Gougeres for the Win!

These little puffs of crispy pastry are an absolute gift to anyone who cooks. Choux pastry — once you make it the first time you understand how fabulous these are. Make them plain and they are profiteroles (pour some fudge sauce over them). Add cheese and herbs and they become gougeres for cocktail nibbles (eat them as is or cut them open and fill with all sorts of things such as egg salad or smoked trout). Make them plain and bigger and they’re cream puffs. Lots of variations. Here’s one for Choux pastry swans.

In the meantime, here’s the recipe for gougeres:

Herb and Cheese Gougeres (Choux Puffs)

• 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons water

• 1/4 pound unsalted butter, cut into chunks

• 1 cup all purpose flour

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 4 large eggs

• 1-1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh mixed herbs, or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Gruyere cheese

• pinch cayenne pepper

• egg glaze: 1 large egg mixed with 2 teaspoons water, optional

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cook the water and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the flour and salt all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture is well blended and begins to come away from the sides of the pan. Remove pan from the heat and let the
mixture cool for 2-3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, blending thoroughly after each addition. Add the herbs, cheese and cayenne pepper and blend them in thoroughly. Drop 1-inch mounds of dough from a teaspoon onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Leave space between the mounds for the puffs to rise. For a
shiny surface on the puffs, lightly brush the tops of the mounds with some of the egg wash. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the puffs are lightly brown and crispy. Lower the heat to 300 degrees and bake for another 5-6 minutes. Turn off the heat but leave the puffs in the oven for 3-4 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature. Or cut them open and fill them.

Makes about 60

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.

Spinach Pie

Every Hanukkah in our family, we retell the story of Judith, who played a major role in the Maccabees’ victory some 2000 years ago. According to the story, Judith visited Holofernes, a general in the enemy camp; he fell in love with her and asked her to dine with him.

During the meal Judith gave him great quantities of cheese, which made him very thirsty! To quench his thirst he drank so much wine that he fell asleep and Judith cut off his head with his own sword.

Thus was she able to get word to the Maccabees about the best time to strike.

Note: there are dozens of artworks depicting the event, including this well-known painting which hangs in the Uffizi gallery.

Since that fateful victory we have been making merry every year with an 8 day Hanukkah celebration.

Our celebrations are known to include latkes!

But did you know that the first “traditional” Hanukkah ingredient was cheese!

And that’s because of Judith.

Long ago it was Cheese Latkes that Jewish cooks prepared for Hanukkah.

But so many people couldn’t afford cheese so they substituted potato. Not bad, that.

Still. I always serve something made with cheese, every Hanukkah.

This year, how about this Cheese-loaded Spinach Pie to to remember the brave, intrepid Judith?

Cheese Loaded Spinach PIE

•  1 tablespoon butter

• 1/4 cup chopped red onion

• 6 ounces fresh spinach

• 1 partially baked 9-inch pie crust

• 3-4 ounces grated Swiss cheese

• 4 large eggs

• 2 cups half and half cream

• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and looks foamy, add the red onion and cook for 1-2 minutes to soften it slightly. Add the spinach and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the spinach is completely wilted. If there is liquid in the pan, continue to cook until the spinach is dry (alternatively, place in a strainer and press out the excess liquid). Place the spinach inside the partially baked pie crust. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Beat the eggs and cream together with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the ingredients in the pie crust. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and set.

Makes 6-8 servings

Meatball Nosh

I had a little cranberry sauce and a bottle of chili sauce and a small amount of ground beef. Not enough to use for dinner, so I made a version of the Elegant but Easy Cookbook recipe for cocktail meatballs (Marion Burros and Lois Levine). I didn’t have the recipe in front of me but remembered it was little meatball cooked in a combo of grape jelly and chili sauce. The version I made was delicious and just enough for a nice little nosh for 2. I made a fraction of the recipe below.

Gonna make these for New Year’s, when we have hors d’oeuvres at different points during the day (no actual dinner).

Cocktail Meatballs: heat 1-1/2 cups cranberry sauce, 1-1/2 cups chili sauce, 1/4 cup orange juice and 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger in a saucepan. Stir to blend the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low. In a bowl, mix 1 pound ground beef (or use turkey or veal) with 1 egg and enough breadcrumbs to bind the mixture well. Make 1-inch meatballs and place them in the sauce. Cook for 35-40 minutes, spooning the sauce over the meatballs occasionally and turning them to coat all sides.

Makes 8 servings

Zucchini Latkes with Cheese

Anyone who knows me knows that the humble potato is my favorite food, so of course I am going to make potato latkes for Hanukkah!

But, ya know …. it’s a long, delicious holiday, so there’s time for zucchini latkes too. The recipe here includes cheese, because on Hanukkah I like to prepare food with cheese in honor of Judith, heroine of Hanukkah! You can read about it here.

Of course you can make these latkes without the cheese. They’re delicious either way.

Zucchini Latkes with Cheese

• 2 medium zucchini (10-12 ounces each)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup chopped red onion

• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs, approximately (Matzo meal also fine)

• vegetable oil for frying

Shred the zucchini in a food processor (or grate by hand). Place the shreds in a bowl, sprinkle with salt, toss the shreds and let rest for 10-12 minutes. Squeeze the shreds to extract as much liquid as possible. Return the shreds to the bowl. Add the onion, cheese and eggs and mix the ingredients. Add the bread crumbs and mix thoroughly. If the mixture seems too loose or soft, add another tablespoon or two (different bread crumbs absorb liquid/moisture differently). Heat about 1/8-inch vegetable oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Spoon portions of the mixture into the pan to make latkes about 2-inches in diameter. Leave some space between each one. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side or until crispy and golden brown. Remove to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining zucchini mixture. Serve with dairy sour cream or plain yogurt or mashed avocado.

Makes about 12

Moroccan-Spiced Vegetable Kugel

Back in September I posted a recipe for a dish (Couscous with Seven Vegetables) that is traditional on Rosh Hashanah among the Jews of North Africa. We love the dish so much that I made it several times, changing the spices a bit each time. Then, one time, I decided to use the same vegetables and seasonings but instead of serving them over couscous, mix them into a kugel.

It worked perfectly!

Of course the texture of kugel vs braised vegetables over couscous is quite different. But the flavors are reminiscent of each other and just as delicious, either way.

This is a good side dish for Thanksgiving. First, it goes so well with turkey. It’s a good choice for any vegetarians who might be at your table. and also, you can make it in advance

Moroccan-Spiced Vegetable Kugel 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 small onion, sliced

• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger

• 1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices

• 1 medium tomato, cut into chunks

• 1 small parsnip, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch slices, optional

• 1/2 cup cut up bite sized butternut squash

• 1/2 teaspoon ras al hanout (or use 1/4 teaspoon harissa plus 1/8 teaspoon each of ground ginger, turmeric and cinnamon)

• 3/4 cup vegetable stock

• 1 cup diced zucchini

• 1/4 red bell pepper, cut into bite sized chunks

• 1/2 cup raisins

• 1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

• Salt to taste

• 12 ounces egg noodles

• 3 eggs

Preheat the oven to 375F. Heat the olive oil in sautepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for about 4 minutes or until softened and beginning to brown. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for a minute. Add the carrot, tomato, parsnip and squash and stir the ingredients. Stir in the ras al hanout. Add the stock, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and cook for about 15 minutes. Add the zucchini, bell pepper, raisins and chickpeas. Cook for about 10 minutes more, or until vegetables are tender. Add salt to taste. Cook the noodles according to the manufacturer’s directions. Spoon the vegetables and pan fluids into the noodles and mix to distribute the ingredients evenly. Beat the eggs and mix them in. Place inside a baking dish and bake for about 35-40 minutes or until the top is crispy.

Makes 4 dinner servings, 8 side dish servings

Lemon Ice Cream

I realize this is not the usual time of year for ice cream recipes. But I just had to complete my story about what I did with the two lemons that ripened on my indoor lemon tree.

I already told you that I used the peel to make candied lemon peel using Tori Avey’s recipe.

There was just enough juice to make lemon ice cream. I love lemon anything. My grandkids joke about the lemon drops I always have on hand. I once had frozen lemon yogurt and loved it. But I’d never tried lemon ice cream. So, that’s what I decided to make.

If you’re a lemon fan like I am — the is a big WINNER!

Lemon Ice Cream

• 2-1/2 cups half and half cream

• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 3 large egg yolks

• 1/2 cup lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat 1-1/2 cups of the cream with the lemon zest in a saucepan over medium heat until bubbles appear around the edges of the pan. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the sugar, salt and egg yolks at medium speed for 3-5 minutes or until light and thick. Gradually add the heated cream and mix the ingredients. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5-6 minutes or until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pour in the lemon juice and remaining cream and blend it in thoroughly. Pour into a container and refrigerate until cold. Stir in the vanilla extract. Freeze in an ice cream freezer according to manufacturer’s directions.

Makes about 5 cups

My Lemon Tree

Lemon Tree

Lemon flowers and baby lemons

Lemon peel strips

There is something truly life affirming when you take care of a plant and it grows a flower or even fruit. My daughter (LaLa Lunchbox) and son-in-law (Jesse Hertzberg) gave me a lemon tree plant for Mothers Day. There were two lemons on it, hard and green. It took until now for the fruit to ripen. I did get some flowers and even a couple of baby lemons but they didn’t grow. Still — I had the original lemons and last week they were ready for using.

What to do with two lemons? I didn’t want to mix them with store bought lemons! So I made a half recipe of lemon ice cream using the juice and a bit of the zest. Then I scraped the skins and cut them into slim slices — will use them for chocolate dipped candied lemons!

No recipes for now because I haven’t tasted the ice cream and haven’t candied the lemon peels. But, will do if they’re good.

During stressful times, there’s a reminder that the world keeps moving, life goes on, some lovely, life-affirming things can make you happy. Like ripe homegrown lemons and ice cream and candy.

Candied Lemon Peel

You know those two lemons that ripened on my house plant lemon tree? The ones I posted about a while back? I used the juice to make ice cream, which was incredibly delicious (more about that another time). I candied the peel. Some we ate plain. Some I dipped in chocolate and we ate those too! Oh my were these awesomely good! Really! I used @toriavey’s recipe because I hadn’t made these before and didn’t have a recipe of my own. Thanks Tori! #lemonpeel #candiedlemonpeel #wastenot #wastenotwantnot #homemadecandy

Here is the recipe: https://toriavey.com/how-to-make-candied-lemon-peels/

Btw these make a terrific gift — remember this recipe for Valentine’s Day or Purim!