That’s a lovely image.  It sure would be a shame if he ruined those burgers.  Dry and rubbery, hockey puck-like burgers are not the stuff great family memories are made of.  A great burger, in all its perfect simplicity, is a beautiful thing – juicy, flavorful and satisfying.  And hey, let’s face it: even if your company leaves something to be desired, at least you’ve been well fed!  Albeit a commonplace American meal at this point, a hamburger is worth taking the time to do right.

A good burger is half about the burger and half about what you put on top of it.   If the meat is the body of the burger, then the fixings – relishes, sauces, vegetables and the like – are its personality, the accessories which dress up and add style and flair to your meal.

The Burger

Some people try to gussy up their meat with all kinds of seasonings and spices.    I prefer to let the true flavor of the meat speak for itself, adding few spices, if any.   Fat plays a huge role in the flavor and juiciness of a good burger.   Most grilling authorities recommend between 15-20% fat content which, for the kosher consumer, means either ground chuck (about 20%) or ground neck (about 15%).   Extra lean ground beef (usually from the shoulder) may seem like a healthier choice, but does not contain enough fat to sufficiently lubricate the meat as it cooks and will end up producing a dry burger.

A hot, oiled grilled is the perfect place to cook a burger.   Over high direct heat, a burger only takes about 4 minutes per side for medium (less if you like it rare).   And even though the sound of grease meeting the fire is oh-so-thrilling, do your best to restrain yourself from pressing down on the meat – it’s a great way to squeeze out  the juices and dry out your burger.  Like a steak, once the burger comes off the grill, allow 2-3 minutes for the meat to rest so that the juices can settle back in.    Then you can assume the creative task of dressing your burger.

The Fixings

Much like not wearing white after Labor Day, classic American sensibilities dictate that a hamburger comes with bun, lettuce, tomato, pickles and ketchup.   Period.   But in 2010, anything goes:  Caramelized onions, grilled Portobellos, arugula, sweet chutneys, spicy relishes.   Contrasting flavors and textures are what make the burger an open canvas, fully customizable.  Yes, the burger is individualistic food, personal food.    So this Fourth of July, go all out, change it up, and top it with the best…your best!

Lamb Burgers with Mint Chutney and Pickled Red Onions

Beef is so last year!  Ground lamb has a flavor all its own and is the perfect match for mint – a refreshing burger!

Serves 6.

1 ¼ lb. ground lamb

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

¾ tsp. ground paprika

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Gently mix together all ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Form the mixture into approximately 6 thick patties (about ¾” each).  Do not over-handle.

Preheat your grill to high heat, and carefully oil the grates (a wad of oil-soaked paper towels and tongs work well for this job).

Place the patties on the grill.  Grill for about 4 minutes per side, flipping once during grilling.   Transfer to a plate and serve on a toasted bun with a spoonful of Mint Chutney and Picked Red onions on top.

Mint Chutney

1 cup packed mint leaves

1 shallot

1 large garlic clove

1 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. water

¼-½ tsp. red pepper flakes (or more if you like it hot!)

3 tbsp. lime juice (from about 1-2 limes)

1 tbsp. lemon juice (from about ½ lemon)

½ tsp. cumin

¾ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. ground black pepper

¼ tsp ground ginger

Place all ingredients in a food processor.  Process until fully blended.  Season to taste.

Picked Red Onions

1 red onion (about 12 ounces), halved lengthwise, cut thinly crosswise

2 whole small jalapeños

2 cups seasoned rice vinegar

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
Place onion and jalapeños in heatproof medium bowl. Mix vinegar, lime juice and salt in a small saucepan. Bring just to a boil, stirring until salt dissolves. Pour over onion and jalapeños. Let stand at room temperature at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours. This can be made 1 week ahead; cover and refrigerate.

Wishing you all a delicious and restful summer,

-Naomi Ross & the Park East Kosher Family

By Naomi Ross

I admit it.  I’ve been particularly spoiled in this way over the past 2 years.  Come spring and summer, about half of the produce finding its way to our table has either been grown in our own home garden, or from our CSA.  CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, a growing trend in America modeled after the successful European farming cooperative initiatives.   In a CSA, local farms are supported by “shareholders” who have purchased a share of what will be grown on the farm that week.  Most farms offering CSA programs practice organic and/or  sustainable farming techniques.  Each week, I am delighted (and often surprised!) by the adventure of what I’ll find in my CSA box, some of which is not even available at your average supermarket: crisp, flavorful greens;  sweet heirloom varieties of beets and tomatoes; squash in all sizes and shapes.  It’s all simply fantastic.  Sound fun?  You can find a CSA near you at http://www.localharvest.org/csa

Farmers’ markets are another great way of accessing locally grown produce at the height of the season.  You’ll be amazed at the variety and the freshness, and you’ll probably learn a lot, too…especially if you snag a chef and follow his lead!  You can find a list of farmers’ markets near you at http://www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets.

Between my CSA and our garden, my own cooking has changed quite a bit as well.  Instead of letting my menu dictate my shopping list, I now let my ingredients dictate what I’ll be cooking…a refreshing and redemptive change.   If you’re brave-hearted enough to let go and make that jump, it’s hard to go back.  The following soup was created with a surplus of Toscano Kale.  Tuscano Kale is a super-tasty Italian variety of Kale (a type of cabbage), sometimes referred to as Black Kale, Dinosaur Kale, Palm Tree Kale or Lacinato Kale.  It’s packed with vitamins (more A, K and C than you’ll find just about anywhere) and flavor.  If you can’t find it in anywhere, you can use regular Kale in its place, although not with the same results.  With a hunk of crusty bread, I find it to be a perfect lunch or dinner appetizer.   I hope you’ll think so, too.

Hearty Kale & White Bean Soup

Using a turkey leg lends excellent flavor to this soup’s broth.   If preparing your own white beans, be sure to soak them for several hours or overnight prior to cooking them.

Serves 6.

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 large turkey leg

1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)

1 large carrot, peeled and diced

2 stalks celery, sliced

2 small potatoes, peeled and diced

½ tsp. kosher salt

3 garlic cloves, minced

6 cups vegetable broth or water

2 ½ cups cooked small white beans (a scant 1½ cans)

1 bunch Toscano Kale, center stem removed and leaves cut into 2 inch strips

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in a large soup pot over high heat.  Place turkey leg in pot and sear on both sides, until browned, about 2 minutes per side.  Remove the turkey leg and reduce heat to medium-high.  Add onions, carrot, celery and potatoes, stirring to coat, and scraping up any browned bits.  Season with ½ tsp. salt, and sauté until just tender, about 7-8 minutes.  Add garlic and sauté another 1-2 minutes.   Add broth or water and return to a boil.

Add the white beans, kale and seared turkey leg to the pot.  Stir to blend and reduce heat to low.   Simmer covered for about 25-30 minutes.  Remove turkey leg from the pot, and dice up the meat from the leg.   Return diced turkey meat to the pot.   Adjust the thickness of soup if necessary with additional broth or water.   Season to taste with plenty of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.    Serve hot and enjoy!

By Naomi Ross

Shish kebab, literally “skewer” and “roasted meat” in Turkish, may have gotten its start by nomads skewering meat on their swords for a quick and inventive meal, but over time have impacted cooking traditions around the world, from Persia to Japan to India to the United States.   Traditionally, shish kebab are made with cubes of lamb that have been seasoned and marinated.  The speed at which the small pieces of meat cook make for a 10-minute meal-in-one, especially if you throw some vegetables on your stick, too.   Nowadays, whether fish is your fancy or a fruited kebab for dessert, there is no limit to how creative you can get.  Be sure to keep the following top five Do’s in mind when ”kebab-ing” (anything can be a verb, you know! ):

• DO prepare pieces of meat/vegetables in uniform size pieces – about 1-2 inches to ensure even cooking.
• DO choose bold flavors in your marinade or herb rub.
• DO pair vegetables/fruits with similar cooking times to the meat (i.e. onions, peppers, cherry tomatoes, pineapple work well.   Hard vegetables like potatoes or carrots should be parboiled first).
• DO soak wooden skewers for at least 20-30 minutes before threading and grilling to prevent catching fire on the grill.
• DO oil your grill first to prevent sticking.

Admittedly a “newbie” to Indian food, I was recently introduced to a whole new world of vibrant flavors and tastes at a kosher Indian restaurant in NYC.    Ever since that memorable meal, Indian spices and ingredients seem to be finding their way into my home cooking, for example in the following Indian-inspired kebab recipe.   

A spicy Tamarind dipping sauce is the perfect complement to these kebabs.   Also known as Indian date, the tamarind is the fruit of a tall shade tree native to Asia and northern Africa and widely grown in India.  Available in Middle Eastern or Indian markets, tamarind paste is the extracted sweet and sour pulp found in the tamarind pod…and quite possibly my new favorite ingredient!

Indian Kebabs with Spicy Tamarind Dipping Sauce

Chicken or Turkey Kebabs work well in this recipe and come already cut and  skewered from Park East Kosher both in white and dark meats.

Serves 4.

1 tbsp. cumin

1 tbsp. coriander

½ tsp. ground black pepper

1 ½ tsp. turmeric

¼ tsp. ground cloves

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

¼ cup cilantro leaves (packed)

1 tsp. fresh gingerroot (about ½” chunk)

2 cloves garlic, peeled

4 chicken or turkey kebabs

Place all ingredients (except kebabs) in the food processor and process until uniform spice mixture is formed.   Divide mixture amongst kebabs, about 1-2 tbsp. per kebab and rub into each kebab all around until coated.   Marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat grill to high.  Carefully oil grates (I use an oil-soaked wad of paper towels and tongs for this job).   Place chicken kebabs on grill for about 4-5 minutes per side, turning once; Turkey kebabs may take a little longer, about 6-7 minutes per side.

Transfer to a platter and serve over Basmati rice with Spicy Tamarind Dipping Sauce.

Spicy Tamarind Dipping Sauce

¼ cup tamarind paste

¼ light brown sugar

½-1 whole jalapeno pepper, seeds removed (how hot do you like it?)

2 tbsp. water

2 tbsp. fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)

1 clove garlic

1 tsp. fresh gingerroot

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

Place all ingredients into a food processor.  Process until blended and smooth.   Adjust seasonings to taste.

Yield: ½ cup

By Naomi Ross

There is something extraordinary about the results we produce from cooking over an open fire, and there is very little as satisfying as a good barbeque.  With the grilling season upon us, here’s a helpful primer in time for Memorial Day.

That said, let’s focus on the quintessential barbecue obsession–the mother of all BBQ, the reason men happily spend hours working a hot grill, the piece d’resistance of carnivores everywhere.  That’s right.  Ribs.  I’m not talking about flanken or braised short ribs.  I’m talking about gooey, sticky, eat-it-with-your-hands and sink-your-teeth-into-it ribs.  I’m talking about the kind you need a stack of napkins for on the side.  Ribs fall into the category of a “patchke” (a project, so to speak); however, there are some “patchkes” that are worth preparing for special occasions, if only once or twice a year.  And these should be on that list!

Preparing good ribs are not difficult, but they are time consuming, so plan ahead.   Allow plenty of time to marinate your ribs.  “Marinades are the lifeblood of barbecue,” writes Steven Raichlen, today’s foremost BBQ guru.  The flavors need the proper time to sit and absorb.  I created this recipe after dreaming about the finger-licking ribs I had as a child, and they are delicious.  Your guests will tell you so, too!  

Brown Sugar & Bourbon Ribs

Serves 4.

Getting Started:

• Before you begin, don’t forget to check your fuel supply.  It would be a shame to prepare such wonderful ribs and then realize that you have no more propane or charcoal to cook them!   

• Preheat your grill for indirect grilling – this means that the food will not be cooked directly on the heat.  If your grill has 3 zones of heat, set the back and front burners to medium heat and keep the center burner off.  If your grill has 2 zones of heat, set one side of the grill for medium heat and leave the other side off.  Keep the lid closed until the heat registers at around 350 degrees (as opposed to direct grilling in which you would preheat it to at least 500 degrees). 
• Oil your grill grate just before placing the food on top.  You can use a wad of oil- soaked paper toweling and rub it on the grates with tongs.  Oiling the grates will prevent your food from sticking.
• Be organized! Have everything you need for grilling ready and on hand at grill- side before you start. (That means your meat, tongs, basting sauce, serving plate, etc.)

Ay, there’s the rub!

American-style ribs are marinated by way of a rub, a spice mixture applied to the meat in order to flavor and cure it before grilling.

Ribs

1½ tbsp. dark brown sugar

1 tbsp. kosher salt

1½ tsp. black pepper

¾ tsp. cayenne pepper

1½ tsp. thyme

1½ tsp. garlic powder

¾ tsp. onion powder

1 tbsp. paprika

1½ tsp. dry mustard powder

8-10 beef spare ribs

1 ½ cups (12 oz.) pineapple juice

Mix all the spices together in a small bowl.  Rub the spice mixture into the ribs on all sides (I didn’t say “sprinkle”, I said “rub”…with your fingers).  Place ribs into a large baking dish or foil pan, cover, and refrigerate for 4-8 hours, or even overnight (and no, a half-hour is not enough!).  

Getting Tender

These ribs are pre-cooked in order to make them more tender before being finished on the grill.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Pour pineapple juice into the pan.  Cover with foil and bake until the meat is tender, about 45 minutes-1 hour. 

All in Good Baste

There are many different kinds of BBQ sauces in the world and several different styles even just within the United States.  The classic sweet, tomato-based sauce that has come to define “BBQ sauce” is just one type.  Bold flavor contrasts are the benchmark of a great sauce (e.g. sweet vs. sour, smoky vs. fruity), one which will hopefully enhance and finish the dish when brushed on during grilling.   

BBQ sauces with high sugar content, as with the following recipe, should be applied in the last few minutes of grilling because the sugar burns easily.  While your grill preheats, prepare the basting sauce to have at the ready.

Basting Sauce

½ cup dark brown sugar

¼ cup bourbon whiskey

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

2 tbsp. soy sauce

¼ cup apricot butter or apricot jam

Whisk all ingredients in medium-sized bowl to blend.

Grill Time

Grill ribs in the center of your grill (or where there is no heat), with the cover closed, until heated through and slightly charred, about 6-8 minutes per side. Brush generously on all sides with basting sauce.  Grill until sauce becomes a sticky glaze, about 3 minutes longer per side. 

The ribs are done when the meat is very tender and has shrunk back from the ends of the bone.  Transfer to a platter and serve.  

Long summer days are upon us.  Heed the call of your barbeque favorites, and make some delicious new memories on your grill this summer.  With your tongs in hand and napkins at the ready, let the grilling begin!
By Naomi Ross

For Shlomo Fink, owner of David Elliot Poultry Farm in Scranton, PA., producing good poultry is no mystery.  His family has been doing it since 1941.   David Elliot produces about 10,000 birds per day, a small number in comparison to some of the larger mass-produced poultry factories.  Broilers (really tasty – see my recipe below!), 10 lb. capons, and turkeys abound, but their signature bird is a true kosher Rock Cornish Hen (1 lb. single serving size), sweet and succulent to the last bite.   According to Fink, operating on a small scale is what distinguishes David Elliot Poultry from other products, allowing more dedication and attention to quality and the highest standards of kosher slaughter.  

David Elliot offers an array of “natural” poultry – free of growth hormones and antibiotics.   You might be wondering if this matters and why it is significant.  When birds are kept in cramped, dirty conditions, disease can spread.  To counteract this, the large-scale poultry processing companies administer antibiotics.  Additionally, the high volumes of poultry these companies produce do not leave time for a chicken to grow at a natural pace; instead, they inject it with hormones to make it grow faster.  On a smaller scale, with less crowding and better conditions, all this should not be necessary.  Not surprisingly, healthier chicks taste better; and they just might be better for your health as well. 

You don’t have to be a vegetarian to think about from whence your meat came. With a little thought and by supporting the farms who want to do it right, you are paying homage to the animal that was your dinner and to the Creator Who put it on your plate.      

Park East Kosher is a proud seller of David Elliot Poultry – be sure to inquire when placing an order.

Apricot Glazed Euro-Breast with Savory Stuffing

A Euro-breast (also called “French breast”), a breast quarter deboned with the wing attached, is becoming a popular cut.  Your Park East Butcher is happy to prepare it for you upon request.

Serves 4.

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 cup diced carrots (from 1-2 large carrots)

1 cup diced celery (from about 2 stalks)

1 cup chopped onion (1 medium onion)

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ tsp. dried thyme

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/3 cup panko bread crumbs (or coarse fresh bread crumbs)

4 broiler Euro-breasts (David Elliot’s)*

3 tbsp. apricot preserves

1 tbsp. white wine

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Heat oil in a large skillet.  Add carrots, celery and onion, and sauté for about 7-8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.    Add garlic, thyme, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.  Stir to blend and continue to sauté another 2 minutes.   Remove from heat.  Add the bread crumbs and mix until combined.  Set aside.

Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry.  Season well with salt and pepper.  Stuff approximately 3-4 tablespoons of stuffing underneath the skin towards the bone, making sure the skin contains the stuffing  (don’t overstuff).  Place each stuffed breast in a baking pan.

Mix apricot preserves and wine together in a small bowl.  Brush mixture generously over the skin of each breast.  Place pan in oven uncovered for about 50-60 minutes, until the skin is golden brown, basting with pan juices about halfway through the cooking time.  Serve hot and enjoy!

By Naomi Ross

While it is true that technology has freed up so many hours previously spent cooking, this has been more than offset by the time women now spend at work.  As a result, women today have far less time to cook.  We own rice cookers, bread makers, waffle makers, and every other gadget to “simplify” and quicken our cooking, and yet despite our desire to provide nourishing homemade meals for our families, the main frustration amongst women today is that we have no time!  As a result, “30-minute meals”, OAMC (Once A Month Cooking), and prepared frozen foods are more the norm than the exception.

In most families, weeknight “dinnertime” is not what it used to be. With longer school days and more extracurricular activities for kids combined with a longer workday for parents, the family bonding that has long been synonymous with supper is becoming more and more challenging to sustain.   But try we must!  The Project EAT team (Eating Among Teens) at the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health has been investigating the many health benefits for teens eating family meals. Their research has found that teens who reported eating more family meals per week reported significantly less substance abuse, fewer eating disorders, and significantly better academic and mental health than those eating fewer meals with family.  Getting a healthy dinner on the table is a challenge and can often seem like a chore.  But if you consider the importance of what you’re really doing – establishing family cohesiveness and connectedness while nourishing your family — it’s one of the best investments you can make.

Here is a game plan for a simple “30-minute meal” that is healthy and flavorful to boot.  Kosher shoulder lamb chops are a treat for anyone at the end of a long day and take no time to prepare.  Spend 5 minutes in the morning to marinate the chops, and they’ll be ready to throw into the pan when you get home!  While the chops cook, prepare rice and steamed broccoli as an accompaniment; the whole meal should only take 20-25 minutes to prepare and is a tasty well-balanced supper.  Enjoy!

Savory Minted Lamb Chops

These lamb chops marinate for a few hours, but the actual cook time is very short – only 10 minutes!

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 tbsp. fresh mint leaves, minced
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
• ½ tsp. ground cumin
• ½ tsp. ground coriander
• 1/8-1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (how hot do you like it?)
• ¼ tsp. curry powder
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• 2 tsp. canola or vegetable oil
• 4 ½-3/4 -inch-thick shoulder lamb chops

Place all ingredients (except for veg. oil and lamb chops) in a small mixing bowl and mix well.  Spread a little bit of herb mixture (about 1 tbsp.) over both sides of lamb chops.  Transfer lamb chops to a large plate, cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. 

Place oil in a large skillet over high heat until pan is very hot.  Transfer lamb chops to skillet and sear on each side for 4-5 minutes, until brown and slightly crusty. (This may produce smoke, so use your exhaust fan!).  Transfer chops to platter and garnish with fresh mint sprigs.

Serves 2-3.

By Naomi Ross
 

I’ve been in a bit of a brawl with my minute roast lately.   Perhaps it’s the name.   It’s a misnomer really, grossly playing on every home cook’s dream of turning out a luscious roast in nearly a minute…the name just plays with our expectations, don’t you think?   The minute roast, a common cut in kosher meat cookery, both because of its great flavor as well as its modest price, is quite versatile.   When split, the minute roast is the source of the much loved London Broil or can be sliced for minute steaks.   Making the most of your minute roast requires a bit of consideration, though.  Coming from the shoulder joint area of the animal, which gets a fair bit of exercise, there is a lot of muscular tissue and sinews, which make for a tougher piece of meat.   A grilled or broiled London Broil is excellent right off the grill or out of the broiler, but wait two hours to eat it and you might as well chew on a riding saddle.  So the choice of how to prepare this cut greatly depends on the needs of the cook: does it need to be prepared right before serving time or can it be done in advance…and will that taste good?  A tough cut such as this can become fall-apart tender when slow-roasted a brilliant solution that can be done in advance.   It may not have the same delectable crusty exterior of a flame-charred roast, but the warming mellow flavors resulting from a long slow cook have a special quality all their own.  In addition, slow roasting has the added benefit of more even cooking and less shrinkage, so your meat will stretch further.

Slow-roasting is best done between the temperatures of 200-250°F.  When roasting conventionally, I usually give my roasts a preliminary sear on a high temperature (like 450°F) for about 20-30 minutes.  In the case of slow roasting though, browning the roast for a minute or two on each side is sufficient to caramelize the exterior of the meat and enhance the flavor, preventing the outer layers of meat from being overcooked. 

When slow-roasting, you can expect very tender results, whether you like it rare, medium or well done.  I’ve even slow cooked a minute roast overnight until all the connective tissue melted away – granted, it was no longer a sliceable roast, but it sure made great sandwich fixings!  

The following recipe for Slow-Roasted BBQ Minute Roast is a great weeknight choice, as it can be started earlier in the day and cook until dinner time…it may take more than a minute, but it’s worth it!

Slow-Roasted BBQ Minute Roast

A flavorful homemade BBQ sauce glazes this tender roast, adding a boost of flavor.  Baste every hour or so.  As it reduces during the long cooking time, it will become deliciously concentrated.

• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
• 1 large onion, chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
• ¾ cup red wine vinegar
• 1½ cups ketchup
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1/3 cup water
• ½ cup bourbon
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. black pepper (scant)
• ¾ tsp. dried thyme
• 3-4 lb. minute roast
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place 1 Tbsp. oil in a large, heavy saucepan and heat over medium-high heat.   Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 6 minutes.  Add vinegar, ketchup, molasses, water, bourbon, salt, pepper and thyme.  Stir to blend and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes to blend flavors.  (Sauce can be prepared one day ahead.  Cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place 1-2 tsp. oil in a large skillet on high heat.   Place minute roast in skillet and brown each side for about 1 minute per side.  Transfer roast to a rack and place in a roasting pan.  Rub remaining oil all over the roast and season with freshly ground black pepper.  Pour sauce over roast and cook uncovered for 4-5 hours (or longer if you like it well-done), basting about once per hour.  For best results, test for doneness with a meat thermometer: 145°F= rare, 160°F =medium, 170°F =well.

Remove from oven and tent foil over roast, allowing roast to rest for 15-20 minutes.  Slice roast and serve with remaining sauce from the roasting pan.

Serves 6-8.

By Naomi Ross
 

“Marak” – Hebrew for “soup”- is derived from the word “mareik,” which means to cleanse.  When a soup is being cooked, the ingredients are cleansed, and the impurities are released.  Think of your chicken soup – the scum rises to the top and is then skimmed off.  Take it a step further.   Perhaps consuming soup cleanses a person’s ailments.  Chicken soup, the classic home remedy goes back way further than one could imagine.  The Talmud mentions Rabbi Abba, who was said to have consumed fowl that was soaked in hot water as a remedy (Shabbos 145b).  Maimonides prescribed chicken soup as a cure for individuals suffering from hemorrhoids (Treatise on Hemorrhoids).  And to this day, what nurses the common cold better than a bowl of mom’s chicken soup?

Hot and satisfying, a good soup can restore your health and mood on the coldest of days, arming you with renewed strength and energy.  The following recipe is one of my favorite winter soups and is certainly hearty enough to be considered a meal all by itself.   It features “flanken”, a Yiddish term referring to a small, juicy and tender rib.  The best soups are made with the best ingredients, so look for the freshest vegetables and the leanest flanken you can find, and don’t forget to freeze a container to warm up a cold night to come.

Meaty Mushroom and Barley Soup

White mushrooms can be used exclusively in this soup, but a combination of mushroom varieties will add more depth of flavor.  Cremini and/or baby bella mushrooms are wonderful choices in addition to the white mushrooms.

1. 1/3 cup dried porcini or wild mushrooms
2. 1 ½- 2 lbs. beef flanken, cut into 6-8 pieces
3. 3 quarts (12 cups) water
4. 2 medium onions, chopped
5. 2 large celery stalks, sliced
6. 2 large or 3 small carrots, peeled and sliced
7. 3 large garlic cloves, minced
8. 2 lbs. fresh mushrooms, roughly chopped
9. 1 cup pearl barley
10. 1 Tbsp. kosher salt
11. Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12. ¼ cup chopped parsley, for garnishing

Soak the dried mushrooms in enough hot water to cover for 20-30 minutes.  Strain the mushrooms in a sieve, reserving the water.  Coarsely chop the dried mushrooms.

Place 3 quarts water (not the mushroom water) and flanken in a large soup pot (at least 8-quart) over medium heat.  Bring to a simmer and skim off the foam that rises to the surface.  After all the impurities have been removed, add all of the remaining ingredients, including the chopped dried mushrooms and the reserved mushroom water.  Stir and raise heat until soup is boiling.  Reduce heat to low, cover with lid slightly ajar and simmer for one hour.  Season to taste with plenty of salt and freshly ground pepper.   If the soup is too thick, add some additional water.

Ladle soup into bowls, giving each serving a generous portion of the flanken.  Garnish with a sprinkling of chopped parsley.

Serves 12.

By Naomi Ross

In our home, each year we spice up our festive meal by choosing an international cuisine around which we plan the entire menu.  It’s been great fun having a “Down Home Purim”, and a “Purim Fiesta!”  This year, though, we decided to let one of the themes of the Purim story, namely, hester panim, be the theme of our meal.  Hester Panim means “hidden face,” referring to the notion that G-d watches and assists us even though we don’t see Him.  This is a key theme in the story of Purim, where the Jews were miraculously saved, even though no seas were split and no walls mysteriously crumbled.  In fact, that is the reason we wear costumes on Purim!  With that in mind, our guests will be discovering all kinds of hidden treats during the course of the meal this year.   From the mysteriously stuffed oven-roasted tomatoes to the beggar’s purses for dessert, we’ll keep ‘em guessing from start to finish!

An elegant choice for a “hidden” main entrée is the following recipe for a Veal Roulade stuffed with Butternut Squash.  A roulade is a French term for a thin slice of meat rolled around a filling.  It sounds complicated, involving all kinds of fancy techniques like “searing” and “deglazing”, but you’ll be surprised at how simple it is if you just follow the steps carefully.  Beautiful to the eye, this dish is well suited for a tender cut of meat such as a boneless breast of veal (a.k.a. “veal brisket”), but would also work well with a butterflied boneless turkey breast (be sure to type “butterflied” in the special instructions field when ordering online).   Once sliced, your guests will discover the flavorful stuffing hiding within.

Have a happy and tasty Purim!

Veal Roulade with Butternut Squash Stuffing and Maple-Wine Glaze

This elegant entrée can easily be doubled to serve a larger crowd.  For a 5 lb. brisket, cooking time after searing should be extended to 1½ hours at 350 degrees.

Serves 4-6.

Stuffing:

1. 3 Tbsp. olive oil
2. 1 cup (1 medium) onion, chopped
3. 1 garlic clove, minced
4. 2 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
5. 1 ½ tsp. fresh chopped thyme
6. 1 cup baby bella or crimini mushrooms, coarsely chopped
7. ¼ cup coarse fresh bread crumbs or panko bread crumbs
8. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add chopped onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until just translucent.  Add garlic and butternut squash, stirring to coat with oil.  Sauté for another 6 -7 minutes, or until squash starts to become tender.  Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Add thyme and mushrooms.  Stir to blend and sauté another 4-5 minutes, or until mushrooms begin to wilt. Turn heat off, and add bread crumbs to the pan, stirring to distribute.  Set mixture aside.

Roulade:

1. 2 Tbsp. olive oil
2. 1 tsp. paprika
3. ½ tsp. black pepper
4. 2 ¼ lbs. veal brisket
5. 10 pieces kitchen twine, approximately 16-18” long (for tying the roulade)
6. ½ cup dry white wine, divided
7. ¼ cup pure maple syrup
8. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Combine olive oil, paprika and black pepper in a small bowl.  Mix to blend and set aside. 

Lay brisket out flat on a large cutting board or work space.  Season the brisket with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Spread the stuffing mixture all over the brisket, leaving a 1 inch border all around.  Starting from one end, roll the brisket up, being careful that the stuffing doesn’t slide out.  Tie the roulade closed with kitchen twine at 1-2 inch intervals (if you are having trouble tying the roulade without it falling apart, secure with a few toothpicks and then remove them after you have finished tying it up).   Place the tied roulade in a heavy roasting pan and rub spice mixture all over the exterior. 

Place roulade in oven and sear for 15-20 minutes (exterior will be browned).  Pour ¼ cup white wine into the bottom of the roasting pan and cover with foil.   Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for approximately 45 minutes. 

Remove from oven and allow roulade to rest for 15 minutes.  Transfer roulade to a cutting board, reserving pan juices in the roasting pan.  Place roasting pan on stove over medium heat, scraping up browned bits with a spatula*.  Add maple syrup and remaining ¼ cup wine.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until sauce is thickened and slightly syrupy.  Remove from heat.  Skim off excess fat if necessary, and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

When ready to serve, snip pieces of twine and discard.  Slice roulade into 1” rounds, and carefully place on a serving platter.  Drizzle glaze over roulade slices.  Serve and enjoy.

* If your roasting pan is not suited for stovetop cooking, simply pour the pan juices and any scraped bits into a small saucepan and continue with directions.  If your pan is non-stick, be sure not to use a metal spatula!

   By Naomi Ross

Kosher beef tongue

1 big spoon of oil

2 table spoons of saltpeter

1 teaspoon of sugar

Lots of garlic

Sweet pepper

Bay leaves

Parsley root

Cooking a kosher pickled tongue:

Chop garlic cloves finely.
Prepare a mixture of salt, saltpeter, garlic and sugar. Rub it in the tongue thoroughly and put the kosher tongue in a bowl.

Cover the beef tongue with a heavy press and leave it there for two weeks. Flip the kosher tongue over every day.

After two weeks, use the liquid that is formed in the bowl, add water to it. Add pepper, bay leaf and parsley root to the mixture.

Put on a stove and boil on small fire until cooked.

Serve cold, decorating with greenery.

Symbolism of the meal:

This meal is symbolizing Moses, who was a great prophet. He was given a very complicated task by the God to give people the laws of Torah and to explain them the meaning of the Jewish religion. For this reason tongue in this meal is symbolizing how complicated it was for Moses to speak to Jewish people in the dessert. The big beef tongue is very heavy and hard to move. And when the kosher beef tongue is pickled, then it is even harder to move!

The fact that the kosher beef tongue is put under the press is symbolizing the heavy yoke that Moses had to bear.