homemade honey and pomegranate gelto

every time i tell people that i make ice creams at home they pause and ask me; “isn't it really hard?” the answer is NO (yeah, capital letters NO)! its actually very easy, but the magic trick lies in the ice cream maker. contrary to popular belief, not all ice cream makers are these huge machines that take over your entire kitchen, some are small and convenient. i have owned one for many years and it takes only a small spot in my cabinet and a big part of my heart.

... back to the ice cream. this past holiday, rosh hashanah, we had 25 people over to celebrate and eat with us. i cooked a lot of food (the ossobuco recipe is coming soon) but one of the main hits was the ice cream.

you can imagine the scenario, 25 very full, happy and sleepy people on my sofa, me going around asking them if they want some ice cream. no one wanted any. until i mentioned that i had made it myself, at this point i guilted them to have some. i made two flavors, that symbolize the holiday, honey and pomegranate. i have decided to give each person a scoop per flavor so they wont complain to much on how full they are. while i was passing the plates around, a commotion started and kids and adults, all rushing back for more. all ice cream was licked away.

honey gelato:

INGREDIENTS

2 egg yolks

1/2 cup honey

pinch kosher salt

2 1/2 cups milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 plump vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1/4 cup sugar

---------------
PREPARATION

place the egg yolks in a small bowl and whisk together with the honey and salt.

combine the milk and cream in a medium saucepan. add the vanilla bean and sugar and bring to boil over medium heat.

when the milk and cream come to a rolling boil, quickly whisk some of the boiling milk into the egg yolk mixture, then return the egg yolk mixture back to the pot.

whisk well to combine the rest of milk with the egg yolk mixture.

strain through a fine mesh strainer and save the vanilla bean for future use.

chill the custard completely, than freeze in a ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

*recipe adopted from mario batali book babbo

pomegranate gelato:

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups bottled pomegranate juice
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

---------------

PREPARATION

whisk together cream, milk, sugar and salt in a 2 1/2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan.

bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking occasionally. once boiled whisk for 2 minutes. remove from heat and whisk in remaining ingredients.

transfer to a bowl. chill the custard completely, than freeze in a ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

*גלידת דבש ורימונים

nigella's chocolate cloud cake

here's a shocking personal revelation to you, dear readers, i love chocolate cake. when i need to make a dessert my first instinct is chocolate cake and gotta convince myself not to make it every time. but now, 9 months pregnant, hungry for chocolate and with very little energy to cook i needed something delicious and easy, so i decided to go for it, no remorse.



this particular cake has always been on the back burner for me (excuse the pun). this flour less, dark, rich and rewarding cake is easy to make.



particular cake sinks damply on cooling. but fear not, you fill the center with whipped cream and top it off with some sprinkled cocoa powder. and by the way, it tastes divine.



INGREDIENTS
9 ounces (250g) dark chocolate (min 70% cocoa solids)
1/2 cup unsalted softened butter
6 eggs, 2 whole, 4 separated
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tbs cointreau (optional)
1 orange, zested (optional)
9 inch (23cm) springform cake tin

for the cream topping:
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbs cointreau (optional)
1/2 tsp cocoa powder for sprinkling
---------------
PREPARATION
preheat oven to 350 F (180C)
line the bottom of the cake pan with baking parchment.
melt the chocolate either in a double boiler or a microwave, add the butter and let melt in the warm chocolate.
beat the 2 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks with 1/3 cup of the sugar, then gently add the chocolate mixture, the orange-flavored liqueur and the orange zest.
in another bowl, whisk the 4 egg whites until foamy, then gradually add the remaining sugar and whisk until the whites hold their shape but are not too stiff. lighten the chocolate mixture with a dollop of egg whites, and then fold in the rest of the whites.
pour into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the cake is risen and cracked and the center is no long wobbly. cool the cake in its pan on a wire rack; the middle will sink as it cools.

when you are ready to eat, place the still pan-bound cake on a cake stand or plate for serving and carefully remove the sides of the pan from the cake. Don't worry about cracks or rough edges, it's the crater look we're going for here.

whip the cream until it's soft and then add the vanilla and orange-flavored liqueur and continue whisking until the cream is firm but not stiff. fill the crater of the cake with the whipped cream, easing it out gently towards the edges of the cake, and dust the top lightly with cocoa powder pushed through a tea-strainer.


*image taken from www.nigella.com

*נייג'לה לוסון עוגת ענן של שוקולד

thanksgiving meal

this thanksgiving i have decided to bend tradition and not make a turkey. we did not have big plans and only had few friends over for dinner. they were all israelis anyway, so the symbolism of the turkey would not have been missed. my husband, his brother and their father are fried chicken lovers and would drive 2 hours off course on any trip to try the local fried chicken offering. considering my husband and his brother would be present, i have decided that this would be a great opportunity to give it a go. after hearing how hard it was to make home fried chicken, i took comfort in the fact that my small group of friends will understand if the meal turned into a complete disaster.
call it a lack of proper english, call it haste, but off the bat i made a huge mistake. while preparing the chicken for marination, when the recipe called to "skin" only the wings, i did the opposite. I skinned the chicken and left the wings alone. just as i was about to drop the chicken into the frying pot, it hit me like a drum stick in the stomach, a vision of me sitting with my husband at blue ribbon restaurant eating fried chicken and enjoying the... SKIN! after a few quick breaths, and no other choice I decided to continue. i was worried that the chicken will either dry quickly or the batter will not hold. the good new is, the chicken came out moist, with wonderful crispy batter, delicious and cooked to perfection. i gave myself credit for making the first "healthy" fried chicken.
i had bought too much chicken and used only half of it for the thanksgiving meal. ignoring the accidental "success" of the skinless fried chicken, i have invited more friends for a second round meal the following day. this time i prepared the chicken accordingly. both chicken dishes came out divine, but the version with the skin was better. my husband and his brother were in a 48-hour fired chicken heaven.
i served the chicken with wonderful fluffy homemade biscuits, roasted fingerling potatoes with dried figs, amazing baked beans and a mixed green salad. for dessert i have made a bittersweet chocolate pecan pie.

fried chicken: (recipe taken from epicurious.com)

INGREDIENTS
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons onion powder with green onion and parsley
5 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons dry mustard
4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 3- to 3 1/4-pound fryer chicken, backbone removed, chicken cut into 8 pieces, skinned (except wings)
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
5 cups (or more) peanut oil (for frying)
---------------
PREPARATION
in 1-gallon resealable plastic bag, mix buttermilk, dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, 1 teaspoon cayenne and 1 teaspoon black pepper. add chicken pieces. seal bag, eliminating air. turn bag to coat chicken evenly. refrigerate at least 1 day and up to 2 days, turning plastic bag occasionally.
whisk flour, baking powder, garlic powder, remaining 1 tablespoon onion powder, 4 teaspoons salt, 3 teaspoons dry mustard, 3 teaspoons cayenne and 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper in 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass dish. with marinade still clinging to chicken pieces (do not shake off excess), add chicken to flour mixture; turn to coat thickly. let chicken stand in flour mixture for 1 hour, turning chicken occasionally to recoat with flour mixture.
pour oil to depth of 1 1/4 inches into deep 10- to 11-inch-diameter pot. attach deep-fry thermometer. heat oil over medium-high heat to 350°F. add 4 pieces of chicken, skinned side down, to oil. reduce heat to medium-low and fry 5 minutes, adjusting heat to maintain oil temperature between 280°F and 300°F (oil should bubble constantly around chicken). using wooden spoons, turn chicken over. fry 7 minutes. turn chicken over again. fry until deep golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes longer. using same spoons, transfer chicken to large rack set on baking sheet.
reheat oil to 350°F. repeat frying with remaining 4 pieces of chicken. serve chicken warm or at room temperature within 2 hours, or chill up to 1 day and serve cold.
whisk flour, baking powder, garlic powder, remaining 1 tablespoon onion powder, 4 teaspoons salt, 3 teaspoons dry mustard, 3 teaspoons cayenne and 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper in 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass dish. with marinade still clinging to chicken pieces (do not shake off excess), add chicken to flour mixture; turn to coat thickly. Let chicken stand in flour mixture for 1 hour, turning chicken occasionally to recoat with flour mixture.
pour oil to depth of 1 1/4 inches into deep 10- to 11-inch-diameter pot. attach deep-fry thermometer. heat oil over medium-high heat to 350°F. add 4 pieces of chicken, skinned side down, to oil. reduce heat to medium-low and fry 5 minutes, adjusting heat to maintain oil temperature between 280°F and 300°F (oil should bubble constantly around chicken). using wooden spoons, turn chicken over. fry 7 minutes. turn chicken over again. fry until deep golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes longer. using same spoons, transfer chicken to large rack set on baking sheet.
reheat oil to 350°F. repeat frying with remaining 4 pieces of chicken. serve chicken warm or at room temperature within 2 hours, or chill up to 1 day and serve cold.



roasted fingerling potatoes with dried figs and thyme: (recipe taken from nytimes.com)

INGREDIENTS
1/2 pound dried black mission figs or other dried figs
1 1/2 cups brewed black tea, more if necessary
2 pounds fingerling potatoes
1 head garlic
5 sprigs of thyme
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
---------------
PREPARATION
place figs in a bowl, cover with hot black tea and let cool. cover and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours or overnight, depending on initial softness of figs.
preheat oven to 400 degrees. wash potatoes well and trim any bad parts. separate garlic head into individual cloves but do not remove outer skin.
drain figs. in a bowl, combine garlic, thyme, figs, potatoes and olive oil; toss. place on roasting pan and bake until potatoes are tender enough to pierce with a fork, about 30 minutes. remove and season immediately with salt and pepper. serve.


proper salt pork

baked beans: (recipe taken from epicurious.com)

these beans boast two staples of montreal cuisine —sweet maple syrup and rich salt pork*.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb dried navy beans (2 1/4 cups)
1 (1/4-lb) piece salt pork (rind discarded)
4 1/2 cups water
1 large onion, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
2 chopped garlic cloves
1/2 cup Grade B maple syrup
1 tablespoon dry English mustard (preferably Colman's)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
---------------
PREPARATION
pick over and rinse 1 lb dried navy beans (2 1/4 cups). soak in cold water to cover by 2 inches at least 8 hours. drain.
put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. rinse and pat dry 1 (1/4-lb) piece salt pork (rind discarded), then cut into 3 pieces.
put beans and pork in an oven proof 3-quart heavy pot with a lid. add 4 1/2 cups water, 1 large onion (finely chopped; about 2 cups), 2 chopped garlic cloves, 1/2 cup grade B maple syrup, 1 tablespoon dry english mustard, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and stir to combine. cover pot and bake until beans are just tender, at least 3 to 4 hours.
reduce oven temperature to 325°F. remove lid. bake beans, stirring occasionally, until most of liquid is absorbed but beans are still saucy, 1 to 1 1/2 hours more. remove from oven. stir in 1 teaspoon salt or more to taste.

* make sure that you get a real salt pork. its should be completely white. its hard to find. i got mine at whole foods.



buttermilk biscuits: (recipe taken from epicurious.com)

INGREDIENTS
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
rounded 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 stick (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 tablespoon milk or cream for brushing biscuits
---------------
PREPARATION
put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.
sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda onto a sheet of wax paper, then sift again into a bowl. blend in butter with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. add buttermilk and stir with a fork until a dough just forms (dough will be moist).
turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead gently 6 times. pat out dough on a floured surface with floured hands, reflouring surface if necessary, into an 8- by 5 1/2-inch rectangle. trim all 4 sides with a knife, dusting knife edge with flour before each cut. cut rectangle in half lengthwise, then into thirds crosswise to form 6 (2 1/2-inch) squares, flouring knife between cuts. transfer biscuits with a metal spatula to an ungreased baking sheet, arranging them 2 inches apart, and brush tops with milk or cream. Bbake until pale golden, 12 to 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool to room temperature.



bittersweet chocolate pecan pie: (recipe taken from gourmet magazine)

INGREDIENTS
1 (3 1/2- to 4-oz) fine-quality 60%- to 70%-cacao bittersweet chocolate bar, finely chopped
* pastry dough
2 cups pecan halves (7 oz), toasted and cooled
3 large eggs
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
---------------
PREPARATION
preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.
melt chocolate in a metal bowl set over barely simmering water, stirring. remove from heat.
roll out dough into a 13-inch round on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin. fit into a 9-inch pie plate. trim excess dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. fold overhang under and press against rim of pie plate, then crimp decoratively.
spread chocolate in bottom of pie shell with back of spoon and let it set, then cover with pecans.
whisk together eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a bowl, then whisk in corn syrup and pour over pecans.
bake pie until filling is puffed and crust is golden, 50 to 60 minutes. (If pie is browning too fast after 30 minutes, loosely cover with foil.) cool pie on a rack to warm or room temperature. serve with whipped cream.

* click here for a video by gourmet magazine, explaining how to make the pastry dough

pastry dough: (recipe taken from gourmet magazine)

INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 to 5 tablespoons ice water
---------------
PREPARATION
blend together flour, butter, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. drizzle 3 tablespoons ice water evenly over mixture and gently stir with a fork (or pulse) until incorporated.
squeeze a small handful of dough: if it doesn’t hold together, add more ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated. do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough.
turn out dough onto a work surface. divide dough into 4 portions. with heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. gather all dough together with pastry scraper. press into a ball, then flatten into a 5-inch disk.
wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.

lemon cream tart - passover dessert II

as i posted in my previous post i baked two cakes that can be served on passover night. my second cake is lemon cream tart. i found the recipe for the lemon cream from dorie greenspan’s blog and the tart is a regular tart recipe but i substitute the flour with matzo meal. few tips; matzo meal is not finely grounded, and so i had to put mine in the food processor for few minutes in order to grind it more. another thing, when you bake the tart, bake it till it gets a light golden color, because if you bake it for too long the tart will get too hard and a bit burnt.
for the lemon cream i have used mayer lemons as they are in season now and sweater than regular lemons. according to the recipe, while cooking the cream, you will need to whisk it until it reaches 180 degrees. for some reason i only managed to reaches 165 degrees, but according to dorie reaching 165-170 degrees is fine, and it surly was. the tart came out wonderful, refreshing and citrusy, a thing that i am sure will be appreciated after the heavy passover meal.

happy passover.

INGREDIENTS
For the tart:
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups matzo meal finely grounded
1/8 tsp kosher salt

lemon cream:
1 cup sugar
finely grated zest of 3 lemons
4 large eggs
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 4 to 5 lemons)
2 sticks plus 5 tablespoons (21 tablespoons; 10 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into tablespoon-sized pieces

9” springform pan
---------------
PREPARATION
tart:
preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease 9” springform pan.
cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
combine the matzo flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into the greased baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. chill for 20 minutes.
bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned.

lemon cream:
getting ready: have a thermometer, preferably an instant-read, a strainer and a blender (first choice) or food processor at the ready. bring a few inches of water to a simmer in a saucepan.
put the sugar and zest in a large metal bowl that can be fitted into the pan of simmering water. off heat, work the sugar and zest together between your fingers until the sugar is moist, grainy and very aromatic. whisk in the eggs followed by the lemon juice.
fit the bowl into the pan (make certain the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl) and cook, stirring with the whisk as soon as the mixture feels tepid to the touch. you want to cook the cream until it reaches 180°f. as you whisk the cream over heat—and you must whisk constantly to keep the eggs from scrambling—you’ll see that the cream will start out light and foamy, then the bubbles will get bigger, and then, as the cream is getting closer to 180°f, it will start to thicken and the whisk will leave tracks. heads up at this point—the tracks mean the cream is almost ready. don’t stop whisking and don’t stop checking the temperature. and have patience—depending on how much heat you’re giving the cream, getting to temp can take as long as 10 minutes.
as soon as you reach 180°f, pull the cream from the heat and strain it into the container of a blender (or food processor); discard the zest. let the cream rest at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until it cools to 140°f, about 10 minutes.
turn the blender to high and, with the machine going, add about 5 pieces of butter at a time. scrape down the sides of the container as needed while you’re incorporating the butter. once the butter is in, keep the machine going—to get the perfect light, airy texture of lemon-cream dreams, you must continue to beat the cream for another 3 minutes. If your machine protests and gets a bit too hot, work in 1-minute intervals, giving the machine a little rest between beats.
pour the cream into a container, press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface to create an airtight seal and chill the cream for at least 4 hours or overnight. when you are ready to construct the tart, just whisk the cream to loosen it and spoon it into the tart shell.

serving:
The tart should be served cold, because it is a particular pleasure to have the cold cream melt in your mouth.

storing:
while you can make the lemon cream ahead (it will keep in the fridge for 4 days and in the freezer for up to 2 months), once the tart is constructed, it’s best to eat it the day it is made.

chocolate mousse cake - passover dessert I

passover is right around the corner and this year we are going to celebrate it with family in washington dc, 18 of us. i volunteered to make the desserts. wheat flour is not allowed during passover week. the biblical explanation is that when the israelites left egypt in such haste, they could not wait for their bread dough to rise and the resulting in the matzo.
that is a challenge for any pastry flour desert. matzo meal is basically ground up matzo and so with that, i needed to find a way to make delicious desserts that will not fall due to the lack of flour. i wanted to find desserts that either do not use flour or if they do they can be used with matzo meal, basically a dessert that does not have to rise.
this pass week i have been experimenting with few different desserts and managed to find 2 wonderful cakes to bake. the first one that i am going to explain about is the flour-less chocolate mousse cake. it is fairly easy to make. the process is divided into two; first you make the lower level that contains the chocolate cake and than the mousse that will go over the cake. do not be discouraged if your cake will “fall” and “shrink” once it is outside the oven. the taste wont change and your mousse will cover it all. i changed the original recipe a bit, and added cointreau instead of the almond liquor. that was the only liqueur i had in my cupboard, and it came out mighty fine. you can never go wrong when orange is combined with chocolate.

INGREDIENTS
8.5 ounce at least 42% cacao dark chocolate
4 ounce butter
1 tbs + 1 tsp cacao powder
5 egg yolks

5 egg whites
1/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt

for mousse:
7 ounce at least 42% cacao dark chocolate
4 eggs
1 1/4 tsb cointreau
1 1/4 tsp rum
1/2 cup + 1/3 cup heavy cream

9” springform pan
---------------
PREPARATION
cake:
cover the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and lock it into the springform. lightly oil the sides.
heat oven to 300 degrees. put an ovenproof dish with water at bottom of the oven in order to form steam during baking.
melt the chocolate in a double boiler and remove from heat. you can also melt the chocolate and the butter in the microwave by zapping it one minute at a time.
add cacao powder and beat thoroughly.
add yolks beat thoroughly.
Whisk egg whites with sugar and pinch of salt until stiff peaks form and fold into the chocolate.
pour mixture into the pan and put in oven and bake for 35-40 minutes till you can insert a toothpick in the middle of the cake and it will come out dry.
remove from oven and chill.

mousse:
melt chocolate in double pot or microwave, as explained above. remove from heat.
add eggs one after the other while beating with a hand mixer.
continue beating and add cointreau and rum.
in a separate bowl whip the cream till it holds a soft peak.
fold the cream into the chocolate.
pour the mousse over the cake and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

*you can use different kinds of liqueurs or omit the alcohol all together.

*recipe courtesy of orna and ella cookbook.

nutella and marshmallow hamantaschens

yes i know, i am few days late with these hamantaschens, but making them was not as easy as i thought it would be. i had to try 3 times till i finally succeeded. mainly, i had problems with the dough, i could not get it right. it was too dry and breakable, so i had hard time with the rolling and the folding. it just kept falling apart. on my third try i finally found a good combination of ingredients to get the dough manageable and tasty. what amazes me is that all the recipes called for pretty much the same ingredients but the quantities were different, and after combining three recipes together the dough worked.
once the dough is ready it is important to refrigerate it for at least an hour, it will harden and this way be easier to handle.



for the filling i have decided to use nutella and marshmallow, a winning combination, in my opinion. the traditional filling is poppy seeds, but i figured nutella will be much more fun. i have put just a teaspoon of nutella and 1 small (1/2 inch size) marshmallow in each circle, because the marshmallow tends to expend in the heat and i did not want the filling to over flow.



after the filling comes the tricky part, actually closing the dough while creating the triangle shape, leaving the filling mostly open in the center. with all the challenges i mentioned above, my hamantaschens came out looking as if my 6 year old niece made them, oh well it is the taste that counts.



INGREDIENTS
dough:
8 tbs unsalted butter, cut into cubes.
7 tbs superfine sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt

filling:
3 generous tbs nutella
small marshmallow cut into 1/2 inch cubes
---------------
PREPARATION
Cream butter and sugar together until smooth.
Add egg, vanilla extract and salt, mixing until combined. Finally, add the flour.
Form dough into a disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
On a well floured surface roll out dough. With a 3-inch cutter cut out as many rounds as possible. microwave the nutella. it will be easier to handle. add the marshmallow and mix. Put 1 teaspoon filling in center of each round and fold up edges to form triangular cookies. pinching corners together and leaving filling exposed. (Pinch dough tightly enough so seams are no longer visible and sides are taut enough to prevent cookies from leaking filling as they bake.) Bake in middle of oven 20 minutes, or until pale golden. Cool on racks.

potato latkes and sufganiyot (israeli doughnuts)

A sufganiyah (סופגניה) is a ball-shaped doughnut that is first fried, pierced and injected with jelly or custard, and then topped with powdered sugar, similar to the german Berliner. The Hebrew word sufganiyah derives from the hebrew word for sponge.

i was very excited when hanukkah came. i am not religious, but i love holiday cooking, and hanukkah means two things for me, latkes and sufganiyot. its really easy to make these two dishes, and everyone seem to love them.
there are so many variations for latkes, it looks like you can make them with almost any ingredient, from regular potatoes to chickpeas, herbs, sweet potatoes and so on. use your imagination. i have decided to make regular potato latkes this year. i have been craving them months before the holiday. i was about to serve them as main dish with some salad, wanting to eat as much as possible, but at the end i did not make enough, and people were demanding for more and i did not have any to give them. beware, they are so delicious make double the amount your planning to make. making latkes is easy, but they take some preparations, from peeling the potatoes, to grating and then frying them in batches. i always pile the ones that are ready in a big oven proof dish in the oven on a low temperature to keep them warm till they are all ready and its time to eat.

after we were done with the latkes i served my doughnuts. they are best served warm but not straight from the fryer, so what i usually do is make them prior to the latkes and than set them aside till its time for dessert. doughnuts, to me, always seemed as a hard thing to do, but its really not. all you need is patience with the dough, and the rest is a breeze. when it was time for frying i got a bit nervous. i am not comfortable with big pots filled with oil, always worried it will burst into flames. i have put a thermometer in the pot and had everything under control. the doughnuts came out just right, i served them with warm nutella and strawberry preserve and everyone seemed to love it. at least i had enough of those.

potato latkes:
INGREDIENTS
4 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled
3 large beaten eggs
6 tbs fresh bread crumbs
salt and pepper
olive oil
---------------
PREPARATION
finely grate potatoes by hand or in processor, with gratin disk.
transfer potatoes into a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover. let stand for 5 minutes.
drain potatoes. wrap in kitchen towel and twist ends to squeeze as much water as possible.
place potatoes in large bowl. mix in eggs, bread crumbs, salt and pepper.
heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium high heat. working in batches drop potatoes to the skillet. cook till crisp and golden brown. about 4 minutes per side.

*can be served with apple sauce
*easy
*makes around 20 pieces

sufganiyot:
INGREDIENTS
18oz all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 (1/4-oz) package active dry yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)
3 tbs sugar
1 cup warm milk
2 tbs melted butter
2 bitten eggs
strawberry preserve
powdered sugar
About 2 cups vegetable oil for deep frying
---------------
PREPARATION
dough:
Stir together yeast and warm milk in a small bowl until yeast is dissolved. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If yeast doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)
in a mixer bowl mix the dry ingredients, flour, sugar and salt. add the liquid ingredients; yeast mixture, milk, melted butter and eggs at low speed until a soft dough forms. Increase speed to medium and beat 3 minutes more till a smooth and not sticky dough is formed. if the dough is sticky add more flour as needed.
Scrape dough down side of bowl (all around) into center, then sprinkle lightly with flour. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and mix with your hands for few minutes.
transfer the dough into a greased bowl and cover with cling plastic wrap. place in room temperature for 2 hours.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and mix with your hands for few seconds. roll out with a lightly floured rolling pin into 1/2 inch thick. Cut out as many rounds as possible with 2 inch cutter and transfer doughnuts to a lightly floured large baking sheet. Cover doughnuts with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until slightly puffed, about 30 minutes
Heat 2 1/2 inches vegetable oil in a deep heavy pot until it registers 350°F on thermometer. Fry doughnuts turning occasionally until puffed and golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain. (Return oil to 350°F between batches.)
sprinkle doughnuts with powdered sugar, than make a hole on the side of each doughnut and fill with the strawberry preserve.

*easy
*makes around 12 pieces

cranberry sauce

this is the second thanksgiving meal i cooked. this year i have decided to do a more traditional thanksgiving, from the turkey, the cranberry sauce, and the stuffing. i was trying to find an answer on why we serve cranberry sauce on thanksgiving; maybe it is because the cranberries reach their peak at this time of year, or maybe because they are just beautiful to look at and add wonderful color to the table. i could not find any answers. for someone who never had cranberry sauce, the whole concept is a bit strange. thinking of cranberry sauce, I associate the taste with jam like sweetness. in this case it is a mix of sweet and spices, and my recipe even included cayenne pepper. because i never ate cranberry sauce before, i followed the recipe and did not change a thing, and when it was done the sauce still tasted a bit odd to me. the next day dominic tried it and liked it, but suggested that maybe next time i should put less cayenne, if at all. at the dinner the sauce ended up mixing wonderfully with the rest of the dishes, and people loved it.

INGREDIENTS
1 pkg fresh cranberries
1 13 ounces can of peach halves
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 tsp salt
2 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp cayenne pepper
3 tbs peeled sliced almonds
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
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PREPARATION
wash and drain cranberries.
drain and slice peaches. reserve juice.
put everything, except peaches and almonds in heavy saucepan, including peaches juice. bring to boil and simmer for 20 minutes. discard cinnamon stick. add peaches and almonds and simmer for extra 10 minutes.
mixture will be fairly liquefied, let cool and refrigerate.
prepare 2-3 days before eating to get the right texture.

*easy
*can be done a day in advance

apple pecan dressing - stuffing

like my roasted turkey i wanted to make the “all american” stuffing. last year was the first time i made it. I researched for days but can not remember where i found the actual recipe i used, anyway, i ended up combining it with other recipes. when i made it last year, there was just too much butter, and you could not taste anything else. i love butter, but i guess i have my limits. this year, i decided to cut the butter amount by at least half, and it came out just right. i could finally taste the sweetness of the apples, the flavor of the bread, and the pine nuts. everything was balanced.
i did not make the stuffing inside the turkey, making it separately gave the dish a different flavor. i wanted the stuffing's flavor to compliment the turkey, not blend with it. another thing that is nice about preparing the stuffing separately, is that you can make it the day before, which is a big plus.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup melted butter
2 large onions chopped
4 garlic cloves chopped
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 loaf of bread chopped roughly in food processor
2 large apples peeled, cored and chopped
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 cup chicken broth
2 eggs
1 tbs dried sage crumbled
salt and pepper
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PREPARATION
saute chopped onion, garlic, and celery in butter. in large bowl combine onion mixture, bread, apples and pie nuts.
add broth, eggs, sage, salt and pepper, mixing gently.
place the mixture in a greased casserole. cover with foil paper and bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes. uncover for the last 5-10 minutes.

roasted turkey

making a turkey always seemed like an impossible mission for me. its not like making chicken, the turkey is much more complex and takes more attention and skill. to actually make it juicy and delicious, sounded like something that only the pros can do. last year i decided that it was time to take the plunge and prepare a turkey! i have researched recipes for days and combined them into a one “perfect” recipe, i read articles and even watched videos online. i was influenced by roasted chicken recipes, and felt that glazing the turkey with honey will be a nice touch, giving it some sweetness. citrus, will add juices and flavor and of course herbs and spices. i combined spices like thyme and rosemary, with butter, honey, lemon and orange zest together and massaged the turkey with them, inside out. i also rubbed the glaze under the skin, the same way i do with chicken. for that, you need to start at the neck and loosen the skin by sliding your fingers underneath, being careful not to tear it. be generous with the glaze, the more the better. once i was done with that, i had put the lemons and oranges i was left with, inside the body cavity, as i mentioned before, for the extra juices. on thanksgiving day i was very nervous and prepared the turkey according to plan. unfortunately, it came out bit undercooked and i had to bring it back to the oven which made it a bit dry. do not get me wrong, it was still great and everyone liked it, the problem was not in the recipe it was me, i needed to be more patient. learning from last year’s mistake i was ready to face the challenge again this year, and this time it came out just right. juicy, perfectly cooked and delicious. i do not have pictures to prove it, due to the lack of time with guests and cooking, so you will have to take my word for it. happy thanksgiving!

INGREDIENTS
glaze:
3 tbs fresh rosemary leaves chopped
2 tbs lemon zest
2 tbs orange zest
1/4 cup salt
3 tbs thyme
3 tbs cumin
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 stick of butter room temperature

turkey stock:
2 small onions peeled
1 carrot cut in half
1 celery stalk cut in half
1 quart chicken stock

roasted turkey:
8 springs of fresh rosemary
2 lemons halves
1 orange halves
2 large carrots
4 celery stalks
2 cups of chicken stock
reserve turkey fat from the tail area

gravy:
1/2 stick of butter
1/4 cup all purpose flower
2 cups of turkey stock
salt and pepper
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PREPARATION
glaze:
in food processor, process all ingrediants till blended well. set aside.

preheat oven to 425 Fº.

turkey stock:
remove neck and giblets from turkey, wash and put into a pot. add onions, carrot, celery and chicken stock. bring to boil and then simmer for 30 minutes. strain and reserve for gravy.

roasted turkey:
wash the turkey and dry well. coat the turkey with the glaze inside out, starting with the neck. do not forget to put under skin as well, as explained in the post.
put rosemary springs, 2 lemons and the orange halves inside the cavity of the turkey.
arrange the carrots and celery stalks in the roasting pan. pour 2 cups of chicken stock into the pan and the reserved turkey fat from the tail area. position turkey on top of the carrots and celery so that the turkey does not rest directly on the bottom of the pan. cover breast with foil paper and put in the oven.
every 30 minutes use a bulb boaster to siphon off cooking juices from the roasting pan and baste the bird all over. if your cooking juices are reduced to glaze add more stock, broth or water.
roast till an instant read thermometer (inserted deep into the thigh but away from the bone) reads 170 Fº, about 2 - 2 1/2 hours; begin checking at 2 hours. remove from the oven and set aside for 15 minutes before carving. reserve pan juices for gravy.

gravy:
while turkeys are resting, make the gravy. in a medium saucepan, melt butter and add flower. whisk over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, or until a smooth, blond colored mixture is formed. add the reserved turkey stock and pan juices and bring to a boil over high heat. reduce heat and let simmer until thickened and ready to serve. season with salt and pepper.

*10 pound turkey
*medium
*serves 6-8 people