Prepare for your holiday celebrations with this inspiration for a delicious meal at home.
PASSOVER HONEY WALNUT CARROT CAKE
Ingredients:
2 cup matzo cake meal, additional cake meal for dusting the pan
9 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
½ cup sugar
¾ cup kosher honey
1 ½ cup vegetable oil
3 cup grated carrot
1 cup ground walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon¾ teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of salt
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and dust it lightly with the additional matzo cake meal. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the yolks until they are thick and pale, add the sugar gradually, beating. Continue beating the mixture until it is very thick, then add honey.
Add the carrot, cinnamon, ginger, walnuts, vanilla, and the remaining 2 cup matzo cake meal. Beat the mixture until it is combined well. In a bowl (with the beaters cleaned), beat the whites with a pinch of salt until they just hold stiff peaks. Stir 1/2 cup of the white into the carrot mixture. Fold in the remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake the cake in the middle of oven for 40-45 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack. Run a thin knife around the edge of the pan, and remove the sides of the pan.
Prepare for your holiday celebrations with this inspiration for a delicious meal at home.
BRISKET
Recipe and Photo from Sylvia’s Table Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients:
1 beef brisket, 5 to 6 pounds, trimmed of excess fat
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, trimmed, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, trimmed, peeled and diced
1 onion, peeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 chicken livers, membranes removed and cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces (optional)
1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine
3 cups homemade or good quality chicken stock
1 cup canned Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, lightly crushed
1 bay leaf, fresh if available
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Method:
Set a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Season the brisket with salt and pepper and set it aside.
Heat the olive oil in a 7- to 8-quart Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Add the brisket and brown it well on both sides, about 10 minutes. Remove the meat to a platter.
Add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic to the pot, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until all the vegetables are almost soft and the onion is golden, but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken livers, and cook, stirring, until they begin to firm, about 2 minutes. Add the wine, stock, tomatoes, bay leaf, and rosemary. Return the brisket, along with any reserved juices to the pot, raise the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer.
Cover the pot and place it in the oven. Cook, turning the meat once, until it is fork-tender, three to three and one-half hours. Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and lightly cover it with aluminum foil to rest for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, spoon off the accumulated fat from the surface of the sauce. Using an immersion blender, puree the sauce right in the pot. Or, transfer the sauce to a blender or food processor to puree, and then return it to the pot. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in the parsley. Slice the meat and serve with the warm sauce on the side. Alternatively, slice the meat, return it to the pot, and refrigerate overnight. Remove any solidified fat from the surface of the sauce and reheat, covered, in a 300-degree oven until piping hot.
Herb Salad
Recipe from Sylvia’s Table
Ingredients:
Leaves from 1 bunch fresh chervil
Leaves from 1 bunch fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
1 bunch fresh chives
Leaves from ¼ bunch fresh mint
Method:
Wash and dry the herbs. Snip or slice the chives about ¼-inch wide.
Toss everything together and dress gently with your favorite vinaigrette, or just a light sprinkle of good oil.
Prepare for your holiday celebrations with this inspiration for a delicious meal at home.
Matzo Ball Soup
Recipe from Mindy Birnbaum
Ingredients:
1 large onion
2 parsnips
2 carrots
2 turnips
2 celery stalks
3 chicken breasts on the bone (no skin) with wings
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Trim the celery, trim and peel the carrots, parsnips and turnips. Peel the onion.
Fill up an 8 qt pot with water leaving room for the above ingredients.
Bring water to a boil and put chicken in the pot. Lower the heat to a simmer and skim foam.
Add vegetables and simmer for 2 and a half hours. Remove chicken from the bone and put back in soup.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Most people like their soup with chicken, carrots and celery. Some enjoy the parsnips and turnips as well.
Add matzo balls.
By Chef Rob Valencia
We love these hand pies as a savory alternative to its sweet, fruity cousin. Also perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack, they can be prepared in advance and heated in the oven or in a toaster. Dress them up with a variety of sauces, or one might even serve with an egg on top.
BREAKFAST ROOTATOUILLE HAND PIES
Makes 10 Pop Tarts
Ingredients:
1 beet
1 parsnip
1 carrot
1 rutabaga
4 turnips
2 small shallots
3 sprigs of thyme
1 tsp herbes de Provence
5 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated; plus extra for topping
2 oz olive oil
1 egg
1 Tbsp water
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Peel and dice all of the vegetables to roughly the same size. Toss vegetables with the olive oil, thyme, herbes de Provence, salt and pepper.
Place vegetables on sheet pan and roast for 25-30 minutes until tender and caramelized. Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cool completely.
Prepare an egg wash by mixing 1 egg with 1 Tbsp water.
Roll and cut dough into 3×5 rectangles approximately 1/8” thick. Place two tablespoons of mixture into each rectangle. Brush the edges of the dough with egg wash, cover with second rectangle of dough and seal by pressing firmly outer edge. Sprinkle top of pop tarts with salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese.
Poke a few steam vents into the top of the pop tart with a fork. Place on sheet pan. Put in oven for 8 minutes, rotate, and then bake for another 8 minutes.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes and enjoy!
Chef Batya from Mae Mae Cafe shared several of her delicious recipes for Mother’s Day.
A delicious take on a classic quiche, this recipe combines smoked trout, goat cheese and artichokes for an extra special dish perfect for Mother’s Day — or anytime you want a treat. This goes well with a salad on the side. Perhaps our Vegetable Top Salad?
Smoked Trout, Goat Cheese and Artichoke Quiche
Serves:4
Ingredients:
For the crust
9 ounces (2 cups) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces (1 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4-6 tablespoons ice water
For the filling
1 ounce (2 tbsp.) unsalted butter
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced crosswise (1 cup)
24 frozen artichoke heart quarters, thawed
4 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh dill
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
6 ounces hot-smoked trout, skin removed and roughly broken into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
4 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled (3/4 cup)
Procedure:
Make the crust
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar, and salt on low speed. Add the butter and mix until the largest pieces are the size of peas. With the mixer still on low, add the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough just begins to come together— you may not need all the water. Transfer the dough to a piece of plastic and shape it into a disk. Wrap in the plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 15-inch circle about 1/4 inch thick. Transfer to a 9-inch springform pan and press the dough into the bottom and up the sides, pressing any pleats flat against the sides. With scissors, unevenly snip any dough that overhangs the rim, to make a jagged edge. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork. Freeze for 20 minutes.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Line the frozen crust with two overlapping sheets of parchment and fill two-thirds of the way with dried beans. Bake until the sides are set, about 25 minutes. Remove the beans and parchment and bake until the crust just begins to brown lightly, another 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack. Meanwhile, raise the oven temperature to 400°F.
Make the filling
Melt the butter in a 10-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and turning translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the artichoke hearts and cook until softened and slightly browned, another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
Beat the eggs in a medium bowl with the cream, milk, 1 teaspoon of the dill, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and the nutmeg.
Put the springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour about half of the egg mixture into the crust. Bake in the oven until the filling is partially set (it will still be slightly runny), about 20 minutes.
Scatter half of the onion and artichoke mixture over the partially set egg mixture. Distribute half of the trout and goat cheese on top. Pour on the remaining egg mixture and then scatter the remaining onions, artichokes, trout, and goat cheese over the egg. Sprinkle the remaining dill over the top.
Bake until the center is just set (use a paring knife to peek), another 40 to 50 minutes. Check about halfway through baking; if the crust seems to be browning too fast, shield it with strips of foil. Cool slightly on a wire rack.
To unmold, remove the springform ring and loosen the quiche from the pan’s bottom by running a thin-bladed knife between the two. Slide the quiche off its base onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut in wedges.
Chef Batya from Mae Mae Cafe shared several of her delicious recipes for Mother’s Day.
One way we can honor our mothers and grandmothers is to cook the way they did, with Tradition. This means using all parts of the vegetables. If you can, purchase beets, radishes, carrots with their tops which you can save and prepare as a pesto, sauteed as you would other leafy greens, or as we’ve done here, tossed in a salad.
VEGETABLE TOP SALAD
Serves:4
Ingredients:
1 pound clean radish, carrot, or beet tops/greens. Remove any tough stems or central veins.
1/4 cup sliced carrots or radishes
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons dry vermouth
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
Procedure:
Prepare the Dressing. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients together except for greens and vegetables. Whisk well to combine and roll around the inside of the bowl.
Add salad greens and vegetables and toss well. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed.
Chef Batya from Mae Mae Cafe shared several of her delicious recipes for Mother’s Day.
Originally called our Asparagus Cashew Soup, it’s more aptly name as a Vegan Cream of Asparagus Soup. Pureed cashews stand in as cream, offering a rich, creamy flavor without dairy. The comes together in less than 30 minutes and can be eaten as a starter or as a main dish when paired with one of her other Mother’s Day recipes.
Note that raw cashews found in the grocery store have typically been steamed, which destroys the toxins that naturally occur in cashews.
VEGAN CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP
Serves:4
Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and chopped
4 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup raw cashews
¾ cup water
¼ teaspoon sage
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Procedure:
In a large soup pot, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil for 2–3 minutes until onion is soft. Reduce heat and add asparagus and vegetable broth.
Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Cool slightly, then purée in a blender, working in batches as needed until almost smooth. Return the pot over low heat.
Purée cashews and water together until smooth and add to soup. Add sage, salt, and pepper and heat for a few more minutes, stirring to combine.
Stir in lemon juice, and adjust seasonings to taste.
Celebrate the season with some of our favorite timeless recipes!
Lemon Pudding Cake
From the Kitchen of Great Performances
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 egg, separated
2/3 cup reduced fat buttermilk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Garnish:
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh blackberries
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Method:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and lightly sugar 4 ramekins (about 1-cup size).
In a mixer, add egg yolks, buttermilk, lemon juice and lemon zest and beat until well combined. Reduce the speed to low and sift in flour, sugar and salt. Continue to mix until combined. In a separate large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Slowly fold in the egg whites into the buttermilk mixture, adding a little at a time. Divide evenly amongst ramekins and bake in a water bath (fill a roasting tray with water halfway up the sides of the ramekins).
Bake for 60 minutes until the top springs back when gently pressed and the cakes have a nice golden brown color. Allow to cool slightly, then carefully invert onto a plate. Serve with fresh berries and dust with powdered sugar.
Celebrate the season with some of our favorite timeless recipes!
Pureed Sweet Potatoes with Smoked Chili and Maple Syrup
From Sylvia’s Table
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
Kosher salt and white pepper
Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Wash and scrub the potatoes as necessary, but leave them a bit damp (see below). Put the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake until tender when tested with a cake tester or a fork, about one hour. Remove the potatoes from the oven and let them cool enough to handle, 10 to 15 minutes; peel and discard the skin. Put the potatoes in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade.
Meanwhile, pour the cream into a two-quart pot, stir in the chipotle powder, maple syrup and orange zest, and set the pot over medium heat. Bring just to a simmer and cook for five minutes; remove the pot from the heat.
Stir the cream mixture, pour it over the potatoes and add the butter. Puree the potato mixture until smooth. Season with salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste. Keep covered and warm until ready to serve.