Author Archives: robertaklapper

By Nargisse Benkabbou

A traditional Moroccan cake typically served for tea or breakfast, meskouta is made with ingredients you likely have on hand, and it doesn’t require a mixer. Extra-virgin olive oil makes it moist on the inside and golden on the outside. 

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CAKE:

• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons/150 milliliters extra-virgin olive oil, more for greasing the pan
• 2 cups/260 grams all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons/180 grams granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons/180 grams Greek-style yogurt
•  Zest of 2 oranges (about 2 tablespoons)
• ⅓ cup/80 milliliters fresh orange juice (from about 1 orange)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease a 8½-by-4½-inch loaf pan with olive oil, and line it with a sheet of parchment paper so that you have extra on the sides. (You’ll use this to lift the loaf out of the pan.) Note: If you don’t mind using butter to grease the pan, the cake will slide out easily without the parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well combined. In another large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and eggs until well combined. Add the yogurt, olive oil, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla extract to the sugar and egg mixture, and whisk until well incorporated.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix using a spatula until you no longer see flecks of flour, making sure not to overmix. (The batter will be slightly lumpy.) Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and use a spatula to spread into an even layer.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with some small, moist crumbs. (If the cake needs another minute or two, but is becoming too brown, tent with foil.) Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before using the parchment overhang to remove from the pan.

OOTOYA’s specialty is traditional Japanese home cooking in set-meal style, or teishoku. Here, a healthy and balanced meal consists of one soup, and three other components (main dish, rice, and side dish plus salad and homemade pickles) served on a tray to create a healthy and balanced meal.

1. Choose Your Entree
2. Choose Your Rice
3. Choose Your Sides
4. Choose Your Salad Dressing
5. Add Your Favorite

The price of your meal depends on your choices, but I found that this was not an expensive restaurant, and the food was unusually good. Before you go, I would suggest you familiarize yourself with their menu online. It can be somewhat confusing the first time you see it. They also have two other locations in NYC – in Chelsea and Union Square.

I make this bread every Thanksgiving as an accompaniment to our turkey dinner. It’s easy and delicious, but be careful not to over mix.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
• 2 tablespoons shortening (I use melted butter.)
• 1 egg, well beaten
• 1 1/2 cups Ocean Spray® Fresh or Frozen Cranberries, coarsely chopped (They can be left whole.)
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in orange juice, orange peel, shortening and egg. Mix until well blended. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Spread evenly in loaf pan. 

Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely. Wrap and store overnight. Makes 1 loaf (16 slices).

Indian table pays homage to the food, art and culture of India in the dynamic Brooklyn neighborhood of Carroll Gardens.

It’s so much fun walking around this vibrant community – so many interesting shops and restaurants. I had gotten the recommendation for The Indian Table from Eater.com, and it didn’t disappoint. This inviting restaurant is exceptionally clean, cozy and the aromas coming from the kitchen are just wonderful.

For appetizers, we started with: Golden Bhel (Rice puffs, masala roasted split pea, peanut, onion and lemon juice),Shammi Kabab (Lamb Pattie, chickpea, roasted garlic, clove, peppercorn, mint, and cilantro, and Pomegranate Samosas (potato – green peas, pomegranate, and star anise). The Golden Bhel and Samosas were exceptional. The samosa dough was unusually delicate and crisp.

The dish for our main course, Lal Maas, (traditional Rajasthani goat curry, vinegar, red chilli paste, and spices) served with basmati rice was also delicious, along with Garlic Naan, (white flour bread flavored with garlic) to sop up the plentiful sauce. The Naan also was extraordinary. Its dough was light, flavorful, and well baked.

And for desert, my favorite, Saffron Rice Kheer (basmati rice, saffron, rose essence, and condensed milk.

Definitely a repeat!

NYT recipe by Mark Bittman

YIELD: 6 to 8 servings

This recipe is proof-positive that leftover bread can easily be converted to dessert without much work. 

There’s room for customization here: consider adding fresh or dried fruit or a combination of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cardamom. 

It makes a great brunch dish, served with fresh fruit compote.

 INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups milk (or oat milk)
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, more for greasing pan
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup sugar
•  Pinch salt
• ½ loaf sweet egg bread like challah or brioche, cut into 2-inch cubes (about 5 to 6 cups)
• 2 eggs, beaten 

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm milk, butter, vanilla, sugar and salt. Continue cooking just until butter melts; cool. Meanwhile, butter a 4-to-6-cup baking dish and fill it with cubed bread.
2. Add eggs to cooled milk mixture and whisk; pour mixture over bread. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until custard is set but still a little wobbly and edges of bread have browned. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*Note: I made this with half a loaf of brioche but imagine challah would be just as wonderful. I added two apples, peeled and cubed, raisins and cinnamon, sprinkled sliced almonds on top (or chopped walnuts or pecans) and served it warm.

Memorie di Angelina: “This is basically a chicken breast piccata but one where you first dip the chicken breasts in a light egg batter and pan-fry them to a golden brown before simmering them in a sauce of wine, chicken broth and lemon. The savory egg batter and lemony sauce really do wonders for the rather bland flavor of the chicken breasts.”

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• 4 skinless chicken breasts
• Flour. (NYT recipe: 1 cup)
• 2 eggs
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil (NYT recipe: 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup vegetable oil)

For the sauce:

• 1/2 lemon, sliced into thin rounds
• A splash of dry white wine
• 500ml (2 cups) chicken broth, preferably homemade
• Juice of 1/2 lemon, or to taste
• 1 Tb butter 
• 1 Tb flour
• Salt and pepper

To finish the dish:

• Finely minced parsley

Directions

With a sharp kitchen knife, cut each chicken breast lengthwise in two thin cutlets. Take each scallop and pound it gently to thin it out a bit further. Trim off any gristle or rough edges. 

Dredge each chicken cutlet in flour, seasoned generously with salt and pepper, and then dip it in the egg to coat lightly. 

In a large skillet, over moderate heat, brown the chicken cutlets on both sides in olive oil and set aside. 

(NYT: Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, lightly dredge the chicken in flour and shake off any excess. Dip into egg batter, let excess batter drip back into the bowl and place in the skillet. Fry, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Adjust the heat as the cutlets cook so they brown slowly and evenly, with a steady bubbling. Transfer to the paper-towel-lined pan and repeat with remaining cutlets.)

(NYT: When all cutlets are browned, remove the pan from the heat and pour off the oil. Return the pan to low heat.) 

Add a splash of white wine to the skillet and let it evaporate almost entirely, then add the chicken broth. Let everything simmer for a few minutes so the flavors meld. Add the flour, kneaded together with the butter into a small ball and whisk it into the liquid, which should thicken into a sauce like consistency. Add the chicken cutlets back into the skillet, along with the lemon slices, and let everything simmer in the sauce for a minute or two to warm up. If need be, add more broth or water so you have ample sauce for napping the cutlets, but they shouldn’t ‘swim’ in it.

At the last moment, taste and adjust the sauce for seasonings, then drizzle in the lemon juice. 

Serve the chicken cutlets hot, napped with the sauce and garnished with the lemon slices and minced parsley.

Note: Absolutely delicious, however, rather messy. Whenever I’ve made it, the stove needs a good cleaning afterward. If you don’t mind the cleanup, you will love this dish.

Also, taste before adding lemon juice.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces block quality feta, drained 
• ▢ ¾ cup Greek yogurt
• ▢ 1 lemon zest
• ▢ 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, more as needed
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, or red pepper flakes (to your taste)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, optional
• ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, optional
• ▢ 2-3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, optional
• ▢ 1-2 tablespoons crushed pistachios, optional

Whip the feta. Combine the feta, Greek yogurt and lemon zest in a food processor and blend. While the processor is running, drizzle the olive oil through the top opening, until the feta is whipped to a smooth texture. (You may need to drizzle more olive oil while the processor is running.)

Garnish and Serve! Transfer the feta dip to a serving plate and smooth the top of the feta, making a well in the middle. Drizzle more olive oil all over and add the Aleppo pepper, herbs, and nuts. Serve with pita chips or pita wedges. 

• Use high quality feta cheese. For this recipe, you want to look for a block of a creamy Greek or French feta. Avoid crumbled feta, which is too dry, and won’t taste as good in this recipe.
• Use quality olive oil. Olive oil is used twice in this recipe, so you want to be sure you’re using a high quality, good tasting oil that is going to add flavor and richness to the dip.
• Serve immediately. While leftovers will last in the fridge, take full advantage of the whipped, creamy goodness by enjoying this feta dip immediately after preparing. Once it chills in the fridge, the texture will thicken.

Plain whipped feta will last in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let leftovers come to room temperature before trying to dip your pita or veggies.

252 VARET ST, BUSHWICK: Serving tea, coffee and freshly baked traditional Persian breads & pastries.

Sofreh Cafe is a must if you enjoy your coffee or tea with incredible breads, little spreads, and delicious pastries. Many of Sofreh Cafe’s sweets, including its custard donut, are made with rose-petals. The cafe is atmospheric but also somehow cozy. The walls of exposed brick are covered in spotty white paint, and plants hang from a skylight in the ceiling. 

We tried the barabari bread. It is firm but chewy and sprinkled with sesame and nigella seeds. They give the bread a slight herbal spiciness that complements the texture.

In addition to the cafe, owner Nasim Alikhani and her partner Ali Saboor, who is the head chef at Sofreh’s famed Prospect Heights restaurant, are opening a *new full-service restaurant next door. Can’t wait!!!!

*Eyval opened at 25 Bogart street, at Varet Street, in Bushwick, on March 23, 2022. Right now they are open only for dinner, but eventually will be open for lunch and brunch. Keep checking!

On another visit, I brought home two kinds of pirashki – rounds of well baked soft bread surrounding a brisket or mushroom core. Either one will make an excellent lunch if you are desirous of more hearty fare.

By Melissa Clark

This pumpkin quick bread is everything you love about the traditional version, but with a ribbon of spiced-chocolate-nut streusel running through the center and topped with more of the same.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE STREUSEL:

•  1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
•  1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•  1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ tablespoon cold butter  
• ¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips

FOR THE CAKE:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
•  1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•  1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
•  1/2 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup light brown sugar
•  1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
•  2 large eggs
•  1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• ½ cup sour cream
• ½ tablespoon dark rum (Didn’t have rum , so used 2 teaspoons of vanilla instead of 1.)
•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

PREPARATION

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a nonstick 9-inch loaf pan. (Or, if the pan is not nonstick, line with parchment paper and butter the paper.)
2. Prepare the streusel: In a bowl, combine the brown sugars, nuts, cinnamon and ginger. Cut in butter with pastry blender or your fingers until mixture is crumbly.
3. Divide the mixture in half and add the chocolate chips to one half. Leave the other plain and set it aside for the topping.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
5. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat sugars and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin, sour cream, rum and vanilla extract; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture.
6. Spoon half of the batter into pan. Sprinkle the chocolate chip streusel over the batter, not allowing streusel to touch sides of pan. Top with remaining batter. Make sure batter layer touches edges of pan. Sprinkle remaining streusel on the top.
7. Bake for about 40 to 50 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool for 30 minutes in pan on wire rack. Unmold and cool completely.

Note: When I unmolded the cake, most of the streusel topping fell off. Perhaps gently press the streusel topping into the batter?

Additional Note: I have made this cake twice, and the second time I used a can of Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin. Originally I used an organic pumpkin puree which had a drier consistency. I was generous with the 1/2 cup measurements of pumpkin and sour cream, and the cake came out much moister. Definitely better!

by Tom Valenti

This meatloaf is perfect for a special dinner or a celebration. It wows every time!

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme leaves
*3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (Start with less. You can always add more.)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 cup milk
2 pounds ground meat (equal parts beef, pork, and veal preferred)
*2/3 cup crushed saltines (You can use bread crumbs, instead.)
1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon coarse salt (Again, start with less.)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces thinly sliced bacon (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Pour the oil into a sauté pan and set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the eggs, thyme, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, and milk.

Place the ground meat into another bowl and pour the egg mixture over the meat. Add the saltines, parsley, onion, and garlic to the bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Roll up your sleeves, and knead the meat together with the other ingredients until well blended (if you like, cook a small portion of the mixture in a pan, taste, and adjust seasoning). Transfer to a cookie sheet and form into a loaf. If using the bacon, wrap the slices lengthwise over the top and tuck them under the loaf, to completely cover the meat.

Bake for 1 hour or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf reads 160 degrees. Remove from the oven and set aside to rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve with mashed potatoes.

Serves 6

An Everyday Meat Loaf

Occasionally, my mother’s generation used ketchup as an ingredient, and the results were delicious. In this recipe, it adds a slightly sweet and tangy flavor.

Combine: 1 pound of 80% ground beef, 4 tablespoons onion (minced), 1 small clove of garlic (minced), 4 tablespoons breadcrumbs (preferably unsalted), 4 tablespoons water, 1 beaten egg, 1 scant teaspoon salt, pepper.

Shape into a loaf pan. Evenly spread some ketchup on top. Bake at 350* until firm to the touch. Serve with mashed potatoes and a green vegetable.