Recipes of the Month

April

April is a month of that brings warm weather, cool evenings, rain and alternates back and forth. In addition to the unpredictable weather, Israel usually has at least 2-3 dust storms in this month that brings hot, arrid windy conditions. Below are dishes that I am preparing this month for my family. They are fresh, colorful, low fat and highly nutritious. Enjoy them with a lovely bouquet of fragrant flowers!

Chicken Soup & Dumplings
Nile Perch & Lemons
Roast Lamb with Rosemary and Lemons
Roasted Garlic & Rosemary New Red Potatoes
Roasted Cauliflower
Steamed Fresh Asparagus, Roasted Red Peppers and Toasted Pine Nuts
Homemade Garlic Baby Dill Pickles
Coconut Macaroons

Here we are enjoying the Passover meal

the beginning of April

Homemade Chicken Soup & Dumplings

Ingredients:

Chicken Stock:

1 whole 2 pound (1 kilo) chicken

Leaves and ends of whole bunch of celery

2 Carrots, washed and chopped roughly

1 Potatoe, washed and quartered

1 cup of chopped orange squash (this is the Israeli secret...it really is a great addition)

6 cloves of garlic, minced (more or less - your option)

1 onion, chopped roughly

2-3 bay leaves

2 Tablespoons of A-1 Sauce

1 Tablespoon of Worchestershire Sauce

Dash of Hot sauce

1-2 teaspoons of salt (to taste)

1/2 teaspoon of fresh finely ground pepper (to taste)

1 teaspoons ground sage

1 teaspoon of Poutry Seasoning

Procedure:

Add the ingredients and cover chicken with cold water and lid. Bring to a boil and turn down to simmer for about 2 hours. Remove chicken and all vegetables; discard all the vegetables; debone chicken when cooler. Taste and re-season the stock. Slice 1-2 peeled carrots and bring to a simmer while you prepare the dumplings.

Dumplings:

3 tablespoons shortening

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes, if desired

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup milk

Cut in shortening into flour, parsley, baking powder and salt in medium bowl, using pastry blender until mixture looks like fine crumbs. Stir in milk. Drop by spoonfuls into the hot simmering chicken soup stock. Cook uncovered 10 minutes. Cover and cook 10 minutes longer.

To serve: Ladle into soup bowls with 1-2 dumpings and 1-2 cooked sliced carrots. Add sprinkles of finely chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Gluten Free Dumplings: subsitute all-purpose flour with rice flour or mixture of Gluten free flour.

Options: Add prepared matzah balls, thin or wide noodles to the simmering chicken soup stock.

Nile Perch

Ingredients:

1 Nile Perch fillet portion

1 lemon, juiced

coarse sea salt

fresh ground pepper

olive oil

Nile Perch caught in Egypt!

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the heavy baking pan or fish poacher with parchment paper to fit the length of the fillets; Carefully lay in the washed and dried Nile Perch, flesh side up and drizzle the juice of a whole lemon over the fish; cut up the lemons and lay across the Perch. Sprinkle with salt and fresh ground pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Add the 2nd half of the Perch on top if you bought two; sprinkle with coarse salt and the juice of 2nd lemon. Cover the fillets with the parchment paper or heavy aluminum foil.

Bake for about 20-30 minutes or until the fish turns is done, but not over done.

Roasted Baby Red Potatoes

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo (1 pound) of New Red Potatoes (or substitute regular)

Coarse Kosher Salt

Fresh Ground Pepper

1-2 finely minced fresh garlic

Sprinkles of Grillmates Seasonings

1-2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped coarsely

Olive Oil

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash, scrub and drain dry the potatoes. In a large oven-proof flat pan, add the potatoes. Sprinkle olive oil on the potatoes, coarse salt, pepper and Rosemary. Bake about 30 minutes or until they are tender. Serve with sprinkles of freshly chopped parsley, if desired.

Roast Spring Lamb

Ingredients:

3-4 pound Lamb shank, bone in

2-3 lemons

Several sprigs of Rosemary

Sprigs of fresh mint (if you have available)

Coarse Kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

Olive oil

Our Pesach Lamb Roast

Procedure:

Preheat oven to very hot temperature of 425 degrees. Wash and pat dry lamb shank. Rub in olive oil. Make slits into the shank and insert slivers of garlic and a tiny sprig of fresh rosemary. Pour on the juice of two whole lemons over the entire roast. Cut up the lemons into fourths and cook with the roast. Sprinkle the lamb with coarse kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Add a couple of sprigs of fresh rosemary and fresh mint (if you have). Place the uncovered pan of lamb into a very hot oven for 15 minutes; turn down to 350 degrees. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and continue roasting the lamb until it is tender. Check with a lamb roasting chart according to the total number of pounds you are cooking (approximately 40-45 minutes per pound for medium or 155 degrees meat thermometer reading). Be sure to let the roast stand for about 15 minutes before cutting.

Recipes of the Month-Archives

March Recipes

Roasted Cauliflower

Ingredients:

1-2 whole heads of fresh cauliflower (Frozen flowerets could be used)

Coarse Kosher salt

Freshly coarse ground pepper

Olive oil

Grillmates seasonings

Fresh Parmesean Cheese

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash the caulflower thoroughly in a colander. Cut off ends and cut into medium sized flowerets. Sprinkle on olive oil, coarse, salt, pepper and seasonings. Bake uncovered about 30-40 minutes or until cauliflower is tender.

Transfer the cauliflower to a serving bowl. Toss with olive oil and add parmesean cheese before serving.

Steamed Asparagus, Roasted Red Peppers & Pine Nuts

asparagusroastedredpeppers.jpg

2 Bunches of Fresh Asparagus

50 grams of Pine nuts, toasted

1 tsp coarse sea salt

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

McCormick's Steak Seasoning (optional)

Olive oil

Procedure:

In a large pan to accomadate the length of the asparagus, bring salted water to a boil. (You could use a bamboo steamer to cook the asparagus if you prefer). Meanwhile, snap off woody ends of the stalks. Place the washed aspargus spears into the boiling water and simmer until they are tender being careful not to overcook. Carefully lift out the spears and place them in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Transfer the asparagus to a serving bowl.

Toasted Pine Nuts: Place the pine nuts in a dry hot frying pan. Shake the pan continually so the nuts do not burn. Turn them out into a dry bowl when toasted.

Roasted Red Peppers

Procedure:

8 large red bell peppers

1 tablespoon Basalmic vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil

salt, pepper

Prehead oven to broil. Place whole red bell peppers directly under the broiler and turn as the outside skin blackens. After they are done, place them in a large heatproof bowl and cover with plastic wrap until it cools. The skin will then come off easily. Carefully take off the stem, core and seeds. Reserve the juice from the peppers into the bowl you place the peppers. Tear the pieces lengthwise into strips. Add the salt, pepper, basalmic vinegar and olive oil. Toss gently.

To serve: Using tongs, lay the strips of marinated roasted red peppers on top of the cooled asparagus spears. Sprinkle on top with toasted pine nuts. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with coarse salt and McCormick's Steak Seasoning for an extra zest.

Zucchini with Fresh Dill

Ingredients:

6 small zucchini, regular and varigated, sliced into slices on the angle

Coarse salt, freshly ground pepper

Olive Oil

Fresh dill, finely chopped

Procedure:

In a large frying pan, heat up olive oil and fry the onions and spices. Add the zuccini and fresh dill and fry gently until browned on both sides. Transfer to a serving bowl and adjust seasonings.

Homemade Pickles

Ingredients:

1 cup 5% Apple or clear vinegar

3 1/2 cups water

¼ c coarse Kosher salt

¼ - ½ tsp alum

few tablespoons sugar

1-2 tablespoons pickling spice

Several sprigs of fresh dill (per jar)

Several cloves of fresh garlic (per jar)

Vegetables: whole baby cucumbers, cauliflower, onions, turnips, carrots, etc

Procedure:

Mix vinegar all ingredients (except fresh dill and garlic cloves) in a non-metal pan and bring to a boil. Turn off fire. Meanwhile, wash and scrub vegetables intended for pickling; cut up and set aside.

Sterilize jars.Pack in washed, cut up vegetables, small whole baby cucumbers, garlic cloves, dill and pour in vinegar and brine mixture. Cover with clear plastic and top to jar. Let it cool for 2 hours; refrigerate.

Wait at least a day to sample for best results.

Coconut Macaroons

Ingredients:

4 large egg whites

1 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 c flour

2 1/2 c coconut (Sweetened with sugar)

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In stainless steel bwol, over a saucepan of simmering water, warm the egg whites, sugar, and salt. When the mixture is warm to the touch, rmeove from the heat and stir in the vanilla, flour and coconut.

Place small mounds (1 1/2") of dough on baking sheet, spacing several inches apart. Bake about 15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool. (Makes 2 dozen cookies).