recipes

Mousse and toasties, yum!

Easy-peasy Vegan Chocolate Mousse served up in a teacup. (photo by Shelley Civkin)

I have to admit, I have a soft spot for Donna Reed-type recipes from the 1960s. Aside from being comfort food, they usually boast the honour of containing highly processed foods that are, well, a little short on nutrition. But do they taste good!

One such recipe comes from my cousin Heather. The name says it all: Artichoke Toasties. It appeals to the lazy cook in me because it only has seven ingredients, five of which I always have in my kitchen. But it’s also a surprisingly creamy, crunchy and satisfying appetizer. And, it’s pretty filling too, so you can get away with serving a lighter dinner. Always looking for shortcuts.

ARTICHOKE TOASTIES

12 slices white bread
butter
1 14-oz can artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped
approx. 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
3 heaping tbsp mayonnaise
pinch of salt and pepper
1 clove crushed garlic

Preheat oven to 425°F. Use a drinking glass (2” diameter) to cut circles of bread out of each slice. Butter one side and press the buttered side down into a greased muffin pan, flattening the entire surface. Mix the remaining ingredients together and place a spoonful of the mixture into each bread “bowl.” Bake 12-15 minutes, until golden and crisp. Cool briefly before removing them from the pan.

Not only is it a fun presentation, but it satisfies that salty, cheesy craving we all get now and then. I never promised anyone a low-calorie, highly nutritious, gourmet meal, but I always hope to deliver something yummy.

My next recipe is a no-brainer dessert that will have your partner or guests convinced you went to French culinary school. It’s called Vegan Chocolate Mousse, and it tastes like a fancy-restaurant dessert made with the finest Belgian chocolate … the kind you’d eat while wearing high heels and diamond earrings. Best part is that it’s ridiculously simple to make. As in, it take five minutes. Seven, if you really go nuts with the blending. I never thought a recipe that starts with the word vegan would draw me in, but, hey, first time for everything. You’re welcome.

EASY-PEASY VEGAN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

1 can (13.6 oz) full-fat coconut milk (or coconut cream) chilled overnight
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp cocoa powder
3-4 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 tbsp liquid from the can of coconut milk
1/2 tsp instant coffee or 1/2 banana (optional)
fresh berries for topping (optional)

Refrigerate the can of coconut milk (or coconut cream) overnight. Be sure to use full-fat canned coconut milk for this recipe – and do not shake the can, because you want the cream separate from the liquid underneath.

Once cold, open the can of coconut milk and transfer only the thick cream part to a bowl. Keep 3 tablespoons of the watery part and discard the rest (or freeze it for later use).

Whip the coconut milk (or coconut cream) until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and whip until it forms a mousse-like texture. Spoon into ramekins or small bowls and chill for a few hours or up to overnight. For a unique and kitschy presentation, I served the mousse in old-fashioned teacups.

Top with whipped cream and raspberries or blueberries, if you’d like.

There is a pronounced but not overwhelming coconut flavour to this mousse, however the cocoa powder dominates the palate. I made this recipe recently and, as I dragged my spatula towards the finish line, I had a strong feeling this was going to be a top contender in my dessert repertoire. Sure enough, it was a huge hit with my guests. As for my hubby, after the first bite, his eyes glazed over and he went into a trance-like state. Then, he came to and hoovered up the rest of the mousse in 30 seconds flat.

Be aware that this recipe only produces three good-sized portions or four scant ones. Given how popular it was, I would likely double or even triple the recipe next time. This was hands-down the easiest, fastest and least expensive dessert I’ve ever made.

One another note … along the way on my culinary adventures, I’ve stumbled upon a few new-to-me kitchen hacks. These tricks eliminate mess, rescue flavours and are just kind of cool, so I thought I’d share.

Dental floss

When you’re slicing certain creamy foods like cheesecake or goat cheese, give plain dental floss a try. It’s thin, so it doesn’t create drag, like the blade of a knife does, and the slices come out clean with just a simple pull of the floss. Caveat: don’t use flavoured dental floss or your cheesecake or goat cheese may come out tasting like mint. Regular, thin, waxed floss will do the trick.

Stop pot from boiling over

When you’re boiling anything on the stove, the quickest way to stop it from boiling over is to put a wooden spoon across the top of the pot. Don’t ask me why this works, it just does. Every time. I think the wood absorbs the steam. But don’t try this with a silicone spoon.

Rescue a salty soup

Next time you mistakenly oversalt a soup, toss in a few pieces of raw apple or potato. Simmer for 10 minutes then discard the pieces. The apple or potato absorb the salt like little sponges.

My best hack

My favourite kitchen hack by far though is this: eat out! Or, stay home and stuff your piehole with artichoke toasties and vegan chocolate mousse.

Shelley Civkin, aka the Accidental Balabusta, is a happily retired librarian and communications officer. For 17 years, she wrote a weekly book review column for the Richmond Review. She’s currently a freelance writer and volunteer.

Eat well, while helping Leket

My new favourite dessert: Inbal Baum’s Coconut Cream Malabi. Baum is one of the contributors to June Hersh’s new digital cookbook, Cooking for a Cause. (photo by Ingrid Weisenbach)

I have a new favourite dessert: malabi. At least Inbal Baum’s Coconut Cream Malabi. Baum is one of more than 70 cooks, bloggers and others who have contributed to June Hersh’s new digital cookbook, Cooking for a Cause. All proceeds from the book’s sale support Leket Israel, whose focus is “rescuing healthy, surplus food and delivering it to those in need through partner nonprofit organizations.”

“By purchasing this digital cookbook,” notes Leket’s promotional material, “you will not only be supporting Leket Israel’s routine food rescue operations, distributing fresh, nutritious, surplus food to over 330,000 people in need each week, but you will also be part of Leket’s emergency relief campaign, providing much needed assistance to displaced Israelis throughout the country as well as to the Israeli farming community who has been significantly impacted by the ongoing war.”

Hersh has written several cookbooks “with a charitable flavour,” supporting various causes. She contributes to food blogs and magazines, appears on radio and TV, and gives talks on the importance of preserving Jewish food memory. Cooking for a Cause is a response to the Oct. 7 terror attacks, and Hersh and Leket Israel “reached out to everyone we could think of who has made an impact in the world of Jewish food,” writes Hersh in the introduction. “Additionally, we approached those incredibly outspoken Jewish and non-Jewish supporters who have taken a stand and used their moral compass to point the way. The response was overwhelming!”

The result is a unique cookbook that is interesting both for its recipes and its stories – each entry tells users a bit about the contributor and/or the food being presented, and there are eye-catching colour photos throughout. The cookbook “is not arranged from starters to desserts and it is not consistent in its format,” writes Hersh. “I say this not as an apology but with pride, as this book is deliberately different. It reflects a cacophony of voices that have come together to support Leket and the people of Israel. Each contributor presents their connection to Jewish food and expresses it with a different perspective, writing style and point of view. You, the reader, benefit from diverse cooking techniques, interpretations of Jewish cuisine and fresh commentary with each recipe.”

Recipes that caught my eye as I skimmed through the book included Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Holishkes) by writer Joe Baur; Pandora’s Chicken with Artichokes, Oregano, Olives and Sundried Tomatoes by Joan Nathan, “award-winning ‘godmother’ of Jewish food”; Aunt Rini’s Tahini Cookies by Elise Addlem, founder of Feminists Against Antisemitism; and Olio Egg Salad by Ben Poremba, who “infuses his Israeli-Moroccan heritage into all his restaurants.”

I have bookmarked these recipes for future cooking/baking sessions, and will certainly try others as well. Between the Jewish Independent’s Passover and Israel special issues, I only had time to try out three recipes. In addition to Coconut Cream Malabi, which Baum writes was inspired by “Our Chef Sevim [Zakuto], with her Turkish-Jewish roots, [who] shared the cherished recipe from her grandmother,” I made Rachel Simons’ Fennel and Herb Salad (Simons is a co-founder of the company Seed+Mill) and award-winning chef and restaurateur Jonathan Waxman’s Steelhead Trout with Vermouth, Baby Sorrel, Chanterelles and Fingerlings.

The salad was as big of a hit as the malabi, and I enjoyed the meal part of the trout recipe but wasn’t so keen on the sauce, which contained vermouth. Not being a lover of vermouth, I had put the sauce on the side, and I thought the food was better without it. When I make the fish again, I’ll try to halve the vermouth or reduce it on the stove to see if that makes it taste less sharp.

COCONUT CREAM MALABI
(by Inbal Baum)

1 can coconut cream (fat content should be greater than 14% for the best results)
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/3 cup of water
1 tsp of vanilla extract, or rose or orange blossom water
crushed (or chopped) nuts, to taste
desiccated coconut, for serving
pomegranate molasses and/or silan, for serving
optional toppings: chopped seasonal fruit (strawberries, apricots, mango)

In a small saucepan, combine the coconut milk and sugar. Bring to a gentle boil. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water until well combined. Slowly add the cornstarch to the saucepan, continuously stirring.

Over medium heat, continue stirring until the pudding thickens – this may take 3 to 5 minutes. If needed to thicken, add additional cornstarch in small amounts until the mixture begins to thicken.

Mix in the vanilla extract, orange blossom or rose water, then pour or ladle into four small bowls.

Allow to cool before serving (approximately one hour, but can be less).

When ready to serve, top with a layer of pomegranate molasses or silan (date honey), desiccated coconut and ground nuts.

FENNEL AND HERB SALAD
(by Rachel Simons; 4 servings; 30 minutes to prepare)

1 fennel bulb, very thinly sliced crosswise
juice of 1 lemon
1 cup cold water
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp flaky sea salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup parmesan cheese, thinly shaved (optional)

Place the sliced fennel into a bowl with the lemon juice and cold water. Let sit for about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain the fennel.

In a large bowl, mix the fennel, mint leaves, parsley leaves, white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and parmesan (if using). Mix to combine well. Serve the salad cold.

STEELHEAD TROUT WITH VERMOUTH, BABY SORREL, CHANTERELLES AND FINGERLINGS
(by Jonathan Waxman; serves 4)

4 x 4.5-ounce skin-on, boneless steelhead trout fillets
1/2 cup white vermouth
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup baby sorrel
1 cup cream
1 cup sliced raw fingerling potatoes
1 cup button chanterelle mushrooms

Season steelhead with sea salt and fresh ground white pepper.

Cook the potatoes in simmering salted water for 12 minutes. Set aside.

Wash mushrooms.

In a sauté pan, add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter, heat to sizzling, add the trout, skin side down and sauté for 2 minutes.

When skin is crispy, turn over and add remaining olive oil and butter. Then add the potatoes and chanterelles to pan. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes.

Remove steelhead to a warm platter. Ensure potatoes and chanterelles are cooked, add them to the fish platter.

Add the vermouth to pan and then add the cream. Turn off heat and add the sorrel leaves.

Taste sauce for seasoning and gently coat the potatoes and chanterelles with sauce. Serve hot.

* * *

To purchase Cooking for a Cause, go to chef.leket.org. For more on Leket Israel – including how you could join the organization’s approximately 54,000 annual volunteers “in gleaning, sorting and packaging rescued food for the Israelis in need” – visit leket.org.

Don’t let your lemon loaf

Lemon loaf using a recipe by Jo-Anna Rooney, creator of A Pretty Life in the Suburbs. (photo from aprettylifeinthesuburbs.com)

So, a husband walks into Costco … with no shopping list. And what happens? He comes out with $200 worth of steak, a 10-pound bag of lemons (which, by my calculations, will make about 300 whiskey sours), 12 jars of capers, eight boxes of latex gloves, a snow blower, two big boxes of chocolate truffles and 98 rolls of toilet paper.

I am left wondering: what the hell am I supposed to do with a snow blower? We live in an apartment in Vancouver. And we’re not the caretakers. I ask my husband, “What’s up with the snow vehicle?” He just shrugs. Like, maybe he plans on relocating us to Winnipeg? “It was on sale,” he says.

I continue my interrogation. “So, are you planning to resell it on Facebook Marketplace, since you have it on good authority that there’s going to be a monstrous snowstorm coming to Vancouver? Or did you buy it as a gift for our cousins in Michigan?”

Just when I think he’s going to take up the challenge of my inquest, he demurs. I guess it’s not the snow hill he wants to die on.

My very next thought is: what the heck am I supposed to do with 10 pounds of lemons? Don’t say “make lemonade,” because, well, that’s seasonal. I consult with my BFF, Google, and she tells me that the best thing I can do with lemons is make lemon loaf. By now, she’s figured out that I love old school recipes. Being the compliant (and lazy) baker that I am, I gather my ingredients and have at it. Despite that it’s a classic 1960s/1970s dessert, I’ve never made it before. But, since everyone tell me a chimpanzee could make it (like that’s supposed to make me feel better about myself), I can hardly sidestep the challenge.

Long story marginally shorter, my husband and I demolished the whole lemon loaf in less than 24 hours. OK, make that 12 hours. I’m pleading the fifth. Wow, look what I just did with the math there. Anyhow, I baked, I fought, I ate. The fighting came into play when the last piece of lemon loaf was left.

LEMON LOAF
(a recipe by Jo-Anna Rooney)

1/2 cup butter (or margarine)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
zest of 1 medium lemon (but not the juice)
**
juice of 1 medium lemon
1/4 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F and then prepare an eight-inch-by-four-inch loaf pan by lining it with parchment paper. Set it aside.

With a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add in the eggs, one at a time.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Then add half of the milk. Add the remaining flour mixture. Mix in the remaining milk and lemon zest. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, combine the juice from one lemon with 1/4 cup granulated sugar.

When the cake is baked, take it out of the oven and pierce holes in it with a thick bamboo skewer or a sharp knife – make sure to pierce to the bottom of the loaf so the lemon juice mixture can get right down into the cake. Pour the lemon juice/sugar mixture over the warm cake. Let it sit. This cake is even better the next day, and there is no need to refrigerate it.

Tip: I used parchment paper, like the recipe called for, but, next time, I’d just grease the loaf pan and bake it that way. The parchment paper allows for easier removal from the pan so that you can present it prettily on a plate, but who are we kidding, it won’t last a day, so just eat it straight out of the loaf pan. You’re welcome.

After I made the lemon loaf, I realized it was almost time for dinner. Not feeling particularly inspired, I browsed through my mother’s old National Council of Jewish Women Cookbook from the 1960s, hoping for a quick fix. Honestly, I have no idea how housewives raising families in the ’50s and ’60s managed to come up with a different dinner day in and day out for decades. Donna Reed, with her poodle skirt and kitten heels. How did she do it? I can only surmise that she wasn’t serving Michelin Star meals every night. It was probably more like shepherd’s pie, liver and onions, fish sticks or TV dinners (if the kids were lucky). Then I saw it: tuna noodle casserole! Thankfully, it wasn’t my mom’s version, which tragically included chow mein noodles and canned mandarin oranges on top. I want to gag just thinking about it. My version was neat but not gaudy, and it practically made itself. Once again, you’re welcome.

TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE

2 cans of tuna fish
1 can of mushroom soup
approx. 1 cup frozen carrots and peas
approx. 1 cup grated cheese (any kind)
pasta of your choice (enough for a few people)
Panko crumbs
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Boil pasta as per the package and grate the cheese.

Once the pasta is ready, drain the water and add the mushroom soup, tuna, peas and carrots, and salt and pepper. Mix it all together. Pour it into a large casserole dish and top it with the grated cheese and Panko crumbs. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the cheese bubbles and gets slightly brown.

Sure, you could fancy this up using Gruyere cheese and organic, gluten-free pasta, with chopped up fiddlehead greens instead of carrots and peas, but, seriously, why would you want to? Stick to the KISS principle – keep it simple, silly. The proof is in the pudding: my husband and I both loved it. Judging by how he hoovered it down, he probably wouldn’t mind if I made it at least once a week. Hmm … maybe that’s why he just bought 36 cans of tuna at Costco.

I’m fully aware of how unsophisticated this recipe is but, hey, I never claimed to be a connoisseur of food. I did, however, claim the title of accidental balabusta. And it fits, right? Bon appetit!

Cookies and muffins for fall

Peanut cookies are so good, it’s hard to keep a batch around once you get a whiff of them. (photo by Shelley Civkin)

I’m definitely my happiest when it’s blueberry season in Vancouver. You know what I’m talking about – those huge, sweet, juicy blueberries grown in British Columbia in July and August. I can’t get enough of them, and end up putting them in salads, quinoa dishes, smoothies, breakfast foods and, of course, desserts. I often get overzealous and buy several pounds of them at once. Since there are only two of us to feed, I end up freezing loads of them, knowing that they’ll be reincarnated into something delicious in the months to come. Enter one of my faves.

LEMON BLUEBERRY CORNMEAL MUFFINS

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup blueberries

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Beat in vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest. The mixture may look curdled, but that’s OK.

In a separate bowl, reserve one tablespoon of flour for the berries later on. Combine remaining flour, cornmeal, baking powder and baking soda.

Add dry ingredients to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.

Toss reserved tablespoon of flour with berries and stir it into batter gently.

Pour batter into muffin tins (use cupcake liners) and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Test for doneness using a toothpick.

These have always been a crowd pleaser and, even though they’re nothing fancy, they’re really yummy, especially served warm – with a big glob of butter. They freeze nicely, too. Pair it with a London Fog tea and you’re all set.

My next favourite snack is not exactly fancy-shmancy, but who cares. Call me plebeian, but I’m a sucker for a peanut butter cookie. They’ve got a lot going for them besides the protein that the peanut butter provides (that’s my nutritional pronouncement and I’m sticking to it). They’re dead easy to make and everyone loves them. Well, except people who have peanut allergies. Grill your guests before serving.

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, unsalted (or substitute margarine)
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg, at room temperature
3/4 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Sift flour and baking powder together then whisk to combine.

Cream butter and sugars together. Add peanut butter and mix until incorporated. Mix in egg and vanilla extract then add flour mixture and beat until incorporated.

Roll dough into one-inch balls and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten cookies with a fork in a criss-cross pattern.

Bake cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, depending on whether you like them soft or crispy. Allow cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet, as they need to set before being transferred to a plate – or your mouth.

Peanut cookies are probably one of the oldest, most basic cookie recipes around, but they’re just so darn good, it’s hard to keep a batch around once you get a whiff of them. Pair them with a glass of milk, and you’ve got perfection right there in front of you.

My next cookie recipe is a bit unusual, and not terribly sweet, but, once you eat a couple of them, you’re addicted. A former colleague gave me the recipe for these tahini cookies.

TAHINI COOKIES

1 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup tahini
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
A couple of dashes of cinnamon (optional)

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla and tahini and mix until well combined.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder, then stir it into the butter mixture. Drop tablespoon-size dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten the dough out a bit. If you make them too thick, they tend to taste doughy.

Bake until they turn golden brown, anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for 10 to 15 minutes before removing them to a wire rack or plate.

The flavour is somehow more sophisticated than, say, a chocolate chip cookie, so they might not appeal to a younger palate. Or they might, who knows. The minimal sugar, coupled with the nuttiness of the tahini, produces a seductively addictive cookie. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

My husband recently pointed out that, since the weather has cooled, I’ve started nesting. Consequently, we’ve been eating a lot more soups, homemade challah and desserts. Not that he’s complaining. My waistline, on the other hand, is putting up a gallant (but losing) fight. I’m just plain weak-willed when it comes to homemade baked goods. I console myself with the fact that winter hibernation will be that much easier with extra poundage on board. Luckily, my new jeans have Lycra in them.

While I’ll be busy stuffing my pie-hole with cookies, I’ll be flipping through Netflix looking for the next K-drama series to binge watch. Have I mentioned that I might have a teeny-tiny addiction to K-dramas and K-romances? If you haven’t yet been introduced to Korean TV series on Netflix, do yourself a favour and try some. The acting is superb, the storylines are satisfying, and there is very little sex (unlike American TV and movies), which I find quite refreshing. The romance is chaste and sweet.

The Israeli student who I tutor English to online via Zoom introduced me to K-dramas, and the rest is history. We talk about them each week and swap suggestions for new series to watch. Not exactly what I thought I’d be talking to my student about, but it seems to work, and she gets to practise her English conversation skills. Win-win.

Allow me to recommend a few of my favourite K-dramas: Our Blues; Prison Playbook; The Good Bad Mother; Itaewon Class; It’s Okay to not be Okay; Extraordinary Attorney Woo; Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha; D.P.; King the Land; Something in the Rain; Divorce Attorney Chin; Crash Landing on You; One Spring Night; and Run On. Enjoy your fressing and viewing. You’re welcome.

New recipes for a new year

A family performs the kapparot ritual with two hens and a rooster, circa 1901. (photo from Library of Congress via brandeis.edu)

Whether or not the custom of eating chicken for a High Holiday meal arose from a desire to replace the ritual of kapparot, roast chicken is often served at the holiday table. Here are a few chicken recipes you might like to try this new year, as well as sweet potato sides and desserts made with pomegranates – another food with holiday symbolism. A coffee cake is always good to have on hand for visitors, or to help break the Yom Kippur fast.

ROAST HERBED CHICKEN

1 3-pound chicken
4 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
3 tbsp melted unsalted pareve margarine
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp sage
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp marjoram
1/4 tsp basil

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Grease a baking pan.
Rinse and dry chicken. Rub skin with 1 cut garlic clove, then place it inside chicken with other cloves and bay leaves.
In a bowl, mix margarine with salt, pepper, thyme, sage, oregano, marjoram and basil. Place 1 tablespoon inside chicken, tie legs together and place, breast side down, in baking pan. Brush the rest of the spiced mixture over the outside of the chicken. Bake 45 minutes. Turn it over and bake 40-45 minutes longer.

SIMPLEST ROAST CHICKEN

1 5-pound chicken
1 lemon cut in half
4 garlic cloves
4 tbsp unsalted pareve margarine
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup chicken soup, water or wine

Preheat oven to 500ºF. Grease a roasting pan.
Remove excess fat, neck, gizzards and liver. Combine lemon, garlic, margarine, salt and pepper in a bowl and stuff inside chicken.
Place chicken breast side up in a baking pan with legs facing the back of the oven. Roast 10 minutes then move with a wooden spoon to keep it from sticking. Continue roasting 40-50 minutes.
Tilt chicken to get juices into roasting pan. Remove chicken. Put juices in a pan, add soup, water or wine and bring to a boil. Reduce liquid by half. Serve sauce in a bowl or pour over chicken.

CHICKEN WITH DRESSING
(this was a favourite of my mother, z”l)

1 5-pound chicken
salt to taste
3/4 tsp ginger
1 sliced onion
1/2 cup celery
your favourite stuffing
3/4 cup boiling water
4-6 sliced potatoes

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Grease a roasting pan.
Sprinkle chicken cavity with salt and ginger. Place in roasting pan. Stuff with your favourite stuffing. Add onion and celery. Roast 20 minutes.
Reduce temperature to 350ºF and bake 20 minutes more. Add boiling water and potatoes and continue baking 1 1/2 hours more.

MY MOM’S (Z”L) CANDIED SWEET POTATOES

8 sweet potatoes
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup crushed nuts (optional)
2 tbsp margarine
2 tbsp non-dairy creamer
2 tbsp orange juice

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a casserole dish.
Boil sweet potatoes in water until soft. Remove, cool and peel. Place in a bowl and mash.
Add brown sugar, cinnamon, nuts, margarine, non-dairy creamer and orange juice. Spoon into greased casserole and bake 30-45 minutes.

MY SABRA SWEET POTATOES

6 oranges
1/4 cup Sabra liqueur
6 tbsp margarine
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg
4 cooked, peeled, smashed sweet potatoes

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a casserole dish.
Cut oranges in half and scoop out pulp.
Place mashed sweet potatoes in a mixing bowl.
In a saucepan, combine Sabra, margarine, brown sugar and nutmeg. Simmer for three minutes. Pour over sweet potatoes.
Spoon potatoes and sauce into orange halves. Bake 30 minutes.

APPLE-POMEGRANATE COBBLER
(This recipe is adapted from a Food & Wine recipe)

2 cups pomegranate juice
6 peeled, halved, cored, sliced 1/2-inch thick apples
1 cup sugar
2 1/4 cups flour
kosher salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, or 1/2 cup unsalted pareve margarine
1 cup cold heavy cream or pareve cream
pomegranate seeds
pareve vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Place an eight-by-eight glass baking dish on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet.
In a small saucepan, bring pomegranate juice to a boil over high heat, reduce to 1/3 cup (approximately 15 minutes). Pour into a bowl. Fold in apple slices, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour and 1/2 tsp salt. Put into baking dish.
In a bowl, whisk 2 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt. Add butter or margarine and cut until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1 cup cream.
Gather topping and scatter over apple filling. Brush top with cream, sprinkle with sugar. Bake 60-70 minutes or until filling is bubbling and topping is golden. If crust is browning, tent with foil.
Let cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds. Top with vanilla ice cream.

POMEGRANATE ICE
(makes 5 cups)

8-10 seeded pomegranates
3-4 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
3/4 cup sugar

Whirl pomegranate seeds in blender. Strain and save liquid for 4 cups.
Add lemon juice, lemon peel and sugar. Pour into a metal pan and cover with foil. Freeze 8 hours. Remove and break into chunks. Blend into slush. Refreeze until firm.

SOUR CREAM COFFEE CAKE

3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
salt to taste
3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 1/2 cups sour cream
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped nuts

Preheat over to 350ºF. Grease a baking pan.
In a mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Add butter or margarine, sour cream, eggs and vanilla and mix.
Add nuts and blend well. Pour half into baking pan.
In a bowl, mix sugar, cinnamon and nuts. Pour over batter. Add rest of batter. Bake 1 hour.

QUICK CRUMB COFFEE CAKE

2 1/4 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
salt to taste
1 cup sugar
6 tbsp unsalted margarine, melted
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp flour
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp crumbled margarine
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a baking pan.
In a mixing bowl, blend flour, baking powder and salt. Add sugar, margarine, egg, milk and vanilla and blend well.
Spread batter on bottom of greased baking pan.
In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, margarine and chopped nuts. Sprinkle on top of batter. Bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Sybil Kaplan is a Jerusalem-based journalist and author. She has edited/compiled nine kosher cookbooks and is a food writer for North American Jewish publications. She leads walks of the Jewish food market, Machaneh Yehudah, in English.

Salmon fillets … and potatoes

Salmon fillets make for an easy main course. (photo from thebrilliantkitchen.com)

Salmon makes for a nice main course. Besides being high in protein, iron, Vitamin D and potassium, it is high in omega-3 fatty acids. It can be served with so many things. Healthy sides include steamed vegetables or a salad. But potatoes also mesh well, especially when the recipes include Parmesan cheese. Here are a few salmon options, and a couple of potato sides.

ROASTED SALMON WITH OLIVE-MUSTARD BUTTER AND ORZO
(This recipe by Michelle Anna Jordan is from an April 2001 Bon Appétit magazine. It makes 8 servings.)

1/2 cup butter
12 Kalamata or other pitted, chopped olives
1 chopped shallot
1 tbsp chopped Italian parsley
2 tsp Dijon mustard
salt and pepper
olive oil
8 6- to 8-ounce salmon fillets, 1.25 to 1.5 inches thick
2 1/2 cups orzo
whole Kalamata olives
fresh Italian parsley sprigs

Mix butter, chopped olives, shallot, parsley and mustard in processor until blended but slightly chunky. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to small bowl.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush a large, rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Place salmon on sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast 14 minutes.

Cook orzo in a large pot of boiling, salted water until tender but firm. Drain and return to pot. Add half of olive-mustard butter and toss.

Divide orzo among eight plates. Top each with a salmon fillet. Place a small dollop of olive-mustard butter atop each fillet. Garnish with whole olives and parsley.

BROILED SALMON
(This recipe by Simone Zarmati Diament appeared in the Jerusalem Post in 2015. It makes 6-8 servings.)

1 whole 1.5- to 2-inch thick salmon fillet
olive oil or vegetable oil spray
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp liquid smoke
2-3 minced garlic cloves

Cover a large, shallow baking pan with foil and grease or spray with oil. Fifteen to 30 minutes before cooking, place fish, skin side down, on the pan. Spread soy sauce, liquid smoke and garlic evenly over fish.

Broil or bake at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a platter and serve.

BAKED SALMON FILLETS
(4 servings)

4 portions salmon fillets
2 tsp dry oregano
4 minced garlic cloves
pepper to taste
2 thinly sliced tomatoes
2 small thinly sliced onions
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 450°F. Spray a shallow baking pan with non-stick oil. Place fish in pan and sprinkle with oregano, garlic and pepper. Layer with tomatoes, onions and parsley. Mix breadcrumbs with oil and sprinkle on top of fillets. Bake for eight to 10 minutes.

CHANTILLY POTATOES WITH A PARMESAN CRUST
(This recipe is by the late Maria Guarnaschelli. It makes 6 servings.)

2 pounds cut and peeled potatoes, cut into 2-inch chunks
salt to taste
1/2 cup cold milk
7 tbsp unsalted butter
pepper to taste
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Put potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with water, add salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 12 minutes. Drain and shake to dry in a ricer, then transfer to a bowl and beat in milk and six tablespoons of butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a rectangular baking dish.

In another bowl, whip cream to soft peaks. Beat into potatoes one-third at a time. Scrape into baking dish. Dot with one tablespoon butter and the Parmesan cheese. Bake for 25 minutes, then broil two minutes, until brown. Let stand 10 minutes and serve.

PARMESAN FRENCH FRIES
(4 servings)

4 potatoes cut into sticks
ice water
1/4 cup margarine
onion or garlic salt to taste
paprika to taste1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Place potatoes in a bowl. Cover with ice water and let sit 30 minutes. Drain and dry.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Melt margarine and add to baking dish, then add the potatoes sticks, coating them well. Sprinkle with onion or garlic salt and paprika. Bake for 25 minutes or until tender and brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

A mocktail, anyone?

Cool down with some mock sangria. (photo from commons.wikimedia.org/Ilker Ender)

Whether you’re inviting friends over or just having a quiet evening at home, try these mocktails, non-alcoholic drinks, with snacks or appetizers.

MOCK SANGRIA
(12 servings)

8 cups grape juice
2 cups orange juice
2 cans lemon-lime soda
1 sliced orange
1 sliced lemon
1 1/2 cups drained maraschino cherries

In a pitcher, combine grape juice, orange juice and lemon-lime soda. Add orange slices, lemon slices and cherries and mix gently. Serve in fancy glasses over ice.

MOCK CHAMPAGNE
(6-8 servings)

1 1/3 cups sugar
1 1/3 cups water
2 cups grapefruit juice
1 cup orange juice
6 tbsp grenadine
7 cups ginger ale

Combine sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil for 10 minutes then let cool. Add grapefruit juice and orange juice to syrup and chill. To serve, put syrup in a pitcher, add grenadine and ginger ale and mix gently. Serve in champagne glasses.

SPARKLING APPLE PUNCH
(8 servings)

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
24 minced mint leaves
1 cup lime juice
4 cups apple juice
1/2 tsp salt
seltzer or club soda

Dip fancy glass rims in lemon juice then in sugar and chill. In a saucepan, boil sugar and water for eight minutes. Place mint leaves in a large pitcher and pour syrup over. Let cool. Add lime juice, apple juice and salt. Pour into glasses. Add seltzer or club soda.

Leftovers made yummy

Leftover chicken can be used for more than matzah ball soup. (photo from flickr / Edsel Little)

There is a tradition of having chicken for the seder meal, as well as for dinners on other Pesach evenings. Here are some different ways of using the leftovers.

MOCK GEFILTE FISH
(makes 18)

1 1/2 cups water & 1 1/2 tsp chicken soup powder (or 1 1/2 cups chicken soup)
1 1/2 celery ribs, chopped
1 1/2 onions, chopped
1 1/2 carrots, cut up
2 cups leftover chicken pieces
2 eggs
1/2 cup matzah meal
1/2 cup chicken soup

In a soup pot, place water and chicken soup powder or (1 1/2 cups chicken soup), celery, onion and carrots. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer until vegetables are partially cooked.
Remove chicken from bones and place in food processor. Process a few seconds. Remove to a bowl.
Add eggs, matzah meal and 1/2 cup chicken soup. Shape into balls. Add more matzah meal if balls don’t seem to hold together. Place in chicken soup with vegetables. Cover partially and simmer 30 minutes.

MINA DE PESACH
(I always make a couple of Sephardi dishes during Pesach in tribute to my father’s family. This recipe came from The Recipe Table by Susan R. Friedland, 1994. It makes 6-8 servings.)

5 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onions
3 tbsp minced garlic
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced mushrooms
3 cups bite-size pieces cooked chicken
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup chopped parsley
5 lightly beaten eggs
5 to 6 matzot
1 cup chicken soup
3 tbsp vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a six-to-eight cup baking dish.
Heat five tablespoons oil in a large frying pan. Slowly sauté onion and garlic until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms, sauté five minutes and cool. Stir in chicken, salt, pepper, parsley and eggs.
Dip two matzot in the stock until well moistened and lay in baking dish. Spoon half the chicken mixture on top. Cover with one more moistened matzah, the remaining chicken and two remaining matzot.
Pour two tablespoons oil on top and bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining one tablespoon oil and bake an additional 15 minutes or until the top is a rich, crisp brown. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.

CHICKEN-LEEK PATTIES
(makes 6-8 servings)

3 leeks, cleaned and cut up
1 cup chopped onions
2 cups cooked, chopped chicken
2 eggs
1 cup mashed potatoes
1/2 cup matzah meal
salt and pepper to taste
1 beaten egg
matzah meal
vegetable oil

Place leeks and onions in a saucepan with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Drain and chop in a bowl.
Add chicken, eggs, matzah meal, mashed potatoes, salt and pepper and blend.
Place beaten egg in one shallow dish and matzah meal in another dish. Form mixture into patties. Dip each in beaten egg then in matzah meal. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Heat oil in a frying pan. Fry until patties are brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

Polenta fries & dipping sauces

My new BFF, the Air Fryer, has been working a shocking amount of overtime lately. So much so that I’m expecting a call from the Air Fryer’s union any moment, complaining about my employment practices.

Harvey and I often use the Air Fryer three times a day. We might make hardboiled eggs for breakfast, marinated tofu for lunch (me, not Harvey – he’d rather stick forks in his eyes than eat tofu) and, well, dinner could be anything. We cook steaks, salmon and chicken in there, make grilled cheese sandwiches, reheat leftovers and cook veggies in it. The only thing I haven’t tried in there is desserts. And cocktails. Stay tuned. I’m embarrassed to say, but our other appliances are exhibiting textbook signs of jealousy. No small wonder.

My newfound interest in cooking, coupled with our purchase of the Air Fryer, has opened up whole new vistas. The Air Fryer has inspired me to try recipes I never dreamed I’d try. For someone who could easily eat the same meal every day for a month, this is, quite frankly, a revelation.

Generally speaking, I’m the polar opposite of a culinary ambassador. I fit better into the “culinary misanthrope” or “culinary misfit” category. My father used to comment on my indiscriminate eating habits this way: “Shelley would eat out of a puddle.” It was true. As long as somebody else cooked it, I’d eat it. It didn’t matter what it was. But alas, the Air Fryer has lifted me to new heights. I now soar with the eagles and run with the wolves. I apologize for the hyperbole, but I’m so excited, I just can’t hide it. (Nor can the Pointer Sisters.)

So, as I was about to say, I’m constantly in search of new recipes I can incorporate into my Air Fryer repertoire. This week it was polenta fries. Polenta is boiled cornmeal that can be served as a hot porridge-like dish, or it can be allowed to cool and solidify into a loaf/log that can be baked, fried or grilled. I used the pre-cooked loaf/log version because it’s more versatile. It comes in regular and garlic basil flavour and can be purchased at most grocery stores. It’s often referred to as “tubed polenta.”

Having stumbled across numerous recipes for polenta fries, I decided to make it my new food project. I looked up its nutritional value and found that it’s a good source of fibre and protein, it’s gluten-free, rich in complex carbohydrates and antioxidants, low in fat and low in calories. Win-win all around. Polenta has a very convincing personality, especially when you pair it with some yummy dipping sauces.

AIR FRYER POLENTA FRIES
18-oz (500-gram) pre-cooked polenta log
pinch of salt and pepper
paprika (optional)
olive oil spray (or just use olive oil)

Cut the polenta log into french fry-slice pieces and put in a large bowl.
Spray the polenta fries with the olive oil spray or drizzle with olive oil to coat them all evenly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and paprika (optional).
Place the polenta fries in the air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving space between them.
Bake at 380°F for 18 to 20 minutes, or 400°F for 10 to 14 minutes. Flip the fries halfway through cooking. The outside should be crispy and the inside will be sort of creamy.
Serve with your favourite dipping sauce. I made garlic aioli and lemon sauces, both of which were a big hit.

GARLIC AIOLI
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic minced
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.

LEMON DIPPING SAUCE
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 tsp Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

MINT DRESSING
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice or lime juice
1/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves
3 tbsp honey or maple syrup
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
10 twists of freshly ground black pepper

In a food processor (or Magic Bullet), combine all of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Add more salt and/or pepper if necessary.

This dressing will keep well, covered and refrigerated, for up to one week. It’s thinner than the dips, but it’s delicious with everything – it’s great on salads, orzo, tomatoes and cucumber, with parmesan cheese, goat cheese or feta cheese.

While I’m on the topic of dips and sauces, I have to share one of my favourite and simplest recipes – lemon caper butter. I mostly use this on salmon but you could douse any fish in it and not regret it.

LEMON CAPER BUTTER
4 tbsp butter
1 clove garlic minced
2 tsp capers, drained (I always add more)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1-2 tsp chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

In a small saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the garlic, capers, lemon zest and lemon juice. Cook for two minutes, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Despite all evidence to the contrary, I can cook. I’m not ashamed to admit that there have been some culinary casualties over the years, but mostly I’ve managed to keep myself and Harvey well fed and out of the ER. And, irony of ironies, the pandemic has given me the opportunity and impetus to try new recipes and new foods, and for that I’m grateful. I’m also grateful for the plethora of restaurants that do takeout and delivery. Never underestimate the power of a great slice of thin crust pizza. Or Chinese food and a movie. No, wait. That’s what we do on Christmas. Now I’m confused. Or maybe I’m Confucius. Whatever. Bon appetit.

Courage, wit, charm and cheese …

Beverley Kort is a registered psychologist by day and a cartoonist in her off hours. She has a private practice in Vancouver.