Author: Daniel Peikes

Seder Salad With Charoset Clusters

For my second Passover (Pesach) Seder recipe I wanted to make a salad that borrows from the ninth step in the Seder, Maror (מָרוֹר).  The term maror literally translates to bitter.  In  this step we eat a bitter herb or vegetable dipped in a paste of fruits and nuts mixed with sweet red wine called Charoset to temper the bitterness. (Or is it haroset,  charoises, or חֲרֽוֹסֶת(

Maror Seder Salad

We eat maror at the Seder to remind us of the bitterness of the slavery in Egypt. In Ashkenazic circles the most common things to use for maror are romaine lettuce and horseradish.  Others have the custom to use other bitter greens such as dandelions, endive, or radicchio. Using onion is not unheard of either.  The great thing about all of these, is they make excellent salad greens.  If you can’t (or don’t feel like) finding all these greens, bagged spring mix will do in a pinch. I also borrowed from the Karpas step of the Seder (where we eat vegetables dipped in salt water) for this recipe, by including celery and radishes.

Charoset Clusters

The charoset reminds us of the bricks and mortar we were forced to make and build with when we toiled in the hot Egyptian sun. As standard croutons are prohibited for those of us who don’t eat  leavened bread on Passover, I needed to find a suitable substitution.  The crunchy nuts of the charoset was a great option. Also, the sweetness of the apples do a great job balancing out all the bitterness in the salad.

Dressing

For the dressing I call for red wine vinegar, as a play on the four cups of wine traditionally drunk at the seder, but apple cider vinegar will work as a substitute. I mixed that with a little bit of horseradish and parsley to bring everything back to maror and karpas.

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Seder Salad
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Seder Salad With Charoset Clusters
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
 

A salad for your seder that borrows from marror, charoset, and karpas. The bitter greens are balanced by the crunchy apple and nut clusters.

Course: Salad, Side
Cuisine: Jewish, Kosher, Passover, Pesach, vegan, vegetarian
Keyword: Passover, pesach, salad, seder
Servings: 10
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Salad
  • 2 Cups Romain Lettuce Roughly Chopped
  • 2 Cups Endive Roughly Chopped
  • 2 Cups Dandelion Greens Roughly Chopped
  • 2 Cups Radicchio Roughly Chopped
  • 3 Radishes Sliced into rounds
  • 3 Stalks Celery with their Leaves Slice the stalks thinly on a bias and reserve the leaves to add to the salad
  • 1 Small Red Onion Sliced thin
Candied Charoset Clusters
  • 1 Small Apple Pealed, cored, and diced small
  • 1 Cup Walnuts Roughly copped
  • 1 Cup Sugar
Dressing
  • ⅓ Cup Red Wine Vinegar
  • ⅔ Cup Olive Oil
  • ¼ tsp Grated Horseradish
  • 1 tsp Chopped Garlic Garlic powder will work in a pinch
  • 1 tsp Chopped Parsley
  • 1 tbsp Honey
  • Salt and Pepper To taste
Instructions
Apple and Walnut Clusters

  1. Add the sugar to the sauce pan and place on the stove over medium heat.

  2. Cook sugar stirring constantly. Once the sugar melts add the walnuts and apples. Stir thoroughly to coat.

  3. Cook the apple, nut, and sugar mixture until the sugar begins to caramelize.

  4. Once the sugar is a light brown spread the mixture in a thin layer on to the parchment lined sheet pan to cool.

  5. Once the mixture is cool, cover it with another sheet of parchment paper and break it up into small pieces with a heavy pan or a meat mallet.

Dressing

  1. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, honey, horseradish, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper. Note you may not need to use all the dressing.

Salad Assembly

  1. Lightly dress the greens and vegetables, and top with the charoset clusters.

Don’t forget to check out some of our other Passover recipes:

Passover Potatoes

Passover Basics: Honey Roasted Chicken

Kumquat Mango Chutney Charoset Chicken

Passover Potatoes

It’s been a while, so in order to get things moving again I am going to try and get four posts out for Passover (AKA Pesach) with a single theme, starting with my Grandmother’s roasted Passover Potatoes.  All four recipes will feature ingredients that are used elsewhere in the Seder. The Seder, which literally translates to “order”  is a 15 part ritual performed on the first two nights of Passover (or just just the first night if your reside in Israel). Several steps of the Seder include eating symbolic foods. The Seder also includes as a full meal towards the end known as Shulchan Oreich (שלחן עורך‎).  Reusing some of the symbolic foods eaten earlier in the Seder at Shulchan Oreich, is a great way to cut down on work for a holiday that is usually very labor intensive.

Many people use boiled potatoes for the part of the Seder know as Karpas (כרפס‎). Karpas is the part of the Seder where a vegetable dipped in salt water is eaten. This is to remind us of the tears shed when our ancestors were slaves in Egypt.  This is my custom and great excuse to make my grandmother’s roasted Passover potatoes. This recipe also calls for boiling the potatoes before roasting them.

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Potatoes
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Passover Potatoes
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
 

My grandmother's roasted potato recipe with a fluffy interior and crispy exterior, great for the Passover (Pesach) Seder.

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Jewsih, Kosher, Passover
Keyword: Passover, Sweet Potatoes
Servings: 5
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 5 Large Russet Potatoes Peeled and cut into 8ths
  • ½ Cup Olive Oil
  • 3 tbsp Kosher Salt
  • 3 tbsp Garlic Powder
  • 3 tbsp Onion Powder
  • 3 tbsp Paprika
Instructions

  1. Fill a large pot about 1/2 way with water and add the salt along with the potatoes.

  2. Place the pot over high heat until and bring it to a boil. Let the potatoes boil until they just begin to soften, roughly 10 minutes.

  3. Drain the potatoes with a colander and try and shake off as much moister as possible.

  4. Add the oil, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.

  5. Preheat you over to 450°F. Then spread the potatoes out on a parchment paper lined sheet pan (or 2), making sure that none of the potatoes are touching.

  6. Roast the potatoes until they begin to brown on the top, about 25 minute. Turn the potatoes over and repeat on the other side. Keep and eye on them as this is more about getting a golden brown color and a crispy exterior (without burning the potatoes) then cooking for a specific amount of time.

Look out for more new Passover recipes coming soon. In the mean time don’t forget to check out some of our past Passover recipes:

Passover Basics: Quick Carrots With a Little Something Extra

Passover Basics: Honey Roasted Chicken

Mini Passover Bagels

Apple Cider Donuts Filled With Apple Filling and Apple Glaze

As fall approaches apple cider donuts (or is it doughnut) seem to be all the rage (and I personally believe apple always beats pumpkin spice) and they make a great Rosh Hashana dessert. One of the major complaints I have about your average apple cider donut is they don’t really taste like apples. I wanted to find a way to infuse as much apple flavor into the recipe.  I decided to go with an apple glazed apple filled yeast donut made with apple cider instead of the more traditional cake donut usually used for apple cider donuts.

Don’t forget to check out some of our  other Rosh Hashanah recipes:

Spaghetti Squash Apple Date Kugel

Slow Braised Brisket With Apples For Rosh Hashanah

Braised Short Ribs with Apples and Pomegranate Honey Glaze

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Apple Cider Doughnuts
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Apple Glazed and Apple Filled Apple Cider Donuts
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Rise Times
4 hrs
 

A fall classic that is perfect for Rosh Hashanah

Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, Fall, Holiday, Jewish, Kosher, Rosh Hashanah
Keyword: Apple, Apple Cider, Apple Cider Donut, Apple Cider Doughnut, Donut, Doughnut, Fall, Holiday, kosher, rosh hashanah
Servings: 12 Donuts
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Apple Filling
  • 2.5 Cups Apple Cider Divided
  • 1/2 Cup Maple Syrup
  • 2 Tbsp Cornstarch
  • 6 Large Apples Peeled, cored, and diced small
  • 2 Cups Apple Sauce
  • 1/2 Cup Apple Butter
  • 1/2 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
  • 1 Tsp Nutmeg
  • 1 Tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 Pinch Kosher Salt
Apple Glaze
  • 8 Cups Apple Cider
  • 4 Cups Powdered Sugar
  • 1/4 Cup Maple Syrup
  • 1 Tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 Tsp Nutmeg
  • 1/4 Cup Apple Butter
Apple Cider Donuts
  • 1-1/2 Cups Apple Cider Divided
  • 1 Envelope Instant Yeast
  • 1/4 Cup Shortening Melted and cooled
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Vanilla
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Nutmeg
  • 1 Pinch Kosher Salt
  • 24 Ounces All Purpose Flour About 5 cups
  • Vegetable or Canola Oil for Frying
  • Apple Glaze See recipe above
  • Apple Filling See recipe above
Instructions
Apple Cider Donuts

  1. Pour 1/2 a cup of apple cider into a microwave bowl and heat in the microwave to about 100°F. Alternatively you could do this in a small pot on the stove. Add in the packet of yeast, stir to combine, and set aside.

  2. In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and stir to combine.

  3. In the bowl of your mixer, add the 2 eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, the remaining 1 cup of apple cider and melted shortening and beat with the whisk attachment until lighter in color and volume doubles. Then slowly add the yeast and apple cider mixture.

  4. Switch to the paddle attachment on your mixer and add a ⅓ of the dry ingredients. Mix until fully incorporated, then slowly add in the remaining dry ingredients until a dough forms. If the there are still dry pockets of flour add a little bit more apple cider.

  5. Cover and allow to rise at room temperature until doubled in size.

  6. Roll the dough into pieces slightly larger than a golf ball. You should get about 12 pieces. Place on parchment lined baking sheet dusted with flour and allow to rise until doubled in size.

  7. Place 3 inches of oil in your Dutch oven or pot, place over medium heat, and bring up to 350°F

  8. Fry your donuts until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Allow to cool.

  9. Using a large piping bag with a wide filling nozzle fill with the apple filling (see recipe below). Sometime it help to use the handle of a large wooden mixing spoon to create a pocket first.

  10. Dip the top of each donut in to the apple glaze (see recipe below) and top with a little more of the apple filling.

Apple Filling/Topping

  1. Pour two cups of the apple cider in a large sauce pot, reserving a 1/2 cup for later use.

  2. Add the apples, apple sauce, apple butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the pot and place on the stove over medium heat. Stir to combine.

  3. Continue stirring the apple mixture and once it begins to thicken, in a bowl combine the remaining 1/2 cup of apple cider and corn starch and stir to create a slurry. Add the slurry to the apple mixture to and continue to cook until until the filling starts to gel.

  4. Allow the filling to cool and and use to fill and top your donuts.

Apple Glaze

  1. Combine 8 cups apple cider, 4 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1 tablespoon of nutmeg and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon in a medium sauce pan. Place over medium heat and reduce by ¾.

  2. Set the glaze aside to cool to room temperature and stir in the the apple butter. Alternatively make this in advance and store in the fridge and bring back to room temperature before using.

Korean BBQ Rice Bowls

Korean BBQ has been on my list to make for a while.  I was looking for something to grill for Father’s day that I could do hot and fast, as I did not have the patience for a long cook. I figured it would be a great time to give it a shot. Korean BBQ is traditionally cooked at the table by the diners on a small table top grill designed specifically for that purpose. You can use standard charcoal grill or even a gas grill in a pinch.  I used a Weber 22″ kettle (I have 5) with some Jealous Devil Max Xl Charcoal Briquets, and it worked great.

Meat For Korean BBQ

Korean BBQ includes several marinated meats including bulgogi (thinly sliced steak), kalbi or galbi (short ribs), and samgyeopsal (pork belly). For the samgyeopsal obviously I didn’t use pork, but I did have some beef bacon in the fridge I need to use up so it seemed like a good opportunity.  Ideally you would use fresh beef navel, but that can be hard to find, so I went with what I had. For the kalbi or galbi I used a thinly sliced mock tender from the chuck.  It is a poor man’s tenderloin, and if you slice it thin enough it works well for this application.

Garnishes

Traditional accompaniments eaten with Korean BBQ include several salads especially kimchi, a spicy fermented cabbage.  I wasn’t able to find kosher kimchi, and I wanted to make a quick version of my own.  For an approximation of kimchi I was able to find gochujang, a Korean fermented hot sauce, which I mixed with sauerkraut. If you can’t find gochujang, you can use sriracha as a substitute.

A sprinkle of scallions and toasted sesame seeds would also be appropriate here for some color, crunch, and to cut the richness and sweetness of the meat. While not traditional, I added some edamame (soy beans) still in the shell for a little freshness and a pop of color. I often eat  edamame straight from their pods as a snack, dipped in some spicy duck sauce. When you plate up, use a wide bowl.  Mine was too small, because that is what I had.

Don’t forget to check out some of our other Asian or BBQ recipes (great for the 4th of July)

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Kosher Korean BBQ Rice Bowl
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Kosher Korean BBQ Rice Bowl
Prep Time
2 hrs
Cook Time
30 mins
 

A kosher version of a classic Korean meal, great for a twist on a summer BBQ.

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian, BBQ, Korean, Kosher
Keyword: BBQ, Korean, Korean BBQ, kosher
Servings: 2 People
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Bulgogi (Thinly Sliced Steak) or Kalbi (Short Ribs)
  • 1 Pear (Use an Asian pear if you can find it, otherwise any pear will do) Peeled, cored, chopped, and blended smooth
  • 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 1 tsp White Pepper
  • 1 tbsp Ground Ginger
  • 3 Cloves Garlic Minced
  • 1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
  • 2 tbsp Honey
  • 2 tbsp Mirin or Sherry
  • 2 tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
  • 1/2 lb Thinly Sliced Steak (Bulgogi)or Thinly Sliced Short Rib (Kalbi) Cut Across the Bones
Kosher Samgyeopsal (Beef Navel)
  • 1/2 lb Thick Cut Beef Bacon Raw beef navel would be more traditional but can be harder to come by
  • 2 Scallions Sliced Thin
  • Juice of 1 Lime
  • 1 tsp Gochujang (Sriracha will do in a pinch)
  • 1 tbsp Honey
  • 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 1 tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
  • 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar
Accompaniments and Garnishes
  • Black and White Toasted Sesame Seeds
  • Chopped Scallions
  • Frozen Edamame Still in the pod, steamed in the microwave
  • 2 Cups Cooked White Rice
Quick Kosher Kimchi
  • 1/2 Cup Sauerkraut
  • 1 Tbsp Gochujang (Sriracha will do in a pinch)
Instructions
Bulgogi (Thinly Sliced Steak) or Kalbi (Short Ribs)

  1. You can use the same marinade for bulgogi or kalbi. If you are making both you may want to double the recipe.

  2. In a large bowl combine the pear, brown sugar, white pepper, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, mirin or sherry, honey, and toasted sesame oil. Add the steak or short ribs and allow to marinate for 1-4 hours

  3. Cook on a grill or on grill pan over high heat until nicely seared on each side,

Kosher Samgyeopsal (Beef Navel)

  1. In a large bowl combine the gochujang, scallion, lime juice, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, and toasted sesame oil. Add the beef bacon and allow to marinate for 1-4 hours

  2. Cook on a grill or on grill pan over high heat until nicely seared on each side,

Quick Kosher Kimchi

  1. In a small bowl combine the sauerkraut and gochujang. Mix thoroughly.

Assembly

  1. Place you rice in a mound in a bowl. Top with your meat and garnish with kimchi, edamame, scallions, and black and white toasted sesame seeds.

Stuffing Waffles With Caramelized Onions and (Beef) Bacon

Stuffing WafflesAs I was trying to come up with a recipe for the Thanksgiving season, I was listening one of the Thanksgiving episodes of one of my new favorite podcasts BBQ Radio Network, when one of the hosts, Andy Groneman mentioned two magical words: “stuffing waffles”. Andy Groneman is a second generation pitmaster who won hundreds of awards including 25 grand champions and was named the reserve grand champion at 2008 American Royal, which is considered by many to be the World Series of BBQ.

As many of you know, I am the pitmaster of the kosher BBQ team 5 Dudes and A Vegetarian. I had the privilege of cooking next to Andy at the KC Kosher BBQ Festival. Not only is he a great cook, but he is an all around good guy. Once I heard Andy mention stuffing waffles, I knew I needed to make them so I reached out to Andy to make sure he was OK with me borrowing his idea. I highly recommend his podcast if you are interested in anything BBQ related.  Please check it out, subscribe via your favorite podcast player, and leave them a nice review.

This may reach you a little too late for Thanksgiving. That being said, there is no rule that says you can’t have stuffing the rest of the year.  Also, making your stuffing into waffles is a great way to use up leftover stuffing that maybe didn’t sell so well at your dinner table.  Stuffing waffles can also be used as bread for leftover turkey sandwiches. Finally, if you don’t have a waffle iron, you can form these into patties and fry them. Sort of like a Thanksgiving latke.

Don’t forget to check out some of out other Thanksgiving recipes:

Maple Pecan Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cornbread

Peking Duck For Thanksgiving

Ginger Lime Cranberry Sauce

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Stuffing Waffles
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 Stuffing Waffles With Caramelized Onions and (Beef) Bacon
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Hydration time
2 hrs
 

A crispy take on a holiday classic

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Holiday, Thanksgiving
Keyword: Bacon, mushroom, Stuffing, Thanksgiving
Servings: 12 Mini Waffles
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 6 Slices (Beef) Bacon
  • 6 Large Onions Diced
  • 3 Ribs Celery Sliced
  • 8 oz Sliced Mushrooms Washed and Stems Removed
  • 3 Cloves Garlic minced
  • 3 Cups 1" Bread Cubes Left out to stale for a day and lightly toasted in the oven
  • 3 Large Eggs Beaten
  • 2 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
  • 2 tbsp Dried Sage
  • Vegetable Oil For sauteing
  • Cooking Spray To stop your waffles from sticking to the waffle iron
Instructions

  1. Place your (beef) bacon on a parchment lined sheet pan and place in a cold oven. Turn the oven on to 400°F. The bacon should be crispy roughly when the oven reaches temperature. Allow the bacon to cool and chop in to small pieces and put to the side.

  2. In a large sauté pan add about a ½ inch of vegetable oil and add your onions. Sauté the onions over low heat until they are dark brown.

  3. Add the garlic, mushrooms, and celery to the pan with the onions and continue to cook until the celery and mushrooms begin to brown.

  4. In a large mixing bowl add the bread, vegetables, bacon, eggs, stock and sage. Stir to combine. Allow the mixture to sit covered in the refrigerator to hydrate for two hours to overnight.

  5. Place enough stuffing to fill your waffle iron to fill it up and cook until crispy. Serve immediately or keep warm in a 200°F oven. Top with your favorite gravy and enjoy.

 

Jerk Chicken Wings

Jerk SeasoningWe’re just a week away from our Jamaican Pop-Up Event at Ezras Israel Congregation in Chicago! If you haven’t registered yet, here is the link! Since Rachel and I are cooking delicious Jamaican Caribbean food at this upcoming event, here’s a sneak peek at one of the menu items, jerk chicken.

Jerk Seasoning in a BottleWhat is Jerk Chicken? No, It’s Not Just a Steve Martin Movie

What is jerk you ask? (No, it is not your younger sibling or that mean kid from your middle school class)  Jerk is a seasoning blend popular in Jamaica. It is heavy on the allspice (also know as pimento in Jamaica) and chili peppers. In Jamaica, they specifically use a very hot pepper known as the scotch bonnet.  I call for cayenne and red pepper flake in my recipe as they are easier to get ahold of, but feel free to adjust to your heat tolerance.  Of course my wife couldn’t resist getting her label maker out so everyone knows exactly what’s in the bottle.

Jerk seasoning is most often used on chicken. It can also be used on pork (for our gentile friends), seafood, or vegetables.  In Jamaica, jerk is often cooked over pimento (AKA allspice) wood which could be hard to get your hands on.  If you want to cook over wood and want something a little less exotic, I recommend mesquite.  It has a strong smoke flavor so use it cautiously.

Outdoor Cooking Option

For my jerk chicken wings, I call for a two step cooking method in the the oven, first on a low heat to render out the fat and cook the chicken and then finishing the wings on a higher temperature to crisp up the skin.  You could easily do this on a grill with a two zone set up where you bank all the coals to one side, starting with indirect heat and finishing directly over the fire.Jerk Chicken Wings

Due to the heavy spice coating that also contains sugar, the wings will have a charred almost burnt appearance.  Although not the prettiest to look at this is this is normal (and delicious), so please don’t worry.

 

Don’t forget the check out Rachel’s preview recipe for the pop up: Chayote Squash Slaw

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Jerk Seasoning
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Jerk Chicken Wings
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Marinating
3 hrs
 

A spicy Caribbean Classic

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Jamaican
Keyword: chicken wings, Jerk, Jerk Chicken, Jerk Seasoning
Servings: 3 Servings
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Jerk Seasoning
  • 2 tbsp Allspice
  • 2 tbsp Dried Thyme
  • 2 tbsp Granulated Garlic
  • 2 tbsp Granulated Onion
  • 2 tbsp Kosher Salt
  • 1 tbsp Black Pepper
  • 1 tbsp Red Pepper Flake Adjust for your heat tolerance
  • 1 tbsp Cayenne Adjust for your heat tolerance
  • 2 tbsp Smoked Hot Paprika Adjust for your heat tolerance
  • 2 tbsp Dried Parsley
  • 1 tbsp Cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp Clove
  • 1 tbsp Nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp Ground Ginger
Jerk Chicken Wings
  • 1/2 Cup Jerk Seasoning
  • 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
  • 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 1/2 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1/2 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 Cup Lime Juice
  • 12 Chicken Wings
  • Non-stick Cooking spray
Instructions
Jerk Seasoning

  1. Combine all the jerk seasoning ingredients in a large bowl. Note that this will make more than you need for this recipe. Save the rest for future use.

Jerk Chicken Wings

  1. To make the marinade, in a small sauce pot combine 1/2 cup of the jerk seasoning, lime juice, oil, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Place over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture comes together into a paste. Remove for the heat and allow to cool.

  2. Add the chicken wings to a Ziplock bag along with the marinade. Place in the fridge for a minimum of three hours up to overnight.

  3. Preheat your oven to 250°F. Place your cooling rack on sheet pan and spray the rack with cooking spray. Put the wings on the the rack and bake at 250°F for 30 minutes.

  4. Increase the temperature to 450°F and continue to bake until the skin crisps up and the the spices starts to char. It will be fairly dark, and look almost burnt. Serve immediately.

 

Shakshuka With Feta Cheese

Feta ShakshukaA while back I needed a fast vegetarian recipe that works well for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. I was in charge of doing a virtual team building exercise for my team at work. We were split between Chicago and London with several different food restrictions. The decision was made for it be a “cook-a-long”. I decided on shakshuka, because it is fast, easy and works well for any meal. It is a dish of eggs simmered in a spicy tomato sauce that originates from the Middle East and North Africa.

Shakshuka is great recipe for the “nine days“. The nine days are time a traditional time of mourning when many Jews do not eat meat. While this recipe is already pretty easy, if you are is a rush you can take a short cut and use jarred salsa instead of peppers, onions, hot sauce, and crushed tomatoes.

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Feta Shakshuka
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Shakshuka With Feta Cheese
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
 

Shakshuka is a fast vegetarian egg dish that works well for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, that is great for the "nine days".

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Israeli, Jewish, Kosher, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Servings: 2 Serving
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 1½ Cups Canned Crushed Tomatoes
  • 1 Medium Onion Diced
  • 1 Medium Sweet Bell Pepper Diced
  • 3 Large Eggs Brought to room temperature
  • 1/4 Cup Feta Cheese Crumbled
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp Schug , Harrisa, or the hot sauce of your choice Optional
  • Salt and Pepper To taste
  • Crusty Sourdough Toast or Baguette For serving
Instructions

  1. Take the eggs out of the refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature.

  2. Place the pan over low heat and add the oil and the onions. Season the onions with salt and pepper to taste. Sauté the onions until they begin to become translucent.

  3. Add the bell peppers to the pan and sauté until the peppers begin to soften. Add the crushed tomatoes and bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir in the schug, harrisa, or the hot sauce of your choice, if you want to add a kick.

  4. Carefully crack the eggs directly in to the pan, making sure not to break the yolks. Allow the eggs to simmer in the tomatoes until the whites are set and yolks just stark to thicken. Top with the feta and a little more black pepper.

  5. This is traditionally eaten right out of the pan accompanied by some toast or crusty bread.

Mojo Chicken Tacos

Mojo Chicken Tacos

This coming Thursday is Cinco de Mayo, a holiday that celebrates the Mexican army defeating the French in the battle of Battle of Puebla in 1862. It is not Mexican Independence Day. That is September 16. To many on this side of the Rio Grande, it is a great excuse to eat Mexican food.  Mojo is a term used for several sauces, depending on the region you are in. It originated in Canary Islands where it consists primarily of Olive Oil and chili peppers.  For this recipe I chose the Cuban version of Mojo. In Cuba, Mojo is often made with juice from sour oranges and used as a marinade for chicken (or pork).

Making Mojo at Home

For this recipe I decided to go with my favorite handheld food format, the taco. As sour oranges can be hard to find, I approximated that flavor by spiking regular orange juice with lime juice. Being kosher, I went with chicken for my protein, but if that is not something you are worried about you could go with a roasted pork loin or pulled pork shoulder (AKA pork butt).

A word of caution about using acidic marinades or tender meats like chicken: Don’t let the chicken marinate more than three hours.  Two hours would probably be ideal.  If you leave the chicken in the mojo marinade to long the acid will begin to “cook” it. (And by cook I mean denature the protein, but let’s not get too technical.) You could end up with a gross, mushy texture. I recommend serving these with pickled onions and pico de gallo, but feel free to top your tacos as you see fit.

What is your favorite Mexican dish? Let us know in the comments below.  Don’t forget to check out some of our other Mexican recipes:

Fish Tacos With Mango Peach Pico De Gallo

Loaded Jicama Fries Two Ways

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Mojo Chicken Tacos
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Mojo Chicken Tacos
Prep Time
2 hrs
Cook Time
15 mins
 

Chicken tacos with a little Cuban flare

Course: Dinner, Lucnh
Cuisine: Cuban, Latin, Mexican
Keyword: Chicken, Chicken Tacos, Mojo, Mojo Chicken, Tacos
Servings: 2 Servings
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Marinade
  • 2 Cup Orange Juice
  • ½ Cup Lime Juice
  • ½ Cup Olive Oil
  • 3 Cloves Garlic Finely Chopped
  • 1 Medium Onion Finel Chopped
  • 1 tbsp Dark Brown Sugar
  • ¼ Cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro
  • 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes Optional
Tacos
  • 1 lb Whole Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
  • Salt To taste
  • Pepper To taste
  • Cumin To taste
  • Smoked Paprika To taste
  • 6 Small Street Taco Sized Tortillas
  • Pico de Gallo For topping your taco
  • Pickled Red Onions For topping your taco
Instructions
Marinade

  1. In a medium sauce pot combine the orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, brown sugar, garlic, onion, cilantro, and red pepper flakes. Place over medium heat and bring to simmer until the the sugar is dissolved. Place in the fridge until cool to the touch.

Chicken

  1. Add your whole boneless chicken breast to the marinade and place back in the fridge for two hours. Do not marinate the chicken for too long as the acid from the juices will begin to "cook" the chicken.

  2. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Season with the salt, pepper, paprika, and cumin to taste

  3. Heat up your grill or grill pan over high heat. Cook your chicken breasts, about four minute on each side.

Taco Assembly

  1. Slice your chicken into bite sized pieces and add to your tortillas. Top with pico de gallo and pickled onions and serve.

5 from 1 vote
Mojo Chicken Tacos
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Pico de Gallo
Prep Time
15 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 

A fresh salsa that is quick and easy to make.  It is great for brightening up a dish by bringing a pop of acid.

Course: Dip
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 3 Plum Tomatoes Diced
  • 1 Green Bell Pepper Diced
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper Diced
  • 1 Yellow Bell Pepper Diced
  • 1 Small Red Onion Diced
  • 1 Small White Onion Diced
  • 1 Cup Fresh Chopped Cilantro Substitute with parsley if you don't like cilantro
  • 1 Jalapeno Diced, optional
  • Salt and Pepper To taste
  • 1/4 Cup Lime Juice
Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.  Let chill in the refrigerator for an hour for the flavors to come together before serving. 

0 from 0 votes
Mojo Chicken Tacos
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Pickled Red Onions
Prep Time
2 mins
Cook Time
3 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 

This is a quick recipe when you need a topping to add some acidity to a dish. It goes well on tacos, hot dogs, hamburgers, and can even be used in a salad.

Course: Condiment, Side Dish, Topping
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Keyword: Onions, Pickled Onion, Pickles
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 2 Large Red Onions Sliced Thin
  • 2 Cups Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Pickling Spice You can get this from the store, or come up with your own blend.
Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil. Allow to cool and use to top tacos, burgers, or hot dogs.

Kumquat Mango Chutney Charoset Chicken

Kumquat Mango Chutney Charoset Chicken

The holiday of Pesach (AKA Passover) is upon us. This year I decided to take on the seder classic, charoset.  I know I am a little late for a seder recipe, but this will work great for the second days of Passover or really any time during the year. Charoset is a paste traditionally made from grated apples, sweet red wine, and nuts. It is designed to take the bite out of your maror (AKA bitter herb/horseradish). Every family has its own traditions when comes to the addition of spices, sweeteners, and other fruits such as dates or raisins.  For my traditional charoset, I add honey, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

A Twist on Tradition

For this recipe I wanted to put a twist on traditional charoset, and at the same time expand its function. I was perusing the produce at my provisions provider, and I came across two tropical tastes that I could not pass up.  Mangos are one of my favorite fruits and the produce store had a sale on them if you bought a case. I also came across kumquats, the tiny little citrus that I just cannot resist. This lead me down a path to chutney.  According Merriam-Webster.com chutney is defined as a thick sauce of Indian origin that contains fruits, vinegar, sugar, and spices and is used as a condiment. Many chutneys contain, apples, mangos, and nuts.  The leap from charoset to chutney is but a small step.

The great thing about this recipe is you can use the charoset/chutney to dip your maror in or use it as a condiment or a sauce.  In this recipe I use it as a sauce for my seder night chicken. Many hav e the custom that meat or fowl served at the seder must be served in a liquid. The reason for this is so that it should not appear that we are trying to fulfill the commandment of eating the korban Pesach (Paschal lamb sacrifice) in the absence of the Temple. The korban Pesach was served dry roasted. The chutney would also make a great addition to your holiday brisket or even spread on matzo.

What is your favorite Passover dish? Let us know in the comments. And don’t forget to check out some of our other Passover recipes:

Passover Basics: Quick Carrots With a Little Something Extra

Cabbage Pancakes (for Passover!)

Passover Sweet Potato Knishes

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Kumquat Mango Chutney Charoset Chicken
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Kumquat Mango Chutney Charoset Chicken
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 45 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Jewish, Kosher, Passover
Keyword: Charoset
Servings: 4
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 1 Large Yellow Onion Peeled and sliced
  • 3 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 tbsp Salt
  • 3 Large Mangos Peeled and diced
  • 3 Large Apples Peeled, cored, and diced
  • 12 Kumquats Divided
  • 1 tbsp Nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp Cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp Ground Ginger
  • 1 tsp Black Pepper or Red Pepper Flake (if you like it spicy)
  • 1½ Cup Orange Juice Reserve ½ cup for cooking the chicken
  • 1 Cup Sweet White Wine
  • ¼ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • ¼ Cup Honey
  • ¼ Cup Ground Nuts
  • 1 Package 4 Chicken Leg Quarters or 8-Peice Cut Up
Instructions
Charoset/Chutney

  1. Add the oil, onions, and salt to large sauce pot and place over medium heat. Sautee until the onion starts to brown.

  2. Slice half the kumquats into thin slices. In a mixing bowl combine the apples, mango, and kumquats. Add the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and black (or red) pepper and stir to combine.

  3. Add the mango, apple, kumquat mixture to the pot with the onions. Add 1 cup of the orange juice, all of the wine, apple cider vinegar, and honey and stir to combine.

  4. Turn the heat down to low and reduce the mixture to a chunky, jam-like consistency is achieved. Stir in the ground nuts. If you are using this as your charoset, you can stop here.

Chicken

  1. Pour the sauce into a baking dish and add the chicken. Slice the remainder of the kumquats and top the chicken with them. If the chutney looks dry add a ½ cup of orange juice to the pan.

  2. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake the chicken at 350°F for an hour. Then turn the oven up to 425°F and uncover the chicken. Continue cooking until the the chicken skin begins to brown and serve.

New Years Cocktail: Strawberry Orange Mimosa

Strawberry Orange MimosaJust a quick recipe for a New Years cocktail. I wanted to do something based on sparkling wine to keep with the festive nature of the holiday.  A riff on a classic brunch cocktail, the mimosa, seemed appropriate.  In order to make it my own, I decided to add strawberry puree, which conveniently made use of the plethora of frozen strawberries in my freezer.

5 from 1 vote
New Years Cocktail
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Strawberry Orange Mimosa
Prep Time
2 mins
 

A twist on a classic brunch cocktail perfect for your New Year's Party

Course: Beverage, Cocktail
Cuisine: Bar
Keyword: Cocktail, mimosa, new years, orange, orange mimosa, orange strawberry mimosa, strawberry
Servings: 6 glasses
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 12 fl. oz. Sweet Sparkling Wine About 1/2 a standard bottle, chilled
  • 12 fl. oz. Orange Juice Chilled
  • 1 lb. Frozen Strawberries Defrosted
  • 6 Slices Fresh Strawberries For garnish
Instructions

  1. Blend the frozen strawberries to a puree. Pass the puree through a fine mesh strainer to filter out the seeds.

  2. Add 2 ounces of sparkling wine and 2 ounces of orange juice to each glass.

  3. Top each glass with a tablespoon of the strawberry puree, garnish with a slice of strawberry, and serve immediately.

Here are some other recipes that would be great for your New Year’s party:

The Russian Reindeer: A Moscow Mule with Some Holiday Cheer

Nashville Hot Chicken Wings and Waffles

A Trio of Simple Super Bowl Chicken Wings

Fried Halloumi Cheese Bites with Kansas City-style BBQ sauce