2nd Avenue Deli Brisket

December 18, 2009 by Stephanie | 4 Comments

When the 2nd Avenue Deli closed, I immediately bought the cookbook on Amazon so I could recreate the delicious flavors I grew up with. I didn’t know that it would reopen even closer to where I lived. The first thing we made from the cookbook was the health salad. It wasn’t the same, but it definitely resembled the real thing. The next thing I made was the delicious brisket. It’s easy and is definitely worth the time put into it. Now that I have a dutch oven, it’s even easier than it ever was. Continue reading …

Latkes (or Ejjeh Potato)

December 16, 2009 by Stephanie | 2 Comments

You didn’t think we’d get through eight days of Hanukkah and not post a holiday recipe for you, did you?

We actually eat ejjeh potato all the time, not only on Hanukkah. It’s a delicious and easy food to make for the beach on a summer Sunday afternoon. They also make great leftovers, so make extra and take some for lunch in a sandwich the next day.

Because latkes are fried, they are a customary Hanukkah food. On these eight days, Jews load up on oily foods to remember the miracle of the oil. These latkes are different than the Ashkenaz version, which you probably see more often. These are more like home fries. They’re soft in the middle and really deliciously crispy on the outside. Continue reading …

Cooking Yebra

December 14, 2009January 13, 2014 by Stephanie | 6 Comments

We taught you how to roll and freeze the yebra, and I’m sure you were eager to know how to actually cook at eat it…well here’s one way to do it!

Yebra is definitely a Syrian favorite. We eat it with sweet sauce, sour sauce, meat filled, and with rice and chick peas inside (a pareve version). Different families prefer it different ways. This is not how our mom makes it, but it’s a really yummy version with apricots, one of my favorites.

These take a long time to cook, so if you’re making it for Friday night dinner, make it on Thursday night and reheat it before dinner Friday.

Guest Post: Bulgur (or Cracked Wheat) with Chickpeas

December 8, 2009 by Stephanie | 5 Comments

Please give a warm welcome to our very first guest blogger, our lovely sister-in-law Adele!

I LOVE CHICKPEAS. There. I said it.

I’m a sucker for anything with chickpeas in them – salads, hummus, curry – whatever it is, I’ll eat it. Chickpeas, or Garbanzo Beans, are super delicious, super filling, super healthy, and super cute! (Seriously – have you ever looked at one? It looks like a baby butt!) If you ever need a protein in your meal – a handful of chickpeas is generally the way I go. They are versatile like you wouldn’t believe and couldn’t be easier to store. (In the past, I’ve bought dried chickpeas, soaked them overnight, boiled them, yadda yadda yadda. The canned is way easier. Just make sure to rinse them off thoroughly first. Here’s what Mark Bittman has to say on the subject.)

Rolling Yebra

December 7, 2009 by Stephanie | 6 Comments

Update: after you read this post and roll your yebra, go ahead and cook it!

Yebra, or stuffed grape leaves, is a traditional Syrian food that can be prepared in a few different ways. But before you can eat it, you have to actually stuff and roll the grape leaves with hashu (there’s a pareve version, too). To make a whole 16-oz. jar of grape leaves, you need to double the hashu recipe.

I actually used a slightly different recipe for hashu. This one is from a cookbook called Deal Delights, a pretty old book with traditional Syrian recipes.

Breakfast Bars

December 4, 2009 by Stephanie | 2 Comments

I didn’t really know what to call this post. They can’t be called walnut and dried cherry bars, because those are the only two things I omitted from the recipe…I stuck with breakfast bars because I eat these for breakfast. Any suggestions for a more interesting name?

When I saw Ellie Krieger’s recipe for walnut and dried cherry bars, I really wanted to make them. The only problem was that I didn’t have any dried cherries on hand, and I can’t bring nuts to work with me. I decided to give it a try, anyway, with raisins and dried cranberries instead.

They were so easy to make and very delicious. It took about 5 minutes to put the ingredients together and 30 minutes in the oven, and I have breakfast for a little over a week.

Japanese Sweet Potato Chips

December 2, 2009 by Stephanie | 3 Comments

japanese sweet potato chips

When I saw this at the fruit store, I just had to buy it. I didn’t know what I’d do with it, but it was really funny looking, and I had to have it. I picked the longest one in the basket and decided to figure something to make out of it when I got home. It’s a Japanese Sweet Potato. The outside is red, the inside is white. It has less moisture than the orange sweet potato that you’re used to, and I’m pretty sure that they’re not even related. Continue reading …

Asian-Style Chicken Stir-Fry

November 30, 2009 by Stephanie | 1 Comment

stirfry

I’m often inspired by the food I see at the market or in my kitchen, and that’s how I decide what to cook. This recipe is different; I was inspired by my wok. I saw it hiding in its cabinet one morning, decided I wanted to use it, and defrosted some chicken in preparation.

It doesn’t have to take long to produce a healthful and appetizing meal. This meal consists of protein and vegetables thrown into a wok and cooked with soy sauce. If you don’t have a wok, a regular large saucepan will do the trick, too.

Pumpkin Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter Sauce

November 25, 2009 by Stephanie | 1 Comment

I like to cook with real pumpkin when it’s in season. About once every year I get my hands on a pumpkin, and after roasting the seeds, I cook with the flesh. Usually I make chocolate-chip pumpkin bread. This year, I decided to try a recipe I saw a lot of online: pumpkin ravioli with sage brown butter sauce.

Does anyone serve dairy for Thanksgiving? Instead of (or in addition to) a traditional pumpkin pie, this would be a great seasonal recipe for anyone whose menu wasn’t filled with turkey and meat. Try this for a vegetarian (or your unkosher) Thanksgiving feast!

After pureeing and flavoring the pumpkin for the inside of the ravioli, I made my own dough to wrap it in, and rolled it out by hand. I only got about as far as 20 raviolis before I broke my rolling pin. I suggest using a pasta maker or the pasta Kitchenaid attachment. I have neither, so I went out and bought some wonton wrappers the next day (for less than $3) to form the rest of my raviolis, which I threw into the freezer to save for another day.

Chicken and Matzo Ball Soup

November 20, 2009 by Stephanie | 8 Comments

serve with rice

Matzo ball soup is a traditional Jewish food, usually served in chicken broth. Using the soup broth to form the matzo balls give them an extra rich flavor. Chicken soup has a reputation of having healing properties and it’s also a regular Friday night dinner dish. Every family has its own way of making it, and there are even variations within each family.