Hamantaschen in the Snow

What to do while stuck in the house in 2 feet of snow?
Bake Hamantaschen!

These favorite cookies are made in March to celebrate the Jewish holiday Purim, which starts tomorrow.

What is Purim? you might ask.

Purim is a festival that commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people of the ancient Persian Empire as recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther.

And hamantaschen are triangular cookies filled with prune, poppy seeds, or other sweet substances.
The word Hamantaschen translates from German to “Haman’s hats” or "Haman's pockets". Haman was the villain, and was later hanged. He wore a triangular shaped hat!

All I remember from when I was a kid in Sunday school was that we got to dress up and put on a play for Purim and everyone hated the guy who dressed up like Haman, and that the Jewish bakery always had poppy seed hamantaschen, and I loved them!

Prune is the second choice for hamantaschen filling. Mash up prunes with walnuts, raisins and orange juice in a food processor, and it makes an easy and delicious filling.

They are fairly easy to make, and I hear that poppy seed filling can be purchased already made in a can by a brand called SOLO (though try and make your own if you have the patience). Nick Malgieri's poppy seed filling recipe is here.

This time I chose to make fig & sesame seed hamantaschan. Dare to be different!

I purchased a lovely jar of fig and sesame seed preserves from a Middle Eastern market and thought it would be the perfect filling. It was!

The orange scented dough rolls out easily and is a pleasure to work with.

The only hard part is getting the knack of forming the triangles. Some came out better than others.

Start with making one straight fold towards the fruit filling, then bring the other 2 sides to meet the fold, pinching the sides together forming a triangle. You can also overlap each fold, that insures that they won't come apart during the baking process.

If I can do it, anyone can.



Hamantaschen:

1 c. sugar
3/4 c. vegetable oil
3 eggs
3 1/2 c. Flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. orange juice
zest of a small orange

Filling of your choice. Prune, poppy seed or any fruit preserves.

-Preheat oven to 350°. Sift dry ingredients and set aside.

- Mix sugar and oil with eggs. Add dry ingredients. Add juice or vanilla. Chill about half hour in the fridge, so the dough is firm.

- Roll dough out on pastry cloth or floured surface. Cut into circular shapes using the rim of approx. 3" diameter glass or cookie cutter. (You can also use a larger size if you want bigger cookies).



- Add a teaspoon of filling to center of circle. Bring sides up slightly making a triangle, pinch corners tight to prevent filling from spilling out.



- Bake at 350F on a Silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheets for 13-15 minutes until dough is firm and slightly golden.
- Transfer to racks to cool.

These were fun to make and really festive!



I don't think al fresco dining is in our near future!

Summer Spaghetti w/ Tuna & Tomato Sauce

This is the perfect pantry meal in the summer months when I have so much basil I don't know what to do with it all, and the cherry tomatoes are sweet and falling off the vine.

It's also a great summer dinner because you don't have to heat up the kitchen, except to cook the pasta.

Well, none of the above applies to this week, when we are in the midst of another winter storm and there is still over a foot of snow on the ground (no tomatoes or basil in sight for quite a while).

However, I found some basil and cherry tomatoes from Mexico (where else are they coming from???), and had 2 nice cans of Bonita del Norte, my favorite Spanish tuna in the cupboard.

Think summer, it will be here soon.

Summer Spaghetti w/ Tuna & Tomato Sauce:

1 lb. cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 cans of Italian or Spanish tuna in oil, drained
2 tbsp drained capers
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup of good extra virgin olive oil (I use my special Sicilian olive oil for this one)
4 anchovies, minced
1 cup of basil leaves, sliced in a chiffonade

1 lb. spaghetti



Gently mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and let sit on the counter at least an hour at room temperature. The longer it sits, the better it is.

Boil water and cook pasta as per directions.
Drain and toss the warm pasta with the tuna tomato mixture.

Garnish with fresh basil leaves.



This is delicious!

What's for Dinner? Chicken Balsamico

This simple chicken dish has been in my weeknight repertoire (do I have a repertoire?) since I was a newlywed and was learning to cook.

It is the easiest pan sauce to make. It's great over sauteed spinach, over pasta or just on its own with some grilled asparagus bundles.

Chicken Balsamico:

4 boneless chicken breasts, pounded thin
flour, salt and pepper for dredging

3/4 cup of chicken stock
1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar
3 minced garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
1 tsp of dried thyme
1 Tbsp butter for swirling in at the end

Season flour w/ salt and pepper and dredge the chicken breasts, shaking off the excess flour.

Brown in a large heavy skillet until golden, about 4 minutes each side.

To the pan add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the stock, vinegar, bay leaf and thyme to the pan.



Simmer the sauce with the chicken for 10 minutes with the lid on.
The sauce will reduce and become nice and thick.

Swirl in the butter for some added richness at the very end.
Serve immediately.



For the grilled asparagus:
Cut off woody stems of the spears and toss w/ kosher salt and olive oil.
Roast at 400F for 15-20 minutes.

I tied them with my roasted peppers to add some color to the plate.
Easy and delicious!

Best Winter Panzanella Salad

For me, a panzanella salad signifies summer......ripened Jersey tomatoes, crisp pieces of torn stale bread soaked in a vinaigrette and basil leaves. I look forward to it all year long.

Leafing thru Michael Chiarello's cookbook, he had an unusual salad that he calls a "Winter Panzanella".
It had butternut squash, red onions, Brussels sprouts and herb croutons.

I was intrigued.

Leave it to Michael Chiarello to pair these ingredients together.
There were a lot of steps involved in making this dish, but oh, so worth it.

This was beyond delicious. Probably one of the best salads I have ever had.
It is also very hearty and needed nothing to accompany it.



Winter Panzanella Salad: (adapted from Michael Chiarello's Casual Cooking)
*(I have asterisked where I have made an addition or omission to the recipe).

For the croutons:
1/4 cup unsalted butter (half a stick)
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
6 cups day-old bread, crust removed, cubed (*I used half of a fresh bastone)
6 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish (*I omitted the cheese)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400F.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over moderate heat and cook until it foams.



Add the garlic and thyme, and immediately add the bread cubes. Toss to coat well. Add most of the grated cheese and stir (I did not use the cheese, but I am sure it would be great).

Transfer bread to a baking sheet and sprinkle with the remaining cheese and salt and pepper and gently toss again while still warm to melt the cheese. Bake stirring once or twice, until the croutons are crisp and lightly colored on the outside but still soft within, about 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside and let cool.



For the salad:
1 small red onion, sliced thinly lengthwise
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar (*I used white balsamic mixed w/ red wine vinegar)
sea salt (like Maldon or Gray salt)
4 cups peeled, seeded, and diced butternut squash (1/2-inch dice)
1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, then quartered
1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves

Soak the sliced onion in the sherry vinegar and a pinch of salt for about 15 minutes. Set aside.
Chiarello notes: "Soaking the onion briefly in sherry vinegar--sometimes called blooming the onion--mellows the raw onion taste." This really does work.

Toss the squash with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil, sage, salt, and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 400F until the squash is tender and lightly caramelized, about 15-20 minutes. Let cool.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the quartered Brussels sprouts and cook until tender but retain a touch of crispness, about 1 1/2 minutes, and drain.

Into the reserved red onions and vinegar, whisk in remaining 1/2 cup olive oil. Season with pepper.



In a large bowl combine the roasted squash, croutons, and Brussels sprouts. Add the vinaigrette and toss. Add the parsley leaves and toss again. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with grated Parmesan, if desired, and serve immediately.



WOWIE.

Tunisian Tuna Tart

Sounds like a tongue twister: Tunisian Tuna Tart.
Say that 10 times.

I wasn't sure if I wanted to try this recipe, because it did sound odd, but I had leftover preserved lemons and was looking for a recipe in which to use them in.

Trust me, the Tunisian Tuna Tart found on Tastespotting from Tasty Trix blog was Terrific.

Ok, the cute tongue twister nonsense will end now.

This is a fairly simple recipe if you are using a premade pie crust, like Trader Joe's or Whole Foods brand, and I had those wonderful preserved lemons left over from the Israeli Couscous recipe.

The recipe calls for Italian Tonno or Spanish Bonita tuna packed in oil.
Don't substitute albacore packed in water. The imported tuna, though pricier, has such a different flavor and needs no mayonnaise. I eat it straight out of the can.



Warning: This tart looks kind of ugly before going into the oven, and I was skeptical at first glance, mixing tuna w/ heavy cream, but then I remembered a great Italian spread called Spuma di Tonno that I made which everyone loved, so I got over my fears quickly.



Tunisian Tuna Tart: (adapted from Tasty Trix)

9" tart pan with removable bottom is needed for this recipe.

Roll out your pie crust to fit tart pan, keep refrigerated until baking time.

1 preserved lemon, seeds removed and chopped
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 medium onion, diced
2 cans of Italian or Spanish tuna in oil, drained
a few sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed

a few oil cured olives, sliced thin for decorating the top

2 eggs
1/3 cup whole milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
black pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and add the cream/milk egg mixture and blend with the tuna/onion/lemon mixture.

Sprinkle the top of the tart with some fresh thyme leaves and some sliced olives for decoration.
No salt is needed in this recipe, the lemons and tuna are salty enough.

Bake for 40 minutes in a 375F oven. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Serve with an arugula salad with mustard vinaigrette.
This recipe is a keeper.

Chicken Divan....CASSEROLE

Did she say "casserole"?

Isn't a lasagne really a CASSEROLE? Isn't macaroni & cheese a CASSEROLE?

Anything baked with more than 4 ingredients layered in a baking dish is a casserole, you just didn't realize it because it has a fancy name.

Casseroles are homey, comforting and wonderful (well, not all of them).

They make us feel good and take us back to our youth.
They are great to serve a large group and a good way to use up leftovers, and I think they must have been invented in the 1950's.

Chicken Divan is a chicken & broccoli casserole. It was first created at the Divan Parisien restaurant in New York City. It consists of sliced chicken breast, spears of fresh cooked broccoli, covered with sauce Mornay and baked until the top is golden brown.

I recently had this at a baby shower and I loved it.
I asked the hostess what was in it, and she told me cream of celery soup.

Are you scared yet?

I made it, I ate it, I loved it, and I got over myself.
There, it's out.

This is comfort food at its best.



Chicken Divan:

2 cups of shredded cooked chicken breast (I cooked a 3lb. chicken in a pot and shredded the meat, I also got a great pot of chicken soup out of the deal!)

1 head fresh broccoli, cut into florets & steamed
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp curry powder
1 can of chicken broth (her recipe called for cream of celery soup, but I just couldn't do it)
2 cups Cheddar cheese
1 cup breadcrumbs (I used panko for an updated version)
4 tablespoons melted butter



Grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish.

Layer cooked broccoli on the bottom, then layer with the chicken.

Whisk mayo, broth and curry powder in a bowl and pour over chicken.

Top with the cheese and panko breadcrumbs. Drizzle the melted butter over the breadcrumbs.
Bake at 350F until bubbly. About 40 minutes.

Let rest 15 minutes before diving into this!



This was definitely a crowd pleaser!

Torta di Nocciole: Hazelnut Torte

This is a beautiful cake. Plain and simple, just my taste.

Ground nuts, chocolate, butter, eggs, citrus........if you love hazelnuts, then this one is for you. The smell of the hazelnuts baking in the oven is intoxicating!

Thanks to Lidia Bastianich.

This recipe is from her book Lidia's Italy, where she travels all over the boot and makes dishes from each region.

Hazelnuts are most popular in Piemonte, the Northern part of Italy, where they call them "gentle round one of Langhe". I love it.

The only hard part here is skinning the toasted hazelnuts, kind of a chore.



After toasting the nuts, I put them in a dish towel and make a bundle and rub the nuts together, shaking vigorously. Most of the skins come off, but some remain, that's ok.
If you have a better method, do tell.

Lidia's Hazelnut Torte: (adapted from Lidia's Italy)

Butter and flour a 10" springform pan.

1.5 cups of toasted hazelnuts, skins removed
1.5 cups of flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 Tbsp softened butter
1 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar
3 large eggs
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
grated zest of an orange
1 cup of milk at room temperature
4 Tbsp semisweet chocolate, chopped by hand (I put them in a ziploc and crushed with the back of a coffee mug)

After toasting and skinning the hazelnuts, place them in a food processor and chop into small bits, but not powder. Set aside.

Whisk together flour, baking powder & salt.



In a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light. Add the eggs, olive oil and zest in several additions until light.

Incorporate dry mix in several additions, alternating with splashes of milk. Fold in the nuts and chocolate by hand and blend well.



Bake in a 350F oven for about 45-60 minutes (mine needed the full hour). The top should be lightly browned and just spring back to a light touch.



Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then remove the side ring.

I decided this cake could use an icing or sauce (which is not my specialty, as we know). What better than NUTELLA? Chocolate and hazelnut spread for the chocolate and hazelnut cake!

I sliced the cake in half across the middle and spread Nutella on one half, and covered it with the top of the cake. Dusted it with confectioners sugar, it was perfect!



Beautiful!

A Pretty Pear Salad

I don't love fruit in general, especially pears. They always seem so soft and mushy to me.

HOWEVER, I love the shape of a pear. I am very attracted to any antique image of a pear. I have a beautiful antique still life painting that depicts pears.



and a Georgian fruitwood tea caddy in the shape of a pear.



There is something so pretty and sensual about a pear.

Am I weird? Does anyone agree with me here?

We received a lovely box of Royal Riviera Comice pears, a variety I was not familiar with until now. Very different looking than a Bosc or Anjou pear, almost apple like in color with a red tinge.



I read that these are "royal" pears and should be eaten with a spoon!

I made a delicious simple salad with the pears. I added walnuts and a beautiful aged Parmigiano Reggiano to go with.

My affair with pears began a long time ago, just not eating them. But these were really tasty, and they "paired" beautifully with the cheese.

I ate this salad for lunch 3 days in a row!



Salad w/ Comice Pears, Walnuts & Cheese:

2 cups of mixed greens, including arugula and frisee
1/4 cup of toasted walnuts
a few slices of aged Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese
2 Comice pears, peeled and thinly sliced

Dressing:
1 tsp of French grainy mustard
1 tbsp of honey
2 tbsp of champagne vinegar or white balsamic vinegar
6 tbsp of walnut oil



Whisk dressing and lightly toss with the salad ingredients.



Enjoy.

Good Ideas: Roasted Cauliflower w/ Grapes & Red Onion

Here is yet another way to prepare my beloved cauliflower.

My husband said it was his favorite way so far!

Roasting grapes intesifies their sweetness. Use only red or black grapes.
They are also fantastic roasted with butternut squash.

Cut up a head of cauliflower into florets and toss them on a baking sheet w/ red or black seedless grapes and big slices of red onion.

Sprinkle liberally w/ kosher salt and olive oil.



Roast in a 425F oven for about 20-30 minutes until cauliflower is turning a nice caramel color, shaking the pan a few times in between cooking.



Excellent on its own or as a side to roasted chicken.