2018 Chicago Kosher BBQ Competition!

 
Go team!!

The rain boots are dry, the stench of smoke has dissipated and showers and laundry and done. This could only mean one thing – the BBQ competition has wrapped up!  This year, we had the unforeseen pleasure of working in muddy, and VERY swampy conditions (the giant puddle was affectionately known as “Lake Q”).

It’s been 3 years since there was a Chicago Kosher BBQ competition and this year, with the incredible help and organizing (and kick-off, I should say) from our very own Daniel Peikes, the ‘Q became part of the Greater Chicago Jewish Arts Festival!  And it made sense – why not include it into a Jewish arts fair, where you know you’re going to get lots of people coming by to check it out.  Granted, it wasn’t a total wash out, but the rain did prevent a lot of people from showing up, but needless to say, the BBQ event is NEVER cancelled – this is a “rain or shine” event!  We don’t stop because of monsoon conditions.  BRING IT ON!

This year was no different.  Same 4 categories – brisket, ribs, chicken thighs and turkey.  Sanctioned by the KCBS (Kansas City Barbecue Society).  Yes, it’s a thing.  Prep on Thursday night at Congregation KINS went well – I was in autopilot, making the rubs and sauces (and of course, through a bit of miscommunication, I added 1 CUP of cayenne to our brisket rub, instead of 1 TBSP.  Yup, it was spicy, but we mellowed it out with some more brown sugar and apple juice).  Almost-major crisis averted.

Although this was my 6th Kosher BBQ competition, I felt a bit anxious knowing that one of our teammates was out for the BBQ season, due to a broken foot (get better soon, Debbie)!  And she’s our “chicken queen”, so I felt a good amount of pressure to take her place on that task.  And it’s been a few years since I’ve prepped the chicken.  But once I got back into the rhythm of trimming off the knuckles, removing the rib bones and cleaning the skin, I ended up with 12 beautifully portioned (and all equal in size I might add) chicken thighs.  So that’s what I did for 2 hours that Saturday night – what were you all up to? 🙂

The next few hours were a bit of a blur.  A few zzzz’s (maybe a half hour), thunder, lightning, rain, mud, MORE rain, driving home to get my rain boots (best decision I made that day, so yay for dry feet), smoke, more drizzle, and finally…it’s time for turn-ins.

The brisket smoked for 10 hours, and rested.  The ribs and turkey smoked for 3 hours, and chicken smoked for less than that, with rub and sauce.  The ribs were looking good – nice smoke ring and adding Mendel’s sweet BBQ sauce really made the difference.  Tender, juicy, sweet, smokey and a bit spicy (so I’m told, since obviously I didn’t taste any of the meat, haha).  7 portions are plated, spills and drills were wiped away carefully, and brought to the judges.

Now, we sit and wait.  And by sitting and waiting, I mean, getting as much of our stuff packed up as we can.  Oh I love being efficient!  And here we go – results are in!

As much as we just hoped to get everything cooked and submitted on time, results were…

#1 in RIBS!

#3 OVERALL!

Honestly, it was shocking.  This is the best we’ve ever placed and with a good group of competition around us (and even though the ribs weren’t great quality), hey, this is our first, first place win!

Overall, it was a good competition with great company.  Sure, it wasn’t perfect and sure there are some things that could have been tweaked or organized better (not Daniel’s fault, just a lot of details to work out with the Arts Festival on it), but my favorite part of these BBQ competitions are the camaraderie and friendships that come out of this.  I’ve made some close friends through these events and it becomes a big family and feels like a family reunion when we all get together every summer.  There’s no ego here, always great sportsmanship and everyone helps each other out.  I offered my friend Mordy (who came here last minute by himself and of course swept the competition), with any help he needed, even though my team was short a person too, so I made his foil squares for his turn-in boxes.  It’s easy, I know, but something that you can easily forget!  We all give each other advice and truly, we all want each other to do well.  The congratulatory hugs at the end are honest and heartfelt.  THAT’s why I love doing it.  This underground world of Kosher BBQ, a level playing field competition where everyone’s a winner (yea, yea, so cliche, but so true).

Who knows…maybe you’ll see our team, 5 Dudes and a Vegetarian at the Dallas BBQ competition in October!

Until next time… this is Rachel signing off!

Check out some highlights from the event!

Cream of Potato Zucchini Soup

 

Why a cream based soup this week? I’m glad you asked. Saturday night begins the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, on which many people have the tradition of eating meals that contain dairy and are Potato Soupdevoid of meat.  Strict Jewish law prohibits eating dairy and meat at the the same meal.  For many people that means dishes like cheese lasagna, sweet blintzes (Jewish crepes), and cheesecake for dessert, but for me it has has always been an excuse to bust out the butter and heavy cream, taking the opportunity to trade the traditional chicken soup for something a little more rich and decadent.

One of the great things about this soup is that it does not require hours of simmering as it uses cream and milk instead of stock.  You do need to be careful to cook this soup over a low flame and stir it often, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot as you stir. This soup, like many thick soups, can easily burn on the bottom if you are not careful.

5 from 1 vote
Potato Soup
Cream of Potato Zucchini Soup
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr
 

A velvety rich soup, great for any special occasion. 

Course: Appetizer, Soup
Cuisine: French
Keyword: Soup
Servings: 12
Author: Daniel Peikes
Ingredients
  • 12 Medium Russet Potatoes Peeled and cut into large pieces
  • 2 Medium Leeks Sliced and cleaned. Leeks can be sandy so make sure to clean them well.
  • 6 Medium Zucchinis 4 peeled and sliced into rounds, and 2 sliced but not not peeled
  • 2 Cups Heavy Cream
  • 2-4 Cups 2% Milk
  • 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter Split into two 1 tbsp pieces
  • White Pepper To taste. Black pepper will ruin the beautiful white color of this soup.
  • Kosher Salt
Special Equipemnt
  • Immersion Blender
Instructions
  1. Fill a large heavy pot 2/3 with salted water.  Add 10 of the potatoes and put over high heat.

  2. Boil the potatoes until they easily break apart with a fork, then remove from the heat, drain off the water, and set the potatoes aside. 

  3. Put the pot back over low heat and add 1/2 the butter (1 tbsp), the leeks, and a heavy pinch of salt. Saute until the leeks start to brown. 

  4. Add the other half of the butter and the peeled zucchini rounds.  Brown the zucchini on both sides.

  5. Add the potatoes back in to the pot along with the cream.  Place over low heat and simmer until until the zucchini is soft.  Make sure to stir often to prevent the bottom from burning.

  6. Turn off the heat and using an immersion blender to puree until smooth.  Slowly incorporate the milk until your desired consistency is achieved.  You may not need all 4 cups.

  7. Add in the remaining 2 potatoes and the unpeeled zucchini slices and place back over medium heat. Simmer until you can easily insert a knife into the potatoes, again stirring often to prevent the bottom from burning.

  8. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.  Serve immediately, or freeze for the future.

Don’t forget to check out Rachel’s Shavuot Recipe: Dairy-free maple cinnamon custard

Dairy-free Maple Cinnamon Custard

 

I have to give credit where it’s due, so I found this original recipe in “Easy Dairy-Free Ketogenic Recipes” by Maria Emmerich – it was so easy to follow, I just tweaked it a tiny bit to make it my own.  I adjusted the flavors a bit and the cooking time and temp and I’m happy with how these turn out.  And I love that you can adjust the flavors as you like!  You could add in lemon zest and juice for a lemon custard topped with a fresh lemon slice for a pretty presentation, or add in some fresh blueberries Dairy-free maple cinnamon custardor raspberries for a fresh springtime berry custard.  YASSS!

So thank you Maria for the original recipe, I’m obsessed!  SO obsessed in fact that I made a batch last Shabbos as a “last minute” dessert (I mean, it’s just my husband and me, who exactly am I trying to impress here?).

Needless to say, if you’re a big dairy or cheesecake fanatic, Shavuot is always the holiday for you! And being a pescetarian, it’s nice to opt out of a heavy meat meal.  But when you want a break from too much dairy, and want to opt for something a big lighter – and something that won’t spike your blood sugar, check out these custards!  And I just love the presentation with the ramekins (you can always pick some up at the Dollar Store I’m sure, or you may be able to find disposable foil ramekins too).

Wishing you all a Chag Sameach!

xoxo

Rachel

PS – how adorable is this vintage-style bird serving tray? I got it years ago at Macy’s and I love it so much!! It’s such a cute presentation for a Shavuos meal!

0 from 0 votes
dairy-free maple cinnamon custard
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 


Servings: 4 servings
Author: Rachel Katzman
Ingredients
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups dairy-free milk, such as almond milk I like the brand Califia Farms
  • 1/2 cup Swerve granulated style you can use regular sugar if you prefer
  • 1 tbsp maple extract I like the brand Fronteir - you can find it at Whole Foods or on Amazon
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 2 tbsp (plus more) Swerve, confectioners style
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.  Spray 4 ramekins with coconut oil spray or coat the ramekins with a little bit of coconut oil using your hands (just so it doesn't stick as much) and place on a baking sheet.

  2. Add all ingredients except the Swerve powdered sugar to a blender and blend for 10-15 seconds until fully mixed.

  3. Pour in the custard into each ramekin and carefully place in the oven.

  4. Bake for 20 minutes or until the center is no longer jiggly in the middle.

  5. Wait until cool enough to handle (about 20 minutes) and dust with the powdered Swerve. 

  6. Serve, warm or cool.  And try it topped with whipped cream or whipped coconut cream!

Don’t forget to check out Daniel’s Shavuot recipe: Cream of Potato Zucchini Soup

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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 recap of the 2018 International Home + Housewares Show

 
The IHHS crew! #selfiestick

Here we go again!  It’s March and you know what that means?  The International Home + Housewares show!  Something I look forward to every year and since this is my third time attending, I feel like I’ve gotten a lay of the land here, but this year I felt a bit “distracted”.  What do I mean by that?  Well, in years past, I was focusing so much on taking as many pictures (for this blog of course) but this year, I was more focused on networking and making new connections, especially trying to get as much swag as possible (not as much this year, boo) but also trying to get merchandise to review on this blog and my other blog, riskyveggie! But overall, here are my thoughts…

It seemed to me that there weren’t as many of the “smaller” guys – ya know, the booths of the new companies, it just felt like a smaller section of the back of one room (room = MASSIVE hall at McCormick place), and the larger conglomerates just outweighed everything else.  So, needless to say, I didn’t strike up as many connections since I just wasn’t feeling it – and much harder to do so from the bigger companies (oh hi Vitamix!  Want to give me a free product that I can review?  Yea…in my dreams). 🙂 So sadly, not as much swag, BUT I did end up getting TWO free desk air purifiers!  Not the prettiest thing around, but hey, maybe I’ll offer one as a giveaway?

But luckily for me, the celeb chef sightings were in full swing this year.  And note to self – next year I probably won’t do a full Instagram live from Chef Cat Cora because it took longer than I expected, plus it totally drained my battery.  But, was great to meet her anyway (for those of you wondering, she is so petite in person but absolutely stunning).

Chef Fabio Viviani (yes, you know him from Top Chef) was back at at this year and its become a tradition to have him throw raw pasta dough at us (Ellie and me) and get my annual photo with him.  Just the nicest guy and so patient as literally every woman in the audience waited to take a selfie with him (I mean, he is easy on the eyes).

This year, some new additions to the live cooking demos!  Christopher Kimball (you know him from Cooks Illustrated), Chef David Burke (culinary pioneer), Geoffrey Zakarian and French chef Ludo Lefebvre (from Top Chef Masters as well) – I didn’t catch Ludo or Geoffrey but caught a quick glimpse of David Burke.  If I spend two whole days at the event, then sure, but it’s just impossible to see every booth, every product in just 8 hours!  EEK!  Of course the next day featured Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli, so bummed I missed her!

One of my favorite booths that caught my eye was a French cutlery company called Sabre.  It wasn’t even the most fancy display – it was just simple cutlery but with funky colored handles – hot pink, yellow, turquoise blue and tortoiseshell.  Just so simple, unexpected and elegant.  You can shop their store here!

So while I didn’t necessarily think it was the BEST show I’ve been to, it was pretty beneficial to talk to some partners about our upcoming Chicago Kosher BBQ competition as well as networking with new companies to review their products – I love supporting small businesses so stay tuned for some product review and giveaways!

And, big shoutout to Gavriel Prero for sharing his photos with meatyourvegetables!

Can’t wait for next year (oh and yes, we’re already registered)! 🙂

-Rachel