Tag: kosher cookbook reviews

The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen
{Recipes, Review & Giveaway}


Levana Kirschenbaum, author of The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen, is a cook after my own heart. She likes to cook healthy food, with minimal ingredients, in a short span of time. That’s not to say that this cookbook is filled with quick-fix dinners. It certainly is not. While it may include 15 variations of 3-ingredient chicken dishes (which I’m thrilled about!), it’s also got plenty of gourmet recipes that require an array of flavorful ingredients.

With an on emphasis on healthy, whole, minimally processed ingredients, Levana still manages to pull out delicious dishes that require little more than fresh produce, herbs and spices. Even her decadent desserts maintain a healthy perspective, without requiring a trip to the health food store for specialized ingredients.

The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen is extremely thorough. I now understand why Levana refers to it as her magnum opus, a comprehensive compilation of her life’s work. In the first chapter, “The Pantry”, Levana guides you in the building your pantry, making each and every recipe look so easy. From dressings to jams and sauces to liquors, this chapter lacks for nothing. While titled “Edible Gifts to Yourself and Beyond”, I find this section to be Levana’s gift to the reader. What greater gift is there to a cook than to be able to learn many of the basic recipes required to build a dish?

The cookbook continues with Soups, Salads, Fish, Poultry/Meat, Vegetable Dishes, Grains/Pasta, Breakfast/Brunch, Breads and finally Desserts. While the recipes mostly stay true to Levana’s Morrocan roots, her dishes span the globe, including internationally-inspired recipes like creole chicken with rice, pad thai, cucumber raita chai and tilapia nicoise en papillotte, among many others.

I love Levana’s addition of suggested menu’s, including feasts by cuisine (Moroccan, French, Italian, Israeli, Asian, Latin and Indian), dietary preferences (dairy-free, vegetarian, vegan) as well as themed menu’s (salads, chocolate, kids). You’ll also find three separate indexes – standard, gluten free and passover.

The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen has a little something for everyone. As for me, I’m looking forward to making the Kabocha sweet potato soup, baked snapper with raisins and pine nuts, chicken with apples, millet fritters, blueberry scones and Indian sweet potato pudding.

If I could critique anything about this cookbook, it would only be to say that I would appreciate more beautiful pictures!

Busy In Brooklyn is happy to be giving away a copy of The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen!

To Enter:

1. Share your favorite Rosh Hashana food/recipe in the comments below.
2. “Like” Busy In Brooklyn on Facebook!

Winner will be selected at random on September 13th, 2012.

BONUS ROSH HASHANAH RECIPES
from The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hot & Sweet Parsnips

1 dozen very thin parsnips, peeled and left whole (settle for 5–6 larger ones, peeled and quartered lengthwise)
2 cups water
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons sugar or Sucanat
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or less to taste
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste

Place all the ingredients in a wide heavy pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes, or a drop longer, until the parsnips are tender and the liquids in the pot have thickened. Pour the sauce over the parsnips. Serve hot or at room temperature. Makes 8 servings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roasted Salmon with Maple Glaze

1/3 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon cracked pepper, or less to taste
1 whole side salmon, about 3. pounds, skin off, bones out, trimmed

Preheat the oven to 500F. Mix all but last ingredient in a bowl. Place the salmon skin side up in a baking pan just large enough to fit it snugly in one layer (if you have empty spaces, the liquids will burn). Pour the sauce evenly over the fish. Bake 18 minutes, or a minute or two longer, until the fish is tender but firm to the touch. Transfer to a platter and pour the cooking juices over the  fish. Serve hot, or at room temperature. Makes 8 main course servings, or a dozen ample first course servings. 

Recipes & photos excerpted with Permission from The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen Cookbook By Levana Kirshenbaum www.levanacooks.com

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Kosher Revolution Cookbook Review + Bonus Recipes & Giveaway!

The Kosher Revolution by Geila Hocherman & Arthur Boehm is more than just a cookbook, it’s an education. With formal training using nonkosher ingredients, Gila attempts to revolutionalize traditional kosher cooking and elevate it into modern and sophisticated cuisine. Using groundbreaking techniques, she guides you in converting any recipe into a kosher one. In Chapter 1, you’ll learn Gila’s revolutionary subbing techniques to match the flavor and texture of any dish. The following chapters will take you on a culinary journey through international kosher cuisine. Recipes like Duck Prosciutto, lentil soup with “ham” and surimi crab cakes, are a lesson in using the “kosher revolution” approach. Other recipes such as Peshwari Challah, Onion-Stuffed Knaidlach, and Chicken Livers with Warm Cognac Vinaigratte elevate traditional kosher cuisine into gourmet fare that is anything but ordinary. Many of the recipes guide you in exchanging one or more ingredients to create a a meat, dairy or pareve version. In addition, an indispensable ingredient-exchange chart is included at the end of the book, as well as a list of shopping sources. With 95 recipes, countless tips and invaluable wisdom, this cookbook is a must-have for foodies everywhere, kosher and non-kosher alike.

We are giving away one free copy of The Kosher Revolution Cookbook. To enter, share with us your ideas on revolutionalizing kosher cuisine in the comments below. How do you up the ante on traditional kosher dishes? A winner will be chosen at random on Friday, November 11th, 2011.

{Update, November 11th, 2001: the winner of the Kosher Revolution cookbook giveaway is…drumroll….Leah Abraham! Congratulations Leah!}

BONUS RECIPES

 

Eggplant Rollatini
serves 6

Baked eggplant slices rolled around a meatless filling is a kosher favorite. My version ups the traditional ante as its served with a sauce that includes smoky red peppers, a great eggplant counterpoint, plus creamy mascarpone. The dish is luscious but light, and can also be made ahead, see my Tip. It’s a great family favorite too.

Geila’s Tip: You can prepare the filling and/or sauce ahead and refrigerate. Or bake the dish ahead, allow it to cool, and refrigerate. Reheat in a 300°F oven and serve.

Ingredients:

3 medium eggplants, sliced lengthwise 1/3 inch thick (about 18 slices)
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt
One 28-ounce can peeled plum tomatoes
2 roasted red peppers (see Step 3, page 48)
2 large basil sprigs
6 puréed roasted garlic cloves
2 sprigs fresh oregano, or 2 teaspoons dried
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
One 15-ounce container ricotta
1/2 cup mascarpone
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1. Place the eggplant slices on paper towels and sprinkle on both sides with the 2 tablespoons salt. Allow the slices to release their bitter juices, 20 to 30 minutes.

2. To make the sauce, cut the tomatoes in large chunks, combine with the peppers in a medium bowl and purée with an immersion blender, or in a food processor. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tomato and pepper purée, basil, garlic, oregano and 1 teaspoon of the salt, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the flavors are blended, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside.

3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cover 2 medium cookie sheets with foil and brush with the olive oil.

4. Wipe the excess salt from the eggplant, roll in the paper towels and squeeze the rolls gently to remove more moisture. Transfer the eggplant to the cookie sheets, and bake until tender and somewhat translucent,15 to 20 minutes. Cover the slices with foil (to trap steam that will prevent the eggplant from sticking to the pan) and allow to cool.

5. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the ricotta, mascarpone, nutmeg and the remaining teaspoon salt. Transfer half of the tomato sauce to a 8 x 12-inch baking dish.

6. With your hands, and using 2 to 3 tablespoons of the cheese mixture,make roll-shapes. Place one part way down from the wide end on an eggplant slice, roll to enclose it, and transfer to the baking dish seamside down. Repeat with remaining cheese mixture and slices. Spoon the remaining tomato sauce over the eggplant, sprinkle with the Parmesan,and bake until tender, about 20 minutes. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

 

 

Miso-Glazed Black Cod
serves 6

New York’s Nobu restaurant, 1985: Chef Nobu Matshushia’s miso-glazed black cod. Me on first taste: Wow! I longed to make a kosher version of this great dish, but had to bide my time until kosher miso and sake became available. On that happy day I set to work—and here it is, a dish you’ll enjoy often and that’s baby-simple to make. All you do is marinate black cod in a simple miso-sugar mixture then broil or grill it. The caramelized skin is delightfully crispy, and really compliments the sweet, moist flesh. Served with Baby Bok Choy with Garlic (page 136)—or by itself with any bitter green—this is stellar dining.

Geila’s Tips: This also makes an elegant starter. Just reduce the portion size by half andserve the cod on greens lightly dressedwith Asian Vinaigrette (page 32). I also use this glaze brushed one eggplant when I grill it. Serve the eggplant with roasted meat.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mirin
1/2 cup sake or dry white wine
11/4 cups white miso
2/3 cup sugar
6 black cod fillets (6 to 8 ounces each), skin removed

1. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the mirin and sake and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute (to cook off the alcohol), reduce the heat to medium, add the miso, and stir until dissolved. Add the sugar,increase the heat, and stir until the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

2. Dry the fillets with paper towels and put them in a gallon-size sealable plastic bag. Add the miso glaze, seal and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours.

3. Bring the fillets to room temperature. Preheat the broiler or place a grill pan or heavy skillet over high heat. Wipe excess glaze from the fillets and broil or grill, turning once, until brown and glazed, about 8 minutes. Transfer to plates and serve.

 

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