50,000 chickpeas & a long night

3:30 a.m. — CRASH!

burekaboy, after having just fallen into deep REM sleep, following 3 annoying hours of tossing and turning, reflexively springs up in bed, completely bewildered {why did he drink that can of coke at 9 pm?? well, at least it tasted great}.

confused, he makes his way to one of the two places he knows could be the source of the crash, and expects the worst since the mischevious four-legged food processor was nowhere in sight.

squinting, in anticipation of the extreme pain which would be caused by the turning on of the bright light of the kitchen after being in complete darkness, he decides on plan B .... turn on light over the stove — less bright, less pain.

ambling to the stove in pitch blackness, he stops cold. "why are my feet wet?" he quickly asks himself. he realizes he has stepped into in a pool of water. as this realization occurs in the dark, he feels a sand papery tongue licking his ankles and hears a familiar purring. burekaboy knows he should just stop now and go back to bed; of course, he doesn't and his first thought is: "cat, you are SO dead!"

another step towards the stove to turn on the light results in the foreshadowing of the horror to come ..... as his finger extends to illuminate the situation, burekaboy thinks again: "what did i just step on?"

with a flip of the switch, he finds a soaking wet cat, 8 cups of cold water and 50,000 (ok, i exaggerate here but it was A LOT) *%#*&!@ chickpeas (& fennel seeds) all over the kitchen floor. it's now 3:40 am. i mean, what does one say at this point except: AAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!! STUPID CAT!!

alas, it's hard to be totally angry at a drenched cat with fennels seeds* in his fur happily licking up the water from soaking chickpeas, two hours before dawn. this didn't help burekaboy from wanting to rip his fur out at that very moment — let's face it, who wants to mop up chickpeas at that hour? burekaboy did contemplate going back to bed and then thought it would smell like hell in the morning (not that it already didn't) and waking up to a mess like that would be even worse.

(what's with the fennel seeds & chickpeas, you ask? chickpeas for cooking, fennel seeds to make them more easily digested).

after 15 minutes of chickpea hunting [under the stove, behind the refrigerator, under the cabinets], cursing and mopping up rank smelling water and fennel seeds, burekaboy notices it's now 4 am. the whole time, the cat is sitting in the corner, staring with that "what are you doing?" look on its face, acting as if he had nothing to do with the whole fiasco. to add insult to injury, he goes over to his food bowl and howls for a "midnight snack". chutzpah.

why didn't burekaboy buy a dog?

burekaboy, in bed again, rationalizes the situation by saying to himself that the silver lining is that at least the bowl didn't smash and that he was stupid for leaving the chickpeas within cat's reach. cat is an oddball: he especially loves chickpeas which are soaking and fresh tofu.

zzzzzz......

4:15 a.m. BANG! (mop falls over) — the fun begins again.....

you're lucky you're so cute, my little brown devil.

(this is what watches over me as i work on the computer)

it's almost that time of the year again .....

as rosh hashanah, or the jewish new year, approaches in a few week's time, people are getting ready to decide who to invite to their dinners and what to serve. as sure as the sun rises each day, one of the staple dishes which will be served in many a home is brisket of beef. it seems every year, people are on the search for a new way to cook it yet always fall back on the tried and true.

here are a few easy, but always rewarding, recipes for that most jewish of meat dishes we love so much — the brisket. unfortunately, i don't have any pictures available at the moment .... perhaps closer to the holiday.

one thing i do have to say is that i much prefer a not too fatty second cut ("deckel") brisket over the first cut. the fat included on the second cut, when not excessive, gives tremendous flavour, something you just simply do not get from first cut. it's also a more economical cut. each to his or her own, as they say.....

for the sizes of brisket i mention in the recipes, a large brisket is a LARGE one -- the kind we use to feed 16 to 20 people. a small one will feed 4 to 6 (even 8) people and the medium, everything else in between, approx. 8 to 16 people. don't ask me about pounds, i only know from prices. the large (i.e. kosher) one will set you back a mortgage payment! LOL.

note that for all the recipes, do not overdo the salt: the kind used here is kosher salt which has a larger granulation than fine sea salt, so you may need less if using table salt. you can always add more to the remaining sauce, if needed.

super easy brisket for rosh hashanah (or any holiday)

the so called secret ingredient in this recipe is a bottle of beer (regular sized one). no, the brisket does not taste like beer once it's cooked! it does, however, taste wonderful as it cooks with the rest of the ingredients.

ingredients:

1 brisket, either second cut or first
1 bottle or can of beer
(you may need less for a small brisket, e.g. 2/3 c)
1 c brown sugar, packed
1 large onion, thinly sliced
5 - 6 cloves garlic, sliced
1 - 3 tsp kosher type salt, depending on size of your brisket
(1 tsp small brisket; 2 tsp medium; 2 1/2 - 3 tsp large)
1/4 - 1/2 tsp black pepper

method:

slice onion and garlic. set aside. measure out spices.

preheat oven to 275F.

wash brisket and dry it with paper towels.

depending on size of brisket, place it in the appropriate sized roasting pan (with a lid).

in a small bowl, mix the brown sugar with the salt and pepper and place it over the brisket and press it down onto the meat.

spread the onions on top of the brown sugar.

add the can or bottle of beer and sliced garlic around the brisket. cover the pan and cook at 275F until brisket is tender (1/2 hour per pound, usually).

boil down the liquid that remains to make a nice gravy if it is too thin.


sweet and savoury brisket

the name says it all: it's both mildly sweet and pleasantly savoury from the dijon mustard, onion soup mix and liquid smoke. the liquid smoke gives the brisket an extra nice flavour; just remember to use it cautiously as too much is just that — too much. the liquid smoke part is optional, however. the brisket is still wonderful if you don't use it.

ingredients:

1 brisket

1/3 c dijon mustard
1 -2 pkgs onion soup mix, depending on size of brisket
1/2 c white or red wine
3/4 - 1 tsp kosher type salt (there's salt in the onion soup mix so you don't need more)
1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 - 1/2 c honey or maple syrup
1/2 - 1 tsp [kosher] liquid smoke, optional
2 - 3 onions, thinly sliced

method:

wash brisket and dry it well with paper towels.

in a bowl, mix the mustard with the onion soup mix and salt and pepper.

with a small knife, stab the brisket in a few places and then shmear the paste all over the brisket and let it sit in the fridge overnight.

the next day, place the sliced onions all around the brisket and then drizzle the honey all over the meat. add the wine (mixed with the liquid smoke, if using) around the edges of the meat.

cook the brisket @ 275 to 300F until cooked (usually 1/2 hour per pound).


simply plain but delicious brisket
mit tzimmes (mehren)

that standard brisket we know and remember from bubby and zaydie's, this is nothing more than a few spices and vegetables slow roasted to utter goodness. served alongside potato kugel or kasha and bowties, what could be better?

ingredients:

1 brisket

1 - 3 tsp kosher type salt
1/2 tsp black pepper, or more
2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 - 3 thinly sliced onions
4 - 8 sliced carrots
1 sweet potato, sliced, optional
1/4 to 1/2 tsp each cinnamon & ginger powder
1/2 to 1 c pitted prunes, optional

1/3 - 1/2 c honey or brown sugar (packed), optional

method:

lay sliced onions on bottom of roasting pan.

on a flat surface or in the roasting pan, sprinkle the meat on both sides with the spices.

add brisket on top of sliced onions. place the carrots around the brisket. the thickness of the carrots will depend upon your family's preference for their tzimmes.

add the prunes if using. add the sugar or honey on top of the carrots and prunes.

bake the brisket until done @ 275 to 300 F (1/2 hr per pound, approx).

can also be made in a slow cooker.

happy brisket making!

these come with a warning ......

they're incredibly hard to stop eating.

well, for anyone with a sweet tooth, that is.

after biting into the first of these little clouds of sugary goodness, you automatically find yourself reaching for a second, a third, even a fourth and G-d forbid ..... a fifth (stuffing it in your mouth while no one is looking, of course).

in my books, there's nothing more perfect than the meringue. i have to say, i have a preference for the fully baked ones, like the meringue schalen my parents would make from two decoratively piped perfect meringues, with their insides pushed in to allow for that perfect center of vanilla whipped creme chantilly that can only be achieved by means of emulsification through a cartridge. well, sort of ..... it can still be whipped up either by hand or a mixer but somehow the texture never seems to be the same.

the following recipe is for those crunchy but melt-in-your-mouth type of meringues. they can be made plain, with nuts and chocolate chips or either of those two combinations. it all depends on how you like them. these days, not everyone can eat nuts due to allergies so these are perfect for those who are allergic to nuts or on a gluten free diet.

the basic ratio for these particular meringues is as follows (classically, there are 3 different types with different ratios and methods for making meringues):

1 egg white : 1/4 c sugar : scant 1/8 tsp cream of tartar/white vinegar : 1/4 tsp vanilla : 2 -4 tbsp nuts/choc chips

increase accordingly. never exceed 1/8 tsp of cream of tartar per egg white. it will result in a sour and off-tasting finished baked good.

the three most important things to remember when making these are making sure your eggs are at room temperature, slowly mixing in the sugar and a long, low temperature baking (time). follow these directions and you'll be rewarded with irresistible little clouds of sugary goodness.


meringue bites

always a crowd pleaser, these little snow white mounds are studded with pecans and chocolate morsels and melt in the mouth. secret to their success is long slow baking which dries them without browning them. you'll undoubtedly steal one or two from the oven along the way, "to check on them". keep a steady supply of these around and you'll be everyone's friend :)

makes 20 + some, depending on size

ingredients:

3 egg whites at room temperature
a little less than 3/8 tsp cream of tartar*

¾ c white sugar (the finer the better)
1 tsp vanilla extract

½ c chopped pecans (or other nuts)
½ - 2/3 c chocolate chips

*while cream of tartar is not absolutely essential it is highly recommended to stop sugar seepage which can occur. it also helps stabilize the egg whites tremendously. i've made them without the cream of tartar several times however it is my preference and recommendation to include it for the best meringues. as it is an acid, you can also substitute white vinegar with similar results.

method:

measure out your chocolate chips and coarsely chop the nuts you are using and set them aside for later.

in your bowl, place the egg whites and salt.

beat them until they are frothy for about 30 to 45 seconds only.

add the cream of tartar and vanilla and beat again, this time for about 2 minutes until the mixture starts to look like meringue.

start to add the sugar in 1/4 c but make sure to add it in 3 additions per 1/4 cup. the sugar must be completely worked into the meringues for a good final product. this is why using fine sugar is preferable though not absolutely necessary.

after the first 1/4 c of sugar, the texture should be quite soft.

continue adding the sugar until it is all used up and the texture has thickened. it will be snow white and quite thick.

you will know it is done when there are no sugar granules visible and you see marks such as in the photo here:

you will be able to make peaks which hold.

add your nuts and chocolate and mix together well with your spatula, lifting from the bottom.

preheat your oven to 275F.

on a parchment lined sheet, take a tablespoon and drop the batter carefully leaving at least and inch between each meringue. you may need another spoon or your finger. they shouldn't be smooth. little wisps of meringue will top each of them.

bake for only 25 minutes @ 275F and then lower the temperature to 150F. leave the meringues to dry out for at least 7 to 8 hours. turn the heat off and leave them in the oven until the oven is cold. it helps to use your timer setting on the oven to automatically turn off after the second cooking period.

it is best to make these during the evening and let them go until early morning turning off the oven when you're up. make sure to set the alarm clock!

they should be slightly off white once baked and cracked in several places.

keep these well covered as humidity destroys them.

enjoy!

perfectly parve salmon burekas

burekas (boor-ray-kahs) come in all shapes and sizes and myriad fillings — with anything from spicy ground meat, vegetables (eg. mashed potatoes & onion), cheese or fish inside their pastry. encased in either a puff type dough or a simple one made of just flour, oil and a little water or yogurt, it's no wonder why these are so popular and much loved. as my blog moniker suggests, i enjoy all kinds — especially puff pastry ones oozing with melted cheese :)

the following salmon bureka is one which does not require a lot of cutting and shaping and can be served at a dinner party or holiday or sabbath meal, as an appetizer or replacing a fish course. often, we eat these just as a light dinner course, with a soup and salad or rice.

to make this completely parve, or dairy free, i use crumbled extra firm plain tofu which is bound together with an egg. it does NOT taste like "tofu" once it is seasoned and baked and, in fact, most people don't know it's not a cheese of some sort. if you can't stand tofu, or are allergic to soy products, you can use ricotta, or ricotta mixed with a bit of feta or mozzarella, to the same effect.

if the following filling doesn't do it for you, think of this simply as a guide .... you can be inventive and use pretty much anything that suits your fancy. the only things to be mindful of are fillings which are too watery or bland. if the filling has no taste on its own before baking, chances are it won't taste like much once baked in the pastry casing. if using something like spinach, make sure it's squeezed dry before adding it to the filling mixture. burekas can also be served with a little sauce of some sort to compliment them.

salmon burekas — בורקס במילוי סלמון

makes 1 bureka roll (6 servings, approx.)

ingredients:

1/2 lb extra firm tofu [or 1 lb (500g) container ricotta*]
1/2 - 1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 egg

*you can mix the ricotta with other cheeses, like mozzarella or feta for a sharper flavour; you may not need the whole 500g of ricotta so judge accordingly. 250 g (1/2 lb) is probably enough for one bureka. using the egg with the cheese is optional but helpful in final texture. if using 250 g, you can just use the yolk and reserve the white for binding the bureka together and coating it for the sesame seeds. make sure to drain the ricotta well beforehand.

1 can salmon, or a good sized fillet of poached salmon (flaked)
1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp harissa (or other spices you like)

1/2 c sliced green or black olives
1 - 2 tbsp capers (optional)

2 hardboiled eggs, sliced or chopped (optional)

3 - 4 tbsp mayonnaise

1/2 lb (parve) puff pastry (250 g)

beaten egg, for egg wash
sesame seeds

method:

cut block of tofu in half (if using a 1 lb piece).

crumble it finely with your hand in a bowl or place in food processor (easier method). it must be finely crumbled. it should have the same texture as fine ricotta cheese — which is why it is a great substitute.

add spices and seasonings.

add egg and stir. put in fridge until using.

if using ricotta, place in bowl and add egg and seasonings. add 1 tbsp flour. stir and leave in fridge until using.

open can of salmon and drain. remove bones (and skin). you can also use poached salmon; either flake it with a fork or break it up with your fingers.

place it in a medium sized bowl and mash it finely.

add salt and harissa or spices you like. it should be highly seasoned but not oversalted. place in fridge until using.

measure out olives. make sure they are drained.

if using hardboiled eggs, either slice them or mash them up.

take puff pastry and cut it in half if it is a 1 lb pkg.

preheat the oven to 400F.

it is best to proceed now on a large piece of wax paper or parchment. i tape two pieces of wax paper together. this is to make flipping the final bureka over on the baking sheet easier and prevent any rips or breaks in the dough.

place it on a well floured surface.

roll it out very thinly into a large rectangle. the exact size isn't crucial here as long as it's very thin (approx 1/16 - 1/8", no thicker).

place the tofu or ricotta filling in the center of the pastry along the long side of the pastry. leave a 2 inch border on either end. (if you are using the chopped or sliced eggs and want them on the top layer, add them before the tofu or cheese as you will be flipping the bureka over at the end).

fold each side over loosely to gauge the size — both flaps should meet exactly when folded over each other (see below in photos to understand).

now place the layer of sliced olives evenly over the tofu or cheese.

next, add the layer of salmon. place capers on top, if using.

if adding the chopped egg, place it over evenly now.

as your final layer, add a few tablespoons of mayonnaise. this adds moisture and gives the bureka more richness. take a beaten egg and pastry brush and paint all along the edges about 1 1/2 inches wide.

fold over the sides on either side about 1 1/2 to 2 inches.

with your fingers, press the folded dough just under filling on all sides to encase it securely.

now, take a knife or scissors and cut away as per the photo. this is to ensure that the baked bureka, at either end pieces, will not be overly doughy and will cook through (otherwise you'll end up with about 5 layers on either side -- it will still cook, for the most part, if you don't cut these 4 end pieces out, but it is more refined to cut it away). only cut through the top of the flap [in an "L" shape], not the bottom part!!

fold over one long side to the edge of the filling. paint the top of the pastry with egg.

fold the other side over and gently stretch it to meet the edge of the first folded flap. I cut the side flaps before each top and bottom lengthwise fold.

now take the bureka with the wax paper or parchment and flip it over on to a baking sheet.

take the rest of the egg and paint it all over the dough. cover the top of the bureka with sesame seeds. cut 1/2 inch vents along the pastry; do not skip this.

bake the bureka at 400 F for about 45 minutes or until golden brown and you see some of the juices escaping.

tip: when baking puff pastry, the standard procedure is to place droplets of water along the edges of the baking sheet (on the parchment, not the pastry itself) to add moisture to the air. as it evaporates, it creates steam and helps the puff pastry do its "puffing".

remove from oven and let cool for about 15 minutes before cutting in slices. the bureka can also be cut lengthwise, from end to end, and then crosswise into squares.

serve warm or at room temperature with salad or rice. the slices are also good cold, straight from the fridge the next day, if any of the bureka is left.

enjoy!

using up summer's extra zucchini — another zippy appetizer

this is really more of a condiment than an full blown appetizer. called ajlouk in tunisian arabic, it is meant to be eaten in small amounts as it is usually quite spicy, though that can be adjusted to suit one's tastes. an ajlouk can also be made from other vegetables like carrots, roasted eggplant, baby potatoes, pumpkin (calabasa, dl'a'at) and squashes, etc. ajlouk is also called zaalouk by moroccans (and moroccan jews).

i first had a taste of it at my friend maurice's (family's) house while attending their sabbath celebration in israel and this is from his mother. coming from coastal north african tunisia where a once thriving and quite old jewish community prospered, most of these "tunes" now live in either france, israel or other parts of the world where french is spoken (their everyday language besides arabic). more information about this community here, here, here and here.

while not everyone enjoys the texture of zucchini which has been boiled, much is made up by the spicy paste which is added. it's worth a try :)

si vous désirez d'autres recettes tunisiennes, veuillez cliquer ici.

tunisian spicy zucchini appetizer (condiment)

served at mealtime, this condiment is eaten alongside bread or used to accent a plate of couscous. it has to sit for a few hours after making as the zucchini will absorb the flavours of the spices, lemon and oil. adjust the heat to your liking. serve at room temperature as it has little taste when cold.

makes approx. ¾ to 1 c depending on size of your zucchini.

ingredients:

1 large young zucchini* (no seeds)
¾ - 1 ½ tsp harissa paste,
or cayenne pepper (~ ¼ to ½ tsp +)
¼ tsp ground caraway seeds, heaped
¼ tsp caraway seeds, heaped
¼ tsp cumin seeds, heaped
¼ tsp ground coriander (seeds)
½ tsp smoked paprika (optional but v. good)
salt to taste

2 - 3 tbsp extra v olive oil
juice of ½ lemon juice, to taste only

optional:

black (moroccan type) olives
capers
finely chopped cilantro or parsley

*make sure your zucchini is unblemished as you need the skin for this appetizer dish. if you're not sure if your zucchini isn't going to have seeds in it, cook it whole anyway. once cooked, cut it lengthwise and scoop out the hard seeds and continue with the recipe below.

*you can replace the zucchini with another cooked (mash-able) vegetable also if zucchini is not to your liking.

method:

wash the zucchini very well. cut off the hard stem end of the zucchini and the small blossom end.

boil the zucchini in water.

cook it covered until a knife easily goes right through it. it may take up to 15 - 20 minutes.

keeping the zucchini water for soup broth or to use for cooking couscous, remove the zucchini itself and cut it in sections. let it cool completely.

with a fork or masher, crush up the zucchini well. it should be very coarse. you'll notice water and juice coming out. don't drain it — it will incorporate back into the final dish. set it aside.

in another bowl, mix together the spices.

add the harissa paste, the lemon and oil.

mix well together.

add the mashed zucchini to the spiced paste mixture and mix well.

let sit in fridge for a few hours to marinate. serve cool or at room temperature with bread or couscous.

taste and adjust seasonings. it will look sort of watery at first. once it marinates, the zucchini will absorb the flavours and it will thicken. (sorry for blurred bad pictures .... night time lighting).

if you like, you can add several chopped or whole capers and black olives (the salty, wrinkled type).

enjoy!