What We're Cooking for Shabbos: 2007 -

[Swisskaese]

[Host's note: to minimise the load on our servers, this topic has been split.  The discussion continues from here.]

 

 

 

 

 

Shabbat Shalom everyone!

Tonight is the first Shabbat at home in three weeks. We just returned Monday from our trip to visit my family in the US and as you saw in the earlier post we got to meet GiftedGourmet. We had a wonderful afternoon with her and enjoyed our trip to Trader Joe's. They have a location close to my sister's house and it is nice that they offer some kosher options for us.

Tonight we had the following:

Chicken stuffed with couscous, pinenuts, dried red plums, cranberries and sour cherries

Roasted cauliflower

Steamed broccoli

Dalton red wine

Edited April 24, 2014 by lesliec
Added host's note (log)

[Pam R]

Michelle - the chicken sounds really good. What kind of seasoning do you use?

It is soooooo cold here. I don't want to scare anybody, but when I woke up this morning it was -37 degrees not factoring in the wind. So for tonight, I'm making a big pot of soup with barley, marrow bones, flanken and lots of vegetable. Challah to mop up the bowls.

Shabbat Shalom!

[scubadoo97]

Tonight the crowd will be over and I have planned a Greek/Mediteranian meal

Menu to included, Moussaka, homemade gyros, spinach pie, lentils and rice with carmelized onions and Greek salad.

and Ouzo for the brave ones. Still need to get the place cleaned up and get the food in the ovens to warm up.

Shabbat Shalom everyone.

[Swisskaese]

Michelle - the chicken sounds really good.  What kind of seasoning do you use?

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I vary it. For the stuffing, I seasoned the fruit, pinenuts and cooked couscous with minced onion, garlic, pomegranate molasses and some cinnamon. I drizzled some pomegranate molasses on the chicken before putting in the oven.

Sometimes I use just garlic and ras al hanout.

Stay warm or fly to Israel. It is suppose to be 17C here tomorrow.

Edited January 12, 2007 by Swisskaese (log)

[bloviatrix]

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You made mujadra? Mmmmmm. My favorite. I had some disappointing mujadra the other week - not enough caramelized onions. Very disappointing.

Our shabbat dinner was

Bean and vegetable soup (and to make Miriam jealous - with Rancho Gordo beans. )

Lachmajin (I know I'm misspelling this)

Lamb chops rubbed with thyme and garlic

Kasha Varniskes

Left over birthday cake for dessert

Baaksburg Pinotage 2004 (south africa)

Edited January 14, 2007 by bloviatrix (log)

[scubadoo97]

had some disappointing mujadra the other week - not enough caramelized onions. Very disappointing.

Yes I love them as well. I used 4 pounds of onions and caramelized them to serve on top. 1/3 of them went into the rice during cooking. I actually used the oil that I drained off the onions to fry my rice prior to adding the lentils and their liquid to make the rice. The onion oil is full of the caramelized flavor and a pitty to not use it.

[Anna Skigin]

I baked Hala for the first time in my life. I really liked the prosess but there're eggs in my recipe so hala didn't stay fresh for a long time. Anybody can tell if eggs are nesessary?

Edited January 18, 2007 by Anna Skigin (log)

[Rebecca263]

Anna, that's a beautiful loaf!

My boyfriend made all sorts of arrangements for us to be assisted before he had to leave. He worked with my shul and fellow congregants have taken the reins to helping us through this awful time. One of the members came over 2 weeks ago and brought us 3 immense challahs, straight from her oven! She had thoughtfully wrapped them in ample foil, and one is left, in the freezer, awaiting Shabbat tomorrow. We have French Toast and soup on toast for days after Shabbat, these loaves are like manna, and they last exactly until Shabbat the next week! It's a lovely thing. There are 8 small containers of soup left in the freezer, #1Boy was very diligent in his planning for that, before he left. which we were planning to use for our Shabbat suppers, but I just received a call from a member of the congregation, telling me that we will be receiving a meal for Shabbat tomorrow! I'm overwhelmed at the kidnesses that have come into our lives since we've had such hard times. It seems as though our hearts receive succor and our tearful faces are caressed by so many people, from so many diverse places, and Hashem is sending everything for a reason. I may not have a recovery, but I will most hopefully have time, and Elisheva and I will have some help, and we are full of hope. Shabbat Shalom, everyone!

[bloviatrix]

Rebecca, I'm so happy to see you posting. I hope you're holding up ok through the treatment.

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My spicy black bean chowder (with Rancho Gordo Black Valentine beans ) is simmering away on the range-top. The house is smelling wonderful.

[Swisskaese]

Rebecca, I am also happy to see you posting. You brought me to tears. I am glad that you are getting help.

Shabbat Shalom everyone. We are having the following:

Orange Curry chicken

Sweet potato fries with herbs and garlic (they are actually baked)

Steamed broccoli

Red wine

Edited January 19, 2007 by Swisskaese (log)

[scubadoo97]

Rebecca, so glad to see you posting. Prayers and best wishes to you and your family.

Tonights menu will be

Asian BBQ chicken

Napa cabbage salad with, ramen noodles, almonds and sesame seeds topping

string beans and garlic

[Anna Skigin]

Swisskaese, I've never cooked sweet potatoes before but want to try. Your "Sweet potato fries with herbs and garlic" sounds great. can you please give the recipe?

[Swisskaese]

Swisskaese, I've never cooked sweet potatoes before but want to try. Your "Sweet potato fries with herbs and garlic" sounds great. can you please give the recipe?

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Hi Anna

Welcome to the Shabbat forum.

Your challah looks lovely. My challah recipe has 4 eggs in it. I think it is definitely necessary because challah is suppose to have a cakey quality to it.

The recipe is from Epicurious:

Sweet Potato Fries with Garlic and Herbs

Edited January 20, 2007 by Swisskaese (log)

[CapnCook]

Ok, I finally took the plunge and upgraded my membership to allow me to post. I'm very excited about contributing to this forum once in a while. All the posts are so inspiring and make me want to cook all sorts of gourmet dishes. Here's what I made for shabbos dinner this week:

Starters:

Challah

Mekbouba (Tunisian Matboucha salad)

Spicy Gefilte Fish

Soup:

Chinese Chicken Soup (my own invention)

Salad:

Mixed Greens with nuts, cherry tomatoes and enochi mushrooms

Balsamic, soy sauce and maple syrup salad dressing

Main Course:

Roasted root vegetables

Sesame green beans

Apricot and almond chicken

Dessert:

Freshly baked chocolate chip cookies

Pineapple

Banana Bread

Various fruit and dessert teas with honey

The roasted root vegetables and the soup were hugely succesful. I tried all sorts of veggies in the roast, including beets, celery root, squash, garlic and leeks. It was just divine when it all carmelized and got soft on the inside.

[Pam R]

Welcome to the eG Forums CapnCook. Your menu sounds delicious. More information on the Chinese Chicken Soup please.

[CapnCook]

Welcome to the eG Forums CapnCook. Your menu sounds delicious.  More information on the Chinese Chicken Soup please. 

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So glad you asked about the chinese chicken soup! I came across it almost by accident and I think I'll be using it regularly!

Pot of water

1 Chicken carcass/bones

1 leek

1 small bunch of parsley

3-4 green (spring) onions

3 large bulbs of fresh ginger (not three massive pieces, just three balls/arms)

1 stalk of lemongrass

salt/pepper

3 tblsp chicken soup powder

3/4 cup white wine

splash of sherry (optional)

Method:

Start with a pot of cold water and add salt, chicken carcass and chicken soup powder. Bring those to a boil white you clean the other vegetables.

Add leek (chop into three large pieces). Wash and chop parsley and green spring onions. Peel all chunks of ginger and cut into smaller chunks (about 3 chunks per bulb). Add to the pot.

Cut off ends of lemongrass and then bend the stalk several times all the way from one tip to the other. The point is to bruise the stalk of lemongrass and get the flavors moving. Cut stalk in 2-3 pieces and add to the pot.

Add pepper, white wine and splash of sherry

Allow soup to continue boiling at a simmer for about 70-90 minutes (until you feel it's REALLY tasty and ready), then remove from heat.

If you are serving the soup immediately, remove the ginger pieces with a strainer, and make sure to remove lemongrass pieces as well. The other veggies can be left in, as they will be very soft. Then remove the chicken from the carcass in small pieces and add back to broth. If you are serving it the next day, refridgerate it and skim fat from top before reheating the next day.

Edited January 21, 2007 by CapnCook (log)

[Anna Skigin]

Swisskaese, thank you very much for the recipe.

As for the challah (very strange spelling indeed!) I understand what you mean. As far as I know you don't use bread flour for challah but the all-purpose one. Am I right?

[Swisskaese]

Swisskaese, thank you very much for the recipe.

As for the challah (very strange spelling indeed!) I understand what you mean. As far as I know you don't use bread flour for challah but the all-purpose one. Am I right?

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I have seen Challah/Hallah spelled both ways.

I use bread flour here, but I am pretty sure I used all-purpose when I lived in the States.

[Anna Skigin]

Swisskaese, I took my challah recipe from "Sheshet" , which is Israely book and they don't suggest using bread flour there.

[bloviatrix]

Ok, I finally took the plunge and upgraded my membership to allow me to post. I'm very excited about contributing to this forum once in a while. All the posts are so inspiring and make me want to cook all sorts of gourmet dishes. Here's what I made for shabbos dinner this week:

Starters:

Challah

Mekbouba (Tunisian Matboucha salad)

Spicy Gefilte Fish

Soup:

Chinese Chicken Soup (my own invention)

Salad:

Mixed Greens with nuts, cherry tomatoes and enochi mushrooms

Balsamic, soy sauce and maple syrup salad dressing

Main Course:

Roasted root vegetables

Sesame green beans

Apricot and almond chicken

Dessert:

Freshly baked chocolate chip cookies

Pineapple

Banana Bread

Various fruit and dessert teas with honey

The roasted root vegetables and the soup were hugely succesful. I tried all sorts of veggies in the roast, including beets, celery root, squash, garlic and leeks. It was just divine when it all carmelized and got soft on the inside.

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Sounds like a great meal. How many people were you cooking for because I'm feeling full just reading it.

[Miriam Kresh]

Biovatrix, torture me some more I'm plotzing over those beans...I'll just have to cough up the gelt and import them, if possible.

Regarding keeping challah fresh, I've found that water left over from cooking potatoes (with the salt in it and all) keeps the challah moist and fresh right up to the next Friday. I use either bread flour, which seems to require more water, or AP flour, or a combination; it doesn't make a difference. Challah should be on the sweet side, rich with eggs, with a close crumb and a soft crust: all the opposite of the holey, crisp-crust breads we enjoy so much during the week. At least, that's my theory.

Rebeccah, I'm happy to know that your community is being so supportive. A refuah shlema to you, my dear, and very soon.

You guys are making such delicious food for Shabbat...I'm still copping out with easy recipes. Well, nobody at home is complaining at least. But I'm shy to post my rough-and-ready methods here any more . Vat can I say: Friday is a tough day around here. But I did find new peas in the shuk on Thursday, and on Shabbat night, we feasted on them, simply steamed and drizzled with olive oil. Very good! Er, we did have the usual chicken soup, and psuedo-Chinese marinated, stir-fried chicken cubes, and rice with young nettles in it, and tossed salad and carrot salad, too. But those peas, they stole the limelight. Ah! And strawberries are in season again. I like them best plain with just a little sugar, but the little one wants strawberry shortcake sometime this week. I'm happy to indulge her.

Miriam

[Rebecca263]

Hi, everyone!

Well, CapnCook, either you have a large family, or you're typical of most of us, you enjoy feeding the body as a gate to the happiness of the soul! That menu is formidable, and I am going to look for a Matbouba recipe. Please, tell us more about your cooking, I think that we will gain much from you in future posts.

Just to let you know, we received a meal for ten, I swear. 4 roasted chickens, cut into 8ths, in a huge pan. We will have chicken for weeks.So far, we've eaten 5 pieces. A rice pilaf and steamed broccoli accompanied. Again, we have containers left. I will not comment on the food, the fact that it came with warm thoughts and a lot of prayers is the seasoning that makes any food delicious.

As an aside, I'm so grateful for the help and attentions we have received. I have been so careful raising my daughter to be a kind and helpful, positive person, and I really do worry what the past few months and the upcoming challenges will do to her sense of things. Besides, so many terrible hateful things happen, everyday, in this world, and I don't want her to feel that her life is the same. I want her to have hope for Moshiach, and I want her to be a person who makes light in the world, too. Seeing people help us, now, is the right thing for that, and Hashem is sending the right thing. I am grateful to have this, for my daughter to see goodness in the world, in hard times, and not feel alone. I'm trying not to feel alone.

I pray for everyone, a meaningful life, peace and joy, light and growth.

PS: I want to make a 4 egg challah! My recipe had 3 eggs. I have a friend who tells me that her mother made challah with 5 yolks and 3 whites.

[Anna Skigin]

Miriam Kresh, can you please give the recipe of your challah?

[CapnCook]

Hi, everyone!

Well, CapnCook, either you have a large family, or you're typical of most of us, you enjoy feeding the body as a gate to the happiness of the soul! That menu is formidable, and I am going to look for a Matbouba recipe. Please, tell us more about your cooking, I think that we will gain much from you in future posts.

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Hi there,

Well, first off, I should mention that I was actually only cooking for four people, including myself. I was just in the mood to have a really fancy, large meal for shabbos. I don't always cook that much, though! I enjoy the leftovers from large meals too.

As for the mekbouba salad....

Mekbouba salad is a speciality of my Tunisian grandmother. She taught me how to make it, and it's really very easy.

Ingredients:

10 roma tomatoes or 6 of any larger variety of tomato

5-6 red or green (preferably mixed) peppers.

1 cubana hot pepper or harissa (Optional)

1.3 cup of olive oil

salt/pepper to taste

10 cloves of garlic

Ok, so the thing to remember about this salad/dish is that the quantities of ingredients are pretty unimportant. You can really vary things and still end up with a perfectly good mekbouba. Seriously...if red peppers are on sale, then add more. If they're too expensive, then maybe just use one.

Method: (Very easy!)

1. Wash and cut up the tomatoes in quarters, then the peppers into large-ish chunks (don't get hung up on this)

2. Peel garlic and cup into large chunks (cut each clove in half or in thirds)

3. Mix garlic, tomatoes and peppers in a pot and add olive oil, salt and pepper and then toss everything.

4. Turn element onto medium-high and cover pot. When it begins to boil, the veggies sweat and you get a soupy, watery mix in the pot. Once this occurs, give it about 5-10 minutes to boil like this, then turn the stove down to minimum/low and UNCOVER the pot.

5. Allow entire mixture to simmer for as long as necessary for it to reduce approximately 80%. Stir the pot 'gently' a few times while it's cooking. If you make a big pot, this could take 4+ hours. But the temperature of the element is so low that you can leave the house without worrying. There should be very little water left in the pot when the salad is done. It should be pasty, not watery.

6. When it's done, remove from heat, allow to cool and serve with slices of fresh bread. It will be pasty.

Edited January 21, 2007 by CapnCook (log)

[CapnCook]

Sheesh...where'd everyone disappear to? Was it something I said?!