My thoughts on Jewish food.
When Rosh Hashana nears, a cook’s fancy turns lightly to fish. After all, it’s one of the symbolic foods we eat at holiday time. One extremely addictive way to prepare and eat fish is that ubiquitous dish served in Moroccan Jewish homes every Friday night. They call it simply “fish” and everyone else calls it …
With Rosh Hashana around the corner, canny chefs prepare dishes that can freeze to relieve some of the pressure of cooking for so many festive meals for so many people. Meat freezes very well, so it’s a good choice for this purpose. And while some people like fancy shmancy food at the holidays, others are …
The first thing I do, each and every Friday morning, is peel 2 pounds of shallots, chop them finely in the food processor, and then start them caramelizing in a skillet in lots of quality oil. The caramelization process occurs as a result of the natural sugars in shallots. Just as sugar will turn brown …
Chimichurri sauce, a sauce used in Argentina and Uruguay that is popular in Israeli eateries, is amazing stuff. You can use it as an amazing marinade for chicken, or as a sauce to pump up the flavor of grilled meats. You can mix it with tehina for an awesome salad dressing. Heck—you could probably eat …
It’s summer, it’s hot, and you feel too lazy to cook. Not to mention, who wants hot food when it’s HOT? This gazpacho is the perfect answer. It gets better with age, and makes a great pick-me-up when you want a snack or you don’t feel like having a full meal. If you aren’t averse …
In summer, our thoughts turn to lighter, cooler desserts. These just hit the spot so nicely after a great Shabbos meal. My family loved this chocolate mint mousse pie I whipped up Friday morning. The downside? It took up precious space in my fridge. That problem was quickly eliminated as my family devoured the pie …
This morning my senses were affronted by a Facebook how-to video on making rainbow hummus. It not only required you to wash a blender about a hundred million times, it looked absolutely disgusting—really foul! I like a good plate of chickpea mush as much as the next one, but let’s face it, no reason to …
Pickled lemons? You’re probably imagining someone taking a bite out of a lemon as if it were an apple. But pickled lemons, also known as “preserved lemons” aren’t at all like, for instance, pickled cucumbers. Pickled lemons are more like a Mediterranean condiment. You use the peel to add brightness and depth of flavor to …
A new study out of Yale University tells us that the brain sees the combination of carbs and fats as more rewarding than either of these nutrients taken separately. People are more willing to pay more money for foods that combine the two, for instance, potato chips, than for foods representing only one or the …
We’ve all been there: been angry because we’re hungry, otherwise known as being “hangry.” It happens when we’re dieting, fasting for religious reasons, or when it’s just too long until our next snack or meal. Whatever the reason, being hangry is nasty for you and for everyone in your general vicinity. Psychology and neuroscience doctoral …