Fleishigs Magazine Issue 002 - Dec 2018 (Chanukah Issue)

M E D I U M D O N E

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ISSUE

W E ’ R E

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W E L L

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FESTIVAL OF BITES

DEC. 2018

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GIVE CHUCK A CHANCE

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HOP INTO OUR GONDOLA FOR A TOUR OF VENICE

THE

CHANUKAH ISSUE

Chef Isaac shows us the light PARTY LIKE IT’S 165 BCE pg

60

USA $5.99 / Canada $6.99 / UK £5 Australia $9 / SA R90 / Israel 25

STEAK, YOU’VE MET YOUR MATCH The most award-winning kosher winery.

64

contents

18

6 8

CULINARY SCHOOL: How to Make Perfectly Fried Chicken

14 19

BUTCHER’S CUT

How to Cook Chuck Eye Like a Pro

28

RESTAURANT CHRONICLES

Judd’s Memphis: From Food Truck to Brick and Mortar

38

38

SEASONAL SECTION: • Festival of Bites • Latkes Every Style • Sheet Pan Latkes

46

WINE: It’s Time to Party: Not Just Champagne!

56

Chef Isaac’s Chanukah Party

Each month a guest editor will visit the Fleishigs offices and provide signature tips, tricks, and recipes throughout the issue.

This month Michael Solomonov shares his wisdom and thoughts on Chanukah.

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LEFTOVERS: Latke Pulled Beef Pie

50

MODERN HEIMISH

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TRAVEL: Venice The Jewish Ghetto of Venice and Venice Travel Tips

66 4

BUTCHER’S CUT How to Cook Chuck Eye Like a Pro

COOKBOOK REVIEW: Perfect Flavors By: Naomi Nachman

Chanukah-Themed Dinner with The Musket Club

GUEST EDITOR

GADGETS: Deep Frying

48

FESTIVAL OF BITES

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EDITOR'S LETTER

CHALLAH: OLIVE OIL ROSEMARY CHALLAH Impress your guests by turning challah dough into napkin rings.

58 62 63

GIFT GUIDE TOP 5

THE FORMULA: GETTING TO THE ROOT OF THE MATTER From roasted vegetables, to purée perfection, to creamy soup

72 74

RECIPE INDEX INTERVIEW

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editor's letter A

s a child living in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Crown Heights in the nineties, my most treasured memories involve parades, rallies and farbrengens (inspirational gatherings) led by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righteous memory.

For us kids, Chanukah was the most exciting time. Beyond the Chanukah gelt (cash) we received and the endless nights of fun family parties, Chanukah was all about interactively connecting to Jews all over the world.

It is hard to even remember that we grew up without the internet and social media and connecting with people was a challenge. On Chanukah in 770 (‘The Rebbe’s Shul’) however, the entire world came together with the most incredible LIVE broadcasts of Chanukah menorah lightings. The entire Crown Heights community gathered in 770 to light the menorah together and watch, sing and dance along with menorah lightings taking place all over the world. Scenes of hundreds of Jews proudly gathering in front of a public menorah in Paris, France and Moscow, Russia was beyond inspiring, even to us young kids. It was the ultimate way to celebrate the miracle of Chanukah, the miracle of the oil lasting for eight days and the miracle and light of the Jewish nation who, despite experiencing insurmountable obstacles, still stands today.

The physical way we celebrate Chanukah is by preparing, eating and enjoying latkes, doughnuts and foods fried or made with oil.

We took the Chanukah message to heart and partnered with the Musket Club (see page xx) to create a modern Chanukah dinner all about unity and common ground, which we celebrated with a wide variety of food influencers over an eight course revolutionary meal.

A large focus in the following pages is combining reliable basics and life-changing tips and tricks when it comes to cooking the classics. Chef Isaac Bernstein shares

EDITOR IN CHIEF Shifra Klein CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Shlomo Klein

his modern heimish take on a Chanukah party menu which involves potato kugel (of course) and homemade duck pastrami (which my son said was the best duck he ate in his life!). During the photo shoot we discovered that leaving out an ingredient in potato latkes makes a world of a difference (see page 43). For an ultimate party food, my sheet pan latkes are a must try! Easy to make and memorable to boot!

I am also mega-pumped for the Formula feature (see page 63) which provides readers and cooks everywhere the confidence to roast vegetables, make the silkiest vegetable puree and no-stock necessary soup without ever having to follow a recipe. In that regard, you will also gain mastery on making the best fried chicken (page 8) and cooking chuck eye like a pro (page 18).

The travel feature to Venice (page 50) by Italian kosher blogger Alessandra Rovati combines travel tips, an authentic Venetian doughnut recipe and the history of the Jewish Ghetto of Venice. And don’t forget to check our gift guide for creative, useful gifts that are worth holding on to way beyond the Chanukah season. Save the gift ideas (page 58) for birthday, anniversary or appreciation gifts.

Happy Chanukah, Shifra P.S. My personal favorite Chanukah related purchase was the Magnet Menorah (www.magnetmenorah.com) which easily pops on top of our car. It adds so much to the spirit of Chanukah and spreads the message of Jewish pride wherever we go.

Tried one of our recipes? Let us know!

Hello@fleishigs.com 6

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DECEMBER 2018

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EDITOR Chana Z. Weiss DESIGN estudio-5.com PRODUCTION estudio-5.com PHOTOGRAPHER Schneur Menaker FOOD STYLIST Shifra Klein KITCHEN ASSISTANT Devorah Kahan PROOFREADER Elisheva Taitz MARKETING & BRANDING Mann Sales Co. TEST KITCHEN SPONSOR Gourmet Glatt

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Comments & Questions: Hello@fleishigs.com

Advertising & Partnerships: Shlomo@fleishigs.com

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form without prior written permission from the publisher is prohibited.

Fleishigs magazine assumes no responsibility for content or kashrut of articles and advertisements in the magazine, or for the content of books. Fleishigs magazine is not responsible for typographical errors.

Thank you to Fishseddy.com for providing many of the beautiful dishes used to photograph recipes for this issue. Visit www.fishseddy.com or Fishseddy the store at 889 Broadway at 19th Street in NYC for flatware, dining ware, kitchenware, silverware, linens and more.

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a M o t w o H culinary school

Perfectly Fried Southern Fried

e k c i Ch By: Naomi Ross

A

t Judd’s Memphis Kitchen, a lot of care is given to the fried chicken. Careful breading

and dredging are all part of ensuring a good, even crust to their signature fried chicken.

Non-kosher southern fried chicken is typically made kosher by using buttermilk for

dredging, rather than the beaten eggs you would use for your schnitzel. Judd has achieved successful results using an acidulated rice milk as a parve buttermilk, which also alleviates certain allergy concerns.

“It ain’t schnitzel!”

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ake

en  Judd

opened his kitchen to share the following tips and techniques for making great fried chicken.

“It ain’t schnitzel!”

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CULINARY SCHOOL

udd's 10-Step

Guide for Great Fried Chicken

1

USE BONELESS (OR BONE-IN) SKINLESS DARK MEAT

It's more forgiving, so it stays juicy and moist without fear of drying out during the cooking.

10

4 Fleishigs

2 cups allpurpose flour + ¼ cup spice blend

2

Use a highly seasoned flour mix for breading. Use all-purpose flour as a base with your choice of spices. Even though Judd’s signature spice blend is confidential, he recommends a mix of salt, black pepper, garlic, and paprika. Add cayenne if you like a kick.

3 Make your own parve “buttermilk” by acidulating rice milk with a big squeeze of lemon juice and salt. Let it sit 5-10 minutes to create the buttermilk effect.

1 cup rice milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice

5

DOUBLE DREDGE TO BUILD A GOOD SOLID CRUST: DRY-WET-DRY

PAY ATTENTION TO DETAIL WHEN DREDGING AND BREADING Press breading into all areas to ensure maximum coverage.

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You can also use a purchased spice blend like Cajun Seasoning, Montreal Steak, or Pereg’s Harissa blend (for spicy chicken).

CULINARY SCHOOL

6 7. Use a fry thermometer to maintain correct temperature of oil.

8. Use a meat thermometer to ensure chicken is cooked throughly (and not over-cooked) – to 165°F for food safety.

10 Cut

9

DEEP FRY (IN AT LEAST 3 INCHES OF OIL) Fry at 350-360°F. Or try lower (such as 325-330°F) for a few minutes longer, with less room for error.

MAKE PROPER DRAINAGE POST-FRY A PRIORITY Use a cooling rack inserted over a baking sheet to air dry, keep crisp, and avoid sogginess!

AVOID THE “POPPER CONUNDRUM” Don’t overly sauce your chicken after the fry. Let your sauce be a light baste as opposed to drenching it with sauce. This will help prevent sogginess.

Number of Minutes (time range depends on size)

Boneless breast (white meat)

8-10

Boneless thigh (dark meat)

12-15

Drumsticks/wings

10-12

Bone-in breast

18-20

Bone-in thigh

18-20 DECEMBER 2018

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CULINARY SCHOOL

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CULINARY SCHOOL

Ultimate Chicken Waffles

&

ULTIMATE CHICKEN & WAFFLES Serves: 6+ You can make the chicken into small nuggets and split each waffle into four servings for a party style offering.

Place waffles on plate. Top with fried chicken and drizzle of sriracha honey.

Serve hot.

Preheat waffle iron. Beat eggs in large bowl with hand beater until fluffy. Beat in flour, milk, vegetable oil, sugar, baking powder, salt, and vanilla just until smooth. A few lumps are fine, since it is best not to overwork the batter.

Spray preheated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Pour 1/3 to 1/2 cup of waffle mix into hot waffle iron.

Cook until golden brown. Serve hot.

WAFFLES Makes: 4-6 waffles

SRIRACHA HONEY Makes: 1 cup

Judd’s Fried Chicken (page 8) Waffles (recipe follows) Sriracha Honey (recipe follows)

2 eggs 2 cups flour 1 ¾ cups soy milk ½ cup oil 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Waffle Notes:  We used the All-Clad waffle maker available at www. williams-sonoma.com $130  There is no right way to eat this American classic: Some people go right for the chicken, saving the waffle for dessert. Others do exactly the opposite and start with the waffles. Some shred the chicken, put it on the waffle and pour the syrup over the whole thing.  Instead of making your own waffles, you can easily substitute with store bought options. Chopsies brand offers ready to eat waffles available in the freezer section at your local supermarket. All you have to do is warm through in the oven and you've got a party started!  Use the waffle batter, (you can even buy ready batter under the Simple Farms brand) and make large pancakes instead of waffles as an easy alternative if you do not have a waffle maker.

1 cup honey ¼ cup sriracha

Heat ingredients in medium saucepan on medium heat. Mix until smooth.

Allow to cool.

Serve with fried chicken and waffles.

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CULINARY SCHOOL

gadgets

Deep Frying Spoon Rest (“Rest in Grease”)

Striped Bamboo Chopsticks, Set of 5 Pairs

OXO Good Grips® Fish Turner

USA Pan Baking Extra Large 2-Piece Pan and Rack Set

OXO Good Grips® Glass Candy and Deep Fry Thermometer

Paper towels are essential

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10" Lodge Cast Iron Fry Pan

Helen Chen’s Asian Kitchen Stainless Steel Spider Strainer

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CULINARY SCHOOL OXO Good Grips® Fish Turner  This convenient fish turner lets you lift, flip, and transfer fish or chicken while keeping it intact. $12.99 www.bedbathandbeyond.com

Spoon Rest (“Rest in Grease”)  The "Rest in Grease" Spoon Rest is part of FishsEddy Funny Little Trays Collection. It measures 9" wide. $20.95 www.fishseddy.com

Striped Bamboo Chopsticks, Set of 5 Pairs  Narrow stripes and tips in five different colors decorate the handles of these reusable chopsticks, with ringed tips for a stronger grip on foods. $5.95 www.crateandbarrel.com

USA Pan Baking Extra Large 2-Piece Pan and Rack Set  This set features an extra large sheet pan and a cooling rack. Oven safe up to 450°F, this pan/rack features a non stick coating for easy cleanup. $35.99 www.amazon.com

OXO Good Grips® Glass Candy and Deep Fry Thermometer  Convenient clip is extra-long to make it easy to attach, remove, or adjust. It measures temperatures reaching 450°F. $17.95 www.oxo.com

10" Lodge Cast Iron Fry Pan  Heavyweight cast iron transfers and retains heat evenly, and it is safe for use in ovens, broilers, and inductions. $26.75 www.Lodgemfg.com

Helen Chen’s Asian Kitchen Stainless Steel Spider Strainer  This strainer safely scoops up foods and thoroughly drains hot oil and boiling liquids. $8.79 www.amazon.com

GE GUEST EDITOR

MICHAEL SOLOMONOV'S FRYING TIPS & TOOLS I recommend a good spider spatula to capture items and a Dutch oven or cast iron pan that can retain heat well.

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restaurant chronicles

udd's

MEMPHIS KITCHEN

A Down-Home Taste of Southern Cookin’.

F

or Yehuda “Judd” Joffre, cooking is his lifeblood. The Memphis native, now known in New York for his smoked brisket and fried chicken, grew up amongst cooks. His mother owned the community bakery and, with several other family members in the food business, the kitchen was where he felt most at home.

On and off for fifteen years, Judd competed in the Anshei Sphard-Beth El Emeth (ASBEE) World Kosher BBQ Competition and Festival, the oldest kosher barbecue contest in the United States. He worked on perfecting his smoked brisket and developing his own spice blends, an interest he continued to cultivate after he married and moved to Crown Heights, NY. Working as a real estate broker in NYC enabled him to pay the bills, but he never abandoned his passion. “I was always cooking and entertaining,” says Judd with a smile. On the side, he began setting up kiddushim and doing barbecue events at night. It was at one such weeknight barbecue that Judd’s future partner first tasted his food and offered to back him financially to pursue his love professionally. With the necessary financial support, Judd was able to take the leap that enabled him to do what he loved as a full-time job.

Four years ago, Judd opened a kitchen commissary in Boro Park, Brooklyn, just the space he needed for catering. Finally settled, he did what few kosher start-ups have done: he bought a food truck and took it on the road. Traveling across the country, Judd brought his Memphis-style comfort food to the people. “We’d announce a pop-up on social media and people would come and follow us.”

BY NAOMI ROSS With his popularity increasing, Judd recently took the next big step, opening a store-front location on Central Avenue in the heart of the shopping district in Cedarhurst, NY. Judd’s Memphis Kitchen held a soft opening in the late summer showcasing his best dishes on a modest ten-item menu. “Smoked brisket, fried chicken, and our ‘$100 Burger’ are our core menu. It’s a different taste,” explains Judd. “The spice rubs are unique and our sauces are sweet and smoky – like our Maple-‘Bacon’-Aioli.”

He is not in a rush to expand his menu; rather, Joffre believes in ensuring that the food he serves is consistently “done right.”

His draw and connection with customers comes from his attention to quality.

"We’re really hungry!

Could you open the kitchen and cook for us?!

We’ll pay a hundred dollars a burger!”

The curiously named “$100 Burger” (no, it doesn’t cost $100!) is an exclusive blend of ground beef with sweetness and heat, topped with a layer of thinly-sliced roast beef on a pretzel bun. How did this dish get its pricey name? “A couple of years ago I got a call at 3 AM from five high-end clients.

'We’re really hungry! Could you open the kitchen and cook for us?! We’ll pay a hundred dollars a burger!'”

That kind of following drives Judd’s desire to keep it fun and fresh for customers in his new kitchen. Off-the-menu daily specials are worth asking about… just not at 3 AM please!

Naomi Ross is a cooking instructor and food writer. She teaches classes throughout the tri-state area and writes articles connecting good cooking and Jewish inspiration. Visit her website and blog at: www.koshercookingconcepts.com 16

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HOW TO COOK CHUCK LIKE EYE

butcher's cut

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A PRO Celebrate the Underdog of Roasts BY: SHIFRA KLEIN BUTCHER CONSULTANT: BEREL WOLOWIK PHOTOGRAPHY BY: SCHNEUR MENAKER

Chuck eye is an underrated roasts. It is a continuation of the same muscles that make up the rib eye, one of the most prestigious cuts of beef. The chuck eye is full of marbelization and when cooked correctly can be more tender than the rib eye, especially when cooked low and slow. You almost can’t mess it up. The chuck eye roast can also be referred to as a California roast and in some butcher shops the Delmonico roast. The smaller, rounder edge of the chuck (which is the part closest to the ribeye) is the part where butcher’s will cut a few steaks called boneless club steaks.

Many butchers we spoke to have shared how often they recommend this cut to their customers, who are at times wary of purchasing this seemingly less glamorous roast. It doesn’t have the brand recognition of more popular french roast or rib roast, but at a much better price, it is well worth it.

Thank you Yehoshua Feldman for all your asistance with our meat orders

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BUTCHER'S CUT

ENDLESS OPTIONS: STAY TRADITIONAL: BRAISED TO PERFECTION  Traditionally, the chuck roast makes for a great roast to braise low and slow until meltingly tender. It freezes and reheats extremely well.

Chuck Eye is also a wonderful option for pulled beef. Cook low and slow with some onions. Shred. Add your favorite barbecue sauce and your good to go. (Recipe on page 24) When cooking low and slow and desiring to serve as a sliced roast, freeze the roast without its gravy for an hour. Slice with a sharp knife and place back in gravy or sauce. Reheat and serve.

DELMONICO: THE BUTCHER’S SECRET  The chuck eye is at times labeled delmonico roast. Delmonico, most commonly cut from the rib section, is named after Delmonico, a popular NY steakhouse’s most famous cut. At Delmonico’s the delmonico is a boneless rib eye, but this cut has many variations and like London Broil has a lot of mystery attached to its name. Inspired by this, we dry roasted a chuck eye as we would a ribeye and were pleasantly surprised with the results. It was beefy and tender when served hot and incredible for salads and sandwiches, sliced thinly when cold. We even served it up at a men’s steak night party to much accolades.

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GO MODERN: SOUS VIDE  Because the chuck eye is an extension of the rib eye, when cooked correctly you can create almost identical results. The ideal way to achieve rib eye roast results with a chuck eye is to utilize a sous vide machine. It takes literal minutes to set up and requires no major cooking or chef skills. Clip a sous vide machine (about the size of an immersion blender) onto the side of a pot filled with water and the sous vide machine brings the water up to a specific even temperature for a set amount of time. The results are astounding. This recipe sold us on the sous vide machine, because it showcases the true potential of sous vide cooking which turn economy cuts into a taste of luxury.

CHOLENT: ALTERNATIVE TO FLANKEN  Chop to very large chunks and add to your favorite cholent recipe.

 Conclusion: The chuck eye is a winning roast, both in price and versatility. Looking for a classic braise? Pulled beef? Want something more elegant and prime rib like? It works under all circumstances. But sometimes the less obvious choice is the one worth taking.

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recipes

DELMONICO-STYLE CHUCK ROAST Serves: 8 ½ cup garlic cloves 3 sprigs rosemary ½ cup olive oil 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 4-pound chuck eye roast Preheat oven to 450°F. In a blender or food processor, combine garlic, rosemary, oil, salt, and pepper.

Optional step: remove chuck eye from netting and open up roast. Add some of the garlicrosemary paste inside the roast, roll up back into the netting.

Brush ¼ cup of garlic paste over roast, reserving rest for later.

Roast for twenty minutes then lower oven to 350°F. Roast for an additional 60 minutes for medium rare and 1 hour 15 minutes for medium.

Allow roast to rest for fifteen minutes, then slice.

Serve with remaining garlic oil and sweet potato puree (page 63).

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BUTCHER'S CUT

Delmonico Style Chuck Eye with Sweet Potato Puree

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recipes

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BUTCHER'S CUT

PULLED BEEF Serves: 8

3-4 pound chuck roast 1 Spanish onion, sliced 1 cup beer 1 (18-ounce) bottle barbecue sauce

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place chuck roast in 9x13 and top with onion and beer.

Cook covered for three hours. Remove from oven and shred meat.

Mix in barbecue sauce and cook in a pan over medium heat for ten minutes.

Serve in tacos and sandwiches or over latkes and nachos.

BRAISED CHUCK EYE Serves: 10

TIPS

You can skip the flour if you are gluten-free or prefer to go carb-free. It adds viscosity to the sauce, but still tastes great without it.

3-4 pound chuck eye roast 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (optional) 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 Spanish onion, sliced 3 carrots, chopped 3 stalks celery, chopped 2 tablespoons tomato paste 4 cups beef broth 2 bay leaves

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Sear roast for five minutes per side, or until crust is golden.

Remove from pan and place in a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Add onions, carrots, celery, and garlic to the skillet and saute for ten minutes, until softened. Coat with tomato paste and cook for five minutes, so tomato paste begins to caramelize. Pour broth over vegetables and bring to a boil.

Pour vegetables and sauce over roast. Cover tightly with foil and cook for three hours.

Allow to cool completely before slicing.

Heat oven to 350°F. Coat chuck eye with flour, salt, and black pepper.

EXTRA STEP: Strain sauce and discard vegetables. Simmer sauce in medium saucepan until reduced by half to make the sauce next-level amazing.

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BUTCHER'S CUT SOUS VIDE CHUCK ROAST Serves: 10 4-pound chuck eye roast 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional to serve 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil Pesto, for serving (recipe follows)

Prepare your sous vide machine by clipping the machine to the side of a large pot of water.

Set machine to 130°F for medium rare, or 135°F for medium.

Place chuck eye roast in a freezer safe zip-loc bag (or sous vide bag) and add olive oil, salt, and pepper. Seal the bag most of the way, then

ALMONDARUGULA PESTO:

slowly lower into the water to push all of the air out of the bag and close to create a vacuum seal. Cook for 18 hours.

When roast is ready, remove from bag and pat dry.

Heat a pan over mediumhigh heat until very hot, then add grapeseed oil to pan. Sear roast until deep

brown.

Slice into 1-inch steaks and serve with a drizzle of good quality olive oil and sea salt, or a drizzle of pesto.

You can also allow roast to fully cool and slice thinly for roast beef sandwiches and Shabbos lunch charcuterie platters.

In a food processor, blend 1 cup almonds, 3 cloves garlic, 1 cup packed basil, 4 cups arugula, and 1 cup olive oil. Add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, plus more to taste. Add more olive oil to the top of pesto to keep pesto fresh. Store covered in fridge up to a week.

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LEFTOVERS

LATKE MEAT PIZZA Serves: 8 We call this a latke pizza; but in reality, it is a pan-fried, lacy potato kugel that is topped with barbecue pulled beef.

You can serve it as is, without the beef, or top with whatever your heart desires.

6 Idaho potatoes 1 small onion 1 egg, beaten ¼ cup flour 2 teaspoons kosher salt ½ teaspoon black pepper ⅓ cup vegetable oil (or duck or chicken fat), divided 2 cups pulled beef (recipe follows) 1 cup watercress greens, for garnish Preheat oven to 375°F. Grate onions and

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potatoes and mix with egg, flour, salt, and pepper.

Heat an oven-proof 9 to 10 inch pan over mediumhigh heat. Once pan is hot, add ¼ cup of oil, followed by potato batter.

Cook over medium heat for ten minutes. Drizzle top of potato "pizza" with remaining oil and place in the oven. Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool for fifteen minutes.

Place a large round plate (larger than your pan) on top of pan and invert pan

so pizza flips onto plate.

Top with pulled beef, watercress greens, and additional barbecue sauce.

Serve warm.

Pulled Beef: Heat 1 cup barbecue sauce in small saucepan. Add 2 cups shredded leftover braised chuck eye (see previous pages). Cook until warmed through. For more instructions on pulled beef, see page 24.

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FESTIVAL OF BITES

seasonal feature

A Chanukah Dinner with the Musket Club

BY NAOMI ROSS

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SEASONAL

C

rates of wine and water glasses sit stacked in the corner of a wellappointed kitchen in the Long Island town of Cedarhurst. More crates of modern dining ware are hurriedly brought into a kitchen already buzzing with activity. “I’m not sure how I want this cloth,” says Danielle, as she playfully arranges and drapes a swath of cloth around a table-long, green floral garland. Four hours to go until tonight’s event.

Adina shaved fresh, white truffles over her sous vide veal to finish off the most popular dish of the night.

Danielle Brody’s job is décor and flower arrangements, as well as PR/social media for The Musket Club. She is one of a threesome of childhood friends partnering to create a new upscale kosher supper club. Once a month, The Musket Club tantalizes its guests with a communal dining experience. A gathering of mostly strangers comes together to keep kosher and taste new, often unknown, ingredients in the intimacy of a home or small venue.

Unlike a restaurant where you pick your dish from a rarely varying list, Chef and partner Adina Halpern spends weeks crafting a themed menu with nothing repeated and nothing expected. Five to ten courses, each carefully paired with a wine or aperitif along with themed music and décor, all come together in expressive harmony for at most twenty guests dining that night. No menus are given until the end of the evening, a memento to take home rather than a spoiler to distract from the experience.

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SEASONAL Rachel Margolin, the third partner, assumes responsibility for accounts and guest services. A teacher by day, she is also the “front of house” face who serves, presents, and explains the history or story behind each course. Rachel arrives an hour after Danielle, laptop in hand, ready to set up the playlist for the evening. She excels at telling the story. “One supper club was themed after The Great Gatsby. Each course of the evening was progressively more indulgent to mirror the era of increasing decadence during Gatsby’s roaring twenties,” she explains. She starts to tell me about tonight’s Chanukah theme, and suddenly the table garland begins to make sense, a subtle nod to the Greek toga and wreath.

Adina utilized an authentic Japanese Yakitori grill to cook the mushrooms for course five and the cabbage for course six. The grill is made from clay and heats charcoal to optimal degree. The flavor it achieves is quite unique and adds to the one-ofa-kind dinner experience.

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A gathering of mostly strangers comes together to keep kosher and taste new, often unknown, ingredients in the intimacy of a home or small venue.

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SEASONAL The kitchen smells of the unmistakable pungency of white truffle. Chef Adina delights in the box from Regalis on the counter, a purveyor of rare foraged items and herbs. “Smell these!” she says, holding a handful of white-ish mushrooms with long thick stems. “These are Matsutake mushrooms – they smell woodsy like pine trees!” She likes Asian influences like these and yuzu, an Asian citrus fruit. The goal is to adopt and fuse world flavors to achieve deeper flavor complexities.

sophisticated renditions of old beloved classics. There are no jelly doughnuts to be found, but there are savory foie gras filled choux pastry sufganiot, glazed with a tart and tangy pomegranate reduction and topped with sweet pomegranate arils.

Your grandmother’s potato latkes with applesauce got an upgrade for Pommes Dauphine (potato pastry) topped with Ikura (salmon roe) and draped with an intense apple gelée. Served with Late Harvest apple cider, it is a delicate, well-balanced dish with an elegant presentation.

“50% of my time is spent finding purveyors of specialty items, then another 20% complaining about what they sent!”

Originally from Holliswood, a small suburb of Queens, Halpern grew up watching Food Network and dueling with her sister (now sous chef) in their own invented kitchen competitions. She dreamed of becoming a chef and eventually went to the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) in Manhattan.

From there, her internships landed her at several Michelin Star rated restaurants, including the famous Mugaritz in Spain.

Voted #9 in the 2017 Top 50 Best Restaurants in the World, Mugaritz is known for its creative flair and the playful humor of its cuisine, qualities which clearly left their mark on Adina’s approach to cooking. After nine months of interning and six months of “R&D,” Halpern returned to the U.S. and continued working as a chef.

While The Musket Club does run other events, the monthly supper club is its premier affair and the one that requires the most planning. Researching and creating themed menus in addition to finding purveyors for hard-to-find items takes time. It usually takes seven to ten days for shopping and prep. “50% of my time is spent finding purveyors of specialty items, then another 20% complaining about what they sent!” jokes Halpern. The first course of the evening showcases a cured veal tongue in Port served with “cheese” pumpkin spread, an edgy take on the story of the Jewish heroine Yehudit who fed the Syrian-Greek general Holofernes salty cheese and gave him wine to sate his thirst. When he passed out drunk, she decapitated him and brought his head to show he was defeated, thus inspiring the people of her town to fight.

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CAN SUPPER CLUBS SURVIVE IN THE WORLD OF KOSHER?

Halpern is a fan of nuanced flavors. In the dessert she served, for example, the unexpected pop of tartness from the kaffir lime in the, the earthiness of buckwheat, and the bright crunch of texture achieved with a finger lime (if you can actually find one!). “That’s the best way to reach people: as a starting point with nuanced flavors,” she continues as she plucks edible and admired nasturtium leaves from their stems. If the Musket Club is a microcosm of a restaurant, then Chef Adina represents the entire kitchen staff rolled into one.

She does the involved work of executing complex multi-layered recipes, but without the restrictions that accompany running a restaurant machine with big overhead.

With full creative license, she revels in the opportunity to focus on the food. Time spent in the non-kosher restaurant world gave her a very broad exposure to ingredients, flavors, and techniques. “Kosher restaurants are limited by a lack of availability and exposure to so many ingredients that are technically kosher,” says Halpern. In a 34

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kosher restaurant world where unhealthy parve substitutions like margarine are often impossible to avoid due to cost (or lack of better creative solutions), Halpern uses less conventional choices like cocoa butter, without sacrificing health or taste.

The goal, adds Rachel, is “to broaden the horizons of the kosher community, with a general knowledge of the nuances of different cuisines, to break stigmas, and to bring new tastes to the table.” At age 27, Halpern is realizing the plan she always had in mind. So, what’s the next step for the Musket Club? Beyond the monthly Supper Club, the threesome plans to offer other specialty events for which they can grow a larger following and community. A “Picnic in the Park” might be in their future, as well as continued small, focused events, like the charcuterie night they recently hosted in Crown Heights, NY. With a tight-lipped smile, not much detail is divulged, but I can tell something good is brewing. I will be waiting patiently for the next chapter in their culinary adventure, fork in hand.

The supper club concept isn’t new in the world of kosher. A few years back popular private chef service www.kitchensurfing.com teamed up with kosher legends to offer kosher services and private chef customized parties to the kosher consumers. Despite being met with much excitement, accolades, and offering top notch food and chefs, this unique service didn’t catch on. Perhaps this service was too early for its time. Or perhaps there wasn’t enough of a demand for this type of dining experience.

There are plenty of chefs who offer these services.

We have experienced the most memorable feasts with Chef Isaac Bernstien, Chef Sruly Subar, and Chef Dini Klein, and most recently, with The Musket Club.

What makes these dinners so great is the unexpected food adventure you enter. It is completely different than dining in a restaurant and can be a great way to dine out with family and friends in a more intimate setting.

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PURVEYORS RESOUCES Nasturtium hen in season, big farmers W markets (like Union Square farmers' market in NY) or online:Â gourmetsweet botanicals.com

Cocoa butter* amazon.com (Chef recommends Terrasoul Superfood) *According to the OK, raw and unprocessed cocoa butter does not require supervision.

Yuzu Regalis (online orders or store in Long Island City, NY) Also available at many Asian markets

Salmon roe markys.com Also available at fine kosher marketplaces

Foie Gras Heritage - https:// heritagekosher.com

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The Musket Club 1 Veal tongue, pumpkin, port cured beef heart, malt, rose Brouwerij Bosteels pauwel kwak Belgian ale 2 Sufganiyot, foie gras, pomegranate The Musket 3 Pommes Dauphine, ikura, apple, yuzu Late Harvest apple cider 4 Tomato, gooseberries, nasturtium 2016 Yarden Gewurztraminer 5 Matsutake mushrooms, buckwheat, nori Reserve 2012 Recanati Syrah 6 Lamb liver, basil, consomme, kaffir lime Honeymaker Ostara mead 7 Blanquette De Veau, charred cabbage, white truffle 2014 Jezreel Carignan 8 Concord grape, ice, lemon balm Olive oil, citron, sesame 2016 Zahav Late Harvest Chardonnay Welcome to our table

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4 1 2

5 6 3 8

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Olive Oil Cake: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1¾ cups sugar ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda 1¼ cups good quality olive oil 1⅓ cups almond milk 3 eggs Zest of one orange ⅓ cup fresh orange juice 5 tablespoons Grand Marnier or Triple Sec Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13inch baking dish.

Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Whisk to blend; set aside.

Combine wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using an electric mixer, beat until blended.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and beat well until it becomes a smooth batter, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Pour batter into a greased 9 x13-inch baking dish and bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Let cool on rack completely.

Citron-Orange Marmalade: Do Ahead: Jam can be made 5 days ahead and stored in a tightly-sealed container in the refrigerator.

1 etrog (or lemon) 1 orange White sugar as needed by weight (see recipe) 2-3 cloves Cut the etrog and orange in half lengthwise, then slice very thinly crosswise; remove all seeds.

Place the fruit in a medium saucepan. Fill with water to cover and soak overnight.

Drain water; replace with fresh

water to cover fruit, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Repeat process of changing water and bringing to a boil a second time.

Drain water. Weigh fruit and add an equal weight of white sugar (for example, approximately 1 ¾ cups sugar: ¾ pound fruit) and cloves.

Stir to blend and place over low heat, simmering for about 45 minutes or until it begins to gel into a jamlike consistency. Remove and discard cloves.

While still warm, use a hand blender to puree until desired smoothness..

Let jam cool for 5-10 minutes to thicken, then refrigerate.

TIPS

CITRUS OLIVE OIL CAKE WITH BURNT CITRON-ORANGE MARMALADE AND OLIVE OIL CUSTARD Serves 12

MAKE THE ENTIRE DESSERT or make elements to suit your meal. The citrus olive oil cake is a winning recipe on its own and can be baked in a loaf pan as a great hostess gift or Shabbos morning treat. If you still want the drama of this dessert, but do not have the time, we recommend using storebought citrus marmalade in place of making your own. And while the olive oil custard is one-of-a-kind, a scoop of ice cream or freshly whipped cream can make for a reliable stand-in.

Olive Oil Custard: Equipment note: This recipe can only be made effectively in a high-power blender, not with a regular blender or immersion blender. In its place, cake can be served with ice cream or sabayon.

3 whole eggs, room temperature ½ cup sugar 2 tablespoons lemon zest (from about 2-3 lemons) ½ cup Meyer lemon juice (from about 4-5 lemons), strained ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ½ cup extra virgin olive oil Combine all ingredients, except for olive oil, in a high-speed blender. Blend on high for 4 minutes.

Pour in olive oil slowly with blender running and continue to blend until you see the custard firming up on the sides, another 3-4 minutes.

To assemble: Cut a piece of cake and spread with jam.

Char jam under the broiler. or use a blowtorch.

Spoon out a dollop of olive oil custard onto a plate and place the cake on top.

Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

SUFGANIOT WITH FOIE GRAS MOUSSE AND POMEGRANATE GLAZE Yield: About 20-22 sufganiot Instead of a traditional sweet yeast dough used for sufganiot, a savory choux paste dough is cooked stovetop and scooped out for frying – no rising necessary.

Cook’s Note: While the original recipe features foie gras, the following recipe has been adapted by Chef Halpern, offering the use of chicken livers, a more accessible and affordable ingredient for the home cook.

Choux Paste:

1 cup water ⅔ cup cocoa butter, chopped 2 teaspoons salt 1 cup flour 4 eggs Canola oil, for frying

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Heat 2 tablespoons chicken or duck fat in a large skillet over medium heat.

Fry chicken skin until brown and crispy.

Add shallot and celery and cook until soft, about 3-4 minutes.

Deglaze with brandy, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan; reduce until brandy is absorbed.

Add salt, pepper, chicken stock, and livers and cook just until livers are warmed throughly. Once heated throughly, do not cook further.

Working while hot, transfer to a high-speed blender or food processor.

Blend on high until well-chopped or pureed.

Add herbs and, with the machine running, pour in remaining ¾ cup chicken fat until well-emulsified.

Season to taste and put in a pastry bag with a small round tip.

Optional: Pass through a fine mesh sieve for a smooth mousse.

Pomegranate Glaze: 2 cups pomegranate juice 3 tablespoons cocoa butter Pomegranate seeds Maldon sea salt Bring water, butter, and salt to a boil in a medium-sized sauce pot.

Once the water is at a boil, add in flour all at once and immediately mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until flour is fully incorporated and there are no clumps.

Continue to mix over a low flame until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pot. Remove from heat.

Add in eggs, one at a time, until dough is shiny and elastic. It is important to mix in each egg completely before adding the next one.

With a small, greased ice cream scoop, scoop the dough out onto a greased baking sheet and place in the fridge to cool and firm up.

Fill pot with about 3 inches of canola or vegetable oil. Using a fry thermometer, heat oil over medium heat until it reaches a temperature of 350°F. Working in batches, fry each

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round until puffed and deep golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to baking sheets lined with paper towels to drain.

Liver Mousse: Do Ahead: Liver mousse can be made 2 days in advance. ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons rendered chicken or duck fat, divided ½ cup chicken skins 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced ¼ cup good quality brandy ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper 1½- 2 teaspoons kosher salt ¾ cup chicken stock 1 pound chicken or duck liver ¼ cup packed finely chopped fresh parsley ¼ cup packed finely chopped fresh celery leaves

Reduce pomegranate juice over a low flame until it is thick and syrupy, about 30-40 minutes.

While still hot, stir in the cocoa butter until it is glossy and fully incorporated.

Let cool slightly before glazing the doughnuts, but not too much so that it solidifies.

To assemble: Poke a hole in the bottom of each doughnut and fill with liver mousse.

Dip the top of each donut into pomegranate glaze and place in an empty egg carton to set the glaze.

Finish with a few pomegranate seeds on each and a sprinkle of Maldon salt.

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RECIPE BY: WOLF & LAMB RESTAURANT

AUTUMN COCKTAIL

L'CHAIM

Makes: 1 cup

1 ½ ounces Makers Mark bourbon 1 ½ ounces apple cider 1 ounce peach schnapps

GE GUEST EDITOR

Pour liquid into rock glass filled with ice.

Garnish with cinnamon stick and apple slice, if desired.

MICHAEL SOLOMONOV'S TIPS ON PREPARING THE PERFECT CHANUKAH PARTY:

Don't overdo it and serve as many room temperature things as you can so you can take your time prepping and serving.

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Latkes Every Style

By: Fleishigs Editors

During our ambitious two-day Chanukah shoot for this issue, we (gasp!) ran out of the onions needed to create our basic latke recipe. While I left to replenish our supply, I told the shoot assistant Devorah to make a batch without. You can never have too many latkes... generally speaking in life, and more specifically when it comes to

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a photoshoot.

It’s always good to have a backup batch of most everything you make when doing a food shoot. Upon my return from Gourmet Glatt, I was met with gorgeous, crispy latkes that tasted great. Something about omitting the onions impacted the texture and consistency of the latkes in an optimal way. So, we made another batch, without onions but with the addition of onion salt. We hit latke gold.

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FLEISHIGS BASIC LATKES Serves: 4 4 Idaho potatoes, peeled 1 egg, beaten 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon kosher salt 2 teaspoons onion salt Ground black pepper, to taste (optional) Vegetable oil (or chicken or duck fat), for frying Grate potatoes using a food processor or hand grater.

Immediately mix with remaining ingredients.

Heat a large frying pan (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat and place latke batter by spoonfuls into hot oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Flip latkes and fry an additional 2 minutes.

Drain on paper towels.

Serve immediately.

We Asked/ You Answered: Lacy Potato Latkes versus Pancake-Style Latkes

73% Lacy

27%

PancakeStyle

POTATO LATKES MUSKET CLUB STYLE Serves: 8 Potato latkes (recipe to the left) Sake soaked salmon roe (recipe follows) Apple gelée (recipe follows), or apple jam Radish sprouts, for garnish Place the warm potato latke onto a plate. Top with a spoonful of the salmon roe. Drape a disc of the gelée on top (or apple jam), leaving some of the salmon roe exposed.

Garnish with radish sprouts and serve immediately.

SAKE SOAKED SALMON ROE

2 ounces salmon roe 18 ounces sake

Place the salmon roe and 6 ounces of sake into a non-reactive bowl.

Gently stir a few times with your finger and then strain out the liquid.

Repeat this process 2 more times.

Reserve salmon roe.

APPLE GELÉE:

1 quart organic apple juice 2 Granny Smith apples, cut into chunks 2 quinces, cut into chunks 1 green yuzu (or lime) 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin Nasturtium leaves Combine juice, apples, quince, and gelatin in a pot.

Place over medium heat and bring to a boil.

Simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, reducing the apple juice to 1 cup.

Strain through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth.

Reserve the liquid and discard the solids.

(Do Ahead: This reduction step can be made 3 days ahead.)

While the liquid is still hot, add in the gelatin and dissolve fully.

Add the zest and juice of green yuzu and pour into a wide, flat vessel to set into a thin gel. Chill to help set.

GE Latke Tips: 1

Make a potato kugel-like latke by using the sblade of your food processor to chop potatoes.

2

Make sure not to overcrowd the pan when frying to maintain oil temperature and achieve crispy latkes.

3 4 5

A carrot in the oil helps prevent burning.

Use a measuring cup to create even-sized latkes. We used ¼ cup and ⅓ cup measuring cups for our latkes.

Platter it up: Use apple jam for an update on applesauce, non-dairy sour cream, and radicchio leaves to scoop up latkes (and balance out richness), as well as apples and radishes for crunch.

GUEST EDITOR

MICHAEL SOLOMONOV'S FAVORITE LATKE TOPPING My go-to latke topping is labneh with shaved truffles, apple slices, and dill. It’s delicious.

I prefer a shredded, lacy latke.

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SHEET PAN LATKES

apple-cranberry

potato-scallion

zucchini

SEASONAL

This recipe is a brilliant, easy way to make latkes without frying and offers an exciting way to present various flavor options without much effort.

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SHEET PAN LATKES Serves: 20 ¾ cup vegetable oil 4 eggs 3 potatoes, grated ½ cup chopped scallions 2 sweet potatoes, grated 3 Granny Smith apples, grated ½ cup cranberries 3 zucchinis, grated ¼ cup grated onion 4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 2 teaspoons cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 2 teaspoons za’atar Chopped chives (for garnish) Preheat oven to 425°F. Pour ½ cup oil onto sheet pan and preheat in the oven for ten minutes.

Prepare 4 medium bowls. Place one egg in each bowl.

Place potatoes, scallions, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in the first bowl. Place sweet potatoes, 1 teaspoon za’atar, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in the second bowl. Place apples, cranberries, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a third bowl. Place zucchini, onion, remaining teaspoon salt, and black pepper in fourth bowl.

Mix ingredients in each bowl and carefully spoon in even strips lengthwise onto the baking tray with hot oil. Drizzle remaining oil over latkes and bake for forty minutes. For an extra crunchy top, place pan under the broiler for 3-5 minutes.

Top remaining za’atar over sweet potato section and remaining cinnamon over apple section. Serve warm.

Note: For even rows of flavored latkes, measure out precisely 2 ½ cups of each vegetable.

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wine

Don't worry everybody, it's OK to drink White after Labor Day!

It’s Time to Party

Non-Champagne Party Wines

By: Gabriel Geller

B

eyond doughnuts, latkes, and menorahs, Chanukah is party season. While a large part of Chanukah is about family and kids, Chanukah parties can be a great time for adults to create memories over food and drinks. Wine is always welcome at these celebrations, but the real question is, which wines are the best to party with?

Chanukah is a great opportunity to discover some wines you may have not heard of. A natural and obvious choice would be champagne. But with eight nights of parties, it is fun to switch things up and go the less obvious route.

1

The Koenig CrĂŠmant Brut is a sparkling wine

made with the same method as champagne but with Pinot Blanc grapes.

Its sharp bubbles and citrusy notes would make it the highlight of any party.

This wine will make the perfect pairing for any latke recipe!

The following three wines really deserve recognition, although they do not always get it. Each has that little something special, making it a must for your next get-together.

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3

2

For many people, brisket is a staple Chanukah dish

and it will be certainly served at many parties. If you are going for a traditional, savory-sweet recipe, I would recommend trying the Jezreel Argaman 2016.

Jezreel seems to have mastered the Argaman, creating a powerful, bold, and fruit-forward wine that is rich and layered that will make for a meal to remember, pairing wonderfully with Chef Isaac’s short rib kreplach (page 63).

No party is complete without dessert.

Whether you serve doughnuts or even an apple or lemon pie, you cannot go wrong with a great Sauternes.

Château Piada is back with yet another great wine from the 2016 vintage.

It is lusciously, yet not cloyingly, sweet with notes of ripe apricot, dried mango, marzipan, and hazelnuts.

It has plenty of mouthwatering acidity to cut through the oily, decadent Chanukah doughnuts like The Musket Club’s liver profiteroles and would work wonderfully with charcuterie.

Chag Chanukah Sameyach!

L’chaim!

What is the best temperature to serve white wine?

When white wines are served too warm, they lose their structure and become flat.

When served too cold, their flavors are masked. Dividing whites by category helps establish general guidelines on ideal serving temperature.

Sparkling Wine Ideal temperature: 42 – 50°F Place sparkling wine in the freezer for an hour for ideal temperature (just don’t forget it!). After opening the bottle, place on ice until the entire bottle is finished to maintain ideal wine conditions.

Light Bodied White Wine Ideal Temperature: 44-50°F Place wine in the fridge for a few hours or in the freezer for 30 minutes before serving.

Allowing the wine to warm up at room temperature allows for some of the wine’s unique characters to change and provide a unique wine tasting.

Full Bodied White Wine Ideal Temperature: 50-55°F Keep in a cool, dark place or store in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving. You can also chill in a bucket of ice for about an hour before serving.

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cookbook review

PERFECT FLAVORS Creatively easy recipes erfect Flavors is Naomi Nachman’s brand new and second cookbook; it focuses on creative, easy to prepare recipes inspired by her family and travels. Naomi has traveled extensively doing cooking demos and hosting kosher travel groups in exotic locations like Vietnam and India. All those experiences have been transcribed and reflected in the eclectic mix of recipes you will find throughout the pages of Perfect Flavors.

Like Perfect for Pesach, Perfect Flavors was styled and shot with the expert hands of Miriam Pascal of @overtimecook, a well-known cookbook author, food photographer, and stylist.

P

The recipe style is approachable and easy to follow. Naomi’s relatable, easygoing personality and Aussie-vibe come through as she shares everyday, tried and true recipes. Even her approach to more unique dishes like Vietnamese Pho exemplifies this.

Making a real deal pho takes days and also utilizes flavor profiles, such as star anise, which are not beloved by many. Naomi makes her version of pho by shortening the process and suggesting star anise as an optional addition to her broth.

The more international recipes like pho, tuna banh mi (recipe follows), and jerkrubbed london broil are offered together with Naomi’s versions of chicken fingers, challah, kale salad, and the most creative stuffed pargiyot recipe ever (where Naomi makes her own version of Turducken). Her book is a reflection of the cooking style of the kosher cook today.

NOTE: Naomi's lemon meringue doughnuts are a perfect choice to make this Chanukah season.

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TUNA BANH MI Serves: 4 I could eat a tuna sandwich every day for lunch. When I had my first Banh Mi — a Vietnamese sandwich staple, with a grilled protein, a creamy sauce, and pickled vegetables — I knew I had to make a tuna version. This sandwich is sensational with the dressing inspired by my friend, Elisheva Taitz!

2 slices fresh tuna, ¾-inch thick 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 baguette, cut into 4 pieces, sliced in half lengthwise Pickled Vegetables (recipe follows) Cilantro and red chilies, optional garnishes In a medium bowl, combine garlic, honey, and teriyaki sauce; add tuna.

Marinate tuna for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Remove tuna from marinade; discard any remaining marinade. Preheat a skillet over high heat; add oil, then sear tuna for 1-2 minutes on each side.

Once cooled, slice into ½-inch thick slices.

To assemble, generously spread bottom half of a baguette with CurryLime Mayo recipe (below).

Add a layer of sliced tuna; top with pickled vegetables. You can also add cilantro; for a spicier flavor, add sliced fresh red chilies. Cover with the top half of a baguette.

CURRY-LIME MAYO Makes: ½ cup ½ cup mayonnaise Juice of 2 limes ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon curry powder In a bowl, whisk all ingredients together until smooth.

QUICK PICKLED VEGETABLES Makes: 2 cups 6 carrots, thinly sliced 6 radishes, thinly sliced ½ cup vinegar ½ cup water ¼ cup sugar 1 teaspoon kosher salt Bring vinegar, sugar, water, and salt to a boil. Simmer until sugar is dissolved. Pour over vegetables in a glass bowl. Let cool.

Naomi Nachman is a kosher industry powerhouse. She hosts a weekly radio show, Table for Two with Naomi Nachman, on the Nachum Segal network, where she discusses all food-related topics. She is also a private chef, recipe developer, food writer, and hosts entertaining chopped-style competitions all over the world. She is also a best-selling cookbook author of Perfect for Pesach.

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travel

View of the famous colorful Venetian houses along the canal at the Venice landmark, Islands of Burano.

BY :A

LE SS

AN

DR

AR

OV AT I

en ice

V

V

enice is located in the northeast of Italy on numerous small islands in the Venetian Lagoon. Venice is a hot tourist destination with roughly 60,000 tourists a day! While the city has become famous (or rather infamous) for the influx of tourism, it is a beautiful, historic city that is rich in Jewish history as well. Combine those factors with the availability of kosher food, Venice is a wonderful city to add to your travel wish list.

WHERE TO STAY: You can rent an apartment through sites like www.airbnb. com or book nights in local hotels averaging about $150 per night. There is also a fully kosher hotel, The Kosher House “Giardino dei Melograni,” located in the Jewish Ghetto.

Visit http://pardesrimonim.net for more information.

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GETTING AROUND: The main means of transportation in Venice is by boat, as the city is surrounded by approximately 150 canals, but the city is also easy to visit by foot. The most famous mode of transportation are the gondolas, which are a must on any tourists' lists of activities. The "vaporetti," also called water buses or taxis, are another great water travel option. Just like any landbus, these water buses have lines that pick up or drop you off at different points in the city. If you plan to use the water buses to get around Venice, it is worth purchasing a special 12 to 72 hour “Venice Tourist Travel Card” or a Venice Connect Pass available at the Venice transit authority.

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TRAVEL

NEIGHBORING ISLANDS:  If you have extra time and want to leave the hustle and bustle of Venice, traveling to nearby islands is a great idea.

Burano is a small fishermen's village filled with colorful houses and beautiful lace workshops, whereas Murano is well-known for its unrivaled glass products famous for their craftsmanship. Both are about an hour ride by vaporetto from Venice.

The famous Murano glass

Traditional glass work for sale in Murano, Venice, Italy.

KOSHER FOOD: 1. Gam Gam Kosher  Located at the entrance of the Jewish ghetto, Gam Gam is one of the most well known kosher restaurants in the world.

They offer meals and catering for every occasion and deliver to hotels throughout Venice, providing an incredible service to kosher travelers. They offer Mediterranean food with some Italian and Jewish influences. http://gamgamkosher.com/

2. Kosher Restaurant Ghimel Garden  A dairy, kosher lemehadrin restaurant that also offers fish dishes. www.facebook.com/ ghimelgarden 3. Jewish Museum Cafeteria  Offering hot lunches and quick food. (Not everything is chalav yisrael.) calvanicomontella@libero.it

SHABBOS IN VENICE:  Chabad of Venice offers a unique opportunity to spend Shabbos in Venice with meals offered at Gam Gam Restaurant and a nearby art gallery, which offers more privacy.

Both options require a reservation. The Chabad house also offers a communal meal in their shul that is open to all. If you plan to attend, it would be gracious to give them a call. The communal meals at Chabad serve hundreds of guests each week! www.jewishvenice.org

4. Panificio Volpe Giovanni  A kosher bakery and grocery shop. www.facebook.com PanificioVolpeGiovanni Kashrut Note: It is important to do your own kashrut research to determine your best options before traveling. Consult with your local Rabbi or a local Rabbi at the town or city you plan to visit.

Visit The Oldest Jewish Ghetto: DECEMBER 2018

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The Oldest Jewish Ghetto:

Water canal in the Jewish Ghetto.

Venice is generally considered to be the most romantic city on earth. It is where people fly to declare love, propose marriage, or spend their honeymoon. But, if you arrive in the height of the tourist season, the crowds can turn your dream into a nightmare and make you wish you had stayed home.

Jewish ghetto in Winter Venice

However, away from the main drag, you can still find plenty of quiet alleys to wander and lose track of time. Surprisingly, one of Venice’s best-kept secrets, which still maintains its quiet charm, is the old Jewish quarter.

The Ghetto of Venice was the first in the world, instituted in 1516 by the Venetian republic as a means of isolating and controlling its Jewish inhabitants. However, while Jews were harshly persecuted in the

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TRAVEL

Fritters with Pine Nuts and Raisins Serves: 8 ½ cup grappa or rum 1 cup raisins 1 1/2 tablespoons active yeast 2 cups warm water 4 cups pastry flour (pastry flour is lighter and has better rise, but substitute with all- purpose if needed) ⅓ cup sugar (plus more for decorating) ½ cup pine nuts Grated zest of one orange 1½ tablespoons candied etrog (optional) Pinch of salt rest of Europe, Venice was a safe haven where they were able to practice their faith openly.

Allow the raisins to plump in the rum or grappa for 30 minutes, then drain.

Dissolve the yeast in warm water.

Use 1 cup of cold water and 1 cup of very hot water to reach the perfect temperature. Add half of the flour and allow to rest for 30 minutes in a warm area.

Add remaining ingredients and mix until combined. The mixture will be slightly thicker than a waffle batter.

Let rest for 3 hours.

Heat at least 3 inches of peanut or olive oil in a wide pan with tall sides, and fry the batter by dropping spoonfuls into the hot oil. Fry until golden.

Drain on a double or triple layer of paper towels, and dust with sugar.

The first groups of Jews to settle in Venice were Ashkenazi Jews. The Ashkenazim were later joined by Italian Jews arriving from Rome and the South, and by Jews on the run from the Turks. After the expulsion in 1492, Spanish and Portuguese Jews also arrived, including the famous Don Isaac Abarbanel. By the 16th century, the ghetto of Venice was a crossroads of peoples and cultures, and an international center of Jewish printing. The Jewish ghetto in Venice included a theater, an academy of music, and literary salons. The fame of grammarian Elia Levita, Rabbis Leon Modena and Simone Luzzatto, and the poetess Sara Copio Sullam reached far beyond its gates. As the Jewish population increased, there was nowhere for them to expand, so they built vertical additions on top of existing buildings to form “tower houses.” These were unusually tall buildings for Venice with very low ceilings. They were called the ghetto “skyscrapers.”

Against this extraordinarily varied and cosmopolitan background, a unique cuisine also evolved. Jewish immigrants

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TRAVEL

from Turkey and Sicily introduced different rice dishes, the use of spices such as saffron, and the combination of pine nuts and raisins in savory recipes. Spanish and Portuguese Jews brought bacalao (salt cod), frittata, and marzipan pastries.

Besides goose (roasted, cured, or as a fat for cooking), which became a staple, the Ashkenazim brought gefilte fish and bread dumplings. The fusion of these different cuisines produced such brilliant results that the two signature dishes of general Venetian cuisine, Fish in Saor and Bigoli in Salsa, both boast Jewish origins.

The Canal Grande and the Rialto Bridge

Ravaged by the great Plague that started in 1630, and bled dry by its wars against the Turks, Venice started its slow decline in the second half of the 17th century. As many Jews emigrated in search of fortune, the community began to shrink.

The demolition of the ghetto gates by the troops of Napoleon in 1797 marked the end of segregation. Jews even played an important role in the fight for the Italian unification that followed, which culminated with the annex of the Veneto (one of the twenty regions of Italy in which Venice belonged) to the new Kingdom of Italy in 1866. After this date, the destiny of the Jews of Venice was joined to that of communities throughout the country.

Unfortunately, tragic events were to befall the country with the Racial Laws, German occupation, and deportations.

After the end of World War II the community counted 1050 people; while the ghetto shrank even further to 450 members, the efforts made to reconstruct what had been destroyed had given it such energy and vitality that the ghetto often became the center for the cultural life of the entire city. Every year, for example, there is an international conference on Jewish Studies. Exhibitions and seminars

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Star of David on the brick wall in Venice, Italy

are also held regularly in the ghetto. The 16th century synagogues are still home to Orthodox Jewish services on Shabbat and weekdays. Meanwhile, Torah, Talmud classes and courses in Modern Hebrew, are organized for both children and adults.

The facilities include a kindergarten, a nursing home, a kosher bed and breakfast (“Giardino dei Melograni”), and a kosher bakery, along with a Museum of Jewish Art and the renowned Renato Maestro Library and Archive.

However, the rich and diverse history of this community is also reflected in every-

day things. Around each holiday, the little dark streets that lead to Campo del Ghetto, where one still almost expects to run into ancient merchants and rabbis, fill with the fragrance of freshly baked pastries made with the same recipe that was used a hundred years ago. When Hanukkah comes, delicate fritters filled with pine nuts and raisins – some are also made with pumpkin or rice – fry in the bubbly olive oil, while the flickering light of the menorah casts its shadows on the water on the canal, reminding us in a familiar way of our unique past.

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The interior of the historic Spanish Synagogue, originally build in 1555, is the largest and best known of Venetian Synagogues.

Alessandra Rovati was born and raised in Venice and is an expert in Jewish and Kosher Italian cooking. Her articles and recipes have been published in several magazines. Her cooking lessons have appeared on the Jewish Week’s website, and she has been a featured guest on Fox News. She posts free recipes and how-tos on her website: www.DinnerInVenice.com. For more information on Jewish Venice visit www.jvenice.org/en DECEMBER 2018

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challah

Olive Oil, Kalamata, and Rosemary Challah

very Jewish holiday has its special foods. Chanukah is all about the olives and the oil.

While this usually translates into fried doughnuts and potato latkes, I think it is time to rethink how we incorporate all that oil in a slightly more subtle and sophisticated way.

Obviously for me, as the “Challah Whisperer,” this is going to happen in the form of a challah. I’m thrilled to share with you this incredible recipe from my challah cookbook, RISING: The Book of Challah.

I have this challah in my holiday section, as the Chanukah challah. With its gorgeous combination of kalamata olives, extra virgin olive oil, and rosemary, it’s the perfect centerpiece for Shabbat Chanukah. Braided and shaped as pictured here into edible napkin holders; this will be a hit at any of your Chanukah dinners.

This incredibly delicious challah is perfect for any night of Chanukah and is a great way to incorporate olive oil into our food without all the greasiness! Happy Chanukah!

E

By: Rochie Pinson

IF SERVING WITH A DAIRY DINNER, feel free to leave out the salt and sprinkle Parmesan instead.

@Photo by Monica Pinto for RISING: The Book of Challah by Rochie Pinson / Feldheim 2017

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OLIVE OIL, KALAMATA, & ROSEMARY CHALLAH Yield: 8 1-pound challahs (approximately 24 edible napkin rings) 1 (19-oz) jar kalamata olives, in wine vinegar or just brined 1 bunch fresh rosemary, 1 medium red onion (optional) Dash red chili flakes 4¾ cups very warm water 1¼ cups sugar 7 tablespoons granulated yeast 13–15 cups all-purpose unbleached white flour (or white whole wheat flour) 2½ tablespoons sea salt 1 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 large eggs Challah glaze: Extra virgin olive oil

your hands or stand mixer when it becomes too stiff to stir.

Knead the dough for about 10 minutes. The dough will be somewhat stickier and more craggy-looking than usual, due to all the extra ingredients.

Pour 3–4 teaspoons of oil into the bowl. Turn the ball of dough around in the oil until the outer layer of the dough has been thinly coated.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a warm, damp dishcloth and place in a warm spot to rise.

Let the dough to rise for 1.5–2 hours, until it has doubled in bulk.

Punch out some air and allow the dough to rise for another hour.

Separate the challah with a blessing.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Divide the dough and braid or shape

Challah toppings: Rosemary leaves, coarsely chopped Red chili flakes Coarse salt Prepare the kalamata and rosemary.

Remove the pits from the olives and chop finely. Set aside. Wash the rosemary and remove the leaves from the stems. Chop finely. Set aside in a separate bowl. If using red onion, dice and sauté in a tablespoon of oil until caramelized. Set aside.

Pour very warm water into a large bowl. Add yeast and sugar.

Allow a few minutes for the yeast to bloom.

Add salt and about half of the flour.

Mix until a smooth batter forms. Add eggs and olive oil and stir again until smooth.

Add flavorings: chopped olives, rosemary, a light dash of red chili flakes, and caramelized red onion, if desired.

Mix in the remaining flour gradually, working the dough with

as desired. Place shaped loaves on lined baking sheets. For the challah napkin-ring braiding technique, see below.

Brush each challah with olive oil immediately after braiding.

Allow challahs to rise for an additional 30-45 minutes.

Glaze challahs again with olive oil.

Sprinkle with rosemary leaves, red chili pepper flakes, and coarse salt (or Parmesan) for garnish. (Go easy on the chili pepper and salt—a little goes a long way!)

Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes for a medium challah. Time will vary according to challah size.

The challah is fully baked when its underside is brown and it sounds hollow when tapped.

Place on cooling rack to cool.

CHALLAH NAPKIN RINGS

Use approximately 5.5-6 oz of dough per napkin ring.

1.

Divide into 3 strands and make a long skinny braid.

Cover an empty paper towel roll with tinfoil.

Spray with oil, and wrap the braid around the roll, cutting off the excess, pinch to close.

2.

Leave plenty of space between to allow for rising.

Glaze and bake as usual, approximately 20-25 minutes.

Slide off of roll to cool.

3.

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gift guide Emerald Moroccan Dreidel

OXO Chef’s Precision Digital Leave-In Thermometer

Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine Deluxe Charcuterie Sampler

Chanukah Himalayan Salt with Grater

Maldon Salt Pinch Tin - 0.35 Oz

Mackenzie Childs Courtly CheckÂŽ Enamel 2-Quart Tea Kettle

Dear Coco Chocolates IMUSA Large Electric Panini Press

Customized Cutco Steak Knives

Addy Classic Apron

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Mikuni Wild Harvest Black Burgundy Truffle

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GIVE CHU A CHANCECK

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Chef Isaa shows usc the light PAR TY LIKE IT’S 165 BCE pg

Gift subscriptions available www.fleishigs.com

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USA $5.99 Australia / Canada $6.99 / $9 / SA R90 / IsraelUK £5 25

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Finger Limes

Instant Pot Duo Plus Mini 9-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker

Joule Sous Vide Precision Cooker

Williams Sonoma White Marble Mortar & Pestle

Torah Treasure App

Gift Guide Nespresso Vertuo Coffee Maker

Chocovin Face Cream

Lodge 10.25” Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet

Kids Dreidel Slippers

Jerky Joy

KOKO Gift Set

SEPHORA Holiday Perfume Sampler

Shutterfly Photo Album Israeli Soul Cookbook

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CHANUKA GIFT GUIDE Joule Sous Vide Precision Cooker

Chocovin Face Cream

 Precision cooking with sous vide enables you to produce results that are impossible to achieve through any other cooking method. Your food comes out exactly the way you want it, every time, every time, making this gadget perfect for vegetables. Vacuum sealed food means that juices and flavors can’t escape, so food comes out perfectly moist and tender. Continuous temperature control provides reliable and consistent results every time, making this gadget perfect for vegetables, meat, fruit, cheese, and much more. Use the adjustable clamp to fit your sous vide on any pot or cooking container.

This version is the smallest, slimmest sous vide tool available at just 11 inches tall and 1.3 pounds, with a streamlined white body and solid stainless steel cap and base. $199

 The health benefits of red wine and dark chocolate have long been recognized, being shown to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, lower blood pressure, and reduce inflammatory processes. Among nature’s most powerful antioxidants, resveratrol found in red wine, and epigallocatechin gallate found in dark chocolate, also have beneficial effects on skin health, diminishing visible wrinkles and improving skin texture. Plastic surgeon Dr. Arnold Breitbart created the CHOCOVIN line of day, night, and eye creams to bring together both of these antiaging ingredients, delivering them right to your skin, leaving it firmer, radiant, and refreshed. $55 www.chocovin.com

www.amazon.com

Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso Machine  The Barista Express allows you to grind the beans right before extraction so you can create great-tasting espresso – from bean to cup – in less than a minute. Precise temperature control ensures the perfect espresso, every time. The builtin steaming function for custom lattes and cappuccinos means you have everything you need for barista-quality coffee in a compact footprint. $549.98 www.williams-sonoma.com

Deluxe Charcuterie Sampler  Grow & Behold is known in the kosher world as the premium source of pasturefed, humanely raised beef from Black Angus cattle that are known for their superior taste, quality, and marbling.

This charcuterie sampler isn’t just any dried meat – it is made of the finest Grow & Behold pastured beef, turned into incredibly tasty snacks that are great on the go, wherever life takes you. Charcuterie Sampler contains one of each beef jerky flavors (Beef Bacon Spice and Black Pepper), two salami sticks, sliced salami, and whole dried salami. $60 Growandbehold.com

Maldon Salt Pinch Tin - 0.35 Oz  Ask any cook about their kitchen must-haves, and chances are Maldon sea salt will make that list. The delicate flakes add the perfect pop of flavor and texture to finish any dish. Stash this pocket-sized tin of Maldon in your bag when you go to restaurants and dinner parties so you’re never left without it! $9.95 for three www. amazon.com

Himalayan Salt with Grater  Containing all 84 elements found in our bodies, Himalayan salt packs some pretty amazing benefits. It’s known to help regulate water content, and balance pH and blood sugar.

This handsome set includes a chunk of Himalayan salt and a miniature grater made of beechwood and stainless steel.

Simply grate the rose-colored salt over dishes as you would with standard table salt and enjoy its complex favor. When not in use, this duo makes an elegant and earthy statement piece in the well-appointed kitchen. $35

Nespresso Vertuo Coffee Maker and Espresso Machine with Aeroccino Milk Frother  With convenient one-touch options for both a cup of coffee (7.77 ounces) or espresso (1.35 ounces), this Nespresso machine covers all of your bases with revolutionary new brewing technology to brew the perfect cup every time. The included Aeroccino milk frother quickly heats and froths milk for consistently perfect foam so you can impress your friends with the perfect cappuccino or latte. $249.95

Coco Jolie  High quality flavored pareve chocolates with incredible designs make the perfect anytime gift. Flavors vary by season but include some all time favorites like salted caramel, spiced espresso, dark chocolate ganache, mojito, and hazelnut gianduja, as well as some more unusual but equally delicious varieties such as passion fruit, jasmine tea, black forest, speculoos, and bourbon pecan pie. www.cocojolie.com Starts at $15

KOKO Gift Set  Korean flavors are having their moment right now, and you can experiment with them with this great starter set that includes gochujang (red pepper paste), doenjang (Korean miso), gochugaru (Korean chili powder), and ganjang (Korean soy sauce), as well as a custom bonus recipe booklet to get you started. $20 www.kosherkorean.com

Dear Coco Chocolates

 Transform every homemade coffee into a coffee shop experience with the Aerolatte handheld milk frother. Just place the frothing head into your mug or glass of milk and press a button, and in just a few seconds your milk will be transformed into rich, creamy froth. $19.95

 Dear Coco offers an array of unique, meticulously packaged gifts that are a perfect anyoccasion treat for the chocolate lover. The fresh, award-winning artisan chocolates are inspired by the flavors of the world so you can find the perfect gift to delight your family and friends. Individual bars include flavors like the Barcelona Toffee Chocolate Bar, with roasted almond toffee and sea salt in premium Belgian dark chocolate. You can also choose from gift sets like the Mediterranean Harvest Giant Chocolate Bar, the Around the World truffle collection, or the Toffee Chocolate Bar Global gift box. $10 for individual bars, gift sets range from $35-135

www.williams-sonoma.com

www.dearcoco.com

www.williams-sonoma.com

Aerolatte Handheld Milk Frother

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CHANUKA GIFT GUIDE Mikuni Wild Harvest Black Burgundy Truffle Remember Me Home Customized Cutco Knives  Cutco knives are made from high-quality materials and expert craftsmanship, with a Forever Guarantee that promises they are built to last.

Customization by Remember Me Home will turn your Cutco knife into the perfect gift for a wedding, birthday, or any other occasion. Our favorites are the bread knife, fillet knife, and the steak knives.

Single knives range from $41205, gift sets are available as well CutcoAviva.com @remembermehome on Instagram

Israeli Soul Cookbook  Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook’s latest book is an incredible collection of every Israeli recipe you can possibly need (read interview in this issue). $24 www.amazon.com

Emerald Moroccan Dreidel  This circular dreidel is made with the inspiration of Morocco.

Its gold and blue paint are two major color palettes used in the architecture of the homes and palaces throughout the country. $84.00 www.questcollection.com

Williams Sonoma White Marble Mortar & Pestle  Crushing herbs and spices with a morta and pestle releases more of their aromatic essential oils than chopping or food processing. $79.95 www.williams-sonoma.com

Courtly Check® Enamel 2-Quart Tea Kettle  The classic Courtly Check® Enamel 2-Quart Tea Kettle will have you finding new reasons to put the kettle on to boil. It also makes for a rustic-style vase. $110 www.mackenzie-childs.com

 Also known as the Black Fall Truffle (tuber uncinatum), Mikuni’s Black Burgundy Truffle has a stronger aroma than the summer truffle. When mature, it typically has a beautiful dark brown marbling. It’s fantastic shaved raw over scrambled eggs or pasta, or when used to add a final rich note to a pan sauce or meaty roast. $39 + $20 shipping surcharge www.food52.com

Lodge 10.25” Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet  Whether used in your kitchen or on a camping trip, this virtually indestructible cookware should last for generations.

Made of cast iron, this skillet evenly distributes powerful heat from the bottom and through the sidewalls. Cast iron skillets look rustic and timeless, can go from stovetop to oven, and are endlessly versatile. $25 www.amazon.com

Instant Pot Duo Plus Mini 9-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker  The electric pressure cooker is one of the fastest growing kitchen appliances, and cooks all over the world are nothing short of obsessed. Use this all-in-one pot to quickly make complex dishes that would otherwise take hours. Thirteen different smart settings mean you can start a stew off on sauté mode to sear your meat, then add the rest of your ingredients and use the pressure cook setting to have dinner ready in no time. Other functions include slow cook, steamer, warmer, and sterilizer, as well as options for making rice, yogurt, and eggs. $99.95 www.amazon.com

Torah Treasure App OXO Chef’s Precision Digital LeaveIn Thermometer  Take the guesswork out of your cooking with a digital thermometer that provides accurate temperature reading for all types of meat, poultry, and fish. Choose from 9 preset temperatures, then the stainless steel probe will continuously monitor the internal temperature and let you know when your food is ready. $39.95 www.oxo.com

Finger Limes  Experience citrus caviar for yourself. Give it as a perfect and healthy gift for someone who likes to try new foods. Served alongside a glass of bubbly to add another fun vibe to your next party. $27.99 www.melissas.com

Jerky Joy  Enjoy small batch, flavor packed kosher jerky that is packaged on a wooden cutting board and shipped nationwide.

In addition to the incredible jerky, you are left with a gift of a cutting board too. This jerky is best for those who like a touch of sweetness. www.instagram.com/jerkyjoy/

Kids Dreidel Slippers  These are the cutest, coziest Chanukah gift, brought to you by Cazenove Judaica, a company that offers a wide variety of unique Chanukah items. $17.99 www.amazon.com

IMUSA Large Electric Panini Press  Perfect for travel or for a quick at-home sandwich, this panini press features a nonstick surface for easy cleaning.

Use it for anything, including grilled cheese, quesadillas, pancakes, grilled vegetables, and more! $68 www.amazon.com

 Have your children watch top quality and educational videos online or on the Torah Treasure app. For more information visit www.TorahTreasure.com. $99 annual subscription.

Shutterfly  Photo books are the perfect gift for the holiday season. They are completely customizable, easy to make and are a thoughtful gift that will be cherished for years to come. Pick from the Make My Book Service in which a professional designer will create a book for you, Custom Path and customize every inch of your book, or Simple Path which provides you with templates and photo layouts that you can edit.

Paperback or hardback, 20+ pages. From $15.99 www.shutterfly.com

SEPHORA Holiday Perfume Sampler  Inside this box, you’ll find 15 samples of some of Sephora's most sought-after fragrances.

Choose your favorite, and then take the included scent certificate to any US Sephora store to redeem for a full size of your favorite featured fragrance at no extra cost. $65 www.sephora.com

Addy Classic Apron  Just because you wear an apron to protect your clothes doesn’t mean you can’t look stylish doing so! This apron is made from beautiful Japanese denim with coral straps and piping for a burst of color. The fabric is soft and stretchy but incredibly sturdy. $98 www.Hedleyandbennett.com

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KOSHER GURU’S TOP 5

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Gabriel Boxer, a travel and restaurant pro, a.k.a. Kosher Guru, shares the TOP 5 most memorable restaurant dishes of the month.

BACKYARD BBQ  Mendel’s World-Famous Burnt Ends On my recent trip to Florida I couldn’t wait for a visit to Backyard BBQ, headed by barbecue pitmaster, Mendel Segal (RaBBI-Q). I enjoyed the chilled vibe in the award-winning pit spot. Mendel’s soft-likebutter, melt-in-your-mouth, world famous burnt ends was simply put- HOLY COW (pun intended)! I’ve never tasted anything as juicy and tender as those burnt ends.

Trust me, it’s a must-order! www.backyardbbqmiami.com 9460 Harding Ave, Surfside, FL 33154 (305) 763-8818

FIVE FIFTY  Roasted Bone Marrow I mean WOW! Just WOW! From start to finish, my experience at the updated Five Fifty was outstanding (so bummed when the meal was over!). I was honestly blown away by each dish created by Five Fifty's new executive chef Gregg. My favorite dish of the night was the Roasted Bone Marrow served with oxtail marmalade and toast. It was the perfect blend of textures and flavors. www.fivefiftyny.com 550 Central Ave, Cedarhurst, NY 11516 (516) 374-0550

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WEST WING  Maple Baby Chicken Crisps The 5 Towns has really gotten an upgrade in fast food. West Wing's signature Maple Chicken Crisps are made with dark meat chicken for utmost juiciness. They are brushed with a maple glaze that gets absorbed by the crispy, crunchy coating for a bangin' flavor!

12 Irving Place, Woodmere, NY 11598 (516) 900-6100

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MENDY’S DELI & RESTAURANT  Tongue Sandwich Thirty years ago in NYC, classic kosher delis were found on almost every corner. Today, one legendary spot remains: Mendy’s! With locations in all highly concentrated Jewish work spots, Mendy’s is famous for their friendly staff, clean and spacious sitting areas, but mostly for their consistency. I can eat all the staples on

their menu easily. Mendy’s outstanding melt-in-your mouth tongue sandwich, served over the softest rye bread you are likely to try, is the first thing I order. The tongue is handled from start to finish inhouse and you can taste the quality and care in every bite. www.mendysdeli.com 61 E 34th St, New York, NY 10016 (212) 576-1010

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JUDD’S MEMPHIS KITCHEN  Judd’s $100 Burger I love feeling like big money without having to spend that much.

Judd made that happen with his $100 Burger.

This is a sandwich all about the meat. Judd packs a special spice blend into the ground meat and cooks it on his flat-top.

He tops the burger with freshly sliced roast beef and serves it on a toasted pretzel bun slathered with garlic aioli.

560a Central Ave, Cedarhurst, NY 11516 (516) 624-7711

FOLLOW THE KOSHER GURU on Instagram and Facebook @kosherguru, Facebook group “Kosher Guru’s Kosher Nation,” on Twitter @thekosherguru, or subscribe to his YouTube channel and follow his blog at www.thekosherguru.com.

Tune in to "The Nosh" (a kosher foodie and restaurant radio show on 620AM in the NYC area) with Kosher Guru airing every Thursday evenings at 9:30pm.

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⅓ cup olive oil

FROM ROASTED VEGETABLES, TO PURÉE PERFECTION, TO CREAMY SOUP

By: Shifra Klein

formula

I

t is most freeing as a cook to have a few recipe concepts that you can customize and adapt with confidence. This is especially true when basing a meal on your personal preferences and what you have available in the kitchen, without a book, magazine, or a possibly overwhelming online search.

This recipe was inspired by random root vegetables we had leftover after shooting Volume 1 of Fleishigs Magazine. As mentioned in our premiere issue, roasted vegetables are the must have food accessory. So, I instinctively decided to roast the leftover root vegetables we had in our kitchen. I laid out some sweet potatoes and carrots on a sheet pan and placed them in the oven to roast. On a whim, with my toddler daughter in mind, I threw the roasted vegetables into a blender with some water. It was incredible, and sparked the concept of this feature. This is a 3-in-1 recipe... from roasted vegetables, to puree, to soup.

2 pounds root vegetables

salt and pepper, to taste

The coolest thing about this successful kitchen experiment was that the soup version needed no stock whatsoever!

Roasting the vegetables together on a sheet pan released an explosion of flavor.

It is incredible to make pure recipes with minimal ingredients.

2-6 cups water

2 lb The Formula 2 pounds root vegetables ⅓ cup olive oil 2 teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 2-6 cups water DECEMBER 2018

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FORMULA

The Technique Base: Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut vegetables into chunks and toss with oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 40 minutes, until vegetables are golden brown and tender.

Our Combinations:

Purée: Blend vegetables with 2 cups of water. Add ¼ cup water at a time to achieve desired consistency.

Soup: Blend vegetables with 5-6 cups of water.

Add ¼ cup water at a time to achieve desired consistency. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

Place in medium pot and heat over medium heat. Serve warm.

IMPORTANT TIPS: Use a metal sheet pan to achieve optimal flavor and texture. Cut vegetables into even sizes so they cook evenly.

Sweet Potato Carrot Soup : 1 pound sweet potatoes 1 pound carrots 1 celery root, 2 parsnips, 1 potato, 6 garlic cloves

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Tomato Soup: 1.5 pounds tomatoes, 1 red onion

Broccoli Soup: 1 head broccoli, 3 leeks

Winter White Soup: 1 celery root, 2 parsnips, 1 potato, 6 garlic cloves

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MODERN HEIMISH modern heimish

Chef

Isaac’s

h a k u n a h C p arty

By Chef Isaac Bernstein

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My approach to Chanukah party food is to choose from great party dishes that are interesting and somehow within the spirit of Chanukah.

Most importantly, consider dishes you can cook up in advance. The last thing you want to do while your Chanukah party is in full swing is cook.

The best parties, especially for the hosts, are those in which the food is pretty much ready to go with minimal effort. The following recipes constitute my personal favorite Chanukah party food. The recipes all have Jewish and heimish roots, with subtle modern updates that will be simultaneously nostalgic and impressive.

recipes

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MODERN HEIMISH

Duck Pastrami Potato Kugel Latkes Serves: 12 The latke is a perfect example of what NOT to make for a large Chanukah party. Making latkes, especially for a crowd, is a messy process.

You have to deep fry and grate the potatoes, making sure they stay nice and white.

My solution to the more high maintenance grated potato latke is the potato kugel latke. The beauty is that you can do the bulk of your latke prep earlier in the day, so the final step is quicker. Once baked and cooled, you can cut it into any shape you want and deep fry it. You can also add ingredients to the potato kugel batter like pastrami and sauerkraut for reuben latkes, or mix it with pulled beef for pulled beef latkes.

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TIP: Chop ½ cup pastrami and place into the kugel batter before you bake it to amp up the flavor in these awesome potato kugel latkes.

DUCK PASTRAMI POTATO KUGEL LATKES Favorite Potato Kugel Recipe Oil, for frying Pickled Cherry Mostarda (recipe follows) Sliced duck pastrami (recipe follows) Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour favorite kugel batter onto a ½-inch rimmed, 18x13-inch baking sheet. Bake until golden, about forty minutes.

Cool.

Once baked and cooled, cut into squares or rounds. To achieve consistent shapes and sizes, use a cookie cutter to cut the shapes. Fry in oil until crispy. Drain on paper towels.

Top with sliced duck pastrami and cherry mostarda.

PICKLED CHERRY MOSTARDA Makes: 1 cup Pickled mustard seeds are a great staple item to have in your fridge. It goes on everything and looks stunning. I love changing up the dried fruit and substituting the cherries for currants, blueberries, or apricots.

1 cup dried cherries ½ cup red wine vinegar 1 piece bay leaf 1 sprig fresh thyme ½ cup yellow mustard seeds ¼ cup apple cider vinegar 3 tablespoons water 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 teaspoon kosher salt

In a small saucepan, combine dried cherries, red wine vinegar, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then simmer for five minutes.

Place pickled cherries in a medium bowl, and remove bay leaf, thyme sprig, and 3 tablespoons of the vinegar.

In the same saucepan, place mustard seeds, apple cider vinegar, water, brown sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for ten minutes until mixture becomes slightly sticky.

Mix mustard seeds with pickled cherries.

Optional: Chop cherries before combining with mustard seeds to amp up the cherry flavor.

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MODERN HEIMISH

DUCK PASTRAMI

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Makes: 1 pound of pastrami Insta Cure Number 1 (also known as pink salt) is a curing salt that can easily be ordered on Amazon. You can also ask your local butcher if they have some that they may be willing to share.

4 cups water at room temperature 4 cups ice water ¾ cup brown sugar ⅓ cup salt 1 tablespoon Insta Cure Number 1 2 teaspoons liquid smoke 4 skin-on duck breasts Pastrami Rub (recipe follows)

Duck breast is the perfect protein to use for pastrami, because of that layer of fat on top that beautifully absorbs the flavor of the pastrami spices. It's even better with a smoker; but let's face it, pastrami is really known for the flavor in the crust, so as long as that is on point, no one will know the difference!

Make brine by combining brown sugar, kosher salt, and curing salt with the water at room temperature in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then add ice water to cool it down.

Immerse 4 duck breasts into the pastrami brine.

Let the breasts brine for 24-48 hours.

When ready, pat the duck breasts dry and coat well with pastrami rub. At this point you can set the pastrami in the fridge for an additional 24 hours to achieve an even better crust, but it isn’t necessary.

Preheat oven to 225°F convection or 275°F. Fill a 9x13 pan with a few cups of water and place on lowest rack in your oven.

Prepare a baking sheet with an oven-safe cooling rack (see the Supply section) and place spiced duck breast on rack. Cook for 30 minutes. Let it cool completely before slicing.

Slice as thinly as possible using a sharp knife.

Store sliced or whole in the fridge for 30 days. Freezes well.

Pastrami Rub ½ cup coarsely ground black pepper ¼ cup coarsely ground coriander 2 tablespoons brown sugar Combine all ingredients.

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recipe index

APPETIZERS + SIDES 26 39 43 43 45 68 73

Latke meat pizza Sufganiot with Foie Gras Mousse Potato Latkes Musket Club Style Basic Latkes Sheet Pan Latkes Duck Pastrami Potato Kugel Latkes Short Rib Kreplach

MAIN DISHES 10 21 24 24 25 49 73

Fried Chicken Delmonico-Style Chuck Eye Roast Braised Chuck Eye Roast Pulled Beef Sous Vide Chuck Eye Roast Tuna Banh Mi Chicken Heltzel

DESSERTS & PASTRY

CONDIMENTS 13 25 49 68 73

Sriracha Honey Arugula Pesto Curry Mayonnaise Pickled Cherry Mostarda Balsamic Caramelized Onions

SOUP/PURÉE 64 64 64 64

Roasted Sweet Potato Soup Tomato Soup Broccoli Soup Celery Root Parsnip Soup

EXTRAS 41 49 64 64 70 72

Autumn Cocktail Pickled Vegetables Sweet Potato Puree Celery Root Parsnip Puree Duck Pastrami

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Horseradish Mayo: Mix 1 cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup non-dairy sour cream, ¼ cup horseradish, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon honey

A WEEK OF DINNERS

13 Waffles 39 Citrus Olive Oil Cake 39 Citron-Orange Marmalade 39 Olive Oil Custard 53 Italian Fritters 57 Olive Oil Kalamata Rosemary Challah

 PULLED BEEF NACHOS Pull braised chuck eye and spread over a platter of nachos.

Top with pickled vegetables (page 49), horseradish mayo, and additional herbs.  CHICKEN HEIZEL WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES Prepare Chef Isaac's chicken helzel (omit truffle oil to make it more kid-friendly). Roast vegetables as per instructions on page 64.

 TUNA BANH MI Naomi Nachman’s latest creation makes the perfect any-night dinner or party appetizer.  SOUS VIDE CHUCK EYE AND SHEET PAN LATKES The great thing about this dinner is how easy and effortless it can be to serve a crowd.

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RECIPES (continued from page 67)

SHORT RIB KREPLACH Serves: 12 Short ribs dumplings aren't necessarily a Chanukah recipe, but this is a great way to serve chicken dumplings in a refined way. It can also take the place of the typical Chinese food fare served up at many Chanukah parties. Pan frying adds a Chanukah twist to this classic Jewish deli food.

Short ribs freeze wonderfully, so you can pre-cook them and have them available when you need them.

Caramelized onions are my go-to for mixing into short ribs. You can keep all of these components on hand and then experiment with them as you like.

2 pounds boneless short ribs (aka flanken) 1 tablespoon oil 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper ½ cup balsamic caramelized onions (recipe follows) 1 cup French's fried onions ¼ cup roasted garlic (recipe follows) 1 tablespoon dijon mustard Kreplach dough or wonton wrappers ¼ cup oil, for searing Preheat oven to 300°F. Place short ribs in 9x13-inch baking tray. Coat with oil, salt, and pepper.

Cook for three hours.

Shred meat and combine with caramelized onions, French's fried onions, roasted garlic, and dijon mustard. Squeeze to form it into a stiff filling.

Place two teaspoons of the meat filling in the center of the kreplach dough. Seal edges to create a half moon.

Steam or boil kreplach in a pot of simmering water.

Heat a frying pan on medium high

heat. Add oil and place kreplach into frying pan. Fry for two minutes, until golden brown.

Serve with remaining caramelized onions and chopped chives.

BALSAMIC CARAMELIZED ONIONS Makes: about 1 cup 3 large Vidalia (sweet) onions, thinly sliced ¼ cup olive oil 2 teaspoons salt ¼ cup balsamic vinegar Heat oil in a large pot over mediumlow heat. Add onions and salt, then cook until caramelized, about an hour.

Stir every 10 minutes or so to prevent sticking. Once onions are caramelized, add balsamic vinegar and cook for ten minutes until balsamic becomes syrupy.

Taste and add up to 1 tablespoon of sugar, if desired.

CHICKEN HELZEL Serves: 12 You can make this recipe with cornish hens or skin-on boneless chicken thighs. It's all about the truffle brioche stuffing that is so simple, clean, and easy.

12 frenched skin-on chicken drumettes 1 pound egg challah 4 ounces duck fat ½ cup roasted garlic (recipe follows) ¼ cup chopped chives 2 tablespoons truffle oil 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Don’t have a stand mixer or paddle attachment?

Melt duck fat and pour over challah.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap so challah softens. After fifteen minutes, add remaining ingredients and mix with gloved hands until everything is incorporated.

ROASTED GARLIC MICROWAVE METHOD Makes: ¾ cup 4 heads garlic 4 tablespoons olive oil ¼ cup water Pour water into a medium-sized microwave safe dish.

Cut the top off each head of garlic, just enough to expose the cloves. Place garlic on top of water, cut side up.

Top with oil.

Cover dish with microwave-safe lid and microwave on medium heat for three minutes.

Check for tenderness and repeat until garlic is fork tender.

TRADTIONAL ROASTED GARLIC METHOD Makes: 1 cup 1 cup garlic cloves, peeled 1 cup olive oil Sprigs of rosemary or thyme

(optional) Preheat oven to 300°F. Combine garlic, oil, and herbs in a small dish and cook uncovered, for 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 300°F. Combine ingredients in a stand mixer with a paddle and mix until it comes together like a stiff paste.

Poke the top of the chicken (right near the bone) to create a spot for stuffing and fill with 1 to 2 tablespoons of stuffing.

Cover and cook for approximately 30 minutes. Uncover and cook an additional 25 minutes until skin is browned.

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interview

Michael Solomonov What other cuisine are you cooking, when you're not cooking Israeli food? Usually pasta bolognese for my kids.

What is your favorite meat dish to eat? Lamb shawarma!

If you weren’t busy in the "food world," what would you be up to right now? Fighting crime on a snowboard.

Did you learn anything new about Israeli food and culture on your last trip to Israel? Not exactly, but it’s still exhilarating to tour with people who are discovering Israel for the first time and share the experience in the pages of the cookbook.

What is something people are always surprised to hear about you? I hate mayonnaise and I’m very skilled at the art of origami.

What is your favorite food trend at the moment?

Favorite classic? Poké. As for my favorite classic food, fettuccine alfredo.

What is your favorite Chanukah (family) tradition? Making latkes!

They take me back to a time when I made them with my family in Pittsburgh. We had a big German Shepard named Izzy and she would smell like latkes for weeks after.

What’s your go-to latke topping or side? My go-to latke topping is labneh with shaved truffles, apple slices, and dill. It’s delicious.

Photo bySteve Legato

Where did the inspiration for your newest cookbook, Israeli Soul, come from? Zahav the cookbook was shot through the eyes of Zahav the restaurant. We wanted to take the team that put Zahav together to Israel to eat, breathe, and experience the country through a culinary lens, and let that be the framework for Israeli Soul.

What was it like to go from restaurant chef to award-winning cookbook author? It’s all pretty surreal. When we started cooking, our goal was to make delicious food. That goal never goes away.

Now we’re able to bring that same cooking to people’s homes with their families – it’s incredibly humbling.

Where did your passion for cooking come from? I am lucky to have been raised with great cooks in my family: my grandparents, my mother, my father. And learning how to cook professionally is exhilarating and something that didn’t land me in jail.

What is your personal favorite recipe in the book?

Yemenite-Style Veal Osso Buco with yellow rice.

Which recipe was most challenging to get right?

Zalatimo, which was inspired by Zalatimo’s café, a small restaurant-of-sorts in the Old City of Jerusalem known for their signature treat: a phyllo-like dough that is rolled out by hand to order.

You shot and researched the book in Israel.

What was that like? While in Israel, we ate at something like 82 restaurants in seven days to research this book. It was incredible, and also very (ful)filling.

What is the one kitchen tool you can’t live without? A baby offset spatula because there’s nothing it can’t do.

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