Read an Excerpt
The New Yiddish Kitchen
Gluten-Free and Paleo Kosher Recipes for the Holidays and Every Day
By Simone Miller, Jennifer Robins Page Street Publishing Co.
Copyright © 2016 Jennifer Robins and Simone Miller
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-62414-234-5
CHAPTER 1
Not-Your-Bubbe's Appetizers and Soups
If you've ever attended or hosted a Passover Seder, you know the beginning of the meal is just as important as, if not more than, the main course. For this reason, I have given equal weight to this chapter where you will find delicious options like Roasted Squash Hummus, Baba Ghanoush and Dill-Pickle Deviled Eggs to start your meal. What, you want liver instead?! Of course it's in there. Just as important, homemade chicken soup is the backbone to every Jewish soup recipe. I've created three versions of grain-free Matzo Balls, plus a recipe for Kreplach so that you can build the perfect Jewish Penicillin, on holidays and every day. You can thank me the next time your headache is caused by more than hearing me kvetch!!
Dill–Pickle Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs are always a crowd favorite, and adding kosher pickles gives them a nice zing. Make sure you mince the pickles as small as possible to avoid clogging the pastry bag.
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 12 minutes Makes: 4–6 servings as an appetizer
Water for steaming
6 eggs
½ cup (120 g) minced kosher pickle (about one large pickle)
¼ cup (65 ml) Mayonnaise
1 tablespoon (15 ml) Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon (15 g) minced fresh dill, plus more for garnish
1/8 teaspoon salt
In a pot that fits a steamer basket, bring a small amount of water to a boil. Put the eggs in the steamer basket and place in the pot. Cover, and allow to steam for 12 minutes.
After 12 minutes, carefully remove the basket and dunk the eggs into cold water to cool. Gently crack the eggs all over and then peel. Slice the eggs in half and pop out the yolks.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the egg yolks, minced pickles, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, dill and salt. Pulse the ingredients several times to puree.
Scoop the yolk mixture out and fill the egg whites, either with a spoon or pastry bag. Garnish the eggs with additional dill, if desired.
Bubbe's tip: Passover guests too hotsy totsy for plain, hardboiled eggs? Serve these instead!
Baba Ghanoush
Baba Ghanoush doesn't get nearly as much love as its better-known cousin, hummus, but it should! It's rich and smoky and the perfect addition to your Middle Eastern appetizer platter.
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes, plus time to cool Makes: 2 cups (475 ml)
1 large eggplant, about 1 pound (450 g)
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons (45 ml) tahini
3 tablespoons (45 ml) lemon juice
½ teaspoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon paprika, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) and prick the eggplant all over with a fork. Place the eggplant on a baking sheet.
Place the eggplant in the oven and roast for 30 minutes, or until the outside of the eggplant is very soft. Remove from the oven, and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
Once cool enough to handle, remove the skin from the eggplant. If it's difficult to separate, cut in half or quarters and use a sharp knife to remove it.
In the bowl of a food processor, place the eggplant, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, liquid smoke, salt and paprika. Blend the ingredients until smooth, and then drizzle the olive oil in through the spout.
To serve, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with paprika.
Bubbe's tip: Don't want to use the liquid smoke? Don't get meshuga about it. Use smoked paprika in place of the regular paprika in the recipe. Was that so difficult?
Roasted Squash Hummus
Hummus is off the table when you remove legumes from your diet, which is a shame because almost everyone loves it! Well, there's good news. Roasted squash stands in quite nicely for garbanzos, and you might just find yourself preferring this version to the traditional.
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Makes: About 4 cups (950 ml)
1 medium butternut squash (about 1½ pounds [675 g]), peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces
8–10 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons (30 ml) avocado oil or coconut oil
1 cup (240 ml) tahini
1/3 cup (80 ml) lemon juice
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon (2 g) parsley, minced (optional)
Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C). Toss the squash and garlic with the avocado oil and spread on a baking sheet.
Roast them for 25 minutes, or until very soft.
Transfer the squash and garlic to the bowl of a food processor and add the tahini, lemon juice and salt. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil.
To serve, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with parsley, if desired.
Bubbe's tip: You kids have everything so easy these days. If you're pressed for time, buy the squash that's already peeled and diced in the supermarket. It will cost you more gelt, but you'll save time, bubula!
Chopped Liver
Chopped liver is a classic Jewish spread that packs in all the health benefits of organ meats while still delivering a delectable dish. Schmaltz, like other animal fats, has gotten a bad rap over the years. But if the fat is rendered from properly raised chickens, it's actually quite a healthy choice.
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 12 minutes Makes: 2 cups (475 ml)
3 tablespoons (45 ml) Schmaltz, divided
1 pound (450 g) chicken livers, patted dry and trimmed of tough membranes
1 small onion, diced
About 1 teaspoon sea salt
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
2 tablespoons (5 g) minced fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon black pepper
In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the schmaltz over medium high heat. Add the livers and cook for 2 minutes on each side, or until they are just cooked through. Remove them to a bowl.
Add the remaining tablespoon (15 ml) of schmaltz to the skillet and turn the heat down to medium. Add the onions and sauté for 7–8 minutes, or until deep golden brown, stirring often. Add a pinch of salt if they start to brown too much, and turn down the heat a bit.
Once the onions are brown, add the livers back in along with a pinch of salt and cook for 1 minute more.
Transfer the liver and onions, hard-boiled eggs and parsley to the bowl of a food processor and add another pinch of salt and the pepper. Pulse the ingredients 5–6 times, until minced and well incorporated but not completely smooth.
Transfer to a serving dish and chill before serving. Cover tightly with plastic wrap directly on the surface to keep it from drying out.
Serve with matzo (here or here), crackers or your favorite veggies.
Bubbe's tip: What, you're so creative? Then add in your own blend of seasonings, if you wish.
Salmon Gefilte Fish
If there were ever a food that was completely polarizing, it would be gefilte fish. People either love it or hate it, the latter often being those who haven't tried it until they were adults. The good news: Making it with fresh salmon and white fish yields a gefilte fish that is nothing like the kind you're picturing submerged in a jar of fish jelly.
Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 75–90 minutes Makes: 12–16 servings
FOR THE FISH STOCK
2 pounds (900 g) fish heads, bones and skin
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced
2 large carrots, roughly chopped 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon (15 g) coconut palm sugar (optional)
2 teaspoons (10 g) salt
Cold water, just enough to cover the bones
FOR THE FISH
4 medium carrots
1 small parsnip
1 small onion
2 eggs
1/3 cup (60 g) potato starch
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds (900 g) salmon, ground (see note)
1½ pounds (675 g) mild white fish, such as cod, pike or carp, ground (see note)
FOR THE FISH STOCK
Place the fish bones, sliced onion, roughly chopped carrots, apple cider vinegar, coconut palm sugar and salt in a medium stockpot. Add cold water to cover and bring to a boil.
Allow the stock to simmer for 50–60 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft. Strain the stock and discard the vegetables and bones. Place the stock in a large, deep sauté pan and set aside.
FOR THE FISH
Grate 2 of the carrots and the parsnip. If you are using a food processor to do this, you may need to switch to the chopping blade after shredding, so the vegetables get very finely minced.
Grate the onion and squeeze out the excess liquid.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, potato starch and salt. Mix in the grated vegetables. Add the fish and mix with your hands until well combined. Form the fish mixture into oval patties about ¼ cup (55 g) each.
Peel and slice the remaining carrots.
Bring the stock back up to a simmer and add the fish patties and sliced carrots. Simmer for 10 minutes, flip the fish and simmer another 5 minutes. Chill the stock, fish and carrots for at least 1 hour, or until very cold. Serve the fish cold with the sliced carrots and a little of the stock, if desired.
Note: If you don't have a meat grinder, ask your fish monger to grind the fish for you.
Bubbe's tip: What, it's too much work for you? In my day, the recipe started with "catch a fish," so quit your kvetching!
Jewish Penicillin: Build Your Perfect Bowl
Building your perfect bowl of Jewish Penicillin doesn't have to be difficult, all the tools are found right here!
1. Choose your broth — whether you pressure cook or slow cook, your broth is the basis for everything. Pick your option from here or here. You'll need around 8 ounces (240 ml) for each bowl.
2. Choose your veggies. Do you prefer lots of carrots? Or maybe just onions and celery? Now is the time to select your preferred vegetables and boil them in the stock until they become nice and tender, or more al dente if you like. You'll want around 2 ounces (56 g) of diced veggies per bowl, or more or less depending on your preference.
3. Choose your "noodle." Care to add in zoodles, squoodles or sweet poodles? (That's sweet potato noodles, not canines!) Add about 2 ounces (56 g) of your favorite noodle per bowl. See options and cooking instructions here.
4. Choose kreplach, matzo balls or both. Here, here and here you'll find varieties of matzo balls and our grain-free kreplach as well. Find your perfect combination adding those to the mix. Around 3–4 matzo balls or kreplach typically will do the trick for a single bowl; they are starchy and filling! These just need a few minutes in the broth to heat through.
Bubbe's tip: There is no right answer, bubula; it's all about finding your joy. If kreplach makes you plotz and you're sensitive to nightshades, just pick your matzo balls and veggies based on what makes it geshmak. That's what it's all about!
Slow Cooker Chicken Broth
If effortless is your game, this broth has your name written all over it. Toss in the ingredients and let the slow cooker do its job. You'll find this slow cooker chicken broth is rich and flavorful, much more so than store-bought packaged broth. You can also freeze this recipe and pull it out when you want to make a batch of Matzo Ball Soup (here, here or here).
Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 24–36 hours Makes: 12 servings
2–3 pounds (900–1,350 g) chicken bones
1–2 pounds (450–900 g) vegetables (carrots, onions, celery or other desired ones), roughly chopped
2–3 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon sea salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Bay leaves, parsley, dill or any other fresh herbs
3 tablespoons (45 ml) apple cider vinegar
Place the chicken bones in the slow cooker with selected vegetables and garlic and cover with water. Add in seasonings, herbs and apple cider vinegar.
Turn on the slow cooker and cook on low for 24 hours or longer. Strain broth and discard the bones, veggies and meat (if any remains). Refrigerate, freeze or use right away.
Note: Some slow cookers have an automatic turnoff, so check yours to see if it needs to be turned back on or reset.
Note: Prefer beef broth? Simply swap out the bones! Roasting the bones at 425°F (218°C) for 30 minutes will give the broth even more flavor.
Bubbe's tip: The apple cider vinegar helps release the minerals and nutrients from the bones. Don't forget it!
Pressure Cooker Chicken Broth
Chicken broth that simmers all day? There's nothing wrong with that, but if you're pressed for time, this is the broth for you. You'll get a rich, delicious broth in under 2 hours.
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 2 hours Makes: About 4 quarts (3.8 L)
4–5 pounds (1.8–2.25 kg) chicken bones (backs, necks, feet and carcasses from roast chickens you've reserved)
1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound (450 g) carrots, halved
1 pound (450 g) parsnips, halved
1 celery root, peeled and quartered
1 onion, quartered
A few cloves garlic, whole and unpeeled
1 bunch parsley or dill
Into the pressure cooker, place the chicken bones, apple cider vinegar and salt. Cover with cold water and lock on the lid.
Once the pot comes up to pressure, turn the heat to the lowest temperature necessary to keep the pressure valve popped. Allow the mixture to cook for 1 hour.
After an hour, turn off the heat and let the pressure release. Once unlocked, remove the lid and add the vegetables and herbs.
Bring back up to a rolling boil and reduce for 1 hour, uncovered, or until the vegetables are very soft.
Strain the broth, reserving the liquid and discarding the bones and vegetables.
Note: Prefer beef broth? Simply swap out the bones! Roasting bones at 425°F (218°C) for 30 minutes will give the broth even more flavor.
Bubbe's tip: Don't have a pressure cooker? Of course you can still have broth! Just follow the instructions in this recipe, increasing the initial cook time to 3–4 hours.
Matzo Balls (Sweet Potato Kneidlach)
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes Makes: 6–8 servings (about 20 small dumplings)
36 ounces (1 L) water or Chicken Broth (here or here), for boiling the potatoes and matzo balls
1 pound (450 g) Japanese sweet potato (about 2 medium), peeled and sliced
2 eggs
¼cup (24 g) potato starch
¼cup (24 g) tapioca starch
1 tablespoon (15 g) coconut flour
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil, Schmaltz or avocado oil
½teaspoon sea salt
¼teaspoon garlic powder
¼teaspoon onion powder
Combine the water or broth and sliced sweet potatoes in a large stock pot and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat, remove the potatoes and allow them to cool for 10 minutes or so. Reserve the water in the pot — you'll use it to cook the matzo balls.
While the potatoes are cooling, whisk together the eggs, potato starch, tapioca starch, coconut flour, olive oil, salt, garlic powder and onion powder. Once the potatoes have cooled off a bit, mash them into the egg mixture, making sure everything is well incorporated.
Bring the pot of water back up to a simmer. To make the matzo balls, you can either roll them into balls, about a heaping tablespoon each, or you can scoop the dough with a small cookie scoop with a lever.
Drop the matzo balls into the simmering water and cook for 15 minutes. Serve in piping hot chicken soup. See here for our tips on how to build the perfect bowl!
Matzo Balls (Potato Kneidlach)
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes Makes: 6–8 servings (about 20 small dumplings)
36 ounces (1 L) water or Chicken Broth (here or here), for boiling the potatoes and matzo balls
1 pound (450 g) Yukon gold or red bliss potatoes (about 2 large), peeled and sliced
2 eggs
½ cup (50 g) potato starch
1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil, Schmaltz or avocado oil
1 tablespoon (10 g) fresh minced dill (or ½ tablespoon dried)
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon onion powder
Combine the water or broth and sliced potatoes in a large stock pot and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat, remove the potatoes and allow them to cool for 10 minutes or so. Reserve the water in the pot — you'll use it to cook the matzo balls.
While the potatoes are cooling, whisk together the eggs, potato starch, olive oil, dill, salt, black pepper and onion powder. Once the potatoes have cooled off a bit, mash them into the egg mixture, making sure everything is well incorporated.
Bring the pot of water back up to a simmer. To make the matzo balls, you can either roll them into balls with your hands, about a heaping tablespoon each, or you can scoop the dough with a small cookie scoop with a lever.
Drop the matzo balls into the simmering water and cook for 15 minutes. Serve in piping hot chicken soup. See here for our tips on how to build the perfect bowl!
(Continues...)
Excerpted from The New Yiddish Kitchen by Simone Miller, Jennifer Robins. Copyright © 2016 Jennifer Robins and Simone Miller. Excerpted by permission of Page Street Publishing Co..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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