Happy Hummus Day!

Yes, apparently - as I just learned on Facebook - today is Hummus Day! Calloo Callay! I was actually thinking earlier today about making some hummus, and now I really have no excuse not to.

One of my favorite Youtube sensations is Remmy, who does a hilarious hummus rap, which should be the anthem for the day.

I'll leave you now with an oldie but goodie, my recipe for hummus.  B'tayavon!

The Kosher Bachelor and the Sweet Genius

OK, you got me. This is not a recipe. I just felt like bragging a little bit because earlier this month I got to meet  Food Network star Ron Ben-Israel, host of "Sweet Genius." I interviewed him in his New York bake shop for a piece about his life growing up in Israel, his career as a professional dancer, and how he became a "Sweet Genius."

Click here to read my profile on Ron.

Sausage with Onions and Peppers

I do love my Sausage and Broccoli Rabe, but I was in the mood for trying something different with the sausage tonight.  Classically, green peppers and onions go really well with sausage, and then I started experimenting with a sauce that, if I say so myself, came out marvelously. Enjoy.

As you may remember from Brust Deckle, there are varieties of Worcestershire sauce that do not contain anchovies, so be sure to check your labels.

Sausage with Onions and Peppers

1 12-oz package brown-and-serve spicy Italian beef and veal sausage (I use 999 or Meal Mart brand)

1 medium yellow onion

1 green bell pepper

1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

3 tbs Worcestershire sauce

1 tbs  spicy brown mustard

Cut the sausage, pepper, and onion into medium-size chunks, while you heat the olive oil in a pan with a lid. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and give it a quick stir to flavor the oil. Do not let it brown.

Turn the flame to medium heat and add in the sausage, peppers, and onions. Mix until the vegetables begin to soften. Add in the worsterchire sauce, mustard, and 1 tsp pepper and stir to combine all the ingredients.

Cover and reduce heat to low and let cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Salt to taste, about a teaspoon should do it, and stir. Do not let the sausage sit much longer on the flame or it will overcook and become tough.  If making ahead, cover and place in the oven on low to keep warm. 

Queso Nachos

I'm a day late for Cinco De Mayo, but I couldn't resist posting this recipe because what food is more symbolic of bachelorhood than nachos?

There are many, many ways to make nachos. As a kid I melted the cheese on the chips in the microwave. As an adult I typically melt the cheese on the chips in the oven and top with veggies and salsa. When the choice was queso sauce or melted cheese, I always went for the melted cheese because I just like the texture better.

Queso sauces can be good, however. I have had several good ones and decided it was time for me to branch out. Here is a simple recipe I put together that can be made for a crowd or just a delicious dinner for one, with a little guilt on the side, of course, for finishing the entire plate. All I can say is, good thing I ran 7 miles this morning!

Queso Nachos

1 whole jalapeno pepper, diced (keep the seeds for flavor)
4 oz shredded Mexican cheese (If you can't find a pre-shredded Mexican blend, use cheddar and Jack)
4 oz heavy cream
1 tsp crushed garlic
Salt
Romaine lettuce
Salsa
Sour cream
Hot sauce



Pour the cream into a small saucepan on a medium flame. When it starts to bubble, add the garlic and jalapenos. Slowly add in the cheese, stirring the mixture to make sure the cheese doesn't stick to the bottom or burn.  Add salt to taste.





Pile a handful of tortilla chips onto a serving dish and then pour the sauce on top. Top with shredded lettuce, hot sauce (I like to use jalapeno Tabasco, which is milder but adds a nice flavor), a dollop of sour cream, and salsa. Sprinkle some more shredded cheese on top (or directly onto the sauce so it melts a little).

Serve with your favorite cerveza and you are ready to celebrate Cinco De Mayo or Shavuot.

Yutschka

The weather has been kind of gray and rainy lately. These are the types of days when you just want to curl up with a hot bowl of soup and watch a video.

Well, this soup is great for that or for serving  with Shabbat dinner, like I did last week. This is a Polish potato soup recipe I got from my mother, who got it from her father who got it from... you get the point. 

Toss in some mandel for a little crunch and this soup is perfect for any occasion. 

Yutschka

 

3-5 lbs potatoes

3-4 stalks celery

3-4 carrots

Kosher salt, 3 tsp

White pepper, 1 tsp

1 onion (baseball size)

2 tbs margarine

2 tbs flour

Peel and cube the potatoes into approximately 1-cm. pieces. Coarsely dice the carrots and celery.

Put the potatoes, carrots, and celery into a large pot and fill it with cold water 1-2 inches from the top to yield half-volume water and half-volume vegetables. 

Bring the pot to a rolling boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add salt and pepper, and simmer uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the kitchen smells good.

After simmering, make your roux for the soup. Dice the onion and saute in 2 tbs margarine in a frying pan until golden brown. Work in two heaping tablespoons of baking flour and stir until the flour has been absorbed by the onions. (If you don't want to use margarine, you can use Crisco or shmaltz to make the roux.) Add this roux to the soup. 

Let the soup simmer for another hour, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer or cover the pot and turn off the heat until ready to serve.

 

Red Cabbage Coleslaw

The sun is shining. There's a cool breeze in the warm air. Spring is here, and that means barbecues. We barbecued a lot growing up. My father's shish kabobs were famous in the neighborhood, but that recipe is for another time. Whether it was shish kabob or burgers, there were always two staples at every barbecue: potato salad and coleslaw, both homemade by my mother.

I've been making this slaw for Shabbat dinners for a while and it's always a big hit. The recipe is best with red cabbage, as the spices accentuate the natural bite of the cabbage, but it works well with green as well. 

You have a choice of shredding your own cabbage and carrots or buying them pre-shredded from your local grocer. I find buying a whole head of cabbage is often cheaper than buying the pre-shredded stuff, but I often opt for the pre-shredded carrots. 

Here's a handy how-to video on how to shred cabbage. And here's one on shredding carrots.

I remember one time I brought this dish to a potluck Shabbat lunch and somebody said she really enjoyed the cabbage salad. For some reason,  people just aren't used to seeing a red cabbage slaw outside of Israeli cuisine (red cabbage slaw is a staple of many Israeli salad bars).  Whether you're serving this as a side dish with meatloaf or burgers, at a barbecue or Shabbat meal, or as part of an Israeli salad plate with a side of feta cheese, this dish is versatile enough to fit in anywhere and sure to please.

Red Cabbage Coleslaw

Ingredients

3 c shredded red cabbage, approximately a 3-lb head of cabbage

1/2 cup pre-shredded carrots or 4-6 carrots shredded by hand or with a grating disc on a food processor

Dressing:

2 c mayo

4 tsp of white vinegar

2 tsp dry mustard

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp salt

1/2 c of Tofutti Sour Supreme non-dairy sour cream

Shred the cabbage with a knife or in a food processor and toss into a large bowl with the carrots.

In a separate bowl combine the ingredients for the dressing and mix thoroughly until they are combined into a smooth, creamy dressing. The Sour Supreme will add an extra creaminess to the coleslaw. My mother insists on it, but I rarely add it. It does give the dressing a nice texture, but it's not absolutely necessary. 

Fold the dressing into the coleslaw, mixing thoroughly. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to meld. 

Zucchini Soup (Pareve)

This past Shabbat was memorable for a few reasons. It was my first Shabbat spent on New York's Upper West Side. And I had a delicious zucchini soup Friday night (and again Saturday night) that I knew I had to steal immediately.

OK, I didn't really steal it. The host/cook gave me the recipe with full permission to post it here. She, however, did actually steal it from a former roommate and tweaked it. I'm tweaking it a little, too, but not much. It's the circle of life.

Zucchini Soup

1 large onion, quartered

olive oil

4 sprigs parsley (dried is OK instead)

1 carrot

4 medium zucchini

1 large parsnip

9 c. water

1/2 tsp tarragon

5 tbsp chicken soup mix or vegetable soup mix powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Dice the onion and sauté it in olive oil, about 2 tbsp, until it becomes translucent. Cut the zucchini into large chunks and then add all the ingredients to a large pot with a lid.  

Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes.  After letting the soup cool, blend with immersion blender or puree in processor. Return to pot and add salt and pepper to taste. 

This also stores very well in the fridge and reheats well.