Author Archives: robertaklapper

Fresh lemongrass is best here, but if you can’t find it, then lemongrass paste works well too.

Ingredients

CHICKEN AND MARINADE

• ▢ 600 – 800g / 1.2 – 1.6lb chicken thigh fillets , skinless and boneless or breast (or pork, beef or any seafood)
• ▢ 1 stalk lemongrass , white part only, bruised them sliced into pieces easy to pick out later (Note 1)
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped or minced
• ▢ 2 tbsp lime juice
• ▢ 2 tbsp fish sauce (Note 2)
• ▢ 1 tbsp soy sauce (all purpose or light, NOT dark soy)
• ▢ 2 tbsp brown sugar
• ▢ 1 tbsp vegetable oil

NUOC CHAM (VIETNAMESE SAUCE)

1. ▢ 1/4 cup fish sauce (Note 3)
2. ▢ 4 tbsp rice vinegar
3. ▢ 2 tbsp white sugar
4. ▢ 1/2 cup water
5. ▢ 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
6. ▢ 1 red birds eye chilli , finely chopped (or red pepper flakes)
7. ▢ 3 tbsp lime juice

NOODLE BOWL

• ▢ 200 g / 7 oz vermicelli noodles , dried
• ▢ 2 carrots , julienned
• ▢ 2 cucumbers , julienned (optional: remove seeds)
• ▢ 5 cups iceberg lettuce , finely sliced
• ▢ 3 cups bean sprouts
• ▢ Handful of mint leaves
• ▢ Handful of cilantro/coriander
• ▢ Sliced red chilli (for garnish – optional)
• ▢ Lime wedges (to serve – optional but recommended)

Instructions

LEMONGRASS CHICKEN

• Combine Chicken and Marinade ingredients and set aside for at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a fry pan over medium heat (or heat the BBQ). Remove chicken from marinade, shaking off large bits of lemongrass (small bits should fall off during cooking).
• Place chicken in the pan and cook each side until dark golden brown and chicken is just cooked through – about 6 to 8 minutes in total. 
• Remove from pan, shaking off any remaining bits of visible lemongrass and set aside to rest for 5 minutes. Then slice into thin pieces.

NUOC CHAM SAUCE

• Combine the Nuoc Cham ingredients and mix well to dissolve the sugar. Adjust to your taste (spiciness, lime, sweetness) and set aside for at least 20 minutes.

ASSEMBLE

• Soak the vermicelli noodles in hot water for 3 minutes (or according to packet instructions), then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the noodles from sticking together.
• Individual servings: Place noodles in bowl. Top with vegetables and herbs, and sliced chicken pieces. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of Nuoc Cham Sauce (be generous, ~ 4 tbsp per serving) and serve with lime wedges.

Note: After marinating the chicken, I placed it in the pan and cooked each side until golden brown. I didn’t shake off the marinade and brushed more on while it was cooking. Since I used the whole thigh with skin, I then oven roasted it for about 15 minutes at 400* to make sure it was ready. Served it whole on top of noodles. 🙂

I never thought I would ever say this, but “run, don’t walk” to Edith’s Eatery on Leonard Street in Brooklyn. It was amazing! The food is influenced by the Jewish diaspora and explores the global flavors and cultural experience of Jewish cuisine, however one doesn’t have to be Jewish to enjoy it.

Dishes we tried: Malawach, a buttery Yemenite Jewish flatbread with a side of bright green zhug (an Israeli condiment), Syrniki Pancakes, traditional Russian-style pancakes made with a farmer cheese soufflé, tart currant syrup and smetana (sour cream), and a Middle eastern breakfast consisting of mergez, eggs, malawach, and an Israeli salad. Loved it all!

Another restaurant I would like to recommend is Maman, a French bakery and cafe located on the upper west side. It is one of a chain of restaurants located in the city, but there are also two in Brooklyn and two in Canada.

We tried the croissant perdu sandwich (parisian ham, comté cheese, dijon mustard & pickles), maman’s breakfast sandwich (homemade bourbon bacon jam, avocado & oven roasted tomatoes topped with a fried egg on a cornmeal focaccia bun) and ratatouille hash* (ratatouille served over crispy smashed potatoes topped with a fried egg, green goddess dressing & cilantro.) The croissant sandwich is quite small but really tasty.

For desert, we shared a hazelnut praline croissant bun.
Delicious!

I would suggest that you arrive at both restaurants before 11:00 am, otherwise the wait time can be lengthy.

Some of Edith’s offerings

We returned to Edith’s for a family visit and, once again, found the meal to be just wonderful. This time we tried their fish platter with a homemade bagel and bialy (hot out of the oven), and their chicken schnitzel with corn bread, along with our favorite pancakes and the Malawach. Family was really impressed!!!

It’s been awhile since I recommended a restaurant to you (having eaten at several), just none that I felt were worth reporting on. However, this Japanese restaurant had ended the dry spell. It is not inexpensive, but a meal here is a treat. As you can imagine, they specialize in sushi, but their appetizers and entrees were excellent.

To start our meal, my daughters and I ordered gyoza, tofu with fish flakes, scallions, and ginger, and goma-ae, boiled spinach tossed with a sesame sauce. Then, from their kitchen, I devoured (but well-mannered) a tempura udon while they enjoyed sushi. The delicate tempura, consisting of vegetables and shrimp, was lightly battered and deep fried to create a light, crisp coating.

This restaurant is one of four in the city. For me, it’s definitely a repeat!

This is another recipe from The Fairmount Temple Sisterhood Cookbook, Cleveland, Ohio, 1957.

Ingredients:

3 Large potatoes (I used Yukon gold.)

1 large onion

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt (or to your taste)

3 Tablespoons of flour

8 Tablespoons of melted butter, divided (Oil can be substituted for butter.)

3 eggs

Directions: Heat oven to 400.* Add 4 Tablespoons of butter to baking dish and place in oven. Grate potatoes and onion (by hand or processor). Squeeze out as much liquid as you can and drain well. Mix in all dry ingredients, then add rest of melted butter. Beat eggs and blend in. When the butter is very hot in the baking dish, pour in the pudding mixture. Bake uncovered for about one hour or until brown.

Note: Squeeze the grated potatoes and onions in a strainer over a bowl. When the liquid is poured off, there will be potato starch left in the bottom of the bowl. Add this to the mix.

New recipe:

This potato kugel’s crunchy top gives way to a super-soft, almost mashed-potato center, and the soft aroma of onion will fill your kitchen. —Francis Lam

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

• 6 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and coarsely shredded (or about 3 pounds)
• 5 eggs
• 1/2 to 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1-2 teaspoons black pepper
• 2 medium onions, coarsely shredded
• 6 tablespoons olive oil, plus 4-6 tablespoons more for greasing pan
• 3/4 cup matzoh meal
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder, optional

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. When oven is preheated, add 4-6 tablespoons of olive oil to a 9×13 Pyrex dish and put into the oven to heat up.
3. Whisk eggs together in a large bowl with salt and pepper
4. Using a food processor fitted with the grating plate (or by hand), grate the onion and then the potato. Quickly add the potatoes and onions to the eggs, and add the oil, matzoh meal, and baking powder, if using. Mix well.
5. When oil has been heating about 10 minutes, remove from oven.
6. Add a small spoonful of the potato mixture and if it starts sizzling, it is hot enough. If not, put it back in the oven for a few minutes.
7. When oil is ready, add the entire potato mixture and spread in a even layer using an offset spatula or large spoon.
8. Bake for 40-50 minutes until crispy around the edges and golden brown on top.
9. Allow to cool slightly before cutting into squares. Serve warm or room temperature.

NYT recipe by Dorie Greenspan,

Lemon poppy seed cake is my all time favorite dessert. I like this recipe, because it is made strictly by hand. The only fault I find is that I would prefer more of a lemon taste. Perhaps doubling the amount of lemon juice from 2-4 tablespoons and adding more juice to the glaze would give it the lemony taste I’m looking for.

FOR THE CAKE:

• 5 ½ tablespoons/78 grams unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus softened butter for the pan
• 1 ½ cups/192 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 ¼ cups/250 grams granulated sugar
•  Finely grated zest of 1 lemon or 1 tangerine, plus 2 tablespoons juice
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup/120 milliliters heavy cream, at room temperature
• ⅓ cup/47 grams poppy seeds

FOR THE GLAZE (OPTIONAL):

• 1 cup/120 grams confectioners’ sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon poppy seeds, for sprinkling

Directions:

Make the cake: Center a rack in the oven and heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8 1/2-inch loaf pan. Place the pan on 2 stacked baking sheets or an insulated baking sheet.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.

Put the sugar in a large bowl, add the lemon or tangerine zest, and rub together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and aromatic.

Add the eggs, one by one, whisking each vigorously before adding the next.

Whisk in the juice and vanilla, and then whisk in the heavy cream until smooth.

 Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, using the whisk to gently stir the dry ingredients into the batter.

When the flour is incorporated, add the butter in 2 additions, again stirring gently with the whisk. You should have a thick, smooth, shiny batter.

Switch to a flexible spatula and stir in the poppy seeds.

Scrape the batter into the pan. Bake until the cake has risen and cracked along the center and, most important, a tester inserted deep into the cake comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes.

Take a look at it after about 45 minutes and tent it loosely with foil if it’s getting too dark too fast. 

Transfer the pan to a rack, cool for 5 minutes, and then run a table knife between the cake and the pan.

Cool to room temperature. Make the glaze, if you like:

Stir together the confectioners’ sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice until smooth. If needed, add more juice, a drop at a time, until you have an icing that falls slowly from the tip of a spoon.

Spread it over the cooled cake to coat evenly, sprinkle with poppy seeds and let stand until set. Wrapped well, the cake will keep at room temperature for about 4 days; unglazed, it can be frozen for up to 1 month.

Poppy Seed Teacake

The Fairmont Temple Sisterhood Cookbook, Cleveland, Ohio, 1957. Handed down from my mother, cooking stains and all, this cookbook is a treasure trove of delicious recipes. I will be sharing them with you as I try them.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 cup cold water

1/2 cup baking cocoa

Mix the above and set aside.

2/3 cup shortening, softened ( I used butter.)

1 3/4 cups sugar ( If you plan on frosting the cake, I suggest using 1 1/4 cups sugar. Otherwise, it will be too sweet.)

2 eggs

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups cake flour sifted 3 times with 1/2 teaspoon salt (I used all purpose flour.)

Directions:

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add eggs. Combine buttermilk and vanilla and add. Add sifted flour with salt. Mix 2 minutes on medium speed. Add cocoa mixture and blend well. Bake in 2 greased and floured 9 inch pans at 350* for 25 to 30 minutes. Insert a toothpick to check if done. It should come out clean.

When cool, frost.

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

1/3 cup soft butter

1/2 cup cocoa

2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners sugar

*3 or more Tablespoons of heavy cream

1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla

Beat all ingredients together until smooth.

Note: Use as much cream as you need to make a spreading consistency.

This recipe is from The Fairmont Temple Sisterhood Cookbook, Cleveland, Ohio, 1957. It’s sensational and well worth the effort!

Ingredients:

4-5 pound chicken cut in pieces

1 stalk celery

1 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons flour

2 egg yolks

1/2 cup cream

1/2 pound mushrooms, sauteed

2 Tablespoons chopped parsley

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:

Cover chicken with boiling water and add celery. Simmer about *2 hours until tender. Twenty minutes before done, add onions and salt. Remove chicken, onions, and celery from broth. Continue to boil broth until have 2 cups, strain. Cut chicken from bones and leave in large pieces.

Slightly beat yolks and cream, reserving 2 Tablespoons of this mixture for later use. Melt butter, blend in flour and add broth and yolk/cream mixture. Stir constantly and cook for 2 minutes. Season. Add mushrooms, onion and chicken (If you prefer, add frozen peas and carrots instead of mushrooms.) Put in casserole and cover with the following crust.

*Note: Original recipe called for hen which would take longer to cook. Two hours might be too long.

Crust:

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons butter

6 Tablespoons milk

Sift dry ingredients together. Cut in butter and gradually add milk, mixing to a soft dough. roll 1/4 inch thick. After covering casserole with crust, slit dough before baking. Brush lightly with reserved yolk/cream mixture. Bake at 450* for 15 minutes, reduce to 350* and bake for 15 minutes longer.

A small, store front restaurant on Nevins Street in Brooklyn, specializing in Onigiri and Miso soup.

This is more of a takeout place, but it does have some limited seating – for a few people inside and outside! The food, however, is wonderful.

They specialize in “Onigiri”, a rice ball made with organic brown rice in a variety of flavors, Bento Boxes for a “nutritious and well balanced meal,” soups, seaweed, fermented and pickled vegetables, and a variety of teas.

Another restaurant Adam and I tried was Pacificana, a pioneer for dim sum and upscale Cantonese in Sunset Park. We arrived at I:00 pm on a Sunday, and had no trouble being seated. Earlier could be a problem. The dim sum came fast and furious, and our favorites were the miniature pork buns and congee, a rice soup flavored with chicken. The next time we go, I would like to order from their extensive menu. Parking is extremely difficult in Sunset Park, but fortunately, there is a parking garage next to the restaurant ($5.50/ hour). If you have time, do walk around this vibrant and exciting neighborhood.

This is my most favorite recipe to make for the holidays but delicious even after!

Ingredients

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 cup of solid vegetable shortening (margarine)

1/4 cup of unsalted butter at room temperature ( 1/2 stick of butter)

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup dark molasses

1 large egg

ice water

raw sugar

Preparation:

Sift first six ingredients into a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat shortening, butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and molasses to butter mixture and beat until blended. Mix in dry ingredients. Refrigerate dough for one hour.

Preheat oven to 350*F. Lightly butter cookie sheets.

Roll dough into 1 and 1/4 inch balls.

Dip balls quickly into ice water and roll in sugar to coat. Arrange on prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake until cookies are pale golden and cracked on top, but still soft to touch, about 10 minutes. Let stand 1 minute. Using a metal spatula, transfer to a rack and cool completely.

Note: I use all butter instead of butter and shortening. It might be a denser cookie with the combination.

I have been looking for this recipe for quite a few years. When my family and I were on the macrobiotic diet, this was one of their favorite meals. The recipe has actually been sitting right in front of me in a very old cookbook, Lima Ohsawa’s Just Cooking. Curiosity had me browse through it once again, and not only did I rediscover this wonderful recipe but the next one as well!

Ingredients:

Oil for deep frying

1 cup unbleached white flour

1 cup water, approximately

1 teaspoom sea salt

2 cups cooked chick peas

1 cup minced onion

Directions: Fill a heavy skillet or deep fryer with 3 inches of oil and heat to 360* F. (If you don’t have a thermometer, oil is ready when a single, test chickpea sizzles in the oil.) Combine the flour with enough water to form a rather thick batter. Add salt and stir in the chickpeas and minced onions. Drop into the hot oil by the spoonful, and deep fry until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels.

Chickpea Croquettes

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons neutral oil

1 small onion minced, 1 small carrot grated

3 cups of cooked chickpeas mashed

1 teaspoon of sea salt

2-3 rounded tablespoons of unbleached flour

Oil for deep frying

1-2 eggs beaten

2-3 cups of bread crumbs

Directions: Heat a heavy skillet and coat with 2 tablespoons of oil. Saute the onion over medium heat, stirring gently for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the carrots, then the chickpeas, mixing the ingredients together, and season with the sea salt. Transfer to a large bowl and add enough of the flour to hold the mixture together. Form into about 10 croquettes.

Note: After I sauteed the onion and the carrot, I used my food processor to roughly puree the un-mashed chickpeas with the vegetables. (Pulse until it is a fairly uniform texture, careful to stop before it turns into too smooth a puree. You want it to form into patties that hold their shape.) Transfer the “mash” to a clean bowl, adding the salt and flour, and mixing it all together to form the croquettes.

Coat the croquettes with flour, dip in beaten egg, then roll in breadcrumbs. Pan fry in hot oil and brown on both sides until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels.