Friday, November 19, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving! Root Vegetable Gratin


Ingredients:

3 pounds carrots and/or parsnips
1/2 cup pineapple, minced small or crushed (if using canned crushed pineappple, drain very well)
3 eggs
1/4 cup Coffee Rich or milk substitute
1/2 cup flour or matzoh meal
3-4 tbsp honey
1/2 to 1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp grated or 1/2 tsp ground ginger
salt and pepper to taste
fresh, sliced pineapple for garnish


Procedure:

Peel and boil carrots and/or parsnips until tender. Shock the vegetables in ice water to stop the cooking and to retain the bright color. Drain them very well. Puree in a food processor, and reserve in a large colander. Drain the vegetables well again.

Whip the eggs in a clean mixing bowl. Add all the other ingredients and season well. Divide the mixture into well greased molds or one large baking dish and place onto sheet pans into a preheated 325 degree oven. Pour hot water onto the sheet pans to provide steam while baking and bake for 35-40 minutes.

Test for doneness by inserting a skewer and internal temperature should reach 160 degrees and be firm on top. Garnish with sliced pineapple.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Thai Turkey Meatballs with Ginger Sauce












If you make one exotic new recipe this year, make it this one! Everything about this fantastic Chef Avram recipe -- the flavors, the aromas, and the combination of sweet and spicy ingredients -- will transport you to Southeast Asia, and give you a warm and exotic feeling even if when it's shiveringly cold outside. This makes a unique appetizer and an exciting main course if served atop rice or buckwheat noodles.

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 tsp chili paste
3 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp brown sugar
12 oz. water chestnuts
1 cup cilantro sprigs
1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Ginger sauce ingredients:

1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. peeled fresh ginger slivered
2 tsp. scallion whites sliced finely
1 tsp. chopped garlic
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp. honey
1 and 3/4 cup pineapple juice
2 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tbps. water
Cilantro sprigs for garnish

Procedure:

Dice onion into small dice. Heat oil in a medium sauté pan and sweat onion until transparent. Add garlic and continue to cook. Add chili paste and brown sugar. When mix is dissolved, remove from heat and set aside.

Drain and mince water chestnuts. Leave pieces about ¼ inch and no finer as to add crunch to the meat balls. Place onion mixture into bowl of food processor and pulse briefly. Add all other ingredients except water chestnuts and pulse a few times until blended.

Remove from processor and place in mixing bowl Fold in water chestnuts and blend well. Form in to little meatballs and bake at 350 for 10- 15 minutes.

Serve with ginger sauce.

Ginger sauce procedure:

In a medium saucepan over high heat place the pineapple juice, sesame oil, soy sauce, honey, ginger and garlic. Bring to a boil.

Dissolve cornstarch in water. While mixing well, pour into boiling sauce, slowly, until thickened consistency is reached. Remove from heat.

Finish with chopped scallions and cilantro sprigs.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Winter Culinary Boot Camps!


The Center for Kosher Culinary Arts is pleased to present our ever-popular Culinary Boot Camp, in two convenient day or evening schedules, this winter.

An intensive culinary experience designed for everyone from the frustrated home cook who finally wants to learn to “really cook” to the budding chef looking to take his or her kitchen prowess to the next level. Learn some of the same basic culinary fundamental skills taught to chefs in the finest cooking schools. Topics covered include: Knife skills, principles and application of all the major cooking methods, how to cook poultry, meat & fish, plating & presentation, and more. This program is a must for anyone who is tired of ruining dinner or conversely, dares to call themselves a good cook!

The classes are open to all enthusiastic and committed students age 16 and over.

$375 -- CALL TO REGISTER -- 718.758.1339

The Day Program will be an intense four-day experience beginning December 20th and continuing through December 24th, from 9am to 12 noon.

The Evening Program will occur on 5 consecutive Tuesday evenings, beginning November 30th, and ending December 28th, from 6:30pm to 9:30pm.

Friday, November 5, 2010

CKCA Cooks for Joan Nathan's Cookbook Signing in NYC!


Famed kosher cookbook author and NY Times writer Joan Nathan has hired CKCA to cook for her book signing and cooking demonstration at the Degustibus Cooking School at Macy's Herald Square on November 11th! Nathan's newest book is "Quiches, Kugels and Couscous: My Search for Jewish Cooking in France," published by Knopf. It was released November 2nd and is available for purchase here.

Because the Degustibus Cooking School is not a kosher facility, Nathan asked CKCA to prepare a set of delicious recipes selected from several of her cookbooks in advance -- so that they can be served under proper kosher supervision at the cooking demo. The cooking will take place with Chef Avram Wiseman helming a group of high achieving CKCA student and alumni chefs. Rabbi Zushe Blech will head up the kashruth supervision at the Midwood Jewish Center in advance of the event, and CKCA Pro Program Alumna and Mashgacha Joelle Cohn will supervise en route and at the event itself.

Chef Wiseman reports that there are one or two spots still available for students chefs to help assist with the event, so contact him at avram AT kosherculinaryarts.com if you are interested and have availability on November 10th in Midwood or November 11th in Manhattan.

The recipes that CKCA chefs will be preparing (all from Joan Nathan cookbooks) are as follows:

Moroccan Chicken with Olives and Lemons (Foods of Israel Today, page 286)

Israeli Couscous with Seasonal Vegetables (Foods of Israel Today, page 247)

Moroccan Red Pepper Salad (Jewish Cooking in America, page 277)

Citrus Fruit Soup with Dates and Mint (Quiches, Kugels and Couscous)

Ghouribi (Moroccan Sugar Cookies), (The Jewish Holiday Cookbook, page 320)

CKCA Cold Weather Fave: German Potato Salad



Continuing on the theme of his delicious side dishes after his big first place win at Kosherfest 2010's Cold Appetizer competition, Chef Avram Wiseman shares his kosher, fleishig version of German potato salad, a delicious and filling cold weather favorite!

Ingredients:

5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
2 pounds Spanish onions, sliced thinly
1 pound smoked beef shoulder or beef “FRY”, cut into small dice
1 ½ cups Pommerey mustard (whole grain)
2 cups white vinegar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tbs. Caraway seeds
salt and pepper to taste
chopped parsley for garnish

Procedure:

Place washed potatoes to cook over high heat in cold salted water. Meanwhile place a medium sized, heavy bottom rondeau, over medium heat. Sweat smoked beef until much fat is rendered and beef begins to color. Deglaze the fond remaining from the beef with the sliced onions. Continue cooking without color. Add the vinegar, caraway, sugar and mustard and let cool to room temperature.

When the potatoes are fork tender, drain and let them cool to room temperature. Peel and slice the potatoes into the prepared dressing. Adjust seasoning and dressing consistency. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve at room temperature or slightly warmed.