the sugar to 1/2 cup from 2/3.

I sometimes sub 1/2 tsp of almond extract for part of the vanilla

For the crust, my technique involves using about half vodka/half water and I'm super careful not to over mix. The vodka allows you to handle the crust but it evaporates fast and makes the crust flakier.

It's a great pie - everyone likes it.

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Italian Plum Pie (a big pie)
I use a Pillsbury pre-made pie crust and roll it out thinner than how it is normally made. I cut off the excess to make a lattice top for the pie.

Ingredients:

One pie crust (homemade or store bought)

4 ½ cups of pitted and quartered Italian plums (small egg-shaped plums only available for a few weeks in August/September)

1 and 1/8 C sugar

3-4 TBS flour

3 Tbs fresh lemon juice

1/8 tsp salt

2 TBS butter

Add sugar, flour, lemon juice and salt to the bowl of pitted plums and mix together and then pour it all into your prepared pie crust.  Melt butter and pour over the plum mixture. Roll the extra pie dough pieces and make strips and create a lattice top. Pinch edges. Sprinkle sugar on top of pie.

Place on a cookie sheet in hot 425 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. Then turn down temp to 350 degree and bake 35-40 minutes longer.

Delicious with vanilla ice cream.

I have also made this pie with less plums adding some nectarines or peaches with great results and a  pretty color combination!

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Challah bread
Ingredients for two loaves:

·       1¼ cup water at appropriate temperature (below)

·       2.25 tsp dry, active yeast

·       ½ cup honey

·       1½ tsp salt

·       3 Tbsp table sugar

·       2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

·       3 egg yolks at room temperature (for dough)

·       1 egg (for glaze)

·       4.5 cups unbleached bread flour  (NOTE: 1 cup = 4.25 ounces.  Therefore 4.5 cups = 1.2 pounds = 1 pound, 3 ounces)

·       Poppy or sesame seeds

Prepare the yeast:

1.     Add the oil, honey, salt and sugar in a bowl.  Stir thoroughly and let sit 15-30 minutes.

2.     Add the yeast to the water (114 degrees), mix and let stand ten minutes.

3.     Separate the egg whites and yolks.  Keep 1-2 whites for the glaze later.

4.     Add the egg yolks to the oil/honey mixture and stir thoroughly.

5.     Add the yeast mixture to the egg/oil/honey mixture and stir thoroughly..

Start the dough and the First Rise:

1.     Put out a plate with flour to add as needed.  (DO NOW BEFORE HANDS GET CAKED WITH DOUGH.)

2.     Work the flour into the yeast/egg mixture, one cup at a time.

3.     Knead the dough ~10-15 minutes until the proper texture (not sticky and easy to handle).

4.     Oil a large bowl or spray it with Pam.

5.     Put the dough ball into the bowl and lightly coat it with the oil from the bowl.

6.     Cover the bowl with Saran Wrap and let it rise in the oven for 1.5 hour.

7.     Put bowl of steaming water in oven with the dough to increase humidity, and occasionally let oven run at lowest possible temperature for 60 seconds.

Continue the dough and the Second Rise:

1.     Punch down the dough and gently knead it, adding flour if needed to make it workable again.

2.     Cover the dough with the Saran Wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes.

3.     Gently knead the dough again.

4.     Cut the dough ball in half and then each half into thirds.

5.     Roll each of the small pieces into a strand and make two, 3-strand loaves.

6.     Put each loaf onto a greased pan (or pan with parchment paper), cover with oiled Saran Wrap and let rise 1 hour

Cook:

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.     Beat 1.5 egg whites with 1 Tbsp water for the glaze.

3.     Glaze the top and sides of the loaves and sprinkle with sesame seeds or poppy seeds.

4.     Bake for 15 minutes on center rack. (Bottom rack burns the bottom of the loaves.)

5.     Remove bread from oven and add more glaze.

6.     Bake additional 15 minutes.  (Cover with foil if top starts to burn.)

7.     Remove from oven.  Bottom of bread should have hollow thump.

Braiding order:

·       1-2-3 with braids overlapping at their centers!

·       Braid bottom half:

·       1 over 2

·       3 over 2

·       Repeat.

·       Flip loaf upside down and repeat for remaining half.

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Fajitas de mi mamá

(My Mom’s fajitas with Mexican rice)

Ingredients:

·       2 lbs. boneless chicken breast

·       3 tbsp. chicken fajita seasoning (store bought)

·       1 large white onion

·       1 green bell pepper

·       1 yellow or orange bell pepper

·       1 red bell pepper

·       1 tsp. salt + to taste

·       1 cup of Mexican cream or sour cream (optional)

·       Your favorite salsa as a side, red or green

·       6 limes (optional)

Slice chicken into 1/2 inch strips. Season with fajita seasoning

Thinly slice onions, and bell peppers.  In a heavy bottom pan cook the chicken with 1 table spoon of olive oil, until chicken is almost cooked. 3 minutes on one side and 2 minutes on the other side.  At the same time in another pan add 1 tbsp oil and saute the veggies. Transfer the cooked veggies to pan in which chicken is being cooked. Mix them well for about 2 minutes. Add seasoning with salt and pepper as desired.

Arroz Mexicano

(Mexican rice or Spanish rice)

Ingredients:

- 1 cup of jasmine rice

- 1 tb. spoon of olive oil

- 1/4 of a medium onion

- 2 cloves of garlic

- 1 cup of water

- 1 cup of chicken broth

- 1 tsp of Knorr Chicken bouillon

- 1/4 of salt

- 1/2 packet of Sazón Goya con cilantro y tomate (for color)

Saute rice in the oil until translucent and a little yellow. At the same time, blend the onion and garlic with water, and add it to the rice, as well as the chicken broth. Season with the last three ingredients.

Serve fajita with rice, salsa, sour cream, lime. Alternatively chicken could also be served with warm tortillas.

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Kefir Dunking Pancakes (a.k.a. perfect pancakes)
These perfect pancakes remind one of childhood, of grandmother’s cooking. Children just adore them. And not only Russian children. Swedish, Dutch, American - no one remains indifferent. Be sure to try making them!
Ingredients:
2 cups of milk
3 cups of flour
1 egg
1-2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
vegetable oil for frying
Pour kefir into a deep bowl.  Add one or two tablespoons of granulated sugar. Add half a teaspoon of salt and one whole egg. Stir it well with a whisk. Mix baking powder and flour. Add it to the kefir mix.  Then, stir the dough well in a strong circular motion with a whisk until smooth (no lumps). Set aside and without any further stirring. The batter will be thick. You need to leave it for 20 minutes for dough to rise slightly.

At this point you know the dough is ready and prepare to start making pancakes. You need a frying pan with a thick bottom.

How to check if the pan is hot enough? Sprinkle a few drops of   water over medium heat. Once the water has evaporated and the pan is dry, pour in the oil, 1 centimeter high. Let it warm up for another minute. Add butter.
Then scoop up the dough in small portions, three to four pancakes at a time. There should be a distance between the pancakes when frying so they do not stick to each other.
Watch carefully how the dough changes color from bottom to top, gradually frying. Turn them over and fry on other side for about the same amount of time.
If you find that the pancakes are cooking too quickly, reduce the heat slightly.
Serve pancakes for breakfast with sour cream, jam or honey, whipped cream and berries.

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Noodle Pudding (Kugel)
My grandmother shared this no-fail recipe with me when I was first married.  I still have the index card on which she wrote the recipe.  Needless to say, each time I take out the card and see her handwriting,  I am reminded of her and the times we spent together.

Ingredients:
12 oz. pkg. medium noodles

1 lb. pkg. cottage cheese

1 pint sour cream

3 large or 4 small eggs

1 t. vanilla

½ c. sugar

Small can crushed pineapple drained

A few raisins

Boil noodles with ½ t. salt and drain.

Mix everything together.

Butter pan and pour in mixture.

Sprinkle with corn flake crumbs and put pieces of butter on top.

Cook at 375 for 30 minutes.

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French (Canadian) Meat Pie

Ingredients for filling a 10” pie plate with top and bottom crust.  During less prosperous times, seasoning consisted of only salt, pepper and Bell’s* seasoning (or equivalent), when available. At times, butter was not available and lard was used.

Pastry

2 ½ cups flour

½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt

15 tablespoons unsalted butter (or lard or vegetable shortening)

9 to 10 tablespoons cold water

Filling

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground pork

3 large potatoes or equivalent

1 large onion or equivalent - chopped

2 cloves of garlic - finely chopped

1 ½ teaspoon Bell’s poultry seasoning*

¼ teaspoon cardomon

¼ teaspoon coriander

½ teaspoon allspice

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 ½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt (or to taste)

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper (or to taste)

1 egg - beaten for top glazing

Cooking Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine flour with salt.  Mix in butter (or lard) until dough is crumbly.  Add water and mix until dough is workable. Roll and shape into 10” pie plate and a top crust. Store in refrigerator until ready to fill.

2. Boil potatoes till soft -10 to 12 minutes.  Drain and mash.  Save ½ cup of potato water.

3. Brown the meat and onions. (Optionally remove excess fat) Mix spices and add to meat and onions.  Add potato water, mix and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.

4. Stir in mashed potatoes and let cool.  Preheat oven to 400º

5. Add meat filling and top crust.  Brush with egg wash.  Fork vent holes. Bake at 400º for 35 to 40 minutes.  Remove when crust turns golden brown.
*Bell’s Seasoning is a mixture of Rosemary, Oregano, Sage, Ginger, Marjoram, Thyme

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Ricotta Soup

1 cup of Acini De Pepe (or other tiny pasta)

1 cup of Ricotta

½-3/4 cup of milk

salt and pepper to taste

*grated parmesean

*opt. scramled egg

Cook pasta according to the directions on the box and drain it. Add ricotta to pasta and combine. Add milk and mix in until you’ve reached a consistency you like (like a porridge or add more mild to make it soupier). Salt and pepper to taste. Add Parmesean and scrambled egg if desired. Scrambled egg adds a nice flavor.