Zuppa di Fragole - Strawberry Soup

How lucky am I that I was able to learn so many Italian recipes in the kitchen of wonderful Italian people, and sometimes they even flew to New York and cooked in MY kitchen! Pretty damn lucky! 

This recipe for Zuppa di Fragole, Strawberry Soup, is from my friend Velasco Cimica’s mom Rita. Rita was from Rome but she fed (and taught) me in their summer home in Pescia. You are missed Rita, and I hope that somehow you know that I never see a ripe strawberry without thinking of you and your incredible Zuppa di Fragole.  

This dessert soup is almost as refreshing as drinking the water running through the mountains in Pescia.  Wait until you taste it.

I have made it my own by adding Limoncello and serving it over Granita di Limone (homemade lemon ices, but you can substitute Lemon Sorbet)

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Rita making Zuppa di Fragole in Pescia

Zuppa di Fragole

Guiseppe and Paolo after Rita made dinner in Pescia

Moon Milk - Ayurvedic Sleep Aid

Falling asleep had become a problem for me.  5:00 a.m. was becoming my norm and I needed that to change, without medicinal sleep aids. My friend Rachna Daryanani came to my assistance with Moon Milk, an ayurvedic sleep aid. 

Ayurveda means ‘knowledge of life’.  The word comes from the Sanskrit ayer – knowledge and veda -  life.  It is a natural system of healing from India that is over 3,000 years old. 

This is Rachna's recipe with a few additions from me.  Thank you my friend.  Sometimes, like you, I make a double recipe so I can have some for the next night.

Update 12/1/2021  - I added the honey into the cup tonight instead of into the French press.  I added just a small amount of honey plus some Sambuca.  It was delicious!  And, helpful for sleep.  

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Arroz Con Leche - Rice Pudding Spanish Style

There are rice pudding recipes from just about everywhere.  This recipe is from Spain and calls for round rice, which I didn't have in the house so I made it with medium grain rice and it's just delicious!.

I've had Arroz Con Leche cooked by people from many countries, and other than the rice pudding made by my cousin Sarah Rachman, Spanish Arroz Con Leche is my favorite. Super creamy, yet there is no cream.

I couldn't have made this today without my 'ayudante', my sous-chef, Mardely Elizabeth Guerrero Uyaguari.  She's the best in the kitchen.

Hay recetas de arroz con leche de casi todas partes. Esta receta es de España y requiere arroz redondo, que no tenía en casa, así que lo hice con arroz de grano medio y ¡está delicioso !.

He tenido Arroz con Leche cocinado por personas de muchos países, y además del arroz con leche hecho por mi prima Sarah Rachman, el Arroz con Leche español es mi favorito. Súper cremoso, pero sin crema.

No podría haber hecho esto hoy sin mi 'ayudante', mi sous-chef, Mardely Elizabeth Guerrero Uyaguari. Ella es la mejor en la cocina.

Click here for the recipe

Thai Iced Coffee - Gaefe Yen - กาแฟเย็น

I love Thai Iced Coffee.  I first learned about it at Pongsri Thai in Chinatown, NYC many years ago and I've loved it since that time.

When I moved to Tallahassee, Florida I felt like I was in a food desert.  There were a couple of good restaurants like Sage and Il Lusso and Kyber Grill (since closed) and Persis Indian Grill, and there are a few good  take-out places like Tans Asian Cafe but, well, you get the idea.  By the way, I have not gone to all the restaurants here, so there may be some really great ones.  And there are some good places to buy ingredients to make good food, so that's a plus.

When we first arrived here, my sister and I went to a local Thai Restaurant and ordered Thai Iced Coffee "to go".  We thought that if the coffee was delicious, it would be a sign that the restaurant was good.  We ended up throwing the iced coffee in the garbage.  Oh well.  

So, I am doing it myself.

Note:  If you can't get Thai Coffee Powder (Oliang) try it with strong coffee like espresso.  You can find Thai Coffee Powder at most Asian Markets and online at Amazon and other sellers.

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Cauliflower Latkes! Gluten Free, Low Carb and DELICIOUS

 

One of my dearest and best friends, Rocio, lives in the Basque Country, El Pais Vasco, in northern Spain.  Thank goodness for email, then texts, then WhatsApp and now Signal because we can talk daily and it gets easier and easier.  

A couple of days ago Rocio asked if I had ever tried Cauliflower Pancakes, I hadn't. She's always looking for delicous gluten and sugar free foods, and cauliflower latkes hit the mark.

I decided to take my dad's recipe for Potato Latkes and turn it into Cauliflower Latkes, and it worked!  The first batch was too salty, but I got passed the taste of salt and the rest was great.

It's not the same as potato latkes, it's a different food and you don't have to be gluten free to enjoy it.  

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Greens and Black Eyed Peas - Italian Style

Soup's On!

When I moved to Tallahassee I was told that "the further north you go in Florida, the further south you are" and it's true.  This isn't what I thought about when I thought of Florida, but when it's hot here, it's hot.  

There are a couple of cool, sometimes even cold months.  It got down to 41 degrees last night and I was so happy.  I could wear my warm pajamas and put my lightweight down comforter back on my bed, and even wear my fleece bathrobe in the early morning!  I love it.  Plus, I could make soup.

Anyone who really knows me knows I make soup.  Usually a hearty soup served with a delicious bread.  That's what I did last night.  And I tried something new.  I combined what I learned here about collard greens and black eyed peas with an Italian twist, adding lentils, lots of roasted garlic and some Parmigiano-Reggiano,  

I modeled this recipe after the simple escarole and beans recipe I always cook in the beginning of the autumn, just as the weather turns.  But I found out that these really aren't the same thing, so I had to make changes.  And, I decide to turn it into a soup, which ended up being delicious!

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Beyond Beef Meatloaf - After 37 Years of Being a Pescatarian, This Made Me Happy

It looks like meatloaf.  It smells like meatloaf.  It tastes like meatloaf.
After 37 years of being a pescatarian, I am now able to eat meatloaf!

True, it's not meat and it's not perfect.  But in this meatloaf it was terrific.  I made it (more or less) like my mom did with her meatloaf and although she was by no means a good cook, her meatloaf wasn't bad.  And this Beyond Beef meatloaf isn't just 'not bad', it is good!

There are more and more plant based meats on the market now, but I used Beyond Beef because that is the brand that is carried at Whole Foods and that's where I shop.  

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Hot Buttered Rum for a Cold Winter Night

Hot Buttered Rum isn’t a drink we hear about too often.  But on a cold winter night it can warm you even more than a hot chocolate. As sub-zero weather, that is supposed to be the coldest in at least 10 years, hits the mid-west and New York City is freezing, go home, put on some warm pajamas and cuddle up with a Hot Buttered Rum.`

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Banana Cake with Walnuts, Raisins and Spiced Rum

I prefer to make this cake a day ahead of time to allow the moisture and taste from the glaze to seep through the cake.

I have 4 super ripe bananas in the kitchen, you can smell banana when you enter the room.  I would usually have one of 2 reactions:  toss them or make banana bread.  I almost decided on the latter.  However, I already know the Queen of Banana Bread is Lia Donato, and since I don’t like being a runner up, I had to go for something different.  Banana Cake! Yep, Banana Cake with Spiced Rum! Yep, Banana Cake with Spiced Rum, Walnuts and Raisins!  Yep, that’s it.  A Banana Cake with Spiced Rum, Walnuts and Raisins.  What could be bad?

I used a Bundt pan, but it can be made in a 9” x 2” round cake pan.  I have lots of fancy Bundt pans, but I decided to use a regular round one for this since it is New Year and it should be a continuing circle.  Plus, when a round Bundt pan is used, the glaze not only is poured on the top and sides, but also in the middle. Yum

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Banana Cake with Walnuts, Raisins and Spiced Rum

Chicken Soup - Oy, Does this Jewish Mama know how to make you feel better.

It's Flu Season!
And it's a bad one. 
In order to keep healthy, this Jewish mother says there is a few things you have to do.

1. Get a flu shot - I know that some people are against that, but if you're not, then do it.
2. Wash hands, use Purell, Wash hands, use Purell and wash hands. 
3. Keep your hands away from your face.
4. Don't make non-essential doctors appointments during flu season.  Sick people go there.
5. Think about wearing a surgical mask on buses and trains, and don't touch anything. If you are going to a doctor's office definitely wear a surgical mask.
6. Most of all - eat Sopa de Milagros (Spanish Soup of Miracles, the recipe is in this blog)
7. AND, eat this Chicken Soup! Jewish Penicillin.

Although I an a pescatarian and I don't eat chicken, I made this Chicken Soup for my dear darling Alessio who just returned from Thailand and immediately got the flu. Airplanes are an incubator.  

This soup isn't a broth, it's a meal. A healthy meal.  But if the person for whom you are cooking this is too ill to eat the healthy meal, I'll also show you how to make just the broth.  

Jewish mom's will note that this is not their Bubbe's recipe. It's updated and more like a meal.   

No, I'm not a doctor, just a Jewish Mother.
Click here for the recipe

Lemon Orzo Soup (Avgolemono)

We are ringing in 2018 with record breaking cold.  It's the coldest recorded weather at this time in a couple of hundred years.  Climate change in full force. 
It's soup time!

I had Avgolemono, Greek Lemon Orzo soup, at a Diner in Tallahassee, Florida.  We were visiting my sister Cathy and her family for Thanksgiving, and the next day we headed to the Diner.  It was really cold outside and the soup was delicious! Fortunately for me there was no chicken in it.  This soup is often made with chicken and since I'm a pescatarian, this was perfect. We were in a diner and I didn't expect much, but the Lemon Orzo soup surprised me and I have been thinking about making it ever since.

When I returned home from a New Year's Day party at friend Julie's house in Brooklyn there was a chill in my apartment.  I always keep the windows open, even if only a crack since at 12 degrees opening the window more than just a crack would be crazy.  I put on my fleece pajamas and my fleece bathrobe and covered myself in a warm throw blanket, and my cat Mollie snuggled on my lap, but I couldn't shake the cold out of my bones.  So what does one do when they feel like that?  Make soup of course. 

I wanted to warm up right now, so there was no time to make a long cooking soup.  I realized that I had some veggie broth in the cabinet, and some lemons and orzo, so it was perfect.  I would make the lemon orzo soup.  I had no idea if throwing together this recipe would be as good as my memory of the soup from Tallahassee.  It was even better! A success!  It was MY Avgolemono, MY lemon orzo soup. 

Note - if you can't eat carbs, leave the orzo out.  Lemon soup is delicious.

Note Note - Avgolemono is often made with rice instead of orzo, and it's just as delicious plus it is gluten free

Note Note Note - I love preserved lemons.  Rather than serving this soup with regular lemon wedges, I serve it with preserved lemon. If you happen to have preserved lemons, give it a try.  Yummmm

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Tuscan Bean Soup (Ribollita)

Autumn is coming! And then, Winter is coming! Today it is going to be around 70 degrees on my beautiful island of Manhattan, but autumn is coming. Once we start getting chilly nights, my thoughts go to.... soup.

Tuscan Bean Soup (Ribolitta) isn’t a soup I knew about as a child.  

I was a Jewish kid from New Jersey, and the only beans I knew about were the Heinz Vegetarian Beans we had with Hebrew National Hot Dogs.  What did I know from Tuscan Beans?  

When I starting having Tuscan Bean soup it was from one of the many Soup and Salad places in the City, and it was good.  But, I still had no idea what a Tuscan Bean was.  For years I tried to find Tuscan beans.  Nobody knew what they were.  Then it hit me!  It’s not Tuscan Bean from Tuscany just like Lima Bean aren't from Peru, and Manhattan Clam Chowder isn’t from Manhattan Clams! They are all just types of soups!! ‘Oy’.  I had a good laugh at myself when this silly realization hit me, and laughing at yourself is always a way to brighten the day.  Plus, every time I have Tuscan Bean Soup now, I’ll have to smile.


Note - Tuscan Bean Soup (Ribollita) can be made soupy by increasing the liquid.  It is also delicious as a vegetable stew by adding less liquid.  However, you can have both by adding the required liquid in this recipe and have soup the first day, and by the 2nd day the soup will thicken and be like a stew!  If you want it to be soupy on the second day add a little more broth.

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Black Bean Burgers - Vegan and Gluten Free, but Don't be Frightened, They're DELICIOUS!

My son Marc recently opened a Food Truck and he needs something Vegan & Gluten Free.  We

thought of Veggie Burgers, but I've been a pescatarian for about 27 years, I know know that most Veggie Burgers taste like cardboard and you get sick of them really easily.  Plus, most contain soy, and soy is an extremely controversial food since over 90% of soy produced in the United States is genetically modified and also sprayed with the herbicide Roundup. In brief, I don't eat soy products and I wouldn't recommend serving them in Marc's food truck.

If I made these delicious burgers for myself, I would have added an ounce of Sherry, because as soon as I tasted them I thought 'Wow, this would be even better if I added just a touch of Sherry to it' but again, it's for the food truck and not for me, so, no Sherry.

I am going to try these again, maybe using dried beans as the starter, just to see which is best, and I also need to freeze them for the food truck, just to see how they turn out.  We also need to find the perfect gluten free bun on which to serve them. But as for now, with a little guacamole on the top, ummmmmm, delicious!

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Savory Lokshen (Noodle) Kugel

Although most Jewish families have their own way of making Lokshen (Noodle) Kugel.  There are two categories for kugel:  Fleishig and Milchig  - Fleishig has no dairy in it, and can therefore be eaten with meat.  Milchig has cheeses, so it can only be served with fish and dairy dishes.

Then comes the other big category: savory or sweet.  This is where you see the kugel battles.  In my family, kugel was always  savory.   My sister's in-laws eat sweet kugel. 

A kugel should be cooked until the noodles are golden and crispy.  It is made with wide egg noodles and never referred to as pasta. 



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Zuppa con Polpettine - Meatball Soup - Italian Wedding Soup

Hearty and delicious

My son Marc’s paternal great-grandmother from Sicily taught this recipe to his grandmother and I learned it from her, as Meatball Soup.  Years later I found out it was also known as Italian Wedding Soup and that it is an Italian-American soup, but probably only because of the meatballs.  In southern Italy at that time the people were poor, poor, poor.  Like most poor people at that time meat was a luxury they couldn't afford.  But when they came to the United States there was meat! And they could afford it! Especially  chopped meat. Hence the meat was added.  Just like spaghetti and meatballs.  You really can't find spaghetti and meatballs in Italy and Italians can't understand why Americans, especially Italian Americans think that is an Italian meal.  But like most peasant dishes from each immigrant group, the meat was added here because it was available and often affordable.
I also thought that this soup was served at Italian weddings, although it must have been long, long ago because none of the Italians I know served it at their weddings, but once again, not true.  The name probably came from a mistranslation of the phrase “minestra maritata” which translates as “married soup”, referring to the fact that this is a comingling of flavors from available greens and meats,

Marc loved everything with
 Parmigiano Reggiano and garlic

Marc thought he looked just like
his grandpa Al.

Marc loved this soup as a baby.  He would reach into the bowl of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and grab a handful of it and shove it into his mouth.  He loved the garlicky taste and the baby sized meatballs.  He was so cute, and the soup was so delicious. 
 

Hint:  If you make the soup ahead of time, don't add the pasta until you reheat the soup. 

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Sauteed Escarole and Beans (Scarola e Fagioli)

I love escarole and beans, with lots of garlic and just enough pepperoncino (hot crushed red peppers) and a really fruity olive oil.  However, this winter I haven’t been able to find organic escarole.  I couldn’t wait any longer so I had to go for it.

This is another great Italian dish that I learned to make from the late-great Mary Cauterucci.  She raised 11 children, cooked like an Italian restaurant chef every night of the week and just about everything she did she did well.  I was fortunate to have been in her kitchen as often as I was.

Escarole and beans is one of  3 delicious dishes I make when I (or my family or friends) am not feeling well, or when I feel like I could be getting sick and I want to catch it before it happens.  The number 1 dish is Sopa de Milagros (Spainsh garlic soup of Miracles), then the next 2 are tied for 2^nd place: Pasta e Fagioli and Escarole and Beans.  All 3 are delicious and all 3 work.

Escarole & Beans (Scarola e Fagioli
Sauteed with garlic, oil and pepperoncino

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Cholent or Cholnt or Tcholent or Schulent or Hamin - but Cholent by any Other Name is Perfect for Shabbos or any Cold Winter Weekend - Updated Recipe

This is an easy recipe- the active part is about 35 minutes. This recipe is for 10 people, it is easily adjusted as you like. Cholent Recipe - partially from our cousin Chenya Wasilisi, partially  from my mom's memory of how her mom, Meryl Bayroff, made Cholent. Also there are bits and pieces from lots of other people.   

I loved researching Cholent in cookbooks and on the internet. It has a great history. Cholent has been around for thousands of years and according to The Jewish Magazine adding the egg has always been a special part of it. All those years ago people would slowly cook it buried in embers for the same 18 hours we cook it now. All the flavors would mingle and merge slowly for a delicious Shabbos meal. Later, women would put their Cholent together on Friday mornings and carry their pots (often copper pots, sealed with a flour and water paste) to the local baker on Friday before sundown.  Dad would pick it up on the way back from Shul (the synagogue) on Saturday early evening for the Shabbos meal.

Because this is an old recipe, we now use a lot more meat in Cholent now than in days past. Probably the meat was more for flavoring and the beans for substance, as in most peasant or rustic type dishes gone gourmet, like Cassoulet, the French cousin of Cholent. Cholent hasn't quite gone gourmet the way Cassoulet has, but it has a strong, loving following. When I told my friends that I was cooking it for Rosh Hashana, those who knew Cholent lit up! To know it, is to love it. There are National Cholent Competitions in Jerusalem, like the Chili competitions in the US. My sister Meryl even found an International Cholent Society page on Facebook! As of the day I joined it there were 274 members!

I don't have a slow-cooker, but I love cooking in my Dutch Oven, so I doubt I would ever use one. It is your choice, no advice there other than it works well in the Dutch Oven. The only big NO-NO is about the beans. Do not use canned beans. You'll get a bunch of mush.

Mom says that in my grandmother's recipe, rather than adding the eggs, she made a small potato kugle and put it in the middle of the Cholent where it cooked submerged in a bath of flavors. Recipes for Cholent are as varied as Jewish people. Each represents their journeys, traditions, and past.  Just thinking about Cholent, and watching my family eat it, makes me feel like a part of generations past.

Update December 24, 2013:  Thanks to Jennifer Aguglario, I decided to try using a slow cooker to make the Cholent.  I'm sold!  I still love my beautiful Dutch Ovens, but for Cholent and similar recipes, it is the slow cooker from now on. I'll still browned the meat first, and a tip from Kemp Minife (my neighbor and chef from both Gourmet Magazine and Epicurious Blog) is to add the tomato paste  and crushed tomatoes to the frying pan after the meat is browned, during the deglazing.  I think that I will also add the onions and garlic - just for a few minutes.  Then I'll add them to the slow cooker and walk away.

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Pasta e Fagioli - Pasta and Bean Soup

Winter is almost here!  We've got our giant coats ready, the heat is on and it's time for soup.  Yum, this is a great soup for the first cold weather and then again several times during the winter.

In the US most Italian-Americans call this Pasta Fazul. This is probably because most of their ancestors come from the southern tip of the Italian boot, and this is the translation of their dialect.  That pronunciation isn’t Italian.  It is really pronounced Pasta Fa-jo-li.

This is another peasant dish.  Both delicious and nutritious, and no longer just for peasants, you find it in restaurants all over the City.  I love this dish.  It’s perfect on freezing winter afternoons.  Plus, the second day you can either rehydrate it as a soup (the pasta drinks all the liquid) or you can eat it with a fork, it’s a totally different meal. 

Note, it's a good idea not to add all the pasta at once if you want it to remain a soupy dish.  Just add enough for the first meal and add the rest later.  It will really soak up everything if you add it all at once.  I often just add it into the soup bowls and pour the soup part over it.  But that's just if you want it soupy.

The pasta you use should hold the sauce.  Great pastas to use are: Conchigliette (small shells), Funghini (little mushrooms), Orecchiette (little ears), Ditalini (small tubes), Quadrefiore (square flowers),  and Gomiti or Chifferi (elbows). Cooking times vary for these, but be sure they are al dente (firm 'to the teeth’) because they will continue cooking in the soup, and nobody wants mushy pasta.

I use a vegetable base to accompany the tomatoes, but feel free to use a beef or chicken base.  When I have the ends of the Parmigiano Reggiano left I put them in a ziplock bag and freeze them.  When I make the base for Pasta e Fagioli, I throw them in.  They add lots of cheesy flavor.

This is a super dish on cold winter night. Serve it with a crusty Italian pane integrale (whole grain bread) and plenty of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and if you have any leftovers, don't be surprised to see someone in your family with a bowl of cold Pasta e Fagioli for breakfast! 

I made this with Conchigliette (small shells).  The shells hold the soup like a bunch of little spoons.
Ummmm....  soupy garlic, tomatoes beans and kale - ummmmmm..
Winter comfort

 

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Chipirone (tiny squid) Salad with Arugula, Grilled Padron Peppers, Grilled Pineapple, Tomatoes & Cucumbers

Chipirones a la plancha are one of my many favorite Spanish dishes

My friend for life, Rocio 

Chipirones are very small squid, one of the smallest in the sea, and I am crazy about them grilled with garlic and a little salt. 

My friend Rocio lives near Bilbao, in Euskadi, the Basque Country in the foothills of the Pyrenees. On a recent visit we decided to make a dinner salad with grilled chipirones and it was delicious!

It's not so easy to find these small squid here, so the next time I made the salad I used regular squid cut into 1/2" circles. The most important thing about cooking squid is the cooking time. I made this salad for my niece Belle, and the squid was too chewy.  I'll update this recipe when I get the exact cooking time for the squid.

Pimientons de Padron (Padron Peppers) are scrumptious peppers from Galica,Spain. You often see them sold as tapas throughout Spain, grilled and sprinkled with course salt. Pimientons de Padron are not easy to find in Manhattan, but they can sometimes be found in Whole Foods or the Union Square Green Market.  We often substitute shishito peppers, which can be found in some Asian Markets (especially Japanese or Korean markets).

Just because it isn't super easy to find some of the ingredients for this salad in this country, it's not impossible, and it's easy enough to find delicious substitutes

Note:  When grilling squid  don't cook it for more than 2 to 3 minutes. If you cook it longer and you want to retenderize it, you have to cook it for a lot longer, maybe even 1/2 hour - anything in between will taste like rubber. 

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Nephew Eli's Salad

My handsome nephew Eli Gabel-Frank

My nephew Eli Gabel-Frank introduced the family to this salad, well, the family minus his dad Steven who hates, hates, hates avocados. But the rest of us love this delicious salad. I've added a little here and there, but it's still Eli's salad.

Every time I make this, Eli reminds me that he really got this salad from his friend, but to me it's Eli's salad.  And he reminds me that when he makes it he just mixes everything together.  Of course, I like to serve it 'pretty',  and once everyone sees it we can toss it around. It doesn't make any difference, as long as the ingredients are the same it's delicious.

Thanks Eli!

My friend Cathy Rosen Zuckerman (one of my very first friends in my life) introduced me to Avocado Oil - it makes a wonderful addition to this salad. Give it a try! You can usually find it in the organic section of the grocery store.

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Eli's Salad

Frozen Fruit Pops

There's nothing like a frozen fruit pop on hot summer days.  It makes you feel really good to know that you bought the organic fruit yourself, you used coconut water and you limited the amount of sugar or honey that you added. And it's especially good to know that your delicious treat has NO corn syrup.

I know that some people don't add any sugar or any type of sweetener, and that's great, but I feel that I like the pops better a little sweeter.  When the fruits are frozen they lose some of there sweetness, so, I add sugar.  It's up to you.

I also add some fresh mint, it's such a delicious summer taste. Lime also gives it a nice subtle zing,, but I have to counteract that zing with a little extra sugar. 

My favorite pops are strawberry, blueberry, mint and a touch of lime. Sometimes I add some Stony Field Farms Plain Yogurt to it.  It just depends on what I have in the house.  This weekend I had some cantaloupe, pineapple, grapes, strawberries and kiwis that I had to use or lose, so they all went into the blender with some coconut water.  They're delicious. 

I  filled 6 pop molds and then poured the rest into small paper cups and into the freezer they went.  After about 1/2 hour, I put wooded pop sticks that you can buy online or at a craft store, into the middle of the paper cups

Adult Pop  Note: If you want to make adult pops, be aware that liquor does not freeze.  I made Mojito pops, and they were really delicious, but I couldn't get them out of the mold because they weren't totally frozen.  So we scooped them out of the mold, and yummm.  You can pour the mixture into paper cups and serve them from there. 

Note from Jennifer Agugliaro - my friend Jennifer uses pure maple syrup instead of sugar - can't wait to try it!

Did you know that popsicle is a trademarked name?  It is, so I'm just calling them pops. 

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Chicken a la Gabel

Sometimes,  even when you don't eat meat, you cook things for the people you love that you wouldn't normally cook.  Addie and Harold Gabel were my parents dear friends, and they're  my sister Meryl's in-laws, and mispucha to all of us.  So for them, I prepared chicken. 

I tried to think of a recipe for chicken that would fall off the bone, and I got lots of help from my  friends on Facebook. With their help, and my imagination, it was a terrific success.  Even my son Marc, who usually doesn't like chicken on the bone loved it.

This dish had to be special, really special as did the side dishes.  For the sides I made green pea and ricotta puree, super creamy mashed potatoes and an Israeli salad with mozzarella.  Of course, it was served with a big round Italian bread for dunking.  Oh, and the dessert, the dessert was a strawberry/blueberry and mint granita (ices).  Yum.

The chicken fell off the bone, and it smelled so good that after 25 year of not eating meat other than fish, I was tempted to taste it.  But of course, I didn't.  Watching Harold enjoy the chicken was plenty for me!

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Addie and Harold Gabel
with Bob, Kathy, Ted, Mike, Steve, George and Dan Gabel

 

Farro Burgers! My New Favorite Food!

Last night, after going to the IMAX to see Star Trek Into the Dark in 3D (it was great) with my friends Debbie, Yayoi and Kylie we went out for some Middle Eastern food.  We walked up Broadway and decided to stop at Nanoosh for our first late night al fresco dinner of the spring.

There was a sign outside the restaurant saying "We Now Have Farro", so that's what we ordered.  I had Falafal over Farro.  Between almost every mouthful we one of us would comment about the delicious-ness of our meal. 

I was so happy that I brought a bag of Farro home with me from Italy and it was still in my refrigerator. YAY!  Today, it was raining and I didn't feel like going to the store, so I had to make something easy, just using ingredients I had in the apartment.  A Farro Burger!  Perfect!. And although you see that the shape isn't perfect (my 2nd attempt will be better), the taste was even better than I'd hoped.  Try them.  They're easy, healthy, and surprisingly nutty and flavorful.

Farro is an ancient grain that was probably the main sustenance of the Roman Armies.  It's grown mostly in parts of Tuscany and Abruzzo in Italy, where it is very popular.  And it's popularity here is growing fast.

Note to my friends who have gluten issues:  Farro is a whole wheat product.




Farro Perlato



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Alessio's Birthday Lasagna - - Lasagne Bianche ai Carciofi, Spinaci e Formaggi - - White Lasagna with Artichokes, Spinach and Cheeses

I had a real fear of artichokes.  I knew that I could never de-heart an artichoke without an artichoke

pro showing me step-by-step and then guiding me through it when I tried to do it on my own.  I thought that person would be Marie November.  She was the mom of my dear friend Ginger and she could cook some artichokes!  But, Marie is no longer with us, and I missed the chance to cook with her.  Oy, another life lesson about putting things off until tomorrow.  With Marie gone, I thought my fear of artichokes would be with me forever.

Then came Alessio Stefano's birthday dinner at my apartment.  I told him that I'd cook anything he wanted for this very important day, and that he should pick something special that his mom would have made for him.  Well, he picked something big alright, he picked Lasagne Bianche ai Carciofi e Formaggi (White Lasagna with Artichokes and Cheeses) Ahhh!!!!

It was a challenging meal.  I was totally stressed out about it, yet it came together.  I can now cut the heart out of an artichoke without a second thought.  I can de-choke it, the whole bit.  No damn artichoke is going to get the best of me!

And it's all thanks to you Alessio.  Thank you for the challenge although you had no idea you were challenging me!  Who knows, maybe I'll even go home tonight and cut out some artichoke hearts, just for the hell of it! And here's to you Marie November, the artichoke queen.

There was one serving left and I saved it for my son Marc.  Since he is my toughest critic, I was really glad to have some for him to try.  He loved it!  All the fears were well worth it.  Truly happy.

TIP - If you have a grapefruit spoon with serrated edges, it's really helpful to scrape out the choke.

 

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Fish Tacos for Cinco de Mayo (with Pico de Gallo and Salsa Verde)

My boy Marc
My Cinco de Mayo gift!

Cinco de Mayo is one of my very favorite days of the year.  Not because I have a proud Mexican heritage and I want celebrate my country’s victory over Napoleon’s French troops. I might raise a glass in solidarity, but I’m not Mexican.  It’s not even because I love to go to my favorite Mexican Restaurant in the City and drink Margarita’s and eat guacamole (which I do love) but that’s not it.  It is because Marc Anthony Guidetti, my son and the love of my life, was born on May 5^th, Cinco de Mayo.  For me, that’s the perfect reason to celebrate!

Fish Taco’s are an easy, casual, inexpensive meal.  Three great adjectives together, what could be bad?  Nada. I use Mahi Mahi sometimes because it's delicious, but I often use cod or tilapia, because they're easy to find, and the price is pretty reasonable.  But I’m not wedded to any of them at all.  I also marinate the fish for about 15 or 20 minutes before I grill it.  Served with roasted corn chowder and some guacamole, it’s a great lunch or casual dinner with family and friends.



Fish Taco's for Cinco de Mayo and Marc's Birthday dinner at
Gabel-Frank house in the Pocono's - DEEElicous!!

I serve the Fish Taco’s with 2 choices of Salsa: Pico de Gallo (tomato salsa) and Tomatillo Salsa Verde (Green sauce).  Pico de Gallo is easy and fast to make while the Tomatillo Salsa Verde is a little work, it is still pretty easy.  There are several ways to prepare tomatillos for the salsa, lots of people prefer to roast them, some boil them, and many make them just the way I have it in my recipe.  I'm giving you a suggestion, but cooking is an art, and it's up to you to explore your own design.

And yes, Fish Taco's really are authentic Mexican food for the areas of Mexico near the sea.  The fish is almost always fried, which I'm not going to do (we're not big fryers in Manhattan), but fish tacos are real Mexican food none-the-less.

A GIANT thank you to my wonderful, beautiful niece-in-law Tanya Swartz for showing me how to make Mexican Crema.  It's so easy and so delicious!  No more plain sour cream for me with Mexican dishes!



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Fish Tagine - with tomatoes, potatoes, olives, peppers and figs. Why did I wait so long to attempt this wonderful Moroccan dish?

My friend Setty asked me if I cooked in a Tagine. I told her that I never had, but I would learn and I’d invite her for dinner.  Within 2 days I had a Tagine, and a Tagine cookbook delivered to my apartment, and I invited friends for a late lunch / early dinner on Sunday.  



My first Tagine!  I was a little nervous about it, but it turned out just great!

I was a little nervous about the spices, where would I get them?  But, I’m in Manhattan, we have just about everything, so I went online and found a store downtown on Lexington near 28^th -  Kalustyan's .  Wow, what a place.   They had everything I needed and more.  If you don't have a store like that near you, you can always order from Zamouri Spices.

I bought the Chermoula (wonderful spice mixture for marinating fish) and Ras el Hanout (this means “head of the store” or the best spice mixture a merchant has to offer) with the spices already mixed.  This store seemed authentic enough that I didn’t have any fear that the spices wouldn’t meet my expectations.  I was right.  My friend Karima told me that every home in Morocco has their own special Ras el Hanout recipe, and my Tangine cookbook said the same thing, but  I don’t have an old family tradition for Ras el Hanout, so I bought it already made.  I also bought preserved lemons (lemons preserved in lemon juice and salt), and Harissa paste (hot, hot, hot) and couscous, which they had from every couscous eating country!  It was an adventure. 

I served it with a shredded carrot salad and a tomato, cucumber and onion salad – and of course, couscous.  Don’t forget the mint tea at the end!

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Al Frank's Horseradish - It's not Passover without it!

Dad and I in intense conversation

The horseradish root is a little funny
looking.

My dad made the horseradish for Passover, and he was great at it. His horseradish was always red, colored with a beet.  When we knew dad was making horseradish, it always made us smile, but nobody smiled a bigger smile than dad.  I can picture him in the kitchen, his eyes sparkling blue with tears, and a smile that made the room light up.  
Growing up my family didn't eat spicy hot food, but my dad's Passover horseradish was the exception.  It was only perfect if it cleared our nasal passages and brought tears to our eyes. There was always an unofficial contest to see who  could pile the most horseradish on their gefilte fish and pretend it wasn't too hot for them.  And every year, without fail, our Uncle Al Klein would say through teary eyes and some sweat on his brow "So this is why the Jews have suffered all these years".  And every year, we would all laugh.


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Keep the horseradish refrigerated in tightly closed glass jars. Plastic jars will absorb the smell
and it won't go away easily.

Zuppa di Polpettine (Mini-Meatball Soup - aka Italian Wedding Soup)

Marc Guidetti -my boy - at Grandma & Grandpa's house
at about 2 1/2 years old.  A real meatball soup loving kid!

I hadn’t thought about Meatball Soup for years, but for some reason I have been thinking about it a lot lately.  The original recipe was passed down from my son Marc's great-grandmother who was from southern Italy, and wow, was it delicious.  Of course, not believing in the expression "if it ain't broke, don't fix it", I changed it. I kept the basics, but I still needed to make it mine.  

When Marc was a baby, this was his favorite soup.  Before he was 1 year old he would try to grab the bowl with the freshly grated cheese and stuff handfuls of it into his mouth. 

I can’t help smiling when I think of little Marc, stinking like garlic and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and loving it!

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