Author Archives: robertaklapper

By Yossy Arefi

“These tender cookies are an elegant teatime snack, packed with bright lemon flavor. Bake them all at once or save half of the dough, well wrapped, in the freezer for later. If you’ve frozen the dough, let it warm slightly before slicing to prevent cracked cookies.”

I just made these and ate several while they were still warm. Didn’t add the powered sugar. This is another easy, delicious, lemon recipe.

INGREDIENTS

Yield: About 40 cookies

• 1 cup/227 grams unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups/246 grams confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoon packed finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 cups/255 grams all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup/32 grams cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

PREPARATION

1. Add butter, 1¼ cups/154 grams confectioners’ sugar, and lemon zest to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the sugar is moistened, then turn the mixer to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the lemon juice and egg yolk. Mix to combine.
2. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour, cornstarch and salt, and mix until just combined.
3. Divide the dough into 2 pieces and set each piece on a length of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Fold the paper over the sticky dough, and use your hands to form it into a cylinder about 1½ inches wide. Roll the cylinder a few times to help shape it, but don’t worry if it isn’t perfect. Chill the dough until completely firm, at least 2 hours.
4. When you are ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. Slice the dough into rounds just under ¼-inch thick and arrange them at least 1-inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 12 to 17 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway though. The cookies should be golden around the edges, but not brown all of the way through.
6. Set the pans on cooling racks and cool for a few minutes. Dust both sides of the warm cookies with the remaining ¾ cup/92 grams confectioners’ sugar. Let the cookies cool completely, then store at room temperature in an airtight container. Dust with additional confectioners’ sugar just before serving, if desired.

Recipe from JR Ryall

Adapted by David Tanis

This hot lemon pudding is not a soufflé, but it has a light, airy feel. And, as it bakes, it separates into distinct layers, custardy on the bottom and spongy on top. —David Tanis. This amazing and easy to make dessert tastes exactly like lemon. meringue pie!

INGREDIENTS

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

• 1 tablespoon/15 grams unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons/225 grams granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, yolks and whites separated. (room temperature)
• 3 tablespoons/30 grams all-purpose flour
• 2 large lemons, grated and juiced (about 2 tablespoons zest and 6 tablespoons juice)
• 1 cup/250 milliliters whole milk
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
• Softly whipped cream, for serving
• PREPARATION
• Heat oven to 350 degrees and set a rack in the middle of the oven.
• Place butter in a medium mixing bowl. Gradually add sugar as you mash the mixture with a wooden spoon until it looks like damp sand.
• Mix egg yolks into sugar mixture, then beat in the flour. Add lemon zest and juice, then whisk in the milk.
• In a separate clean large bowl, beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold whites by hand gently into batter.
• Pour mixture into a 5-cup ceramic or glass baking dish (or Pyrex pie plate). Bake in the middle of the oven for about 40 minutes, or until mixture is just set and top is golden brown. (Alternatively, bake in individual ramekins or custard cups for about 20 minutes.)
• Serve warm, dusted with confectioners’ sugar, with softly whipped cream alongside. (Might not need confectioners sugar. Sweet enough!)

By Florence Fabricant

This is a wonderful recipe. The cake is very moist and has a lovely orange taste. Don’t be afraid to use the liquor. The alcohol evaporates and leaves a delicious glaze.

Yield: 1 large cake, serving 12

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• ½ pound butter, softened
• 1½ cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1¼ cups fresh orange juice
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons grated orange rind
• 2 tablespoons Cointreau, Triple Sec or Grand Marnier
• PREPARATION
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a nine-inch springform baking pan.
• Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together and set aside. Beat the butter and one-and-a-third cups of the sugar together until light, then beat in the eggs. Add the flour alternately with one cup of the orange juice. Fold in the walnuts and orange rind.
• Spread batter in prepared pan and bake about 1 hour and 10 minutes, until browned and a cake tester comes out clean.
• Shortly before the cake is finished baking, simmer the remaining one-fourth cup of orange juice with the remaining sugar and the liqueur until the mixture is reduced to about three tablespoons and is syrupy.
• As soon as the cake is done, poke it about a dozen times with a skewer, then brush the warm glaze over it. Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan.

Recipe from Marcella Hazan Adapted by The New York Times

This is a really delicious recipe. I used 1/2 cup of wine instead of a full cup, but that’s up to you, and also a combination of beef and pork.

INGREDIENTS

Yield: 2 heaping cups, for about 6 servings and 1½ pounds pasta

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons butter plus 1 tablespoon for tossing the pasta
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ⅔ cup chopped celery
• ⅔ cup chopped carrot
• ¾ pound ground beef chuck (or you can use 1 part pork to 2 parts beef)
• Salt
• Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
• 1 cup whole milk
• Whole nutmeg
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1½ cups canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, cut up, with their juice
• 1¼ to 1½ pounds pasta
• Freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese at the tab

PREPARATION

1. Put the oil, butter and chopped onion in the pot and turn the heat on to medium. Cook and stir the onion until it has become translucent, then add the chopped celery and carrot. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring vegetables to coat them well.
2. Add ground beef, a large pinch of salt and a few grindings of pepper. Crumble the meat with a fork, stir well and cook until the beef has lost its raw, red color.
3. Add milk and let it simmer gently, stirring frequently, until it has bubbled away completely. Add a tiny grating — about ⅛ teaspoon — of nutmeg, and stir ( didn’t use this).
4. Add the wine, let it simmer until it has evaporated, then add the tomatoes and stir thoroughly to coat all ingredients well. When the tomatoes begin to bubble, turn the heat down so that the sauce cooks at the laziest of simmers, with just an intermittent bubble breaking through to the surface. Cook, uncovered, for 3 hours or more, stirring from time to time. While the sauce is cooking, you are likely to find that it begins to dry out and the fat separates from the meat. To keep it from sticking, add ½ cup of water whenever necessary. At the end, however, no water at all must be left and the fat must separate from the sauce. Taste and correct for salt.
5. Toss with cooked drained pasta, adding the tablespoon of butter, and serve with freshly grated Parmesan on the side.

My family and I visited these restaurants recently, and to the first two, we returned a second time.

The Farmhouse Cafe, a farm to table eatery, is located in Cresskill, NJ. Its a charming wooden structure reminiscent of earlier days and features an all day menu “specializing in home style comfort food, hearty and healthy salads, burgers, sandwiches, soups and stews.” Seven of us went for brunch, and it didn’t disappoint. My grandson was very pleased with the choices on the kids menu and asked me to write about it. So for you, K 🙂

K FAR, “village” in Hebrew, is a bakery and cafe located in the Hoxton hotel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, just downstairs from their hit restaurant, Laser Wolf. Here, its all about reservations, but we didn’t have one the two times we went. We arrived at 11:00 for brunch and took our chances. The food is excellent – Borekas, flaky and stuffed Israeli pastry, a variety of Jerusalem Bagel sandwiches, Kubaneh Toasts (Enriched Yemenite Sabbath Bread), Salads, & Bowls and Pastries. The soft scrambled eggs were delicious as well as the YEMENITE LATTE (Cardamom, Ginger, Cinnamon). If you can’t get a table, you can order from their full menu and sit in the cafe.

And lastly, DINER, located on the corner of Berry Street and Broadway, Brooklyn, is in a 90 year old Pullman dining car and is committed to serving local, seasonal. and sustainable food. The specials change daily, and for brunch, we have tried their egg sandwich (amazing), biscuits and gravy, a fried fish sandwich, and a pork shoulder sandwich – all wonderful. Their french toast on brioche looks great (next time)!

PS: For those of you who live in NJ, I’d like to recommend Tenafly’s Europe Cafe and Grill. I’ve had lunch there twice and was pleased with their “authentic Turkish cuisine.” Their chicken and lamb “shish” (tender char-grilled cubes of chicken or lamb), served with rice and stewed vegetables, was really good. Their menu features vegetarian selections also.

David Lebovitz  My Paris Kitchen

This is an incredibly delicious dish. “Brandade de morue – or salt cod and potato purée – is a warm dish of puréed potatoes with de-salted salt cod mixed through with a generous helping of garlic, a few herbs and some cream. It’s served like an appetizer with toast and maybe a green salad. Perfect for the chilly temperatures right now.”

Ingredients:

1 lb salt cod, 2/3 cup olive oil, 6 cloves of garlic peeled and minced, 2 sprigs of thyme, 2 large potatoes (1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into small cubes, 3/4 cup heavy cream, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, sea salt or kosher salt (optional), toasted or grilled bread to serve.

Topping:

Toss 2 Tablespoons dried bread crumbs and 2 Tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese in a small bowl with a small pour of olive oil – just enough to moisten the crumbs.Set aside.

Rinse the excess salt off the pieces of salt cod and submerge in a bowl. of cold water in the refrigerator for 24 hours, changing the water at least 3 times.

Combine the olive oil, garlic and thyme in a small saucepan and heat until the oil just starts to bubble. Turn off the heat, cover, and set aside.

Drain the salt cod and put it and the potatoes in a large pot. Cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil, decrease to a simmer, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes until the fish and potatoes are tender.

Drain the cod and the potatoes. When cool enough to handle, remove any bones, skin, and tough pieces. Be sure to go through the fish carefully.

Transfer the fish and potatoes to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or by hand with a potato masher). Do not use a food processor. It will make the brandade gummy. Remove the thyme from the garlic infused oil and scrape the oil, cream , and black pepper into the potatoes. Mix on medium speed until smooth. Taste for salt.

Preheat the oven to 400*F. Butter a baking dish that will hold all the brandade and spread the mixture in it. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the brandade.

Bake for 20 or more minutes until bubbling hot and nicely browned on top.

Note: Set the pan on a baking sheet.

Note: This recipe can be made using a generous amount of unsalted butter instead of olive oil and 1/4 to 1/2 pound of shredded gruyere cheese instead of the heavy cream. Use a fork to make ridges on top of the potatoes. Bake in oven and then broil for a few minutes to brown on top. This tastes even better the second day. Reheat at 350* for 30 to 45 minutes.

By Alexa Weibel

Since I had plenty of frozen stock, I made this recipe, minus the herbs, but adding the garlic and thin egg noodles. However, this recipe is deceptive. It’s only 30 minutes if you have the stock on hand.

“Sautéing ground chicken in olive oil with garlic, coriander and celery seeds (or fennel seeds and rosemary, or herbes de Provence) creates a deeply complex base. Add the vegetables, then the stock and the noodles for a complete meal that cooks in 30 minutes. You can use egg noodles, cavatelli or alphabet noodles, but you may want to adjust the amount of stock to taste, since they’ll each absorb a different amount of liquid.”

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound ground chicken
• Salt and black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1½ teaspoons ground coriander (optional)
• ½ teaspoon celery seeds (optional)
• 2 celery stalks, halved lengthwise, then sliced ½-inch thick
• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves)
• 7 to 8 cups chicken stock, plus more as needed
• 8 ounces dried egg noodles, cavatelli or other small shaped pasta
• Chopped fresh parsley and dill for garnish

PREPARATION

1. In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Add the chicken, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until starting to crumble, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, coriander and celery seeds (if using), and cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the chicken into a small lidded bowl (to retain moisture); cover and set aside.
2. Add the celery, carrot, shallot, thyme and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until slicked with fat, 3 minutes. Add the stock (7 cups for a stew like soup or up to 8 cups for a brothy soup) and bring to a boil over high.
3. Add noodles and cook over medium-high until al dente according to package directions. (If the noodles absorb a lot of liquid, add more broth according to taste.) Add the reserved chicken and any accumulated juices and heat until warmed, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls; top with a fistful of torn herbs.
4. Note: The recipe suggests topping soup with a spoonful of crème fraîche and the torn herbs. I only used the dill and parsley.

Chicken Stock

By Samin Nosrat

Yield: About 6 quarts

• 4 pounds raw chicken bones (Whole Foods has frozen chicken bones.)
• 6 quarts water
• 2 onions, unpeeled, quartered
• 2 carrots, peeled and halved crosswise
• 2 celery stalks, halved crosswise
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 5 parsley sprigs (or 10 stems)
• 1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar

PREPARATION

1. Put everything but the vinegar in a large stockpot. Bring the stock to a boil over high heat, then turn down to a simmer.Skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Add the vinegar. (It helps draw out nutrients and minerals from the bones into the stock.)
2. Simmer the stock for 6 to 8 hours, covered, keeping an eye on it to make sure it stays at a simmer.
3. Strain the stock through a fine-meshed sieve. Let cool.
4. Scrape the fat that rises to the top. (Save it in the fridge or freezer for matzoh ball soup.) Refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

(with and without meat)

VEGETARIAN CHILI
(adapted from the Silver Palate Cookbook)

1 medium size eggplant, unpeeled, cut into ½” cubes
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1/2 cup olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, diced
1 can (28 oz) Italian plum tomatoes OR 1 1/2 lb fresh ripe Italian plum tomatoes, diced (about 6)
2 tablespoons chili powder. *(Add one tablespoon and if needed, the other.)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley, optional
1 can (15 oz) dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Toppings for the chili (cheese, sour cream, corn chips, green onions…whatever you like)

• Place eggplant in a colander and sprinkle with coarse salt.  Let stand for 30-60 minutes.  Pat dry with paper towels.
• Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven (or pot) over medium heat. Add eggplant and sauté until almost tender. Remove eggplant to a bowl or plate.
• Add onions, garlic, and green peppers to dutch oven/pot and sauté just until softened, about 10 minutes. (You might need to add more olive oil.)
• Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the cooked eggplant back to the pot as well as the canned tomatoes with liquid or fresh tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, oregano, pepper, salt, and parsley.  Cook uncovered, stirring frequently for 30 minutes.
• Add the kidney beans, and chickpeas, and cook for another 15 minutes.  The eggplant peel should be tender.
• Top with your favorite toppings.
• Note: Add 2 stalks of thinly sliced celery to the vegetable mix. I rarely use chili powder. Instead, try some crushed red pepper flakes, but go slow. Perhaps add 1/2 teaspoon and then more if necessary.

CHILI WITH GROUND BEEF

1 LB of ground beef instead of eggplant, 2 bay leaves. Optional, instead of canned beans: 1 cup of dried red beans, soaked overnight, then cooked until soft.

Sauté all the vegetables first, including celery, then add the beef. When beef is browned, add the tomatoes, lower the heat, and cover for a few minutes until the tomatoes release their juices (if you are using fresh). Uncover, add drained cooked beans, or canned, and bay leaves. Continue as above. Adjust seasoning as necessary.

Note: I like to sauté the onion and garlic first, then add the other veggies.

“Adapted from Rustic Fruit Desserts by Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson Adding the lemon syrup is an intriguing idea that was part of the original recipe. It’s tangy but does take some of the spotlight off the berries. If you want to omit it, you might want to increase the amount of cinnamon or nutmeg slightly in the batter to give it a little more pizzazz. Other fruits can be used, such as sliced or diced plums, nectarines or apricots…Raspberries can be used in place of the blueberries, or mixed with them…You can use frozen berries if you’d like. Just don’t defrost them first, since they’d get too juicy. Add them frozen, right to the batter.”

Storage: “The buckle can be kept for up to three days at room temperature, if well-wrapped. It can be frozen for up to two months. Not sure if I would pour the syrup over the buckle if I was planning on freezing it, though. You could defrost and rewarm it in a low oven, wrapped in foil, then add the syrup before you plan to serve it.”

Note: I froze it with the syrup. Not a problem!

Topping

• 4 tablespoons (55g) unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
• 1/3 cup (45g) flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Batter

• 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup (200g) sugar
• zest of 2 lemons (use the same lemons for the syrup, below)
• 1 1/2 cups (230g) + 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder, preferably aluminum-free
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (125ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
• 3 cups (1 1/2 pints, 475g) blueberries

Lemon Syrup

• 1/3 cup (65g) sugar
• juice of 2 medium lemons (about 6 tablespoons, 90ml)

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Butter a 9-inch (23cm) square cake pan.
• Make the topping by crumbling together the butter, sugar, flour and cinnamon with your hands or a pastry blender until the pieces of butter are broken up and are about the size of small peas. Set aside.
• To make the batter, in the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or by hand in a bowl using a spatula or wooden spoon, cream the butter, sugar and lemon zest together until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, stopping the mixer a few moments after you add each egg to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon or nutmeg into a medium-sized bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add half the flour mixture, then stir in the buttermilk.
• Add the remaining flour mixture, mixing just enough so it’s barely incorporated (there will still be dry bits of unincorporated flour), then remove the mixer bowl from the machine and using a flexible spatula to gently fold in the blueberries in, just until they are incorporated. Do not overmix – you don’t want to smash the blueberries and stain the batter.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top. Strew the topping over the blueberry batter and bake until the buckle is lightly browned on top and feels just set in the center; it’ll spring back lightly when you touch the center. It’ll take about 55 minutes.
• When the buckle is almost finished baking, make the syrup by heating the lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, cooking it until it thickens. It’s done when the bubbles get larger, and when removed from the heat (which you might want to do a couple of times while it’s cooking, to check), the consistency will be like warm maple syrup. It’ll take about 5 minutes.
• 8. Remove the buckle from the oven and pour the warm lemon syrup over it, letting it soak in. Serve the buckle when it’s cool enough to slice. It’s good warm or at room temperature. Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream make nice accompaniments, although none are really necessary.

Note: I suggest using fresh berries. The frozen berries made the batter “clump” together and was a little difficult to spread out. The results were still delicious!

Vegetarian:

1 cup of washed green split peas

8 cups of water

2 carrots, sliced

2 celery stalks with leaves, chopped

1 medium onion, diced

1 leek, sliced and washed (optional)

2 -3 cloves of garlic, minced (optional)

Sauté vegetables in a few tablespoons of olive oil until translucent, and then add the peas and the water.

Bring all ingredients to a boil and then simmer until peas are soft. Blend. Add salt to taste.

With a Ham Bone, or 1/2 of a 12 ounce package of salt pork, or a Ham Shank: I buy a seasoned, uncured ham shank in Whole Foods. The salt pork is also good, but you must discard it after the soup is ready. It’s too salty.

For this version, you will need: 1 1/2 cups of washed split peas, and 12 cups of water. Then same ingredients as above, plus add the leek and garlic; sauté vegetables in a few tablespoons of olive oil until translucent, and add the peas, water and ham. Simmer for about 2 hours until the ham is falling off the bone. Remove the meat, shred and return to the pan. Season to taste with salt, if necessary.

Before you put the shredded ham back in, if you wish, blend the soup.

This soup thickens as it stands.