Pam R

I soaked them for a lot longer than 10 minutes - I don't understand why my bamboo always burns! they still tasted good I will definately try different techniques with the pita when I get a chance - thanks for the ideas. (they still tasted good too though! )

Thanks folks - I'll check out Foodman's class - a couple of mine started to form pockets - while I wouldn't mind making them with the pocket, I liked what I ended up with tonight - I just folded it all up and enjoyed!

Send them over here! Too oniony?? Look darn good to me. Cute kid

I know the topic is chicken shishkawhatever, but I'm starting with pita pics anyway. (Dough, water, yeast, sugar, olive oil, salt, flour - mixed, kneaded, rest for 2 hours, form into circle and roll then oven bake or stovetop cooking) Dough before rising and dough after 2 hours: Finished product. Some I baked in a 500 oven, the rest on the stove in a pan - I prefered the pan, it made a softer pita. Anybody know how to achieve a pocket in the center? Then to the main event, the chicken: Ground chicken (all dark meat), red onion, lemon zest, cumin, paprika, garlic, salt, pepper. Then onto the skewers - I used what I had, which are the bamboo thin ones - I have some flat, wide metal ones somewere but I can't find them. Then they were chilled and onto the grill for about 10 minutes: And dinner (the sauce was a cucumber/garlic/soy sour cream thing - of course a yogurt sauce would work, but not in a kosher kitchen!): I think there was a little too much cumin and next time, I'll try gus_tatory's suggestion and try some baking powder. They were a little dense. But I was amazed that they didn't fall apart! Rave reviews were offered from a group that doesn't rave if they don't like, so I'm off to a good start.

Hmmmm... as I said in the original post, it doesn't really matter what they call them where. I just have this memory of them from a lovely little restuarant off a square in Jerusalem and wanted to try making them.... and they are ready to go on the grill so we'll see what I end up with. Thanks for all of the info tho - next time I get to a middle-eastern restaurant I'll be prepared Ruh Roh. Well, they are mixed I didn't add any bread crumbs. They are also formed and skewered and ready for the grill which I'm about to go preheat. we make a lot of chicken burgers that are just ground dark meat - no additives and they hold together, so that's what I was going for. I'll let you know if they're a big mess - and if they are I'll try it again your way

Wrap really well in foil and cook at 300 until fork tender - shouldn't be dry, wrapping it keeps all the moisture in. Good luck.

Firstly, you have to come to Israel and I will show you both that Jewish food is not Ashkenazi food. It is so much more. Not that there's anything wrong with Ashkenazi food . I've never thought of it as being bland though... unless you're talking about heat/spice?

I'll be happy to - as soon as I figure them out I may even add some pics

Thanks so much - I've looked at a couple and will look through more. I also found a link to an Israeli website that says calls these 'little hamburgers'. So far (in the last 10 minutes) I've decided to add some finely diced onion. Part of the problem is that I've only found recipes for lamb or beef - and I just think the texture of the chicken may cause problems. Do I add bread crumbs and egg or just do the meat with seasonings? I'm off to the grocery store in a few minutes and will be trying some of these later today (as well as some homemade pita). Can't wait! Thanks again.

I know that there is a thread that discusses chunks of chicken on skewers, known to me in North America as a Shish Kabob. If my memory is correct (and it may not be) in Israel that's shishlik - and shish kabobs are made from ground meat. Whether I'm correct or not, I'm testing recipes today and want to try for a minced meat on a skewer recipe, similar to those that I enjoyed in Jerusalem about 15 years ago (I believe it was called 'Off the Square'). Anybody making these? Is there a way to get the ground chicken (thighs) to stay together and not crumble? I want to grill (bbq) them, so they need to hold together. I'm thinking of seasoning with Paprika, lemon, cumin, s&p and garlic. any thoughts?

I freeze kugle all the time - it's never as good as it it fresh, but it'll still be good Good luck! I'm testing recipes all day and I'm off to the stores to get ingredients - thanks to you I'll pick up some buckwheat and onions while I'm out. I'm sharing your craving!!

Along the same lines, I think that if you are in the food business, people often feel intimidated and don't want to invite you over for a dinner you may not find 'up to par'. If they only knew that if they'd just throw some hotdogs on a grill you'd be ever so grateful...

Amen to that. (umm... except I need my matzo meal and oil at least 2 weeks before Passover so that I can get my rolls and kugels into the freezer) When I went to school (and lived) in the US, I was amazed that the Haloween stuff came out in August - this year the Easter eggs were in the stores in January. In addition to it being a little annoying, doesn't it take away some of that .... 'specialness' the holiday is supposed to bring? Amen to that as well.

Oy! I am happy to share - but I have no quantities - I always do it to taste. Medium or broad egg noodles (about a lb.?) -cooked Yellow/red/white onion (1 really large or 2 small-medium)- peeled and chopped (1/4" - 1/2" cubes) button mushrooms (or crimini, or both) (at least a lb.) - sliced thin olive oil salt (kosher or whatever you got) fresh ground black pepper 2 eggs flour Saute the onions (with salt and pepper) in oil until brown - no need to 'confit' them, but get some color on them. Saute the mushrooms in olive oil with s&p - they should give off all of their juices and continue to cook until all of the liquid has evaporated. Cool. In a mixing bowl, combine noodles, cooled onions and mushrooms. If you have some brisket juice or juice from a roasted chicken or some soup, throw that in - not too much (1/4 cup reduced) - just enough to add some flavour. TASTE. Make sure it's well seasoned. The noodles will absorb the salt and pepper as it bakes - so don't underseason! Add the eggs and some flour.... how much flour? enough flour to bind everything ... a few Tbsps. Pour into well greased baking dish and bake at 350-375 until golden brown and crispy - then carefully pull off any really crispy stray bits and enjoy in the kitchen before serving.

hmm... I'd stay away from canned - you don't need the extra liquid. Danielle is right about the other flavours having the salt content - and while it won't be *exactly* the same, I'm sure it would still be good. I would probably try option #7 - I don't know if I'd cook the brisket with it until I've tried it, but I'm curious about it! You could also try a combo. of the fried onions/confit and the beef boullion - giving you the onion flavour and all the wonderfil salt and preservatives of the soup... yummy Just remember to add about 1 head of crushed garlic, and it should be good. And let us know what worked!

I can't wait to see the baked picture - I hope there are lots of crunchy bits! Do you always do your cheese kugels with sweet stuff? We keep it seperate around here .... what other kinds do you like? (My favorite is mushroom and onion). Robin - Do you enjoy the traditional Jewish stuff too?

I don't know what kind of suppliers you have in Sask. (I assume that's where you're opening). Deluca Bros used to sell a range of Italian machines and coffees - you could check them out.

Umm... my question is: what difference does it make if I'm bringing citrus into the US... since it usually comes from there anyway? Is it just in Manitoba that the citrus is mostly from calif. or florida?

Lucky you. I got terribly ill when I was in Cairo. I also couldn't resist the strawberries - which I find odd now that I think about how I was told to use bottled water when brushing my teeth Even though I did come home ill, I enjoyed my visit to Cairo and the food. Great report - thanks.

Hi Daniel, I love those threads... those are just the threads for a kosher cookbook and recipe column writer Seriously, yes - I understand how it becomes the same old same old. From my standpoint, recipe writing, it makes it interesting for me to try to come up with different recipes for all of the holidays. As a reviewer or a food writer (not necessarily a recipe writer) I imagine it can get rather tedious to come up with new facets to things that have been discussed for centuries. Mind you, I'm new to the game - I'll get back to you in a couple of years

I think your border people are nicer than my border people - I had to pay $75 in 'taxes' last week. I'm not going to make any comments about using a Martha Stewart recipe for a traditional Jewish food. Since you said it came from a reader, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

Such as? I have no problems with Passover.... (I'd insert a smilie but you don't like them)

Like many of you, soup tastes (and smells) like home to me - many memories of chicken soup from my Baba Raizel's house - every year to break the Yom Kippur fast she'd make a milky vegetable soup with whatever she had from the garden and noodles - nobody had the recipe (was there a recipe?) but I've tried to recreate it. My mother loves any and every type of soup, so it wasn't unusual to come home to some type of 'everything but the kitchen sink' soup. Garlic. If you put enough garlic in something it'll remind me of my Baba and father - mainly in the form of Garlic brisket, but there was always something with lots of garlic. Baba Irene used to make a casserole with hamburgers and cans of cream of mushroom soup - i've recreated it at home with a non-dairy cream of mushroom soup and that will always remind me of her. Ice Cream Soup - this was my Zaida's specialty. When my sister and I would be over at his place, we'd get big bowls of ice cream and stir it up until it was mostly melted and soupy. Now I prefer my ice cream to be hard.... but every once in a while I like a bowl of ice cream soup.

i had a book signing on sunday and one coming up this sunday, so I made a vat of the previously mentioned blueberry soup and one of chocolate soup (dessert soup). Also made a quick onion soup for dinner last night (though the onions were underdone because it was late and I wouldn't wait for them). Thinking of a lemon/rice/chicken soup for tomorrow or the day after and something asian... maybe even a hotpot with chicken broth...we'll see. as for spring soup idea: asparagus soup asparagus/corn egg drop soup a light vegetable soup with spring vegetables and pesto something with zucchini - zucchini soup? :) still love the carrot dill - easy, springy with tons of fresh dill for a meal soup, something like a saffron fish soup the low tonight is -4 C, so I'm not really in the spring mind-frame...

They aren't just an Ontario thing - I never realized they weren't eating them in other places though. I haven't seen one in a long long time, but as a kid they were often served.... I don't miss them I'm going to try to remember to take some buckwheat home with me tonight - you have me craving kasha now edited to add that your dinner (and onions) look fantastic.