Category: Kosher

A Tale of Two Tamales: A Lesson in Leftovers

In celebration of Cinco de Mayo this week, I challenged Rachel to make tamales.  I decided to go fairly traditional for mine, with just a slight twist on the flavors.

TamalesWhat are Tamales?

A tamale is a filled corn flour dumpling, usually wrapped in a corn husk (which can be found in most major grocery stores) and steamed, originating from Central and South America.  Some cultures use sections of banana leaf instead of the corn husks when making tamales, but they can be hard to find and are very perishable.

This weekend I made a simple roast chicken for dinner Friday night and pulled beef for lunch on Saturday.  My kids, like many, complain about eating leftovers.  What can I do to reinvent these proteins?  Tamales! While  tamales are often filled with shredded pork, there is no reason you couldn’t use beef, poultry, fish, or even vegetables for your filling. Included are two filling recipes that make great use of leftover chicken and pulled beef.

I have broken this down to 3 recipes, plus a bonus recipe.  The first recipe is for the tamale dough, assembly, and cooking.  The other two recipes for the chicken and beef fillings and the bonus recipe is for a jerk seasoning that is used in the chicken filling, but can be used to season a myriad of things.  Feel free to play with the filling recipes and adjust them to your liking.  These go great with my fermented hot sauce.

Tamale Dough, Construction, And Cooking Instructions

5 from 1 vote
Tamales
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Tamales
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Husk Soaking Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
 

Tamales are a delicious steamed  dumpling that hails from Central and South America.  It is usually made from a corn flour dough that is wrapped around a filling.  The filling is traditionally some sort of meat, but could be vegetables or even fish.  Tamales make a great snack, side, or even a small meal, especially when served with some salsa and guacamole.  Don't forget the hot sauce and beer to wash it all down.

Course: Main Dish, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Latin, Mexican, Tex-Mex
Keyword: tamales
Servings: 24 Tamales
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 3 1/2 Cups Corn Flour (Masa) Not corn meal, this is much finer
  • 4 oz Schmaltz or Vegetable shortening Or lard if you are not kosher
  • 1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
  • 1 tbsp Baking Powder
  • 4 Cups Stock Chicken, Beef, or Vegetable depending on your filling
  • 1 Cup Filling See recipes below
  • 24 Dried Corn Husks
Special Equipment
  • Butchers Twine
  • Large Pot With a Steamer Basket
Instructions

  1. Put the corn husks in a large bowl and pour 5 cups of boiling water over the husks. Let soak for an hour.

  2. In another bowl add the corn flour, baking powder, and salt and stir to combine thoroughly.

  3. Melt the schmaltz/shortening and add it to the stock.

  4. Add the stock and fat to the dry ingredients slowly, you may not need all of the liquid mix, and knead until a clay like dough is formed.

  5. Place a corn husk in front of you with the wider end facing away from you.

  6. Place 2 tablespoons of dough on the husk and press in to a rectangle starting a 1/2" from the top and sides of the husk and should be about 1/2 the length of the husk.

  7. Place 2 teaspoons of the filling in the middle of the dough rectangle and form in to a log shape. Avoid getting too close to the any of the sides.

  8. Using the husk, form the dough around the filling and and then roll the husk around the filled dough. 

  9. On the seam side fold the the bottom section of the husk up. and place upside down.  Once you have 3 tamales complete tie in to a bundle using the butchers twine, with the seams facing in.  Place the bundle in the steamer basket with the open side facing up.

  10. Add water to the pot, so it comes just below the steamer basket and bring it to a boil.  Turn the heat down to medium and place the steamer basket over the water.  Steam covered for about an hour and eat immediately or allow to cool, wrap in plastic, and freeze.

Tamale Fillings

5 from 1 vote
Tamales
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BBQ Beef Tamale Filling
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 

This works great with cheaper cuts of meat like chuck, shank, or brisket.  Stay away from something like rib eye. Don't limit yourself to just using this for for tamales. It can be used in kreplach, egg rolls, or just put on a hamburger bun and eaten as a sandwich.

Course: Filling, Main Course, Sauce, Side, Snack
Cuisine: BBQ, Latin, Mexican, Tex-Mex
Keyword: tamales
Servings: 3 Cups of Filling
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 1 Cup Shredded Beef Leftover chuck roast, or pot roast work great. You could use brisket but stay away from the pricey cuts like rib roasts.
  • 1/2 Cup BBQ Sauce
  • 1 Cup Water
  • 1 Large Onion Chopped
  • 3 Cloves Garlic Chopped
  • 1 Bell Pepper Diced
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil For sauteing
Special Equipment
  • 1 Medium Sauce Pan With Lid
Instructions

  1. Add the olive oil to medium sauce pot and place over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until the onions start to brown.

  2. Add the garlic and bell pepper to the pot and continue sauteing until the peppers start to soften and the garlic starts to brown.

  3. Add the beef, BBQ sauce, and water. Turn down to low, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent burning.  Allow to cool before using as filling

5 from 1 vote
Tamales
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Jerk Chicken Tamale Filling
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 

This is a great way to use up leftover chicken or turkey.  One note, do not use the entire recipe of jerk seasoning.  It is strong stuff, two tablespoons should be enough.  Don't limit to just using this for for tamales.  It can be used in won tons, crepes, or even ravioli.

Course: Filling, Main Course, Sauce, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Jamaican, Latin, Mexican, Tex-Mex
Servings: 3 Cups of Filling
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 2 Cups Shredded Roast Chicken No need to make fresh. Use leftovers or even store bought rotisserie will work in a pinch
  • 1 Cup Chicken Stock
  • 1 Large Onion Chopped
  • 3 Cloves Garlic Chopped
  • 2 Tbsp Jerk Seasoning See recipe below. Store bought can be used in a pinch.
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Special Equipment
  • 1 Medium sized sauce pot with a lid
Instructions

  1. Add the oil, onions, and garlic to a medium sauce pan and place over medium heat.  Saute until the onions start to brown.

  2. Add the chicken, stock, and seasoning. Turn down to low, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent burning. Allow to cool before using as filling.

 

4.5 from 2 votes
Tamales
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Jerk Seasoning
Prep Time
5 mins
 
Course: Seasoning
Cuisine: Jamaican
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Kosher Salt
  • 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tbsp Onion Powder
  • 1 tbsp Black Peppercorns
  • 1 tbsp Juniper Berries
  • 1 tbsp Cloves
  • 1 tsp Nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp Thyme
  • 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp Smoked Paprika
Special Equipment
  • Spice or Coffee Grinder
Instructions

  1. Grind the salt, red pepper flake, peppercorns, cloves, and juniper berries, together in an electric spice or coffee grinder and pour in to a bowl.  Add all the other ingredients and stir combine. 

Don’t forget to check out Rachel’s tamale recipe: Spicy Salmon Tamales

Spicy Salmon Tamales

Hello dear readers!  Boy do we have a special treat for you this week!  Since Cinco-de-Mayo is coming up (tomorrow! May 5th), the annual celebration of Mexico’s victory over France, what better challenge than TAMALES!  Now, just to make the record straight, there are so many varieties of Tamales – from Central American tamales that are wrapped in plantain leaves, to Mexican tamales, wrapped in corn husks – Daniel and I both used corn husks for our recipes, but by all means, experiment for your own!  Wouldn’t it be awesomely crazy if you made tamales using grape leaves stuffed with chicken and topped with Korean BBQ sauce?  Talk about the ultimate Greek/Mexican/Korean mashup!

I’ll admit though, this one took me some time to experiment.  Especially being gluten-free, and corn-free, I was a little hesitant on my attempt at making a dough, but after some trial and error I think I got something pretty solid here.  Not the prettiest looking tamales but they taste good so that’s a plus. 🙂

I first tried to make a “dough” using ground flaxseeds and chia seeds, adding in some hot water with some spices and hot sauce but it just didn’t turn out at all – more like a gloppy mess.  Even adding in almond flour, the dough just went “bleh” in the corn husks and totally fell apart.  On to round two!

This should have been a no-brainer but once I decided to go full on almond flour base, there was no turning back.  I do have a little tip for the veggie stock! Doesn’t matter if you use homemade or boxed, but I froze some stock in ice cube trays (or in my case, some cute square-shaped trays).  Then all I have to do is pop out a few cubes of stock, pop them in the microwave to defrost and you’re good to go!  I like having some on hand in the freezer if I just need a little bit but I don’t want to keep an opened box of stock or jar of homemade – this way I just use what I need and freeze the rest for later.  Definitely comes in handy (also, same tip is great for freezing pesto too)!

And in case you’re wondering – you can get dried corn husks at some grocery stores that carry Hispanic foods.  If you’re in Chicago, I highly recommend Morse market (just around the corner from the Morse red line stop).  They have a TON of delicious ingredients, incredible prices and lots of random kosher finds too!  It’s definitely a hidden gem!

One little note though – when I folded up the sides of my husks, the dough didn’t quite wrap all the way around creating a nice little tamale package, probably because I didn’t add enough dough on the sides, but that’s okay.  It’s not perfect, things take practice, but as long as it tastes good, it’s good to go in my book.

Buen Provencho!  Enjoy your meal! 

Now…where is that pitcher of margaritas that I ordered?  😀

5 from 1 vote
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Spicy Salmon Tamales
Servings: 4 people
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
Tamale Dough
  • 2 cups almond flour
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, softened, but not melted
  • 1/4 cup vegetable stock
  • 2 tbsp Franks red hot sauce
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
Salmon filling
  • 1 1/2 6 oz. cans wild caught Alaskan salmon
  • 1 3 oz. can fire roasted green chilies
  • 1/2 lime, freshly squeezed, plus more for serving
  • 4 tbsp hot salsa any brand (mild or hot) is fine, or homemade is even better!
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 fresh jalapeno, sliced be sure to wash your hands after slicing!
  • 10 dried corn husks, soaked
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
Place the dried corn husks in a large bowl and cover with hot (not boiling) water until softened (at least 1 hour)
  1. To make the dough, add all ingredients into a medium-sized bowl and using your hands (your best kitchen tools) mix the dough until it come together.  I like having the coconut oil softened because it helps to bind the dough a bit better since there are no eggs.  The hot sauce give the dough the signature tamale color! Place the dough in the fridge to set up while you make the filling.
  2. To make the filling, drain the cans of salmon and add to a bowl.  Mix in the green chilies, lime juice, salsa, salt and pepper (you'll save the jalapenos for assembling).
  3. Remove the corn husks from the bowl, and wipe clean (if it's still a little damp, that's fine). 
  4. Flatten the corn husk on your cutting board, with the narrow side facing closest to you, and using about 1 tbsp.. (depending on the size of your corn husk), smooth the dough in the middle-to-lower section of the husk.  You want it in the middle section, not touching the sides, otherwise it'll leak out of the husk.
  5. Place about 2 tsp. of the filling on top of the dough and place a slice of jalapeno on top. 
  6. Using dampened hands if needed, fold over the sides, like you're folding a package.  The fold up the bottom and top over so the tamale is "sealed". 
  7. Place a steamer basket inside your pressure cooker (I used my instant pot).  Place all of the tamales, seam side toward the outside of the basket in the steamer.  Place about 3 cups of water inside the pot.  Seal the pot and press "manual" for 25 minutes on HIGH pressure.
  8. Use the pressure valve to release the steam, open up the tamales and sprinkle some fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice and enjoy!  Careful, they'll be HOT!  These would be great dipped in a little avocado sour cream!

Don’t forget to check out Daniel’s tamale recipe: A Tale of Two Tamales: A Lesson in Leftovers

Ultimate Hummus Plate

HummusIn honor of Yom Ha’atzmaut and Israel’s 70th birthday I challenged Rachel to a chickpea (AKA garbanzo bean) challenge.  Chickpeas are the main ingredient in hummus, the increasingly popular paste that Israelis eat like Americans eat peanut butter.  I realize in this challenge I am taking Rachel on on her own turf giving me a distinct disadvantage.  The only way to beat an enemy on their own turf with superior fire power, in this case meat and fried food.

Below are three different chickpea recipes that are each great on their own, but truly shine when combined on a single plate. The  smooth hummus, the crunchy chickpeas, and soft falafel balls with a crispy exterior makes for a great textural contrast.  To combine them simply spread the hummus in a thick layer on a plate and top with the ground beef and onions, falafel balls, and roasted chickpeas.  Serve alongside some fresh pita for a great appetizer or even a main course.  If you you have a vegetarian or a vegan in the house just simply omit the ground beef.

5 from 1 vote
Hummus
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Hummus With Ground Beef and Sauteed Onions
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 

Hummus with ground beef, an Israeli favorite, is great dish that can be eaten as main dish, side dish, appetizer, or snack.  You could use store bought hummus, but why do that when making it yourself is so easy and so much better.

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Israeli, Jewish, Kosher, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Servings: 1 Plate
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
Hummus Ingredients
  • 15 oz Canned Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) Skins removed
  • 2 Cloves Garlic
  • 3 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
  • 1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
  • 2 Tablespoons Tahini Paste
  • 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
Ground Beef Ingredients
  • 1 Large Onion Diced
  • 1/2 lb Ground Beef
  • 2 Tablespoons Shawarma Seasoning This can be bought pre-made or you can make it yourself by blending coriander, sumac, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, turmeric, cloves, and allspice.
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Special Equipment
  • Food Processor fitted with the "S" Blade
Instructions
Hummus

  1. Add all the Hummus ingredients except the olive oil to the food processor.  Process until a paste starts to form.  If the paste starts to climb up the sides of the bowl, turn off the food processor, remove the lid, and scrape it down with a soft spatula.

  2. With the food processor still running, slowly drizzle in the 1/4 cup olive oil.  Continue to process until the paste is completely smooth.

Ground beef with sauteed onions

  1. Sprinkle the ground beef with the shawarma seasoning, making sure the shawarma seasoning is well distributed.

  2. Take your largest, heaviest, frying pan and add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and put over high heat.  If you have a cast iron skillet, this is a good time to use it.

  3. Once the pan is very hot, crumble in the ground beef.  Cook on each side until nicely browned.

  4. Remove the ground beef, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.  Turn the heat down to medium and add the onions.

  5. Saute the onions until they just start to brown.  Remove the onions and combine with the ground beef.

Assembly

  1. Spread a thick layer of the hummus on a plate and top with the ground beef and onions.  Serve immediately with pita on the side.

Recipe Notes

I call for canned chickpeas with the skins removed in this recipe.  I find that if you don't remove the skins from the chickpeas the hummus has a gritty texture.  If that doesn't bother you than you can use the chickpeas right out of the can.  To remove the skins, just lightly squeeze each chickpea between your fingers.  It is a bit labor intensive, but I think it is worth it.

5 from 1 vote
Hummus
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Falafel
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Soaking Time
1 d
Total Time
1 hr
 

A great fried treat.  Excellent in pita with all the fixings or at side dish or snack all on its own.

Course: Main Dish, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Israeli, Kosher, Middle Eastern
Servings: 24 Balls
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 16 oz Dried Chickpeas (1 Bag) Do not substitute canned
  • 1 Cup Chopped Scallion You can use the white and green parts for this recipe
  • 1 Cup Fresh Parsley Stems removed
  • 1 Cup Fresh Cilantro Stems removed
  • 1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
  • 2 Tablespoons Cumin
  • 4 Cloves Garlic
  • 1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper Optional
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste
  • Vegetable Oil For Frying
Special Equipment
  • Food Processor Fitted With "S" Blade
  • A Large Heavy Pan to Fry In Cast iron skillet if you have it
Instructions

  1. Pour the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with water.   Allow to soak overnight.

  2. Add all the ingredients, except the frying oil to the food processor.  Process until a thick paste is formed.  Do not over-process or it will get too thin. 

  3. Roll the mixture into balls roughly 1 inch in diameter.

  4. Put your frying pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat and add enough oil to come 3/4 of inch the way up.  Make sure the heat is not too high, otherwise the outside of the falafel will burn before the inside is cooked.

  5. Fry on each side until dark brown.

5 from 1 vote
Hummus
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Roasted Chickpeas
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 

A great crunchy snack.  You can eat these on there own, as a salad topping or as part of a hummus plate.  Feel free to play with spices here.  If you don't like curry powder use garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.  If you are using canned chickpeas as I did, just be careful about adding too much salt as, most canned chickpeas are already seasoned. 

Course: Side Dish, Snack, Topping
Cuisine: Israeli, Jewish, Kosher, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Servings: 2 servings
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 15 oz Canned Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) Drained
  • 1/2 cup Olive Oil
  • 1/4 cup Thai Red Curry Powder Can be bought pre-made or blended from chili pepper, garlic, lime peel, galangal, coriander, lemongrass, black pepper, cumin, fennel, mace and shallots
  • 2 Tablespoons Paprika
Special Equipment
  • 1 Sheet Pan Lined With Parchment Paper
Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 425°F.

  2. Toss the chickpeas with the olive oil, making sure they are completely coated.

  3. Spread the chickpeas out on the sheet pan, making sure they are not touching each other.

  4. Bake until crispy, about 10 minutes.

  5. While still hot, toss the chickpeas with the Thai red curry powder and the paprika.  Serve immediately or store in a resealable bag or container once cooled.

Don’t forget to check out Rachel’s chickpea post: Chickpea Curry

Chickpea Curry

Chickpea CurryIt’s a new week, so that means a new food challenge!  This week’s ingredient is CHICKPEAS!  Or, as I knew them growing up, “garbanzo beans”.  The humble legume made famous in falafel and hummus.  The earthy, creamy beans that are full of fiber!  And although I’ve opted out from eating them lately due to my decision to eat a low-carb, high-fat way of eating, luckily for me, my husband does eat them and as long as I don’t put anything green in a chickpea dish, I think we’re golden.  Okay, maybe a little sprig of cilantro.  But that’s it!  🙂

Deciding what to make for this challenge wasn’t too challenging! I’d already experimented with some vegetable curries and kormas (a creamy vegetable dip of sorts, popular in Indian cuisine) but in the end, I’m going with a non-threatening chickpea vegetable curry.  At least I don’t think it’s too scary to make!  You can really just dump a whole bunch of ingredients – chick peas, onions, garlic, curry powder, turmeric, coconut milk, spices, tomatoes – into a slow cooker or a pressure cooker and just let it ride.

So that’s literally what I did.  Let the cookware do all the work for you!  Seriously, aren’t slow cookers just the best thing ever?  One thing to note – feel free to use canned chickpeas (rinsed) but if you want to use dried chickpeas, by all means!  Just make sure you soak them for at least 4-6 hours or up to overnight, then do a clean rinse, drain, and you’re good to start cooking.  Soaking beans helps remove the indigestible sugars that wreak havoc on your tummy and cause well…major farting.  And I’m guessing you might want to avoid that, especially if you’re making this for a date night!

And there you have it!  This yummy, stick-to-your-ribs, warming bowl of comfort food would be great served with either regular rice or cauliflower rice!  And don’t forget the naan on the side to mop up all of that savory and spicy tomato coconut sauce!  And feel free to add in other ingredients like lentils or barley or farro!  You could do half chick peas and half lentils. Yum!  And by the way, your kitchen will smell heavenly (and I speak from experience).

Let’s dig in!

5 from 1 vote
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Chickpea Curry
Servings: 4 people
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed You can use dried too - just use 1 cup, soak overnight, rinse and drain
  • 1 15 oz. can full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 6 oz. can tomato paste
  • 1 cup crushed tomatoes
  • 1/4 tsp curry powder I just use a sprinkling of each spice
  • 1/4 tsp coriander
  • 1/4 tsp tumeric
  • 1/4 tsp ginger feel free to use ginger root, just peel and dice 1 tsp. It's good to keep fresh ginger in the freezer to have on hand if you need it
  • 1/4 tsp hot paprika you can use regular too, or smoked, if you have it
  • 1/4 tsp shawarma seasoning totally optional but I like to mix some of this in, even though some of these spices are included in the mix
  • 1 tsp salt if you're using canned chickpeas, I would use 1/2 tsp of salt, since the canned beans contain a good amount of salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 handful sliced pickled jalapenos optional
  • 1 handful chopped fresh cilantro optional
  • 1/4 lemon wedge optional
  • 1 cup white rice or cauliflower rice
Instructions

  1. If using an instant pot/pressure cooker, add all ingredients into the pot.  Press "beans/chili" and cook for 1 hour.

  2. If using a slow cooker, add all ingredients (5 qt. probably will work best) and cook on low for 7 hours or high for 4 hours. 

  3. Serve the curry on top of white rice or cauliflower rice and garnish with pickled jalapenos, chopped cilantro and squeeze a fresh lemon wedge (if using), for an extra boost of flavor and acidity.  Serve warm.

Don’t forget to check out Daniel’s chickpea recipe: Ultimate Hummus Plate

 

Passover Sweet Potato Knishes

Passover Sweet Potato KnishesWe are making our own Passover Seder for the first time this year, so I was looking for a side that would be traditional but have a bit of a wow factor at the same time.  What is more traditional than a Knish?  The problem is most knishes use a wheat flour dough which is chametz which we do not eat on Passover.  I started out by trying to make a potato starch dough and failed miserably, so I decided to go the “breading” route.  The problem is most breadings (bread crumbs, panko, cereal etc.) are also chametz.  To make my life even harder I wanted to keep this recipe gluten free (non-gebrochts) and nut free.  This ruled out using matzo meal or ground nuts, both commonly used as a Passover friendly breading.

I used an idea I learned from my father and went with potato flakes (AKA instant mashed potatoes). I used them straight out of the box, although in the future I would probably give them a quick whirl in the food processor to give them a finer texture and to hopefully help them adhere a little better.

For something a little healthier don’t forget to check out Rachel’s latest Passover recipe: Cauliflower Hummus and Tomato Herb Flaxseed Focaccia for Pesach!

5 from 1 vote
Passover Sweet Potato Knishes
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Passover Sweet Potato Knishes
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time
2 hrs
 

A great snack or side for your Passover Seder. This recipe is gluten free (GF), nut free, and vegetarian. You can easily double or triple this recipe or substitute the sweet potatoes for standard russet potatoes.  If you don't need your knishes to be gluten free or kosher for Passover you can substitute all-purpose flour for the potato starch. 

Course: Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Gluten Free, Jewish, Kosher, Passover, Pesach, vegetarian
Servings: 6 Knishes
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 2 Large Sweet Potatoes
  • 1 Cup Potato Starch Divided in half. If you don't need your knishes to be gluten free or kosher for Passover you can substitute all-purpose flour for the potato starch.
  • 2 Large Eggs Beaten separately
  • 2 Cups Instant Potato Flakes Lightly blitz in your food processor with the "S" blade if you prefer a finer texture
  • Salt and Pepper To taste
  • Oil For Frying
Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F.  Poke the sweet potatoes all over with a fork.  Bake until soft.  Remove from the oven and let cool.

  2. Once cooled, remove the skin from the sweet potatoes and mash in a large mixing bowl.  Combine with half the 1/2 the potato starch (1/2 a cup), one of the beaten eggs, and the salt and pepper.  Use a fork to combine thoroughly.

  3. Take about a a golf ball sized amount of the sweet potato mixture and shape it in to a disc. Dust the disc in remaining potato starch, then dip in the other beaten egg, and finally coat in the potato flakes. Repeat until you use all of the sweet potato mixture.

  4. Put about a 1/2" of oil in a frying fan and put on the stove over medium heat. Fry on each side until golden brown.

Cauliflower Hummus & Tomato Herb Flaxseed Focaccia – for Pesach!

Tomato Herb Flaxseed Focaccia

Hello again readers!  Hopefully most of you can take a break from cleaning for Pesach to read what fantastic recipes Daniel and I have to share with you!  This year, I’m going for something a little different (but for me, this is the type of food I eat all year round).  Nothing too weird and definitely items you can find in your grocery store – especially Passover food items.  So let’s get this started!

First – hummus.  I know, chickpeas are not Pesach-friendly for many of us, and some people have used quinoa to make hummus for Passover, but I’m using cauliflower this year.  Sure, I may sound like a broken record, but what DOESN’T cauliflower work for?  Plus…if you get your kids (or picky-eater husband) to eat this, it’s a win-win!  Luckily, my husband eats cauliflower, so, phew!  One thing to note though, traditionally I would put cumin in this recipe but (and I didn’t realize this until now), it’s Kitniyot so, bummer to that.  But I found an interesting option.  Schawarma seasoning!  That, plus hot paprika, some savory roasted garlic, LOTS of lemon and good olive oil and that’s basically it.  Nothing too fancy here.

Cauliflower Hummus with sumac and hot paprika

The other new recipe for you is my tomato and herb flaxseed focaccia.  Can I just say, YUM?  I first got this idea from a cookbook that I LOVE, called Nourishing Meals by Alissa Segersten & Tom Malterre (gluten-free, dairy-free and soy-free dishes) and I’m using their coconut flatbread as a base for this – I just added some fresh lemon juice and zest and extra herbs and garlic to brighten up the flavors a bit.  On mine, I topped with sliced tomatoes, however, if you had cherry tomatoes or sun dried tomatoes or kalamata olives, that would be delish (I’m not a big olive fan, sadly), just slice and stick it in the dough.  This would also be good topped with fresh mozzarella and basil, YAAAAS!  What’s also great about this recipe is that not only is it super easy to make, but it’s egg free, so for all of your vegan guests…this is perfect!

[One thing to note about this…Daniel did some research for me and found out that whole flaxseeds are fine for Passover and don’t need a separate Pesach hechshere. So, I bought a new bag of whole flaxseeds and attempted to grind them up in my mini food processor.  Case in point – it didn’t really work because they’re just too small.  But, if you have a spice grinder, I think this would work perfectly.  But not to fear, if you don’t have a kosher-for-pesach spice grinder, you can still make this, and use the same method I did!  I just pressed the “grind” button for a while and they broke apart just slightly.  This recipe will still work if you use not fully ground flaxseeds, you’ll just end up with bigger pieces of flaxseeds in your flatbread – similar texture to sesame seeds.  So feel free to use whichever method you prefer!]

I love this focaccia flatbread recipe because you can make them into rolls, or slice two pieces and use it as sandwich bread!  The rosemary adds a wonderfully fragrant, woodsy flavor that is so delicious when topped with ripe, juice tomatoes.

So there you have it!  Stay hungry my friends and have a chag kasher v’sameach!

Rachel

5 from 1 vote
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Cauliflower Hummus
Prep Time
15 mins
Total Time
15 mins
 
Servings: 3 cups
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 2 1/2 cups cauliflower rice (thawed and drained) or fresh, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tbsp schawarma seasoning
  • 1/2 tbsp sumac
  • 1/2 tbsp hot paprika
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 6 cloves garlic, roasted, or raw
  • Sprinkle fresh or dried parsley
Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients except the parsley in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until fully mixed.  I left mind a bit chunkier but if you like it smoother, you can put it in a blender instead.  

  2. Place in a bowl and drizzle with extra olive oil and sprinkle paprika and parsley.  Serve with my tomato herb flaxseed focaccia!

5 from 1 vote
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Tomato Herb Flaxseed Foccacia
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup flaxseeds You can grind in spice grinder or use them whole - they both work in this recipe
  • 1/2 cup hot water
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Zest and Juice of half lemon
  • 6 tbsp coconut flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp dried rosemary
  • 1/2 tbsp dried thyme or oregano Use whatever herbs you have on hand!
  • 1 tomato, sliced Or use sun-dried tomatoes, sliced kalamata olives or halved cherry tomatoes
  • 2 tsp mined onion
Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. Put the flaxseeds in the food processor and grind for a minute or two until most are broken up but still have some whole pieces.

  3. Add hot (you can use boiling water, just let it cool for a few minutes) to the blender and pulse until the mixture it just combined.  Let it sit for 3 minutes to thicken.

  4. Add the vinegar, baking soda, salt, lemon juice, lemon zest,  and pulse a few more times.  Add in the coconut flour, rosemary and other herbs and pulse until the dough comes together and forms a ball.

  5. Using oiled hands, mix the dough and pat flat on the baking sheet - about 1/4 inch thick.  Use your fingers to poke dimples into the dough. Add in the sliced tomatoes, (or the halved cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes or kalamata olives) and press into the dough.  If using sliced tomatoes, just remove some of the juice in the tomato so the dough doesn't get soggy. 

  6. Sprinkle the minced onion, garlic powder and any other herbs - like extra rosemary on top.  

  7. Bake for 30 minutes, then turn the oven up to 400 and bake for another 7 minutes until the edges are light brown and crispy. 

  8. Eat and enjoy!

For something a little more traditional for your Seder table check out Daniel’s Passover Sweet Potato Knishes

Rachel’s Purim Seudah Menu Idea: smoked salmon deviled eggs, mini mushroom frittatas with harissa mayo dipping sauce, lemon poppyseed coconut hamantaschen

Deviled eggs with smoked salmon and capers
Deviled eggs with smoked salmon and capers

Here we go!  Purim seudah time!

Last year I made a bold and insanely spicy “drunken noodles”, because…you know…Purim. 🙂  This year, I thought of a bit more simple foods to put on the menu – more of an appetizer meal.  I’m a big fan of serving little salads and dips, a little scoop of this, a dollop of that.  So here is what I have on a menu idea for you this year!

Appetizer:

smoked salmon deviled eggs:  This one is pretty simple.  Just make your basic deviled eggs, just kicked up a notch (hard boil eggs in cold water, bring to a boil, then immediately turn off heat and let sit for 12 minutes, then place in ice bath to stop cooking.  Scoop out the yolks, add in mayo, mustard, salt, pepper, scoop back into egg white and top with a piece of smoked salmon, fresh dill, chives, capers – whatever you have really would be good.  Even some caviar and green onion…YUM).

[These photos show my attempt at a “blueberry pickled deviled egg”.  I’m still playing around with it and though the “purple” color didn’t seep into the egg white enough, it still came out as a pretty maroon shade on the outside. All I did was boil some wild blueberries in water, with some apple cider vinegar, salt and some liquid stevia as a pickling liquid, turned off the heat, then let the eggs sit in the lukewarm water for a while, maybe 30 minutes or so – I didn’t want them to get overcooked so make sure the water is lukewarm, not hot.  I wasn’t going for an “Easter egg” theme, ha, just something pretty for spring. Next time I’ll try beets, or blackberries, or even turmeric for a “yellow” pickled egg]

Blueberry-pickled!
Blueberry-pickled!

Appetizer or main:

mini mushroom frittata with spicy harissa mayo. Sauté onions, garlic, mushrooms in oil with salt and pepper, add the veggie mixture to a muffin tin.  Beat about 8-10 eggs, adding some almond milk and pour over the veggie mix and bake at 350F for about 15 minutes.  Top with fresh herbs like chives, basil, dill, anything!

I happen to be on a crazy harissa kick right now!  Harissa is a spicy pepper relish and you can find it at your local grocery store (I’ve found the brand “Mina” at my local grocery store and at Whole Foods – they have red pepper in mild and spicy and a green pepper version too).  Just mix a few dollops with homemade avocado mayo (or whatever you have in your fridge), mix in some lemon zest and maybe some garlic (or roasted garlic would be delish too, but what’s NOT to love about roasted garlic, except for maybe your breath afterwards).

I would just scoop some dipping sauce over the frittatas and you have a substantial app or side dish – the veggies give it bulk and the eggs give it a boost of protein and fat.  And if you don’t like mushrooms, fear not!  You can use asparagus, spinach, chard, tomatoes, broccoli – really, ANY veggie or green you feel like using up works great in frittatas!

And for dessert?

Can’t forget my lemon poppyseed coconut hamantaschen!  Check out the recipe here!

If you feel like adding a salad, check out my Caesar salad with roasted white sweet potato croutons on my blog riskyveggie.com!  I like to keep my Purim seudah menu ideas light and simple, and not too fussy.  So there you have it, folks!

Freilichin Purim!!

Purim: Texas Chili With Cowboy Candy Hamantaschen

Chili and HamentashenI have a confession to make, I am not much of a baker.  While I love to cook, I leave most of the baking to my lovely wife Ronit.  Not wanting to just rip off someone else’s recipe, this left me with the daunting challenge of coming up with a recipe for hamantaschen, a traditional triangular pastry eaten on the Jewish holiday of Purim, from scratch.

It is pretty easy for me to come up with a recipe for most things cooked, but once you talk baking, it become chemistry and not art. Unfortunately, my degrees are in computer science, biology, and business. I dropped chemistry.  I made this challenge even harder on myself by choosing to do a savory hamantaschen, which means I had less recipes to use for reference.  Having recently done Cheddar Stuffed Jalapeno Hush Puppies I still had some cornmeal and Jalapenos to use up, which led me to a cornbread hamantaschen with candied jalapenos, also know as cowboy candy.

I was also looking for something hearty to go along with the hamantaschen to put in mishloach manot, the traditional food packages given to friends for the Purim holiday and chili seemed like an obvious answer.  I kept the the chili recipe pretty mild, as the hamantaschen will provide some heat.  You can always add some chipotle peppers to increase the spice level if you like it hot.  I am not a big fan of beans, and they are generally frowned upon when making Texas style chili, so I left them out of this recipe.

Don’t forget to check out Rachel’s hamantaschen: Low carb lemon poppyseed coconut hamantaschen

Cowboy Candy

5 from 1 vote
Chili and Hamantaschen
Print
Cowboy Candy Filling
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 

This a great sweet and spicy treat that can be used as a filling for hamantashen, topping for a burger, or stirred into a corn bread mix.

Course: Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Servings: 24 pieces
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 6 Large Jalapenos Sliced into rounds
  • 1 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 2 Cups Sugar
  • 3 Cloves Garlic Sliced thin
  • 1 tsp Chipotle Chili Powder
  • 1 tbsp Dried Onion
  • 1 tsp Celery Seed
  • 1 tsp Ground Coriander
Equipment
  • 2 qt Sauce Pot
  • 1 Sheet Pan
  • Parchment Paper
Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 250°F

  2. Add the sugar and vinegar to a sauce pot and place on the stove over medium heat, stirring regularly to prevent the sugar from burning.

  3. Once a syrup, is formed lower the heat all the way down and add all the other ingredients. Stir to coat. 

  4. Spread the mixture on a parchment paper lined sheet pan, and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes to dry it mixture out.

  5. Use to fill hamentaschen, top burgers, or stir in to a cornbread mix.

Cornbread Hamantaschen

5 from 1 vote
Chili and Hamantaschen
Print
Cornbread Cowboy Candy Hamtashen
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 

A crispy savory hamantaschen dough, filled with a sweet and spicy filling.  Great accompaniment to hearty soups and chili. 

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Kosher, Tex-Mex
Servings: 24 pieces
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Four
  • 1 1/2 Cups Yellow Cornmeal
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 3/4 Cup Milk or Soy Milk
  • 1 Stick Cold Margarine Cut in to tablespoon sized pieces
  • 1 Tbsp Chili Powder Optional for some additional heat
  • 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
  • 1 Tsp Salt
  • 1 Recipe Cowboy Candy See above recipe
Equipment
  • Stand Mixer
  • Sheet Pan
  • Parchment Paper
  • Circular Pastry Ring or Cookie Cutter
Instructions

  1. In your mixer bowl combine the flour, cornmeal, chili powder (if desired), baking powder, and salt and mix with the paddle attachment on low.

  2. Incorporate the margarine a few pieces at time.

  3. Add the eggs and (soy) milk and boost the speed to medium, mixing just until a dough is formed.  Be careful not to over-mix, or your dough will be tough.

  4. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F. 

  5. Roll out the dough to about 1/8th of an inch thickness and cut out rounds with the pastry ring/cookie cutter.

  6. Fill with about a teaspoon of Cowboy Candy, and fold corners of dough to form a triangle and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

  7. Bake for about 15 minutes.  Hamantashen should be crispy and lightly browned.

Texas Chili

5 from 1 vote
Chili and Hamantaschen
Print
Texas Chili
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time
2 hrs
 

A hearty dish to warm your bones and your soul.  I am not a big fan of beans, and most Texas style chilis don't call for them, so I left them out of this recipe.  You can add as little or as much spice as you would like by adjusting the amount of chipotle peppers you add.

Course: Appetizer, Soup
Cuisine: BBQ, Kosher, Tex-Mex
Servings: 12 Bowls
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 2 lb Beef Something from the chuck, cut in to 1/2" cubes
  • 28 oz Can of Crushed Tomatoes
  • 2 Large Onions 1/4" Dice
  • 1 Large Red Bell Pepper 1/4" Dice
  • 1 Large Green Bell Pepper 1/4" Dice
  • 6 Cloves Garlic Finely Minced
  • 1 Bottle Beer Not too cheap or too expensive, Sam Adams Boston Lager is a good option
  • 3 tbsp Chili Powder
  • 1 tbsp Smoked Paprika
  • 7 oz Can of Chipotles in Adobe Sauce Optional if you want some heat
  • 3 tbsp Cooking Oil
  • Salt and Pepper To taste
  • 2 tbsp Masa Harina (corn flour NOT corn meal) Ground up tortilla chips will work in a pinch
Instructions

  1. Add the cooking oil to a heavy pot or Dutch oven and place over high heat. Once the oil starts to shimmer add the meat in batches, making sure not to crowd the pan. Brown the meat on all sides and remove from the pot.

  2. Turn the heat down to medium and add the onions, salt, and pepper.  Cook until they are translucent. Then add the garlic and continue to cook until the garlic starts to brown.

  3. Add the bell peppers, chili powder, and smoked paprika and cook until the peppers begin to soften.

  4. Turn the heat down to low and add the beef back in along with the tomatoes, masa harina, and beer. Add the chipotles now if desired.

  5. Cover and simmer on low for an hour or until desired consistency is achieved.

Low-carb Lemon Poppyseed coconut Hamantashen

I know this year is just flying by already, but who can believe the “P” holiday is almost here?!  No, I’m not talking about Pesach – though that too is around the corner, but Purim comes first!  So what better time to whip out a new hamantashen recipe!

Lately I’ve been on a “lemon poppyseed” kick.  It’s a very classic combination and I’ve been making my low-carb lemon poppyseed coconut scones (check out that recipe on my other blog, riskyveggie.com).  So as I was making a new batch of scones for some friends coming over for Shabbos a few weeks ago, I had a lightbulb moment.  Why don’t I make lemon poppyseed hamastashen and use lemon curd as the filling and poppyseed dough?  Classic and delicious but also something a little different.  I could have gone the savory route, but Daniel did that last year with his BBQ chicken hamastaschen so I wanted to go a bit unusual.  It did take some experimenting and the key here is to bake the hamantashen without the filling, otherwise it will literally melt and seep through the dough (trust me, I’ve tried it).  So leave a big enough hole in the middle to fill your hummies with sweet, tart and silky lemon curd.  And don’t worry, if you’re not a huge fan of lemon, you could make it less tart.  I’ve just always been obsessed with anything lemon (#acidtrip) and I even insisted on having lemon meringue pie as part of our dessert bar at our wedding.  It’s most definitely part of a “last meal” in my book.

I’ll be honest – my hamantashen didn’t turn out to be the prettiest (mostly because of adding the lemon curd after the hamantashen are baked), but who cares.  They taste awesome.

So there you have it!  Tasty, crumbly, sweet, mouth-puckeringly tart lemon poppyseed coconut hamantashen perfect for those of you (like me) eating a keto way of eating, or anyone looking for a low-carb recipe.  Even my friends who came for Shabbos who are not low-carb peeps gave it the thumbs up.  That’s always a plus in my (cook)book.

Freilichin Purim everyone!

Don’t forget to check out Daniel’s take on hamantashen: Purim: Texas Chili With Cowboy Candy Hamantashen

5 from 2 votes
Print
Low Carb Lemon Poppyseed Coconut Hamantaschen
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 

Servings: 6 large hamantaschen
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
Hamantaschen dough
  • 1 cup finely ground almond flour
  • 1/3 cup Sweve sweetener You can use regular sugar or coconut sugar for this, I just like this erithrytol zero sugar sweetener
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbsp poppy seeds
  • 2 tsp gluten free baking powder
  • 1 tsp organic lemon flavor
Lemon Curd filling
  • 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup Swerve sweetner
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 lemon zested
  • 6 egg yolks save the whites for another use - like meringue or egg white omelet
  • 1 tsp organic lemon flavor in case you want some extra lemony flavor
Instructions

  1. To make the pastry dough:  Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until a dough forms.  It'll be a little sticky but that's okay.  Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes.  

  2. Pre-heat oven to 375F.

  3. Wet your hands and roll out a small ball of dough into a flat circle.  Pinch the top and the sides to make a triangle and leave enough room for a hole to put the lemon curd after it bakes.

  4. Bake the hamantaschen for 15 minutes until starting to brown.  Let cool for 20-30 minutes.

  5. Meanwhile, heat the coconut oil in a microwave for 2 minutes until hot, but not boiling. 

  6. Add the Swerve, lemon juice, zest, lemon flavor and mix to combine.  Using  a whisk, add in the egg yolks one at a time, whisking quickly to ensure you don't curdle the eggs.  Whisk until thickened, about 1 minute. 

  7. Pour the curd into a bowl or a bag and let it sit in the fridge for about 2 hours until chilled and thickened.  

  8. Pipe or spoon the lemon curd into the hamantaschen and enjoy!!

Healthy Superbowl Snack – Almond Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies

Almond Butter Snickerdoodle cookies

It’s no surprise here that before February rolls around, many of us start brainstorming what to make for our Superbowl parties.  If you’re like me, usually you bounce around to about 2 or 3 potluck parties and it’s always quite the “show” to see who is bringing what and how spicy their dish is.  Good time to show off your cooking skills (or grocery store purchasing skills, for a large group).  WOOT.

And this year for me is no different – I’m aiming to make yummy and dare I say healthy snacks that are guilt-free and perfect for those New Year’s Resolutions of all types (losing weight being the most common one). Hopefully I am giving you all some good options no matter what type of diet, or lifestyle eating plan you’re focusing on.  The whole idea of giving you recipes is to use them as a guideline, a base, that you can put your own spin on and show your creativity.  Or, if you’re a true recipe-follower, by all means, go for it!  That’s why Daniel and I take time out of our busy lives to create recipes that (hopefully) work out!

And no…you don’t have to make these cookies gluten-free, but I’m pretty confident that no one will accuse you of making cardboard-like gluten-free cookies if you used this recipe! Plus, the cookie recipe is only 3 (5 max) ingredients, so how can you really go wrong, even if you just try them out and experiment?  You’ll definitely be the life of the party if you’re walking in with these homemade treats!

Happy Superbowling everyone!  Here’s to good food, good friends and good sportsmanship. 🙂

 

4.5 from 2 votes
Almond Butter Snickerdoodle cookies
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Almond Butter Snickerdoodle Cookies
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 
Servings: 16 cookies
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 1 cup almond butter Feel free to use ANY nut or seed butter for this!
  • 1/2 cup Swerve I like "Swerve" which is a sugar-alternative, but you can use stevia, coconut sugar, or just regular sugar if you prefer
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon optional
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract optional
  • 1 egg
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Mix the nut or seed butter, sugar substitute, egg, cinnamon and vanilla (if using) until incorporated.
  3. Scoop the mixture into small balls and place on the cookie sheet.  I used a melon baller to make 16 small balls and once they flatten and bake, they turn into medium-sized cookies.
  4. Wet your hand to flatten the cookies and use a fork (totally optional) to make the cross-hatch pattern on the top of the cookies.
  5. Sprinkle each cookie with a touch of cinnamon.
  6. Bake for 15 minutes, let cool before devouring.

If you are looking for a savory snack check out Daniel’s Super Bowl treat: Super Bowl Snacks: Cheddar Stuffed Jalapeno Hush Puppies