So, are you getting sick of it already? I know we are all devout Jews who love our holidays and perform all of G-d's commandments with joy and love, but come on, be honest: Matzah for a week? Really?
We are in the season of the counting of the Omer. At the end of it, we'll be going to Jerusalem with our first fruits to thank G-d for our newborn lambs, newborn wheat and newborn children. Are you thankful for your kids? OK, let me rephrase it: Are you sometimes thankful for your kids? I am always extremely thankful for mine. A. Because they are so amazingly wonderful and B. Because I know what it is to want them and not have them. As hubby likes to say "Aren't you happy you have kids to drive you nuts?"
One of the unexpected perks of having kids is when one of them turns vegetarian and gets a subscription to an alien magazine called Vegetarian Times. Then, when you try to fill your blog with interesting recipes and your mind has collapsed from overdoses of matzah, you can find new and exciting ideas (If you're brave enough to knock on the teenager's door and meekly ask if you can borrow the magazine.)
And guess what I found in a recent issue? Potato gnocchi. No big deal, except these have no flour in them, which makes them perfect for Pesach.
Potato Gnocchi for Pesach
2 1/2 pound russet or Idaho potatoes
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup potato starch
1. Prick potatoes all over with fork. Bake at 350F for 45-60 minutes until soft to the touch. Slice open and let cool 10 minutes.
2. Scoop out the potato flesh (careful, it might still be hot). Mash it in a bowl or put through a potato ricer. Stir in the rest if the ingredients in the order listed, mixing well after each addition. Mix until the dough comes together and doesn't stick to the fork or your hands.
3. On a potato starch dusted surface, using half cup of dough at a time, roll it into a 3/4 inch thick rope and cut into 3/4 inch pieces . Set back of a fork atop each gnocchi and use the fork to roll it toward you, making light indentations with the fork tines. Store prepared gnocchi on a parchment paper lined baking sheet until you finished processing all the dough.
4. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add gnocchi, and cook 2 minutes, or until they float to the top. Drain carefully and serve with cheese or pasta sauce.
Serves 6.
Thank G-d for kids. And for Pesach. And for making Pesach only one week long.....
Friday, March 29, 2013
Friday, March 22, 2013
Huh?
Parashat Tzav is very confusing. There are so many types of sacrifices. And each has its own sub categories. And each has detailed and precise steps to it. I am beginning to feel sorry for the Kohanim. Poor men. It must have taken 3 years of study just to figure out the simple, everyday process. Never mind the holiday stuff. I suppose that's why the high priest was held in such esteem. The man knew so much he could do the Yom Kippur stuff while fasting. Awesome.
Anyway, for us simple mortals, just reading the parasha can result in a migraine. Maybe I'll try a flow chart.... Next year, G-d willing.
But Tzav was the parasha of my youngest's Bat Mitzva and so I have a fondness for it. Also, it speaks to me because there are a lot of meat and grains being cooked. Some to be eaten by the kohanim, some to be eaten by the people, some to be totally burned on the altar. And it's all, as I said, very confusing.
Incidentally, I have finally managed to get my kubbeh the way we like it and that's a very confusing, complicated recipe, too. So it fits. I think.
The great thing about this is that it cleaned out both the pantry and the freezer of non-Pesach stuff. Just in time for Pesach. (Note to my friend Debbie: I know, I know, I should have posted this earlier so you could have utilized it on time. Soooorrrry)
Now, for this recipe you need to buy something called bulgur (the spelling might be different in your store). In Hebrew, for some reason, it is called burgul. Same thing. This is a wheat product. The closest I can describe it is "wheat groats". And here is the important part: there are three or four levels of 'grind' available. You'll need the extra fine one. Best place to look for it is Israeli stores. Middle Eastern ones carry it, too (like Corrado's in Paterson) but the hechsher is iffy (as in: I am not sure if it has hechsher). So first obtain this and get some farina as well (this is sort of like cream of wheat)
Got everything? Let's cook.
Iraqi Kubbeh
Dough:
2 1/4 cups extra fine bulgur, soaked for one hour in plenty of water than drained (use very fine sieve) and extra water squeezed out.
2 cups farina
2-3 Tbs olive oil
1 egg
1 tsp turmeric
3/4 -1 tsp salt
Filling:
1/4 cup lightly toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup coarsely chopped and lightly roasted walnuts
5 Tbs vegetable or olive oil
1 pound ground meat (beef, lamb, turkey or a mix)
Leaves from 8 stems of parsley, chopped
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp hot or smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Soup:
2 medium beets, peeled and cubed
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed (or any other kind of squash)
1 small onion, chopped
2 Tbs olive oil
6-10 cups water (or broth if you want a richer flavor)
1 Tbs sugar
Juice from 1 1/2 lemons (fresh juice, please)
1 Tbs chicken bullion (the Israeli brands are very good and you can get the kind without MSG)
1 tsp hot paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp coriander
1. Mix all filling ingredients and put in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2. After draining and squeezing the bulghur, combine it with the rest of the dough ingredients (start with the smaller amounts and add as needed). Knead it for a while until you have a mix that you can work with. You will need to make balls from it and then fill them so the mixture needs to hold together but be flexible enough to be shaped. It takes some practice to get the right consistency.
3. Form dough into balls that are slightly smaller than tennis balls. Flatten each ball in the palm of your hand so it form a nest.
4. Put about 2-3 teaspoons of filling in the 'nest' and close it to form a ball. Important: this is a frustrating step as the dough will insist on either not sticking, tearing or mixing with the meat. Again, it takes practice. The goal is to form filled balls where the filling is completely engulfed in the dough, but the walls of the ball are not so thick that the filling gets lost in the dough. Keep wetting your palms. It helps in the shaping of the dough.
5. Line up the filled balls on a platter. They can wait a little until you make the soup. You will have about 15-22 balls, depending on individual sizes, your technique and so on.
6. In a very wide, quite deep pot (I suppose I mean 'dutch oven'), saute the onion in oil until slightly browned. Add spices and mix for a minute over medium heat. Add beets and squash. Mix to coat the veggies with the spices. Add 6 cups of water or broth and bring to a boil.
7. Carefully add filled balls, one by one, gently lowering each into the boiling broth. Add liquids as needed to cover the balls. Return to boil.
8. Lower heat to low. Cook, partially covered for 45-60 minutes, until vegetables are soft and the kubbeh (that's the proper name for the filled balls of meat and dough) are a nice pinkish color. Turn kubbeh over halfway through cooking. Keep adding liquids to keep the kubbeh covered at least 3/4 of the way.
Serving size: 2 kubbeh served with some of the liquid and veggies.
Warning: This is not nearly as good the next day. Unfortunately it makes a lot so you'd better practice on smaller amounts and make the whole thing only for a crowd.
And: you may have plenty of filling leftover (depending on how well you can stuff the kubbeh without them tearing apart). If you add some binder (breadcrumbs, leftover cooked rice, flour, even ground potatoes) they make excellent meat patties. Just fry them in more oil than you would regular patties.
And if you think this recipe is complicated, just go and read parashat Tzav.
Anyway, for us simple mortals, just reading the parasha can result in a migraine. Maybe I'll try a flow chart.... Next year, G-d willing.
But Tzav was the parasha of my youngest's Bat Mitzva and so I have a fondness for it. Also, it speaks to me because there are a lot of meat and grains being cooked. Some to be eaten by the kohanim, some to be eaten by the people, some to be totally burned on the altar. And it's all, as I said, very confusing.
Incidentally, I have finally managed to get my kubbeh the way we like it and that's a very confusing, complicated recipe, too. So it fits. I think.
The great thing about this is that it cleaned out both the pantry and the freezer of non-Pesach stuff. Just in time for Pesach. (Note to my friend Debbie: I know, I know, I should have posted this earlier so you could have utilized it on time. Soooorrrry)
Now, for this recipe you need to buy something called bulgur (the spelling might be different in your store). In Hebrew, for some reason, it is called burgul. Same thing. This is a wheat product. The closest I can describe it is "wheat groats". And here is the important part: there are three or four levels of 'grind' available. You'll need the extra fine one. Best place to look for it is Israeli stores. Middle Eastern ones carry it, too (like Corrado's in Paterson) but the hechsher is iffy (as in: I am not sure if it has hechsher). So first obtain this and get some farina as well (this is sort of like cream of wheat)
Got everything? Let's cook.
Iraqi Kubbeh
Dough:
2 1/4 cups extra fine bulgur, soaked for one hour in plenty of water than drained (use very fine sieve) and extra water squeezed out.
2 cups farina
2-3 Tbs olive oil
1 egg
1 tsp turmeric
3/4 -1 tsp salt
Filling:
1/4 cup lightly toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup coarsely chopped and lightly roasted walnuts
5 Tbs vegetable or olive oil
1 pound ground meat (beef, lamb, turkey or a mix)
Leaves from 8 stems of parsley, chopped
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp hot or smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Soup:
2 medium beets, peeled and cubed
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed (or any other kind of squash)
1 small onion, chopped
2 Tbs olive oil
6-10 cups water (or broth if you want a richer flavor)
1 Tbs sugar
Juice from 1 1/2 lemons (fresh juice, please)
1 Tbs chicken bullion (the Israeli brands are very good and you can get the kind without MSG)
1 tsp hot paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp coriander
1. Mix all filling ingredients and put in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2. After draining and squeezing the bulghur, combine it with the rest of the dough ingredients (start with the smaller amounts and add as needed). Knead it for a while until you have a mix that you can work with. You will need to make balls from it and then fill them so the mixture needs to hold together but be flexible enough to be shaped. It takes some practice to get the right consistency.
3. Form dough into balls that are slightly smaller than tennis balls. Flatten each ball in the palm of your hand so it form a nest.
4. Put about 2-3 teaspoons of filling in the 'nest' and close it to form a ball. Important: this is a frustrating step as the dough will insist on either not sticking, tearing or mixing with the meat. Again, it takes practice. The goal is to form filled balls where the filling is completely engulfed in the dough, but the walls of the ball are not so thick that the filling gets lost in the dough. Keep wetting your palms. It helps in the shaping of the dough.
5. Line up the filled balls on a platter. They can wait a little until you make the soup. You will have about 15-22 balls, depending on individual sizes, your technique and so on.
6. In a very wide, quite deep pot (I suppose I mean 'dutch oven'), saute the onion in oil until slightly browned. Add spices and mix for a minute over medium heat. Add beets and squash. Mix to coat the veggies with the spices. Add 6 cups of water or broth and bring to a boil.
7. Carefully add filled balls, one by one, gently lowering each into the boiling broth. Add liquids as needed to cover the balls. Return to boil.
8. Lower heat to low. Cook, partially covered for 45-60 minutes, until vegetables are soft and the kubbeh (that's the proper name for the filled balls of meat and dough) are a nice pinkish color. Turn kubbeh over halfway through cooking. Keep adding liquids to keep the kubbeh covered at least 3/4 of the way.
Serving size: 2 kubbeh served with some of the liquid and veggies.
Warning: This is not nearly as good the next day. Unfortunately it makes a lot so you'd better practice on smaller amounts and make the whole thing only for a crowd.
And: you may have plenty of filling leftover (depending on how well you can stuff the kubbeh without them tearing apart). If you add some binder (breadcrumbs, leftover cooked rice, flour, even ground potatoes) they make excellent meat patties. Just fry them in more oil than you would regular patties.
And if you think this recipe is complicated, just go and read parashat Tzav.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Season to taste
Isn't it amazing that we can read the Torah all the time, over and over again and still manage to miss stuff? I was completely surprised to read VaYikra chapter 2 verse 13. I know we use salt for kashering meat, but why in the world does G-d ask for it on the altar and makes it mandatory? And, even more puzzling, why is salt referred to as "B'rit"? How is salt related to the covenant with G-d? And why have I never noticed this before?
Rashi reminds us that G-d made a covenant with the salty sea water to include them in altar worship in compensation for being separated from heaven. Ramban, on the other hand, says that just as salt can be either destructive (if, say, it is sprinkled over plants) or helpful (when, for example, it is used to preserve food), so does using it on the altar remind us that worship can be useful if done right but can turn on us if we use it for evil.
Salt is surely interesting. We don't need a lot of it but if we don't have some - we get really sick. The rule of "More is better" (that applies to, say, chocolate, pizza and ice cream) does not apply to salt. I think we can safely assume that the amount of salt used for sacrifices was not enormous. Salt was expensive and not so easy to obtain. G-d would not ask for large amounts of it to be burned off. That's too wasteful. So, just like in cooking, the ancient Israelites probably used reasonable amounts of salt for altar worship.
Nowadays, prayers have replaced the korbanot. So what about the salt? If the korban was the main thing and the salt was the thing that lent it 'flavor', what parallel can we draw to our modern day worship that will allow us to obey the command "You may not discontinue the salt of your G-d's covenant from upon your meal offering"?
What is the "body" of the prayer? What is the thing that enhances its 'flavor'? I'm sure it's different for everyone. Probably even different for the same person on different occasions. For me, the words are the main dish. They are the most noticeable, the largest part of the prayer session, the 'meat'. But what makes my prayer special is what happens, not on my lips, but in my heart when I pray. It just so happens that, just like my spice cabinet, my heart has different seasonings for different prayers. When one prays for the health of one's loved ones, one feels a different feeling than when praying a thanksgiving prayer (after the loved one has recovered nicely). And praying for money (to pay the hospital bills, for example) evokes yet another set of emotions.
Words are very important in prayer but without kavannah, they are sort of bland. Remember that G-d said we are not allowed to omit the salt. Because korbanot are all good and well, but it's the kavannah that He is looking for. So don't omit the salt.
Hubby is on a crusade (or maybe a jihad) against salt, claiming it is the source of all evil (after sugar and his wife.) Easy for him to do as he cannot tell if a dish has salt in it or not. So he just complains about it all the time. Which keeps him happily and harmlessly occupied.
Which also explains why I haven't made the following dish in ages. Can you imagine the reaction if I present him with food that was baked in salt????
Salt baked chicken
Real simple: Take a baking dish. Pour kosher salt into it so it will create a ring of salt with a very shallow center and higher edges (you'll probably need about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of salt). Nestle a whole chicken in the very shallow center so the chicken sits on a little bit of salt but is surrounded by a circle of higher level of salt. Try to get the salt to touch the chicken on all sides but don't fret about it too much.
Bake at 400F for about an hour or a little more, until the chicken is fully cooked. The chicken will look a little shrunken and the skin may be sort of dry (some call it crispy). The salt will have absorbed much of the fat in the chicken so in a way this is quite healthy.
Discard salt (I know, horrible waste) and serve the chicken after brushing off some of the salt that sticks to it.
Salt your food to taste. And don't forget to salt your prayers the same way.
Rashi reminds us that G-d made a covenant with the salty sea water to include them in altar worship in compensation for being separated from heaven. Ramban, on the other hand, says that just as salt can be either destructive (if, say, it is sprinkled over plants) or helpful (when, for example, it is used to preserve food), so does using it on the altar remind us that worship can be useful if done right but can turn on us if we use it for evil.
Salt is surely interesting. We don't need a lot of it but if we don't have some - we get really sick. The rule of "More is better" (that applies to, say, chocolate, pizza and ice cream) does not apply to salt. I think we can safely assume that the amount of salt used for sacrifices was not enormous. Salt was expensive and not so easy to obtain. G-d would not ask for large amounts of it to be burned off. That's too wasteful. So, just like in cooking, the ancient Israelites probably used reasonable amounts of salt for altar worship.
Nowadays, prayers have replaced the korbanot. So what about the salt? If the korban was the main thing and the salt was the thing that lent it 'flavor', what parallel can we draw to our modern day worship that will allow us to obey the command "You may not discontinue the salt of your G-d's covenant from upon your meal offering"?
What is the "body" of the prayer? What is the thing that enhances its 'flavor'? I'm sure it's different for everyone. Probably even different for the same person on different occasions. For me, the words are the main dish. They are the most noticeable, the largest part of the prayer session, the 'meat'. But what makes my prayer special is what happens, not on my lips, but in my heart when I pray. It just so happens that, just like my spice cabinet, my heart has different seasonings for different prayers. When one prays for the health of one's loved ones, one feels a different feeling than when praying a thanksgiving prayer (after the loved one has recovered nicely). And praying for money (to pay the hospital bills, for example) evokes yet another set of emotions.
Words are very important in prayer but without kavannah, they are sort of bland. Remember that G-d said we are not allowed to omit the salt. Because korbanot are all good and well, but it's the kavannah that He is looking for. So don't omit the salt.
Hubby is on a crusade (or maybe a jihad) against salt, claiming it is the source of all evil (after sugar and his wife.) Easy for him to do as he cannot tell if a dish has salt in it or not. So he just complains about it all the time. Which keeps him happily and harmlessly occupied.
Which also explains why I haven't made the following dish in ages. Can you imagine the reaction if I present him with food that was baked in salt????
Salt baked chicken
Real simple: Take a baking dish. Pour kosher salt into it so it will create a ring of salt with a very shallow center and higher edges (you'll probably need about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of salt). Nestle a whole chicken in the very shallow center so the chicken sits on a little bit of salt but is surrounded by a circle of higher level of salt. Try to get the salt to touch the chicken on all sides but don't fret about it too much.
Bake at 400F for about an hour or a little more, until the chicken is fully cooked. The chicken will look a little shrunken and the skin may be sort of dry (some call it crispy). The salt will have absorbed much of the fat in the chicken so in a way this is quite healthy.
Discard salt (I know, horrible waste) and serve the chicken after brushing off some of the salt that sticks to it.
Salt your food to taste. And don't forget to salt your prayers the same way.
Friday, March 8, 2013
Inspired
Shemot, chapter 35, verses 30-35 has a point that is easy to overlook. G-d gives Betzalel and Ahalihav wisdom and knowledge in a very specific area. They are artists. They can work wonders with gold, silver, copper, wood, and any type of fancy needlework.
There are many artists in the world. Art is a slippery word to define. My oldest child is a gifted wordsmith. Is she an artist? She also draws beautifully. Is that a better definition of an artist than the writing? My youngest is a gifted musician. Is she an artist? She also has a great eye for designs of all kinds and is a super-duper organizer, as well as a baby whisperer. Are these talents considered 'art'? And what about my cooking? I can take a random bunch of leftover ingredients and create a dish that receives moans of pleasure upon consumption. Am I an artist? What about my friend Gail who can turn any craft project into a creative masterpiece? Or my brother who takes pictures everywhere he goes that are gems of beauty?
Each and every one of us has gifts that others can only dream about. Every one has something they can do better than others. And how many of us acknowledge the source of our talent? How many of us admit that G-d has filled us with "Ruach Elokim" (the spirit of G-d) and that's how we came to be so good at what we do?
I remember late night talks with my daughters. They were sort of blase about their talents and worried about the impact (or lack thereof) their lives will have on the world. I told both of them the same thing: "G-d has given you a rare gift. He must have a special plan for the use of that gift for the greater good. Your job is to use that talent to the best of your abilities for a worthy cause. And to be grateful for it."
If one has a unique talent, one must use it for good causes. Otherwise, it's like throwing the gift back in G-d's face. You have a gift that was given to you in order to use it. So use it!
Here is how I used my gift recently. You know how you buy some produce and then don't get around to using it and suddenly it's "use it or lose it"? So I got some plum shaped tomatoes (I believe they are called "Roma") which were sort of pinkish but what can you expect in the middle of winter? Then my precious sister in law brought me some vine ripened tomatoes and I left the other ones out too long. And the eggplants I bought were getting older by the minute. Not to mention the panko (fresh breadcrumbs) I made from leftover challah that kept whispering "It's almost Pesach" every time I opened the freezer. Time for some emergency cooking.
Baked tomatoes and eggplants
8 Roma tomatoes.
2 medium eggplants
2 cups Panko (fresh breadcrumbs. You can make your own by processing leftover challah until it's all crumbs)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
3 Tbs cup Italian seasoning (a mixture of Oregano, Thyme and Rosemary will work well)
2 Tbs granulated garlic
Olive oil as needed.
Mix together breadcrumbs, herbs, cheese and garlic. Set aside.
Cut Roma tomatoes in half (length-wise) and arrange on an oiled baking sheet, cut side up.
Slice eggplants into 1/2 inch thick slices. Salt and let stand for 30 minutes in colander. Rinse and pat dry. Arrange in one layer in another baking sheet (also oiled).
Brush eggplants and tomatoes generously with olive oil (just the sides facing up). Put about 1/2 tablespoonful of the breadcrumb mixture on each tomato half and each eggplant slice.
Bake at 400F for 20-30 minutes for the tomatoes and 20 minutes for the eggplants. The tomatoes should be soft when poked with a fork. Take the tomatoes out and transfer to a plate.
Take the eggplants out and carefully flip them over. Do the oil and breadcrumb thing on the other side of the eggplants and return to the oven for another 20 minutes.
To serve, put on tomato half on top of each eggplant slice.
Serves 4
Note: you may have more eggplant slices than tomatoes. Mostly because the eggplants may produce more slices than tomato halves. No worries, mate, they make an excellent addition to any sandwich. even cold.
So then, Is this some sort of art? Because I tell you: it must have been G-d inspired. It was so much better than I expected that I am tempted to call it 'divine'. Thank you G-d for putting it into my mind. Now please add some diet tips....
There are many artists in the world. Art is a slippery word to define. My oldest child is a gifted wordsmith. Is she an artist? She also draws beautifully. Is that a better definition of an artist than the writing? My youngest is a gifted musician. Is she an artist? She also has a great eye for designs of all kinds and is a super-duper organizer, as well as a baby whisperer. Are these talents considered 'art'? And what about my cooking? I can take a random bunch of leftover ingredients and create a dish that receives moans of pleasure upon consumption. Am I an artist? What about my friend Gail who can turn any craft project into a creative masterpiece? Or my brother who takes pictures everywhere he goes that are gems of beauty?
Each and every one of us has gifts that others can only dream about. Every one has something they can do better than others. And how many of us acknowledge the source of our talent? How many of us admit that G-d has filled us with "Ruach Elokim" (the spirit of G-d) and that's how we came to be so good at what we do?
I remember late night talks with my daughters. They were sort of blase about their talents and worried about the impact (or lack thereof) their lives will have on the world. I told both of them the same thing: "G-d has given you a rare gift. He must have a special plan for the use of that gift for the greater good. Your job is to use that talent to the best of your abilities for a worthy cause. And to be grateful for it."
If one has a unique talent, one must use it for good causes. Otherwise, it's like throwing the gift back in G-d's face. You have a gift that was given to you in order to use it. So use it!
Here is how I used my gift recently. You know how you buy some produce and then don't get around to using it and suddenly it's "use it or lose it"? So I got some plum shaped tomatoes (I believe they are called "Roma") which were sort of pinkish but what can you expect in the middle of winter? Then my precious sister in law brought me some vine ripened tomatoes and I left the other ones out too long. And the eggplants I bought were getting older by the minute. Not to mention the panko (fresh breadcrumbs) I made from leftover challah that kept whispering "It's almost Pesach" every time I opened the freezer. Time for some emergency cooking.
Baked tomatoes and eggplants
8 Roma tomatoes.
2 medium eggplants
2 cups Panko (fresh breadcrumbs. You can make your own by processing leftover challah until it's all crumbs)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
3 Tbs cup Italian seasoning (a mixture of Oregano, Thyme and Rosemary will work well)
2 Tbs granulated garlic
Olive oil as needed.
Mix together breadcrumbs, herbs, cheese and garlic. Set aside.
Cut Roma tomatoes in half (length-wise) and arrange on an oiled baking sheet, cut side up.
Slice eggplants into 1/2 inch thick slices. Salt and let stand for 30 minutes in colander. Rinse and pat dry. Arrange in one layer in another baking sheet (also oiled).
Brush eggplants and tomatoes generously with olive oil (just the sides facing up). Put about 1/2 tablespoonful of the breadcrumb mixture on each tomato half and each eggplant slice.
Bake at 400F for 20-30 minutes for the tomatoes and 20 minutes for the eggplants. The tomatoes should be soft when poked with a fork. Take the tomatoes out and transfer to a plate.
Take the eggplants out and carefully flip them over. Do the oil and breadcrumb thing on the other side of the eggplants and return to the oven for another 20 minutes.
To serve, put on tomato half on top of each eggplant slice.
Serves 4
Note: you may have more eggplant slices than tomatoes. Mostly because the eggplants may produce more slices than tomato halves. No worries, mate, they make an excellent addition to any sandwich. even cold.
So then, Is this some sort of art? Because I tell you: it must have been G-d inspired. It was so much better than I expected that I am tempted to call it 'divine'. Thank you G-d for putting it into my mind. Now please add some diet tips....
Friday, March 1, 2013
Holy Cow!!
One of my favorite verses in the Torah is Aharon's excuse for the golden calf. In Shemot chapter 32 verse 24 Aharon says : "I told them to give me their gold and I threw it in the fire and this calf came out". Never let it be said that our ancestors had no sense of humor.
The whole problem, I think, was that there were no iPhones, no Facebook and no Twitter back then. Personally, I am not involved with any of these infernal devices, but I must admit that, if Moshe's time on the mountain had been televised live, or, at the very least, updated on Facebook, the whole problem wouldn't come up. The people said "He's been there so long, who knows if he's coming back at all. Or if he is even still alive up there. I mean, there's no food or even water there" (remember: these people are big on the issue of food and water shortage). So, no sign of life. You never call, you never write. Of course they get antsy.
But, people, seriously? A golden calf? They sound like they are worried about Moshe's welfare. But really they worry about their own. They sound as if they think he might have abandoned them. But really they assume that he took G-d with him when he left. How could they miss the point so completely?
G-d is not Moshe's private property. G-d is everyone's G-d. You don't actually need a Moshe to have a relationship with G-d. So it's very sad if he died of thirst on the mountain, or sneaked away down the other side while no one was looking. But that does not mean G-d Himself had left.
Actually, it was their very actions that made G-d consider abandoning them and starting over with a new group. That was a close call. And Moshe, thank G-d, talked Him out of it. Now, that's what we need a Moshe for. Could be nice if we had one these days, huh?
But, back to my favorite verse. I won't give you recipe for veal as I oppose to eating veal because of moral reasons. But I did find a recipe for blackened beef, in a Passover cookbook of the New York Times (of all places) that my friend Mara gave me. So, Aharon, if you throw something in the fire, it comes out blackened, man. Not gold.
Southwestern Blackened And Braised Brisket of Beef
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 pounds brisket (first cut)
1/4 cup Southwestern seasoning blend (see note)
3 medium onions, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
6 Bay leaves
6 cups chicken stock (or enough to cover)
1 Tbs margarine
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a 6-quart pan or Dutch oven.
2. Coat one side of the beef with half the seasoning blend, patting well. Place beef in hot oil (seasoned side down) and cook until brown and crisp. Coat the top side of the brisket with the rest of the seasoning and turn it so you can brown the other side. Remove meat from pan.
3. Add onions, carrots and celery to pan and cook, stirring, until the onions are golden brown. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add Bay leaves. Return brisket to pan and add enough stock to cover the meat.
4. Bring to a boil, cover tightly and reduce heat to low. Simmer until very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
5. Remove beef from the pan and set aside. Skim excess fat from the stock and strain the liquid (this is easier if you make it a day ahead and the fat congeals on top).
6. Return strained liquid to the pan and cook until reduced in half. Slowly whisk in the margarine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Return brisket to pan (you can slice it first but make sure it rests for about 30 minutes, covered with foil, before you cut it) and reheat.
Serves 10-12
Note: If you can't find Southwestern seasoning (and why would you find it if you live in NJ?) mix equal amounts (or to taste) of ground ginger, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, coarsely ground black pepper, kosher salt, dried basil, dried oregano, white pepper, chilli powder and cumin.
If you don't have a super well-stocked spice cabinet, you may need to re-mortgage the house for this dish.
Which gives a new meaning to "I threw a lot of gold in the fire".
The whole problem, I think, was that there were no iPhones, no Facebook and no Twitter back then. Personally, I am not involved with any of these infernal devices, but I must admit that, if Moshe's time on the mountain had been televised live, or, at the very least, updated on Facebook, the whole problem wouldn't come up. The people said "He's been there so long, who knows if he's coming back at all. Or if he is even still alive up there. I mean, there's no food or even water there" (remember: these people are big on the issue of food and water shortage). So, no sign of life. You never call, you never write. Of course they get antsy.
But, people, seriously? A golden calf? They sound like they are worried about Moshe's welfare. But really they worry about their own. They sound as if they think he might have abandoned them. But really they assume that he took G-d with him when he left. How could they miss the point so completely?
G-d is not Moshe's private property. G-d is everyone's G-d. You don't actually need a Moshe to have a relationship with G-d. So it's very sad if he died of thirst on the mountain, or sneaked away down the other side while no one was looking. But that does not mean G-d Himself had left.
Actually, it was their very actions that made G-d consider abandoning them and starting over with a new group. That was a close call. And Moshe, thank G-d, talked Him out of it. Now, that's what we need a Moshe for. Could be nice if we had one these days, huh?
But, back to my favorite verse. I won't give you recipe for veal as I oppose to eating veal because of moral reasons. But I did find a recipe for blackened beef, in a Passover cookbook of the New York Times (of all places) that my friend Mara gave me. So, Aharon, if you throw something in the fire, it comes out blackened, man. Not gold.
Southwestern Blackened And Braised Brisket of Beef
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 pounds brisket (first cut)
1/4 cup Southwestern seasoning blend (see note)
3 medium onions, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
6 Bay leaves
6 cups chicken stock (or enough to cover)
1 Tbs margarine
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a 6-quart pan or Dutch oven.
2. Coat one side of the beef with half the seasoning blend, patting well. Place beef in hot oil (seasoned side down) and cook until brown and crisp. Coat the top side of the brisket with the rest of the seasoning and turn it so you can brown the other side. Remove meat from pan.
3. Add onions, carrots and celery to pan and cook, stirring, until the onions are golden brown. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add Bay leaves. Return brisket to pan and add enough stock to cover the meat.
4. Bring to a boil, cover tightly and reduce heat to low. Simmer until very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
5. Remove beef from the pan and set aside. Skim excess fat from the stock and strain the liquid (this is easier if you make it a day ahead and the fat congeals on top).
6. Return strained liquid to the pan and cook until reduced in half. Slowly whisk in the margarine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Return brisket to pan (you can slice it first but make sure it rests for about 30 minutes, covered with foil, before you cut it) and reheat.
Serves 10-12
Note: If you can't find Southwestern seasoning (and why would you find it if you live in NJ?) mix equal amounts (or to taste) of ground ginger, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, coarsely ground black pepper, kosher salt, dried basil, dried oregano, white pepper, chilli powder and cumin.
If you don't have a super well-stocked spice cabinet, you may need to re-mortgage the house for this dish.
Which gives a new meaning to "I threw a lot of gold in the fire".
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