Curry Chicken Wings

I was a chicken wing fan long before they became a thing for Superbowl get-togethers. In fact, long before there even was a Superbowl.

My mother always gave us kids, my brothers and me, the chicken wings because she said they were the best part.

She was right. And she was generous, or maybe just being a good Mom, giving the best part to the kids.

Chicken wings are a staple in my kitchen. Here is one of my favorite ways to make them.

HONEY-CURRY STICKY WINGS

• 24-28 chicken wing parts

• 1/2 cup honey

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 2 teaspoons curry powder

• 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash and dry the wing parts and place them on a parchment-paper lined cookie sheet. In a small saucepan, combine the honey, Dijon mustard, vegetable oil, curry powder and garlic. Bring to a boil over medium heat, cook for one minute, stirring to blend the ingredients thoroughly and remove from the heat. Brush the tops of the wings with some of the honey mixture. Bake the wings for 10 minutes. Turn the wings over, brush with more of the honey mixture and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the wings over again, brush with the remaining honey mixture and bake for 5-10 minutes or until the wings are golden brown and crispy looking. You can also grill the wings, turning them occasionally and brushing with the honey mixture.

Makes 24-28 pieces

Pineapple "Penicillin"

A friend of mine from Peru watched as I was about to trash what I thought were scraps and she yelled; “Wait! Don’t throw out that pineapple shell.”

She told me to cut the rind and place the pieces in a pitcher, cover them with boiling water and add cinnamon sticks. About 20 minutes later – there’s a soothing drink to be enjoyed either warmed up OR at room temp OR packed with ice for a summer refresher.

I’ve now done this numerous times. Here are just a few other ingredients that I’ve found make a most pleasant beverage that has almost zero calories and costs almost zero extra:

·      A few whole cloves

·      A broken cinnamon stick

·      A small chunk or two of peeled, fresh ginger

·      Several slightly crushed cardamom pods

·      A small piece of vanilla bean (split open)

·      Fresh mint, lemon verbena or lemon thyme

·      A slice or two of fresh orange

I am sure there are others, as with any tea or tisane, enhance the liquid with whatever you fancy. Maybe even a splash or two of rum.

This beverage sure came in handy recently during a bout with Covid, when I was intent on keeping myself hydrated.

Grandma's Stewed Fruit

Many of us over a certain age remember Grandma’s stewed fruit!

I call this Grandma’s Stewed Fruit even though it is way different than my grandma’s version, but I’m the grandma now……. and this is one of the many ways my grandkids have tasted this iconic dish.

It is one of the dishes I cooked for my Tu B’shevat class last week at Temple Beth El in Stamford, CT. I’ve made this so many times and keep changing the fruit, depending on what I actually have in my cupboard. The poaching liquid too — sometimes I use a different juice or add some white wine (I particularly love a German sweet wine). And of course — the seasonings. Cinnamon is always good but there’s also cloves, cardamom, dried coriander, mace, etc. to consider.

It’s always delicious, no matter how you cook it.

Eat some with yogurt for breakfast. Use it for dessert! Remember this for Passover. Or Break-the-fast. It’s versatile, attractive, useful, make-ahead! No wonder this is such an icon of Jewish cuisine.

Grandma’s Stewed Fruit 

• 2 cups orange or orange/pineapple juice

• 1-1/2 cups water

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 1 3” cinnamon stick

• 2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger

• 1 teaspoon cloves

• 6-8 whole dried figs

• 6-8 pitted Medjool dates

• 1 cup dried apricot halves

• 8-10 prunes

• 1/2 cup golden raisins

Place the water, juice, maple syrup, cinnamon stick, ginger and cloves in a saucepan large enough to hold all the fruit. Bring to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the figs, dates, apricots, prunes and raisins and simmer another 15-20 minutes or until the fruit is soft. Let the fruit cool in the pan. Discard the cinnamon stick and cloves. Let cool. Serve with the poaching liquid.

Makes 8 servings

Stirfried Couscous with Chicken, Dried Apricots and Pistachios

Stirfried Couscous with Chicken, Dried Apricots and Pistachios

This is one of the dishes from my class last night at Temple Beth El in Stamford, Connecticut. It was such a lovely evening! The focus was foods for Tu B’Shevat (sort of an Israeli Earth Day), which is always such a big winner as far as food is concerned because we get to eat lots of fruit, including dried fruit, which I love. And everyone who attended the demo seemed to love too.

The recipe is Stirfried Chicken with Dried Apricots and Pistachios, from my book, Hip Kosher. As I explained, this is a versatile dish! I used couscous but you can also use rice or any other whole grain, like farro or barley.

And you can use different fruit — figs, dried cranberries and so on.

I’ve made this dish with lamb chunks too and it’s also delicious.

Or go vegetarian. Leave out the meat and use tofu or peas or water chestnuts and so on.

Pistachios are my favorite for this but cashews would work too.

I say this dish is perfect for Tu B’Shevat but really, it’s for all-year.

Stir-Fried Couscous with Chicken, Dried Apricots and Pistachios (from Hip Kosher)

• 1-3/4 cups Israeli couscous

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 16-20 ounces boneless chicken, cut into bite-size chunks

• 4 thick scallions, chopped

• 1 cup chopped dried apricots

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 cup shelled pistachios

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Make the couscous according to the package directions. Set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a wok, stir-fry pan, or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and stir-fry for about 4 minutes or until the meat is white and cooked through. Dish out and set aside. Place the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the pan. Add the scallions and cook for 1–2 minutes or until softened. Add the apricots, cumin, and cinnamon and cook briefly, stirring constantly. Add the couscous and chicken and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes to distribute the ingredients well. Stir in the pistachio nuts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Eat hot or let cool to lukewarm.

Makes 4 servings.

Braised Chicken with Figs and Grapes

I recently bought a whole bunch of dried figs, dates, plums (prunes) and California apricots in preparation for a Tu B’Shevat food demo/class I am doing for Temple Beth El in Stamford, CT on Thursday, January 18th, 2024 (it’s free, so if you’re in the area, give us a call).

Tu B’Shevat is a joyous holiday, a kind of Earth Day, when we celebrate and try to be mindful of our planet and its resources. This was a day I remember my parents donating money to plant trees in Israel.

With its focus on earth’s bounty, the food for this holiday features lots of fruit, including those dried fruits I mentioned. Like this chicken dish, which is braised with apple cider (sometimes I use orange juice or orange-pineapple juice), seasoned with curry and ginger and of course, includes dried figs (though any dried fruit will do!).

braised CHICKEN WITH FIGS AND GRAPES

• 1-3/4 cups apple cider (or use orange or orange-pineapple juice)

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 6 bone-in pieces of chicken

• 1 shallot, chopped (or use a small onion)

• 1-1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger

• 1/2 cup diced dried figs (or use other dried fruit such as prunes, apricots, nectarines or dates)

• 2-1/2 teaspoons curry powder

• 1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or use 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper)

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1 cup halved fresh grapes

• chopped fresh mint

• cooked bulgur wheat, rice or noodles, optional

Boil the cider for about 5 minutes or until it has reduced to 3/4 cup. Heat the vegetable oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned, turning the pieces occasionally. Remove the chicken pieces and set them aside on a plate. Add the shallot, ginger and diced figs to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes over low-medium heat. Return the chicken to the pan. Sprinkle the ingredients with curry powder, Aleppo pepper and salt and black pepper to taste. Pour in the reduced cider. Turn the pieces of chicken to coat all sides with the pan ingredients. Cover the pan, turn the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Add the grapes and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with chopped fresh mint. Serve on a bed of cooked bulgur wheat, rice or noodles if desired.

Makes 4-6 servings

Shakshuka

Lately, Ed and I have not been in the mood for a meat meal, so I make pasta or pizza or a big salad and such. These days it’s really easy (also delicious) to put together a tasty vegetarian dinner. One of our favorites is Shakshuka - originally a North African dish but popular everywhere now. I season it differently from time to time (there’s a good recipe for Indian style Shakshuka right here on my website). But this one is my old standby. It’s seasoned with basil, which I realize is not traditional in North Africa or anywhere in the Middle East. But we like it this way. We also prefer a thick, chunky tomato base rather than a more sauce-like version that’s typical of restaurant Shakshuka that we’ve tried. Here it is; it’s a nice dinner but also a feast of a weekend breakfast.

SHAKSHUKA

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and chopped

• 2 small habanero or other chili peppers, deseeded and finely chopped

• 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped

• 6-8 plum tomatoes, chopped

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 8 large eggs

• 3/4 teaspoon zatar

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and habanero peppers. Cook for 4–5 minutes or until softened slightly. Add the garlic and cook briefly. Add the tomatoes, basil and lemon juice, stir, cover the pan, turn the heat to low and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until vegetables are very soft. Crack the eggs into a small bowl one at a time then transfer each one next to the other over the vegetables. Cover the pan and cook for 4–5 minutes or until the eggs are set but yolks are still slightly runny. Sprinkle with zatar. Serve each person 2 eggs and some of the vegetables.

Makes 4 servings

Blueberry Buttermilk/Yogurt Muffin

It’s not exactly blueberry season here. In fact it’s gloomy and a big rain and windstorm is likely. And I do have some blueberries that aren’t exactly perfect summer blueberries. So I decided to use them to make some blueberry muffins, which are exactly perfect and also cheerful looking enough to brighten my morning.

I usually have buttermilk in my house because I like to bake with it. I also have a canister of buttermilk powder just in case….. however, if you don’t have buttermilk you can use plain kefir or yogurt (stir it to loosen it a bit) or use 1 tablespoon lemon juice plus enough milk to equal one cup and let it stand for 5 minutes. 

Brighten your day with these:

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon grated fresh orange zest

• 1 cup buttermilk or 1-1/4 cups plain yogurt, stirred

• 1 large egg

• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place 10 muffin liners inside a muffin pan or lightly grease the hollows. Melt the butter and set it aside. In a bowl mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and orange zest. In a second bowl, mix the buttermilk, egg and vanilla extract. Pour the liquid ingredients plus the melted butter into the flour mixture and stir only to blend ingredients (do not mix vigorously). Fold in the berries. Drop the batter in equal amounts into the prepared muffin tin cups (the number will depend on the size of the muffins) to about 2/3 filled. Bake for 22-26 minutes, depending on size, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Makes 10

Borscht with Cauliflower

Borscht with Cauliflower

Like most everyone I know, I overindulged over the December holidays. So, it’s time for some austerity — caloriewise, healthwise — with the menu.

But I like good food. Tasty food. Filling, satisfying food that looks good enough to please.

This soup has it all. It’s a riff on classic Borscht — cabbage is the foundation of Borscht but I didn’t have any! So I used cauliflower. It’s in the cabbage family after all. Mishpocha maybe.

It was perfect.

Borscht with Cauliflower

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 clove garlic, chopped

• 2 medium-large beets, peeled and shredded

• 2 plum tomatoes, chopped

• 1 parsnip, peeled and shredded

• 2 cups cut up cauliflower

• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

• 6 cups vegetable stock

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste

• freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1 large Yukon gold potato, peeled and diced

• 3 tablespoons white vinegar, approximately

• 1-1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

• dairy sour cream or plain Greek style yogurt, optional

Heat the vegetable oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, beets, tomatoes, parsnip, cauliflower and parsley and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes. Pour in the stock, add the bay leaf and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the liquid to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, one hour. Add the potato and cook for 45-60 minutes or until the vegetables have softened. Stir in the vinegar and dill and cook for 12-15 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper or vinegar to taste. Remove the bay leaf. If the soup is cooked using vegetable stock, serve it garnished with a dollop of sour cream if desired. 

Makes 6-8 servings

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