Author Archives: robertaklapper

This is a moist cake loaded with shredded zucchini, crunchy walnuts, and chunks of tart Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples. A sweet nutmeg glaze finishes it off (theviewfromgreattisland.com).

The recipe calls for using a bundt pan, however I made it in 2 loaf pans. It’s so good, it doesn’t need a glaze.

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup vegetable or nut oil (or melted, unsalted butter)
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg, more if you love it
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 cups all purpose flour, remember to fluff it first, then scoop, then level for an accurate measurement.
• 4 cups shredded zucchini
• 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and diced (do not peel)
• 1 1/2 cup rough chopped walnuts

Note: I wanted to add another apple, so I reduced the shredded zucchini to about 3 1/2 cups.

glaze

• 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
• milk or cream to thin, several tablespoons
• freshly grated nutmeg

garnish

• chopped walnuts

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a nonstick bundt pan with cooking spray, or lightly butter and flour the pan, tapping off any excess flour.
• In a very large bowl whisk the eggs, sugar, and oil, or melted butter, together. Blend in the spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Fold in the flour, then zucchini, apple, and walnuts. Turn into the bundt pan and smooth out if necessary.
• Bake for 60 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out without wet batter clinging to it (moist crumbs are fine.)
• Let cool 10 minutes, then loosen the cake around all edges with a blunt knife, and invert onto a platter or cooling rack. Let cool completely before glazing.
• To make the glaze, whisk the sugar with enough milk or cream to make a pourable glaze. Start with 3 Tbsp and work up from there. Add freshly grated nutmeg to taste.
• Pour the glaze over the cooled cake and top with a dusting of crushed walnuts.

As good as it looks!

The 15 Hottest New Restaurants in Brooklyn, September 2021 from EATER NEW YORK

Today we tried Sobre Masa, a Mexican café – bar restaurant in Williamsburg. They offer 11 different types of high-quality tortillas made from multi-colored heirloom corn transformed into a variety of Mexican specialties. The chef, Zack Wangeman, from Oaxaca, Mexico, hopes one day Sobre Masa is a space that not only make delicious tortillas but can also promote the culture around corn.

The space is large and airy with a coffee and pastry bar on one side. Since we didn’t have a reservation, we were seated at a window bar facing Broadway. Actually quite nice. Adam ordered two dishes: Sope, refried black beans in avocado leaf, queso fresco, avocado and pico de gallo and a crisp taco beautifully arranged with cauliflower and veggies on top. I ordered the Poblano breakfast taco, soft scrambled eggs, charred poblano rajas, queso fresco and salsa verde. The Sope and Poblano were especially delicious. We would like to return to try their Sunday Special for two (or three?): Carnitas estilo Michoacán, a pound of pork carnitas made in the classic style of Michoacán, served with tortillas and salsas.

Sobre Masa: YES!

Actually served with salsa verde

I viewed several rather complicated recipes, ones in which the veggies must be seeded, skinned or peeled, or specific combinations simultaneously roasted on two or more sheet pans. I do neither. Below is my simple recipe to make this delicious vegetarian dish.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 medium white onions
• 3 medium zucchinis
• 2 medium Japanese eggplants***
• 3 sweet red peppers, such as bell peppers, red cubanelle or any other sweet variety
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary (optional)
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme. (optional)
• fresh basil leaves (optional)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 -3 large, ripe heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes***
• 2 small bay leaves, ripped in half
• 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt, more as needed
•  Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare the vegetables: Trim off the ends of the eggplant and zucchini. Do not peel. Smash, peel, and mince 4 garlic cloves. Halve onions through their roots, and slice halves into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. Slice zucchini into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Cut eggplant into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Seed peppers, and cut them into 1/4-inch-thick strips.***
3. Cut tomatoes into eighths. Spread all the vegetables on a rimmed baking sheet or in a large heavy casserole. Add bay leaves and sprigs of rosemary and thyme, if using.
4. Sprinkle salt and pepper lightly over vegetables.
5. Drizzle them with olive oil. Everything should have a good coat of oil but should not be drowning in it.
6. Cook for at least 1 hour, stirring every 15 to 20 minutes, until vegetables are very tender and imbued with juices and oil. Add salt and pepper to taste, some fresh basil leaves, if desired, then serve warm, or let cool.

***new ingredients and directions; peel eggplant if using another variety

This recipe is from The Democratic Republic of Congo. I am presenting the recipe as it appears in the cookbook, Share, edited by Alison Oakervee, however, will note how I adjusted the recipe. Makes 16-20 fritters, or more.

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch of paprika

2 eggs

1 cup milk (half milk, half water or 1 cup of water, instead)

1 1/2 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)

1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions

1/2 cup chopped parsley, cilantro, or baby spinach (optional)

salt and pepper (scant 1/2 teaspoon salt)

Vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

Place flour in a large bowl with baking powder and seasonings. Stir to combine.

Beat together the wet ingredients, then gradually add to the dry to make a batter. Stir in corn, scallions, and chopped herbs, if using.

In a frying pan, heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil, then drop heaping spoonfuls of batter into the pan in batches. Cook 2-3 minutes per side until browned. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

Jamaican Salt Fish Fritters

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces dried salted cod fish 
• cold water to cover
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1 large tomato chopped (optional)
• 2 green onions chopped (double this if not using tomato)
• vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

Soak the cod in cold water overnight to rehydrate it and remove excess salt. You may have to rinse several times.

Remove any bones and skin. Flake and shred the fish into small pieces and set aside.

Sift flour, baking powder, and pepper into a large bowl. Add the diced tomatoes (if using), green onions, and flaked cod. Pour in 1/2 cup water and stir until everything is blended.

Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, drop rounded spoonfuls of batter into the skillet. Fry on each side until golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

This recipe, adapted from crisp zucchini pancakes popular in Turkey, was modified by Elaine Louie for The New York Times. She writes, “The trick to making the pancakes crisp and not soggy is to squeeze all the water out of the zucchini before mixing it with the other ingredients. A little brute force is required.” They can be served plain or with the suggested yogurt sauce.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 medium zucchini (about 1 pound), shredded
•  Salt
•  freshly ground black pepper
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 3 scallions, finely chopped
• ⅓ cup finely chopped dill
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 4 to 6 tablespoons vegetable oil, more as needed

For the yogurt sauce:

• ⅔ cup plain yogurt
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt

PREPARATION

FOR THE PANCAKES

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place zucchini in a colander over a bowl, and mix with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Allow to drain for five minutes. Squeeze hard to extract as much moisture as possible. Squeeze a second time; volume will shrink to about half the original.

In a large mixing bowl, combine zucchini and eggs. Using a fork, mix well. Add flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt (might not need salt here), olive oil, feta, scallions, dill and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Mix well, add baking powder, and mix again.

Place a cast iron skillet or other heavy skillet over medium heat. Add 4 tablespoons vegetable oil and heat until shimmering. Place heaping tablespoons of zucchini batter in pan several inches apart, allowing room to spread. Flatten them with a spatula if necessary; pancakes should be about 3/8 inch thick and about 3 inches in diameter.

Fry until golden on one side, then turn and fry again until golden on other side. Repeat once or twice, frying about 5 to 6 minutes total, so pancakes get quite crisp. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels, and keep warm in oven. Continue frying remaining batter, adding more oil to pan as needed. Serve hot.

For yogurt sauce: In a small bowl, combine yogurt, garlic and salt. Mix well, and serve on the side or on pancakes.

The Daily Meal: 101 Best Pizza’s in America for 2020. “These pizzas all have one thing in common: they’re delicious!”

Lunch, yesterday (you guessed it), was pizza. We tried to return to Leo, on Havemeyer Street in Williamsburg, for their Margherita Pizza and Caesar Salad (lettuce, anchovies, strips of parmesan, bread cubes) but couldn’t find a parking space, so we did the next best thing. We found one a few blocks away right in front of L’industrie Pizzeria, another favorite, on South 2nd Street. According to the above article, the slices are “so light it’s almost as if you inhale them.” I couldn’t agree more. I had my favorite, Margherita, while Adam enjoyed Burrata, which contrasts warm tomato sauce with cool, creamy cheese over a paper-thin crust.

Another place the list recommends is the original Roberta’s, in Bushwick, but, from their website, I noticed that they also have two locations in LA. We’ve tried many of their menu items and love their homemade bread and butter, Marinated Cucumbers, Little Gem Salad (similar to Caesar), and a variety of their pizzas.

If you have time, peruse the list. I’m quite sure you’ll find excellent pizza somewhere near you. There are eight more choices in Brooklyn (DiFara, Cuts and Slices, Emmy Squared, Juliana’s, L&B Spumoni Gardens, ZuriLee, Pauli Gee’s, and Lucali’s), Louie and Ernie’s Pizza in the Bronx, Last Dragon Pizza in Queens, and seven in NYC (Rubirosa, Scarrs, Joe’s Pizza, Lombardi’s, Prince Street Pizza, John’s of Bleecker Street, and Patsy’s Pizzeria).

In Orange NJ, it’s Star Tavern, and in Philly, Pizza Shackamaxo, Nomad Pizza, and Pizzaria Beddia. For family in LA, there’s also Pizzeria Mozza in LA and Newport Beach, and for a dear friend in Boston, Santarpio’s, since 1903, and Galleria Umberto in the North End. Number #1 on their list is Frank Pepe Pizzeria in Fairfield, CT. So, enjoy. I will, too!

By Molly O’Neill (NYT)

I’m always looking for a lemon poundcake recipe and was happy to find this one. It combines lemon and sour cream to produce a cake that is sweet and tender with a subtle lemon flavor and brushed with a lemon juice-confectioners’ sugar glaze.

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus additional for greasing pan
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for pan
• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• 4 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¾ cup sour cream
• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice (2 large lemons)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a *9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan. Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light. Add the lemon zest, then the eggs, one at a time, mixing until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the sour cream, mixing just to combine. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the cake’s center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Place on a rack.
3. Put the confectioners’ sugar in a bowl and gradually whisk in the lemon juice. Brush some of the mixture over the top of the cake. Let stand for 10 minutes. Turn the cake out of the pan and brush the cake top, sides and bottom well with the lemon mixture. Repeat after 10 minutes. Slice and serve.

Note: * If you have too much batter for the pan, make a cupcake using a Reynolds Foil Baking Cup (both layers).

Adam and my daughters feel that I should include this recipe in the blog. After years of trial and error, I think I’ve finally got it right. (It hinges on the tastes I remember from my childhood.) I can give you the basics, but the finishing touches are up to you.

I prefer to use Italian frying peppers. They are typically green but will turn red if allowed to ripen

Ingredients for the sauce:

6 good sized peppers, tops cut off (saved and coarsely chopped) and seeded

1 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large, or 2 medium carrots, sliced into rounds

2 stalks celery, cut in half lengthwise and then thinly sliced

2-3 very ripe, large tomatoes (cut into pieces)

1-2 handfuls of raisins

3 Tablespoons of olive oil (less if you prefer)

salt, pepper

Ingredients for the filling:

1 pound of 80% ground chuck

3 heaping tablespoons of minced onion

1 clove of garlic, minced

3 full tablespoons of rice (rinsed)

3 tablespoons of water

1 beaten egg

1 teaspoon of salt, some pepper

*Combine all of the above.

To make the sauce: In a large frying pan, over medium heat, add the oil. When it is hot, sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent. Then add the rest of the vegetables, lower the heat, cover, and cook until the vegetables are somewhat softened. Add the tomatoes and one handful of raisins and cook a few minutes more. Taste for salt, pepper, tartness and sweetness. If not sweet enough, add more raisins. If not tart enough, add more tomatoes.

*Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Stuff the peppers with the filling. Line them up in a large baking dish and pour the sauce over all. (If have left over filling, make meatballs and add to the dish.) If sauce doesn’t appear to have enough liquid, add up to ¼ cup of water. Bake uncovered for about 30-45 minutes. Then cover loosely with aluminum foil. Peppers are ready when they give off a delicious smell and are browned in spots. Serve with rice.

Kheer is usually made with whole milk. Note that the flavor of the milk you use will affect the overall taste and consistency. Cane sugar is traditionally used, but you can use maple syrup or coconut sugar instead. 

Ingredients

4 cups milk (or almond milk for dairy-free, or 2 cups coconut milk, 2 cups milk)

1/2 cup Basmati rice 

3 tablespoons organic cane sugar or coconut sugar

2 tablespoons raisins (optional)

½ teaspoon cardamom powder

5 strands of saffron (optional) 

½ teaspoon rose water (optional)

Optional Toppings

•  tablespoons slivered almonds
•  tablespoons pistachios

Instructions

Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes or overnight. Rinse well in water until it runs clear.

In a medium saucepan, add milk and sugar. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the milk mixture to a gentle boil.

Immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and add Basmati rice. Stir gently.

Simmer until the milk starts to thicken and the rice is tender. It will take about 20-30 minutes for the rice to milk mixture to reduce to about half its original amount. Stir frequently.

Stir in the raisins, cardamom, saffron and rose water, and cook for a few more minutes.

Turn off the heat and let the Indian rice pudding cool down. Add additional toppings, if desired, and serve or store for later.

Notes

To save the rice pudding for later, cool it down completely before storing it in an air-tight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Serve either warm or cold. To reheat the rice pudding, warm it in a small saucepan on medium-low heat, stirring frequently.

Today, I’m taking you to Cinnamon, a restaurant bringing high quality Indian and Sri Lankan cuisine, in the village of Rhinebeck, NY. My daughters have a home upstate, and this is one of our favorite dinner spots. Rhinebeck Village, established in 1683, is worth a visit, in itself, for its historic homes and architecture, hiking and biking trails, and its surrounding natural beauty. And at night, all over the village, white mini lights wrapped around the trunks and limbs of trees create a most magical effect.

We started our meal, this evening, with vegetable samosas, Indian pastry stuffed with vegetables and served with a dipping sauce. However, on a previous occasion, we enjoyed Palak Chaat, crisp fried spinach leaves topped with crisp noodles, chopped onions and fresh tomatoes drizzled with cilantro and mint chutney, tamarind sauce, and yogurt.

For four of us, we ordered Chicken Tikka Masala, tandoori grilled boneless chicken in a tomato cream sauce with mild spices, Lamb Shank Rogan, lamb shank slow-cooked in a sauce of saffron, garam masala and a blend of chilies, Saag Paneer, chopped spinach and chickpeas simmered in a creamy sauce of ginger, turmeric, coriander, cumin with cubed homemade cheese, all accompanied by bowls of basmati rice, and several orders of hot Garlic Naan, the classic Punjab bread topped with melted butter, minced garlic and fresh cilantro. Desert all around was Rice Kheer, rice pudding with rose water, cardamom, and saffron.

For vegetarians, there is a plethora of choices, and you can also ask for the degree of spiciness that you can tolerate. Mine is always mild. So, if you decide to visit Rhinebeck Village, definitely enjoy a wonderful meal at Cinnamon.

Naan

03/2022: Adam and I returned for a lunch recently, and the food was as we remembered it – excellent! This time, we enjoyed the LAMB MASALAWALA (tandoori grilled, grass-fed rack of lamb in a 24-hour marinade of ground cashews and yogurt with fresh mint, ginger, garlic served with grilled vegetables). Along with vegetables samosas and hot Garlic Naan, the SAAG PANEER  (chopped spinach simmered in a creamy sauce of ginger, turmeric, coriander, cumin with cubed homemade cheese)was so good we took an order home!