Purim Hamentashen

Happy Purim! Purim is like the Jewish Halloween. There is of course a story behind it and it has nothing to do with Halloween but the costumes and all of the noisemaking always remind me of it. Purim is definitely one of the more fun Jewish holidays because it encourages you to act like a kid. Best of all, Purim is accompanied by yummy cookies called Hamentashen, specially made in the shape of a triangle to resemble Haman's hat.

This year I decided to make Hamentashen and distribute them amongst my family. I made two different types of dough: a shortbread dough and a yeast dough, as well as two different fillings. It was quite a lengthy process to make both but I didn't mind...I hadn't baked in so long I was definitely craving some good quality time in the kitchen!

I wanted to figure out which dough was better for the Hamentashen so I opted to use the same combination of fillings for both and keep that element constant. At first I made the Hamentashen with the shortbread dough then the next day I made the yeast dough. The winner of my little contest: shortbread. Taste wise, I think I actually preferred the shortbread dough over the yeast dough, though my brother felt the opposite. However that wasn't the deciding factor...it was the effort.

The yeast dough took a lot longer to make, considering that I had to wait for it to rise once then again after forming the Hamentashen. Also, the Hamentashen kept falling apart when made from the yeast dough and the triangle shape was hard to achieve. My mom said that when her grandmother made the Hamentashen in the past, she used the yeast dough and made them bigger. Maybe that helps, I don't know, but I definitely know that I'm not repeating the process. I'm sticking to the shortbread dough and that's that.

Purim Hamentashen
Note: This recipe makes about 30 cookies. Each of the fillings is enough to fill one batch of 30 (more or less). I doubled the dough and used both fillings, but had some dough left over, so I filled the rest with apricot jam.

For the dough:

• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 2-3 cups flour

1. Cream together the butter and sugar. 
2. Mix in the egg, vanilla, and lemon zest.
3. In a separate bowl combine the baking powder, salt, and 2 cups of flour.
4. Add the dry mixture in parts to the wet until a dough starts to form. If necessary add a little more flour.
5. Gather the dough into a ball and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30-45 minutes so that it is easier to work with.

For the poppy seed filling:

• 1 cup poppy seeds
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 orange, zested

1. In as small saucepan bring the milk and poppy seeds to boil.
2. Once boiling, add the honey and butter and continue to heat over medium high heat for about 10 minutes, until the filling thickens.
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and mix in the zests. Set aside to cool.

For the berry, chocolate, nut filling:

• 3/4 cup nuts, toasted (I used almonds. Other options include walnuts, pecans, etc)
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup jam (I used plum but you can use anything....strawberry, raspberry, etc. Try to get seedless jam)

1. Combine the nuts and chocolate chips in a food processor and pulse until a paste forms.
2. Empty into a separate bowl and stir in the jam.

To make the Hamentashen:

1. Roll out the dough to about 1/8" thickness and cut into 2" rounds.
2. Place a teaspoon of filling in the center of each round.
3. Carefully wet the edge of the dough and bring up the sides to form a triangle. It helps to pinch the ends together to achieve the triangle shape.
4. Bake for 12-14 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Allow to cool for 2 minutes on the pan before removing to a plate to cool completely.

Creamy Mushroom Barley Risotto

After watching so many food shows and hearing so much about it, I finally got around to making risotto. I didn't make a traditional risotto with arborio rice because I didn't have any and I also wanted the extra protein that barley provides. One of the reasons why I had been putting off risotto-making was because I knew that it would be a long process. And now that I have made it...I can confirm that it is, indeed, a lengthy recipe from start to finish. This is because the liquid or stock is added to the risotto about one cup at a time and it must be stirred in until almost fully absorbed before the next cup can be added. Obviously this requires quite a bit of patience and time.

However, despite the time consuming nature of risotto, I also realize why it is that people still continue to make it...it's delicious! The effort is totally worth the creamy and smooth texture of the risotto which makes it melt in your mouth as soon as you take a bite. I cheated a little in my recipe to cut back on time and I added half of the stock to the barley, let it simmer for 15 minutes, then proceeded to add the rest slowly with stirring. Even though I didn't follow exact risotto protocol the results were still fantastic. In fact my mom loved it so much that she rated it on the same level as my roasted tomato and pepper soup which is extremely high praise because she absolutely loves that soup.

In the end, I don't regret that I used barley instead of rice or that I cheated a little with the time because the risotto turned out great. In the future, when I have more time, I will make an actual traditional risotto using arborio rice and with the proper stirring technique. But I will definitely be making this barley version again as well!

Creamy Mushroom Barley Risotto

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 10-12 button mushrooms, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 cups pearl barley
• 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• Olive oil
• Salt and Pepper

1. In a large pot bring the broth to a boil and then set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat some olive oil in a separate pot and saute the onions until they start to brown, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the mushrooms and continue to saute for about 10 minutes until they become golden brown. If the mushrooms start sticking to the bottom of the pot add a little bit of water and stir them around.
4. Stir in the herbs and garlic and season with some salt and pepper. 
5. Add the barley and stir for one minute to coat completely then add 6 cups of the broth and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Once most of the liquid is absorbed, proceed to stir in more broth 1/2 cup at a time. Make sure you keep stirring with each addition and that the liquid is almost completely absorbed before adding the next one. 
8. Keeping stirring and adding broth until the barley is tender but still slightly firm. The more you add, the creamier it will be but you don't necessarily have to add all of the broth.
9. Once it has reached the consistency you like and all of the liquid from the last addition has been absorbed, stir in the Parmesan cheese until it is fully incorporated. Season with some salt and pepper and enjoy!

Note: If you don't eat the risotto right away, the barley will continue to absorb more liquid. Reheating it with a little bit of liquid added (maybe 1/2 cup for the entire pot) will restore the creamy texture. Even without the extra liquid, warming it up helps to loosen the barley.

Savory Breakfast Muffins

I woke up this morning with the urge to bake...of course. Since I had made a sweet dessert the night before I decided to try and bake something savory instead. Due to the fact that I am constantly perusing through food blogs I constantly have a bunch of pages open on my computer with recipes that I would like to try. Luckily, I happened to have one open which matched the description I was looking for...something small, light, and savory.

The original recipe called for making regular sized muffins but I made mine mini sized because I love to use my mini muffin pan. I think it's quite convenient because it produces the perfect bite, allows you to produce a bigger quantity (good for a large family like mine), and takes less time to bake. The recipe is quite versatile and provides a batter base which can then be supplemented with a variety of savory mix-ins. I split the batter in half and made one batch using caramelized onions, mushrooms, and feta cheese while the other batch had sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and goat cheese. You can also add fresh herbs but I chose to skip that this time.

Funny enough, once I made the muffins my family didn't quite take to them as I had hoped. My mom said she imagined more of a bread rather than a muffin and the savory ingredients in muffin form threw her off. She said she didn't quite know how to react to the soft muffin texture but strong savory taste. Personally I enjoyed the muffins and when I brought some over to my aunt and cousin they seemed to like them too. I guess each person has their own preference and I should accept that not all of my recipes will always be a hit with everyone.

Savory Breakfast Muffins
Note: The recipe makes about 12 regular muffins or 24 mini muffins, but it depends on how much of the savory mix-ins are added. Try to add no more than 1 1/2 cups. For example: 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms, 1/2 cup caramelized onions, 1/2 cup feta cheese.

• 2 cups flour (the original recipe called for 1 cup all-purpose and 1 cup whole wheat but I used 2 cups all-purpose)
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 scant black pepper (I just sprinkled enough that looked right)
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp canola oil (I used olive oil which worked fine)
• 1 tbsp brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 1/2 cup savory ingredients

1. Prepare all of the savory mix-ins and set aside. This means cut them all into small, uniform pieces and cook anything such as mushrooms or onions and set aside to cool before adding to the batter.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper and set aside.
3. Whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, and sugar. 
4. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet just until all of the flour is incorporated.
5. Gently fold in the savory mix-ins.
6. Lightly grease a muffin pan and fill each well almost full. I recommend using paper liners if you have them because the muffins were a little difficult to remove from the pan, despite pre-greasing. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If baking regular size muffins bake for 20-22 minutes; mini sized muffins for 15-18 minutes. The muffins are ready when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
7. Cool for about 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

Chocolate Bark

I recently received a complaint from my brother that I had not posted anything new on my blog in a while. In truth, I have been cooking a lot lately but I haven't been making what I consider to be "blog-worthy" food. I feel that in order for a recipe to make it onto my blog it must taste good, look good, and also be somewhat easy to recreate (although some require more effort than others).

Recently I tried out some new recipes but wasn't completely satisfied with them and therefore chose not to put them up on my blog. For some I found that the concept was good...it just needed to be developed further or tweaked a little to produce a great recipe. In other instances I realized that I didn't quite like how any part of the dish turned out and therefore will not be revisiting the particular recipe.

In the case of this chocolate bark I decided to post it because it is indeed "blog-worthy": it's easy to make and versatile, letting you add anything you want. I made this batch using pistachios and dried cranberries. I also made a second batch (not pictured) with milk chocolate, toasted almonds, and bananas. Unfortunately the bananas didn't harden which made me think that next time I should use banana chips instead. Overall it was simple and hassle-free; the only disadvantage I found was that it tends to want to melt in your hands while eating it. I don't know if this was a consequence of my refrigerating it for only two hours (we took it out quickly because my brother really wanted to try it) or whether it always does this. I guess I'll find out the answer when I make it next time and force myself to wait it out.
Chocolate Bark

• 8 oz chocolate (one chocolate bar)
• 1/2 cup dried fruit 
• 1/2 cup nuts
• Optional: fruit zest (lemon, orange)

1. Using a double broiler (see how to set up here) melt the chocolate.
2. Mix in the dried fruit and nuts, reserving a little bit to sprinkle on top. If using the fruit zest mix it in it's entirety.
3. Line a pan with aluminum foil, wax, or parchment paper. Spread the chocolate mixture evenly into the pan so that it is about 1/4" thick.
4. Sprinkle the remaining fruits and nuts over the top.
5. Refrigerate until it hardens or store in a cool place on the counter. Once hardened, break up into pieces and enjoy.

Farmer's Market Soup

I'm calling this farmer's market soup...really it's just a soup with a bunch of vegetables and barley. Although I may not have gone to a farmer's market to get all of my ingredients, more like the local grocery store, this is the type of soup I imagine one could make out of all the fresh seasonal ingredients currently available.

I especially enjoyed the barley in the soup because it gave the soup a lovely texture and something to really chew on. I admit I may have gone a little spice crazy...I liberally sprinkled red chili pepper flakes and may have added too much...but I actually liked the extra kick. For those who just want a hearty soup without the spice skip the flakes and you're good to go.

Unfortunately, due to the fact that I was using random ingredients from the fridge and pantry I don't exactly remember the proportions for everything but by now I've made enough soups that I've figured out the basic recipe. Each soup has five to six steps, depending on whether you leave the soup chunky or want it to be smooth in the end.

1. Saute the onions and shallots (whichever you're using) for 3-5 minutes until translucent. Add the chopped/minced garlic and continue to saute until everything becomes fragrant, about 1 more minute.
2. Add all of the hard chopped vegetables. This includes carrots, celery, pepper....things that are crunchy. Saute for about 5 minutes and mix it all around.
3. Add all of the soft vegetables. This includes mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes, and eggplant. At this point, also add any spices including the salt and pepper. Depending on the type of flavor you want this can include a variety of seasonings but generally I like to pair thyme with oregano and dill or cumin with coriander. If you want an extra kick, add some red chili pepper flakes (just don't go crazy like I did). Mix everything well and saute until you see the second set of vegetables start to brown and soften.
4. Add your grain of choice. In this farmer's market soup, I used barley but you can also use lentils, split peas, or various other soup-type grains. Cover the ingredients with stock. This can be chicken stock, beef stock, vegetable stock or even water. Generally, most of my recipes call for at least 2 L of stock (6 cups). You may have to add additional liquid if it starts to boil off, but make sure the liquid always covers the rest of the ingredients.
5. Cover the pot with a lid and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Depending on which grain you're using, the soup will have to simmer for anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. Usually the package will have proper cooking instructions. For example, red lentils are soft and take only half an hour. Green lentils and harder and take 45 minutes to an hour. Barley also takes about 40 minutes. If you want to add some potatoes (as I did in this farmer's market soup) cut them up into chunks and add about 10-15 minutes before you expect the grains to finish cooking.
6. For a smooth soup, transfer to a blender and puree in batches. Afterward, return the soup to the pot to heat it through and add any additional salt and pepper.

There you have it...a basic guide to making a simple soup any day of the week.

Chocolate Truffles

Last Sunday I awoke to a wonderful breakfast prepared by my brother. He made "Eggs on a Raft", a dish consisting of a piece of bread with a hole in the middle replaced with a perfectly cooked egg, sunny side up. I loved the breakfast and was truly touched by the gesture. My brother, seeing my delight, was extremely pleased with himself and remarked at how good he felt knowing that I enjoyed his breakfast.

So, in keeping with the food giving spirit, this Valentine's Day I decided to make a nice treat for all of the members of my family with these chocolate truffles. I know that a lot of people complain about it being a Hallmark holiday, an excuse for greeting card companies to get more money. In truth, I think that it's a wonderful opportunity to show everyone, not just your special someone, that you care about them.

This past Sunday my brother discovered something that I learned ever since I began to cook and bake regularly; the joy of being able to light up someone's day with a little kindness and consideration. The gesture doesn't have to be huge, it can be something as little as a "thinking of you" e-mail or something larger like a bouquet of flowers. The point is that when you do something special for someone else, not only does it make them feel good but you feel great as well. That is why I love to share my baking and cooking with everyone around me; my food gives me an opportunity to express my love and appreciation for those around me.

Chocolate Truffles
Note: This recipe makes about 36 truffles, depending on how big you roll them. Also, be aware that the truffles melt easily in your hands while rolling, so don't over roll and wash your hands only with cold water.

• 3/4 cup (180 mL) heavy cream
• 2 cups (450 grams) chocolate, chopped
• 3 tbsp butter, softened
• Topping (nuts, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, coconut flakes, melted chocolate...anything you want)

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the cream until it just comes to a boil. 
2. Add the chocolate chunks and remove the saucepan from the heat. Whisk or stir until all of the chocolate is melted.
3. Stir in the butter until the mixture is uniformly smooth.
4. Pour the ganache into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Make sure that the plastic wrap actually covers the surface of the ganache, don't just put it over the top of the bowl.
5. Set aside in the fridge for at least two hours or until the ganache sets.
6. Using a small ice cream scoop or teaspoon, scoop out some ganache and roll into 1" balls. This part is tricky because the ganache is initially hard but will start to melt as soon as it's in your hands. I recommend using plastic gloves or simply a ziploc bag around your hand to mold the chocolate into a small rock and then roll it into a ball.
7. Roll the truffles in whichever topping you desire to finish them off.

Beef Lettuce Wraps

I love ordering lettuce wraps whenever I go out to an Asian restaurant. The lettuce provides the perfect vessel to contain the yummy stir fry that is inside. Also, the wraps always seem to come with some sort of delicious dipping or pouring sauce. Usually when I order my lettuce wraps I stick with chicken, but since we already had some ground beef defrosted I substituted my meats.

I must admit, I don't normally like to prepare recipes that call for almost every ingredient in my pantry. For starters, it creates too much to keep track of. Also, I always find that I am missing just one or two  of the ingredients from the long list but don't feel like going out to buy it for a one time use. This time was different; rather than go and buy a pre-made Asian marinade, I decided to try and make all of the sauces required for the lettuce wraps including both the stir fry sauce and the pouring sauce. I won't lie and say it was easy but the feeling of satisfaction I got in the end was well worth the laundry list of ingredients that I went through.

In the end, everyone enjoyed the lettuce wraps and agreed that they were indeed very Asian tasting. I still think I would have preferred to use chicken, and maybe added some mushrooms had I not realized too late that we were out. Next time I'll be sure to try those amendments, but the sauces are definitely staying exactly the way they are.

Beef Lettuce Wraps
Note: I made these wraps for my rather large family so I tripled the recipe. The quantities below reflect the original recipe which makes roughly six lettuce wraps.

For the pouring sauce:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp hot water
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

1. Dissolve the sugar in the warm water.
2. Add the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon, juice, and sesame oil and mix well. Set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.
3. Just prior to serving, mix the hot water, Dijon mustard, and garlic in a small bowl. Add to the pouring sauce about a teaspoon at a time until the sauce is to your liking. Alternatively, you can serve both components side by side and let everyone decide for themselves how much to mix in.

For the stir fry sauce:

• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar

Combine ingredients and set aside.

For the filling:

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 8 oz (227 mL) can sliced water chestnuts, chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped

1. In a large skillet over high heat, combine the two oils and heat through. Add the ground beef and heat until no pink is visible. Make sure to stir often, reducing the heat if necessary, and break up the beef into small, uniform pieces. 
2. Drain the beef and set aside to cool, but keep the oils in the pan.
3. Reheat the oils and add the chopped onion. Cook over medium heat until the onions are translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant.
5. Add the beef, water chestnuts, and stir fry sauce and mix thoroughly. If you want, add a few drops of Worcestershire sauce to kick up the flavor a little. 
6. Add the chopped green onions and mix through. Continue to cook over medium heat for about 1-2 minutes or until the green onions start to wilt a little.
7. To serve, spoon filling onto a large platter and arrange lettuce leaves either around it or right next to it. The lettuce can be of any type that is able to create a cup for the filling: iceberg, bibb or butter leaves, even nappa cabbage.