My thoughts on Jewish food.
Hummus ma lahma is Middle Eastern food at its most basic unfussiness. You might say this spicy, but not too spicy dish of hot ground beef melting into hummus, and wiped up with fresh pita, is the quintessential Middle Eastern comfort food. It literally takes 5 minutes to sook the meat, so if you buy …
Bourbon balls came to mind while brainstorming items to put in Purim gift packages (mishlochei manot or “shalach manos”). These fudgy, moist treats pack an alcoholic wallop. They make a lot at one time, and they look like you patchked for hours, but they’re the easiest thing in the world to make–you don’t even bake …
This lunch dish is a complete protein even without the cheese, and it’s so flavorful you won’t miss the meat. For fans of Mexican food, and in particular for vegetarians, this South of the Border-inspired meal-in-a-pot is comfort food at its best. Younger diners like to roll this into tortillas, using the grated cheese as …
We are like every other Jewish home, always looking for a new or interesting forshpeis. Just recently, we remembered eggs and onion, which is basically chopped liver without the liver. You put together some sieved, chopped, or mashed hardboiled egg (however your mom did it), with some raw chopped onion, and some schmaltz to bind …
Looking for a new, parve side for Shabbos? Trying to find a way to get your family to eat more green vegetables? This kugel is for you, Dear Reader, raising boring old zucchini to fabulous new heights. Bonus? It’s easy to prepare, especially if you use a food processor for slicing the zucchini. Zucchini Kugel …
Looking for a lunch you can take to work or on the run? This tuna and white bean salad fits the bill, offering you a walloping dose of protein to keep you perky at your desk, all day long. Of course, it also tastes good, which is the main concern with any salad you can …
Our go-to dessert when we want something easy and homey is this simple applesauce cake with its moist and tender crumb. After many years of experimentation, we decided to leave the raisins out and substitute cornstarch for some of the flour to lighten the texture. The result is a cake that practically melts in one’s …
While it’s not really appropriate for the low carb high fat people, this hearty brown rice and tomato soup is easy-to-make, stick-to-the-ribs deliciousness. It’s also the perfect vehicle for lots and lots of grated cheese, so you get that lovely stringy melted cheese topping on every piping hot bowl of soup. We have this often …
Real kishke is delicious. But no one wants to deal with cleaning an intestine to use as a casing. Instead, the modern cook gets creative and improvises a casing. Some use a cooking bag, others use aluminum foil, and then there are those of us who make do with parchment paper. None of them match …
Sometimes, you want something hot and filling without any fuss or fancy ingredients. And sometimes pasta or potatoes just don’t cut it and we want meat. Since most of us have salami and eggs in our refrigerators, this American Jewish dish has become a staple for quick, weeknight suppers. Anyone can make it, including people …