Dairy-free Roasted Pepper Soup

Anyone who reads my posts knows that on New Year’s Eve we feast on hors d’oeuvre throughout the day — no real sit-down dinner. Dessert is later in the evening.

But my cousins sleep over for a couple of days and that means real meals too.

On one of the nights they are with us I usually serve either Rack of Lamb or Rib Roast — the dinner we used to eat on New Year’s Eve long ago before we decided on the nibble fest.

For starters? This soup. Light enough to precede a heavy meat meal and colorful enough for a celebration. Bonus: you can make this a few days ahead!

ROASTED RED PEPPER SOUP

• 4 sweet red, orange and/or yellow bell peppers

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 4 medium scallions, chopped

• 2 carrots, chopped

• 1 large clove garlic, chopped

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley plus more for garnish if desired

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

• 6 tablespoons raw white rice

• 5 cups vegetable stock

• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt or to taste

• freshly ground black pepper

• 3/4 to 1 cup non-dairy milk, optional

Preheat the broiler. Place the peppers under the broiler, about 4-6" away from the heat. Broil for 2-3 minutes, until the skin has blistered. Turn the peppers and repeat this process until the entire surface is blistered and lightly charred. Remove the peppers and place them in a paper bag or wrap in aluminum foil. Let rest at least 10 minutes. Remove the peppers from the bag, peel off the skin and discard the stem and the seeds. Cut the peppers into pieces and set aside. 

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the scallions, carrots, garlic, parsley and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally for 3-4 minutes or until the vegetables have softened slightly. Stir in the rice. Add the peppers and stock. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat and cook at a simmer for 25 minutes. Add non-dairy milk if desired. Puree in a food processor or blender. Serve hot or chilled.

Makes 6 servings

Mushroom Chips

It doesn’t get easier than this: one of the hors d’oeuvre I’ll be serving on New Year’s Eve.

Mushroom chips

• 4 large king oyster mushrooms

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• kosher salt or sea salt

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Slice the mushrooms about 1/8-inch thick. Place the mushrooms on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and thyme. Roast for about 20 minutes, turning them over after the first 10 minutes.

Makes 4 servings

Persimmon Salsa

I’m continuing my search for some new nibbles for our New Year’s Eve hors d’oeuvres fest — and found a definite!

Persimmon salsa (I’m fortunate to have found some lovely persimmons in the market).

This is a yes because not only is it delicious, it’s also quick and easy to make and so colorful and inviting for a celebration.

Btw — this is also a nice side dish with grilled meat, fish or chicken. And maybe even useful for a Superbowl party — don’t pass this by!

PERSIMMON SALSA

• 2 Fuyu persimmons

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

• 2-3 teaspoons finely chopped chili pepper

• 1/2 cup chopped red onion

• 1 teaspoon very finely grated lime zest

• 2 tablespoons lime juice

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 tablespoon honey

• salt to taste

Chop the persimmons into small pieces and place them in a bowl. Add the mint, chili pepper, red onion and lime zest and mix to distribute the ingredients. Pour in the lime juice, olive oil and honey, sprinkle with salt and toss the ingredients. Let rest for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Makes about 2-1/2 cups 

Broiled Grapefruit

Broiled Grapefruit

Hanukkah’s over and I am already on to New Year’s weekend, contemplating what to serve to my cousins, who always stay for a few days.

Years ago, our “group” — the cousins, Les and Neil, plus my sister-in-law Eileen and brother Jeff — agreed that on New Year’s Eve we would have a day of hors d’oeuvres rather than a big sit-down dinner. We break the day up into separate eating times so that at noonish we will have such goodies as Almond Crusted Chicken Nuggets and Lamb kebabs and a dip or two: Potlagela and Matbucha for sure and probably hummus.

Later on we’ll feast on Pizza with Spinach, Tomato and Cheese, Romanian Cheese Turnovers and an assortment of cheese and crackers accompanied by the Pepper Jam I made last summer from the chili peppers in my garden. Maybe some Lox and Cream Cheese Spread.

Dessert — always one of the apple pies I made last fall. And I’m thinking — Irish Whiskey Cake, because it is one of the most scrumptious cakes ever created.

I used to have a New Year’s Day brunch for the group, but haven’t done that for years. It was always too much food and too much work and so it’s just the cousins and us for plain old breakfast, meaning smoked fish and bagels.

Plus fruit of some sort.

This year I decided the fruit will be one of the simplest recipes I’ve ever made. Broiled Grapefruit. Honestly, it doesn’t get easier than this:

Broiled Grapefruit

• 4 medium red or pink grapefruit

• 4 tablespoons turbinado (or other crystal) sugar

• cinnamon or grated nutmeg

• Aleppo pepper or cayenne pepper, optional

Preheat the broiler with the rack 4-6 inches below the heat. Slice each grapefruit in half,** then (preferably using a serrated grapefruit knife) cut around the edges of each half to loosen the flesh, then cut the flesh into segments inside the shell. Place the prepared grapefruit halves on a baking sheet. Sprinkle each half with equal amounts of the sugar (each whole grapefruit (2 halves) will get about one tablespoon of sugar). Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon or nutmeg. Add a hint of pepper if desired. Broil for about 6-8 minutes or until the surface is caramelized.

Makes 4 servings

**I also slice the bottom of the grapefruit halves so they are more stable on the baking pan.

Potato-Carrot-Curry Latkes

Potato latkes for Hanukkah? Of course!

But I make other kinds of latkes too.

This year it’s going to be these potato-carrot latkes. They have just enough curry powder to add an intriguing but not too spicy seasoning. I’ve made them several times already and they’ve been getting rave reviews. I’ll also serve some for my new year’s hors d’oeuvres fest.

The sauce is a bit tangy and very refreshing, sort of like tzadiki (cacik). It’s a soft, rich, smooth and tasty counterpoint for the crispy fried latkes.

Potato-Carrot-Curry Latkes with Yogurt Sauce

• 3 medium Russet type potatoes, peeled

• 4 medium carrots, peeled

• 1 large onion, cut into chunks

• 2 large eggs

• 1/4 cup potato starch, matzo meal or bread crumbs

• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste

• freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 2 teaspoons curry powder

• vegetable oil for frying

Yogurt Sauce

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt

• 2-3 scallions, chopped

• 1/4 cup grated cucumber

• 2-3 teaspoons lemon juice

Shred the potatoes, carrots and onion in a food processor. Squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible (I put portions of the shreds in a kitchen towel and squeeze until they are practically dry). Place the shreds in a bowl. Immediately mix the eggs in (this helps keep the potatoes from browning). Add the potato starch, salt, pepper and curry powder. Heat about 1/4” vegetable oil in a heavy pan over medium-high heat. Shape latkes by hand, squeezing liquid out if there is any, and place them in the hot oil, leaving space between each one so that they brown well and become crispy (if they are too close they will “steam” and become soggy). Press down on the latkes to keep them evenly shaped. Fry for about 3 minutes per side or until the pancakes are golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels. Serve with the Yogurt Sauce.

To make the sauce, mix the yogurt, scallions, cucumber and lemon juice together until well mixed. Place in a serving bowl.

Makes 12-15

Banana Chocolate Cake

Same-old, same-old. The family came for the holiday (TG) and I have bananas leftover.

When there’s leftover bananas at my house I usually make banana bread or muffins or a plain banana cake of some sort. But I got some wonderful chocolate as a gift and wanted to use part of it for this cake. It’s rich and festive looking so I’m thinking of making this again for New Year’s weekend.

If you’re having a dairy meal for Hanukkah, this would make a marvelous dessert too!

streusel-topped BANANA-CHOCOLATE CAKE

Streusel:

• 1/2 cup butter

• 3/4 cup quick oats

• 3/4 cup shredded coconut

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Melt the butter and set it aside. In a bowl, combine the oats, coconut, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Mix to distribute the ingredients evenly. Pour in the melted butter, mix to coat all the dry ingredients and set aside.

Cake:

• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate (1 cup chocolate chips)

• 1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 cup butter

• 2 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 3 large ripe bananas, mashed

• 1/3 cup buttermilk or kefir

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• streusel (above)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9”x13” cake pan or 2-9”round cake pans. Melt the chocolate and set it aside. Mix the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda together in a bowl and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer set at medium speed, beat the brown sugar and butter for 2-3 minutes or until well blended. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat for one minute or until thoroughly blended. Add the bananas and buttermilk and beat for 1-2 minutes. Add the flour mixture and beat until the batter is well blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Pour the melted chocolate on top and use a knife to swirl it evenly into the batter. Scatter the crust mixture evenly over the top. Bake for about 45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a cake rack to cool completely.

Makes one cake, serving 12-16

Banana Bread with Nuts and Raisins

My cousins are coming for our usual new year’s weekend.

What a grand way to end a terrible year.

We are all triple vaxxed and tested (negative).

This, to me, is thrilling enough.

We will watch Britbox murder mysteries — we all love them and there are some new goodies available.

We will eat and drink!

Last week I posted one of the desserts — M’hencha — that we will have (on New Year’s Eve when my sister-in-law and brother also come).

For dinner one night we will have Azerbaijani Plov, a fabulous melange of rice, dried fruit and meat (I am making it with lamb).

New year’s Eve is always an hors d’oeuvre fest. We space it out during the day, so we eat a few hors d’oeuvre at a time and wait for the next round.

So, I will serve Hot Dog en Croute and Almond Chicken Nuggets (plus olives, pickled beets and such).

Later, I will serve gougeres, Romanian Cheese Turnovers, cheese with Pepper Jam and a few other things.

During the weekend there’s breakfast of course, which consists of smoked fish and bagels for a couple of days.

During the day we also might find ourselves a bit peckish because I don’t serve lunch. We just “pick.”

This year, one of the pickings is going to be this Banana Bread. Which is terrific with tea or coffee. Ir’s good plain or spread with cream cheese. It’s even a good choice for dessert along with some ice cream. It’s a good nibble while watching the new series of Dalgliesh or rewatching Shetland.

We intend to have a good time.

Happy, healthy 2022 to all!

Banana Bread with Nuts and Raisins

• 1/4 cup butter

• 1/4 cup coconut oil

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 2/3 cup sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 3 medium very ripe bananas, mashed

• 1/3 cup yogurt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla 

• 1/2 cup chopped toasted nuts

• 1/2 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9”x5”x3” loaf pan. Melt the butter and coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat, set aside. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into a bowl and set it aside. Beat the sugar and melted butter/coconut oil mixture with a handheld or electric mixer set at medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is well blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the bananas and beat the mixture to blend the ingredients thoroughly. Add the flour mixture, stirring only enough to blend in the dry ingredients. Add the yogurt, vanilla extract, nuts and raisins and stir them in. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for one hour or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan 15 minutes, then invert onto a cake rack to cool completely.

Makes one loaf. 

Snails! The Dessert Kind (M'Hencha)

Years ago, when we were in Egypt, I tried this dessert, called m’hencha, because it looked so pretty.

It was like a Proustian moment because it tasted so similar to my Romanian Jewish grandma’s turte, which is like baklava only made with almonds instead of walnuts, and sweetened with sugar syrup, not honey.

Unlike my grandma’s version, m’hencha is shaped like a snail, which I think looks much lovelier and so I decided to make this for New Year’s, when the cousins come for a visit. (I’m using honey instead of the syrup my grandma used.)

I’ll be curious to see if my cousin also remembers this delicious pastry from back in the day.

M’Hencha

• 2-1/2 cups ground almonds

• 1/2 pound butter, melted

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1-1/2 teaspoons grated fresh orange peel

• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 pound phyllo dough

• 6-8 tablespoons honey

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix the almonds, 4 tablespoons melted butter, sugar, orange peel and cinnamon until well combined. Set aside. Using one phyllo sheet at a time, spread the dough out on a flat surface and brush lightly with melted butter. Top with the next phyllo sheet and repeat, using 4 sheets of phyllo. Spread about an inch of the almond mixture in a line about an inch from the edge on the long side. Roll the dough, jelly roll style, then coil it into a snake shape. Place the pastry on a cookie sheet. Brush with butter. Repeat 5 more times to make 6 pastries. Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. While the pastries are baking, heat the honey until it is warm and liquefied. Pour the warm honey over the pastries and serve. NOTE: you can make smaller pastries: cut the phyllo sheets in half and proceed as above (makes 12).

Makes 6 servings

Osso Buco without Tomatoes

I love a cooking challenge. Whether it’s because a meal needs to be kosher or because someone is allergic to walnuts or doesn’t eat meat or hates potatoes, I am up for the task.

So, it was interesting for me to come up with this year’s new year’s menu when my cousins come. They will be houseguests for several days.

Our New Year’s eve day (which also includes my brother and sister-in-law) starts early and is all about hors d’oeuvres - groups of nibbles several hours apart. No actual “dinner.”

First up: almond crusted chicken nuggets, hot dog en croute, rumaki — maybe more.

Later: smoked salmon and avocado toasts, cheese gougeres, Romanian cheese turnovers, hummus.

and then dessert in the late evening. Probably Roasted Pears with Orange-Maple Sauce or Chocolate Pudding (in a pie crust). Or both.

There’s enough variety to assure everyone will be happy.

But in between days I need to consider food restrictions including: no tomatoes.

We all love Osso Buco, but classic recipes, including mine, are loaded with tomatoes. So I spent the last month making recipe after recipe — no tomatoes. All were absolutely delicious. I made versions with red wine or white, beef stock or chicken; some with a strip of lemon peel, some without, some with mushrooms.

This is the one I will be serving — note that I usually serve Osso Buco on top of mamaliga, but corn meal is also verboten, hence, the egg noodles.

Happy new year everyone.

Osso Buco (Sans tomatoes)

• 4 pieces veal shank

• 3-4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 6 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil, approximately

• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped

• 1-2 stalks celery, chopped

• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or rosemary

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1 strip lemon peel, about 2-inches long

• 1 cup red wine

• 1 cup beef stock

Coat each piece of veal with some flour. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in an ovenproof saute pan or casserole over medium heat. Cook the coated veal shanks for 6-7 minutes, or until lightly browned on each side. Add 1-2 tablespoons more oil as needed to prevent sticking. Remove the shanks to a dish and set aside. Add 2 more tablespoons olive oil to the pan. Add the carrots, celery and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes, or until lightly softened. Add the garlic and mix it in. Return the shanks to the pan and spoon the vegetables on top. Sprinkle with the parsley, thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Add the lemon peel. Pour in the wine and stock. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Cover the pan. Remove the casserole to the oven. Set the temperature to 325 degrees. Cook for about 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until the meat is soft. Serve the shanks with the pan fluids and vegetables.

Makes 4 servings

Funeral Pie (Custard and Raisin Pie)

I don’t mean to be a downer during the holiday season, but recently I wrote an article for for Kveller about how to help/what to bring to mourners when they’re sitting shiva and they’ve asked you not to bring food.

During my research I also did some reading about other cultures’ food/mourning customs and came across this fabulous “Funeral Pie,” which apparently is traditional at Amish and Old Mennonite wakes. Sometimes it has a lattice crust, sometimes it is non-dairy. I’ve made it a couple of ways and think this version is the most delicious.

Forget the name — just eat and enjoy.

Funeral Pie

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 1-1/2 cups milk

• 1-1/2 cups seedless raisins

• 3 large egg yolks, beaten

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 9” fully baked pie crust

• 3 large egg whites

• 6 tablespoons sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch and salt in a bowl and set aside. Heat the milk and raisins in a saucepan over medium heat for 6-8 minutes or until the raisins start to plump. Turn the heat to low. Add the cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring until mixture has thickened. Add some of hot mixture to the egg yolks then pour yolk mixture into the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is very thick. Don’t let mixture come to boil. Remove the pan from heat. Add the lemon juice, lemon peel and butter and stir until the butter melts. Set aside in the refrigerator to cool. Pour the cold mixture into the baked pie crust. Beat the egg whites until they stand in soft peaks. Continue beating, gradually adding the 6 tablespoons sugar, until the whites stand in stiff, glossy peaks. Spread the beaten whites over pie, making sure to seal edges and cover the custard completely. Bake for 15 minutes or until meringue is lightly browned. Let cool and serve.

Makes 8 servings