Holiday Ideas | Gourmet Kosher Cooking

Purim

Sunday, February 7th, 2010

When the story of Purim occurred, it was as if the world was upside-down. Nothing was the way it seemed. We live in a world today that still seems like that – venachafoch hu, upside down. Israel is reviled and the murderers of its citizens applauded. The big picture is hidden from us. Nevertheless we celebrate because we know that just as Hashem’s hidden hand was ultimately revealed and the Jews of Shushan saved, so too will it happen again and we will eventually see the redemption. We will have that clear recognition that everything is from Hashem. The curtains will be pulled back. To help get into the Purim spirit (no pun intended), we offer this Purim meal for you, your family and friends. We hope it will excite your palate and increase your Simcha! No Purim seudah would be complete without some (but not too much) alcohol. This year we’re serving Long Island Iced Tea (no slur on the Five Towns intended)

Pumpkin Challah
Baby Lamb Chops with Chianti Vinaigrette
“Shrimp” Cocktail
Tomatoes with Tequila-Lime Vinaigrette
Green Salad with Champagne Dressing
Jewel Toned Orzo
Macadamia Nut Tarts
Chocolate Bread Pudding with Warm Caramel and Chocolate Sauces
Long Island Iced Tea

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Pumpkin Challah

Sunday, February 7th, 2010

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pumpkinchallah
Makes 4 small loaves or 2 large ones.

Ingredients
4-1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
1/2 cup brown sugar
1-1/3 cups warm water
4 tablespoons canola oil
2-1/2 cups canned pumpkin
8 cups bread flour
1 egg white combined with 1 tablespoon water

Preparation
Place yeast in a large bowl. Sprinkle sugar on top and pour water lover. Allow to proof (5-10 minutes). Whisk in oil and pumpkin. Then stir in flour and knead until smooth, adding more flour if sticky. Oil bowl and roll dough in it to coat. Cover with a damp towel and allow to rise for 2 hours. Punch down, shape into loaves and place on greased baking sheets. Cover and allow to rise for another hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush dough with egg wash. Bake for 30 minutes, until challah is golden and loaves sound hollow when tapped. Remove to racks to cool.

Tags: CHALLAH, pumpkin
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“Shrimp” Cocktail

Sunday, February 7th, 2010

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shrimp-cocktail
This is always a big hit on Purim. Although some guests can’t quite bring themselves to eat it, it tastes very good!

4 (454 gram) packages imitation shrimp, defrosted and stored in the refrigerator
1 cup chili sauce
2 cups ketchup
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 avocadoes, chopped
¼ cup lime juice
½ cup chopped cilantro
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon Tabasco or other hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix together all ingredients except the shrimp. Stir gently but well. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Place sauce in a cocktail glass and hang 3 shrimp around the edge of the glass. Garnish with a slice of lime if desired.

Tags: appetizer, FISH, Purim
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Tomatoes with Tequila-Lime Vinaigrette

Sunday, February 7th, 2010

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Sliced-Tomatoes

This is adapted from a recipe by Rebecca Rather.

½ cup lime juice
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ cup tequila
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
¾ cup olive oil
6 – 8 medium-sized hot house tomatoes, sliced
Sliced kalamata olives for garnish (optional)

Whisk together the lime juice, salt, tequila, vinegar and olive oil. Add the tomatoes and toss to coat. Let the tomatoes stand at room temperature for about 2 hours before serving. Garnish with olives if desired.

Tags: salads, tomatoes, VEGETARIAN
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Green Salad with Champagne Dressing

Sunday, February 7th, 2010

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mesclun-salad

Dressing
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons champagne
2 tablespoons sugar
½ cup oil

Mix ingredients and shake well.

Salad
Mesclun Lettuce
1 red apple, sliced thin
Dried cherries
Dried Blueberries
Crushed glazed almonds, pecans, or other nuts
½ cup scallions

Pour dressing over salad.

Tags: salads, VEGETARIAN
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Jewel Toned Orzo

Sunday, February 7th, 2010

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adapted from original recipe from Susie Fishbein
2 tablespoons margarine
2 onions, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 mango, chopped
1/2 cup craisins
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon, ground white pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 (16 ounce) box of orzo pasta
1 1/2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder (pareve)

Melt the margarine in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions, peppers, and craisins. Sauté until softened about 6-8 minutes. Season with the salt and white pepper. Add the mango and cook for one more minute. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a medium pot, heat the oil. Add the orzo and toast until golden stirring often. Add boiling water to cover by a few inches and the bouillon powder. Cook until the orzo is al dente, about 8-9 minutes. Add more water if the water boils out, ½ cup at a time until the water has evaporated or the orzo is cooked.

Combine the vegetables with the orzo. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Tags: pasta, SIDES, VEGETARIAN
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Macadamia Nut Tarts

Sunday, February 7th, 2010

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24 store-bought tart shells (You’re having a lot of guests and you’re allowed to cheat a little!)
½ cup (1 stick) margarine, melted
2 cups corn syrup
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 tablespoons bourbon (optional but it is Purim!)
2 cups macadamia nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set tarts on baking sheets. Beat together the margarine, corn syrup, sugar, eggs and bourbon, if using. Stir in nuts. Fill tart shells and bake for about 40 minutes.

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Chocolate Bread Pudding with Warm Caramel and Chocolate Sauces

Sunday, February 7th, 2010

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choc-bread-pudding-2

Chocolate Bread Pudding
1 medium size challah, broken into chunks
1 cup non-dairy creamer or vanilla soymilk
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 package instant chocolate pudding
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup margarine

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Soak challah pieces in non-dairy creamer for about 10 minutes. Mix together remaining ingredients (excluding margarine) and pour over challah. Mix well. Pour entire mixture into greased 9 x 13-inch pan. Dot with margarine and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of sugar combined with ½ teaspoon cinnamon, if desired. Bake for about 45 minutes. Best served warm.

Caramel Sauce:
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup pareve whipping cream
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup pareve milk

Combine the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a medium heavy saucepan. Place over medium-high heat and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Let boil without stirring until the mixture becomes a deep amber color, 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely so it doesn’t burn. Carefully add the pareve cream or it may splatter, whisk to combine, and remove from the heat. Add the pareve milk, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before using.

Chocolate Sauce:
3/4 cup pareve whipping cream
1 tablespoon unsalted margarine
1/2 pound semisweet chocolate chips (1-1/3 cups)
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Scald the pareve cream and margarine in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat.

Place the chocolate and vanilla in a medium heatproof bowl. Add the hot pareve cream and let sit for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Serve slightly warm. (The sauce can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days; rewarm gently before serving.)

Tags: CHOCOLATE, DESSERTS
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Long Island Iced Tea

Sunday, February 7th, 2010

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iced-tea

For 1 large pitcher you will need:

1 cup gin
1 cup tequila
1 cup Triple Sec
1 cup vodka
1 cup rum
2 tablespoons coke
2 teaspoons sugar
¾ cup lemon juice

Mix well. Add ice and garnish with lemon slices. Sip slowly.

Tags: drinks
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Happy Chanukah

Sunday, November 29th, 2009

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Chanukah sometimes gets out of hand. We tend to overdo it with extravagant gift-giving and lavish parties. And the meaning gets obscured…Here at GourmetKosherCooking we are going back to basics. We are offering some traditional recipes – latkes, applesauce, sugar cookies – with just a few new twists, along with some simple crafts to do with your family (check out Laura Weinman’s ideas in the forum and add your own!) We are also featuring some really beautiful Menorahs (which we call beautifying a mitzvah and not an extravagance!) Happy Chanukah!

Recipes:
Basic Potato Latkes
Cheese Latkes
Sweet Potato Latkes
Zucchini Latkes with Chobani Yogurt Curry Sauce
Homemade Applesauce
Hanukkah Cookies

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