What We're Cooking for Shabbos: 2004 - 2006

[bloviatrix]

I went back to working full-time several weeks ago, so this cooking for shabbos thing has been complicated as I no longer have all day friday to shop and cook. I'm fortunate in that Blovie has been absolutely wonderful - for all the dishes that can't be done in advance I do all the prep and he does the cooking on Friday.

This shabbos our meal was -

Vegetable and bean soup (using Rancho Gordo Yellow Indian Woman beans)

Roast chicken with a pomegranate molasses glaze

Kasha Varnishkes

Roasted fennel, parsnips, and carrots tossed with balsamic

Pear and prune compote with cognac

Abarbanel Alsace Pinot Noir 2005. Disappointing wine - won't be purchasing again.

[scubadoo97]

went back to working full-time several weeks ago, so this cooking for shabbos thing has been complicated as I no longer have all day friday to shop and cook.

Know the feeling. I leave a couple hours early on Friday which gives me some time in the kitchen but the shopping is done a couple of days ahead and prep work and some cooking is usually done Thursday night. Then it's in the kitchen Friday after work and go full blast till people arrive at 6 pm. I'm usually thinking what's on the menu by Tuesday so I can plan

[bloviatrix]

went back to working full-time several weeks ago, so this cooking for shabbos thing has been complicated as I no longer have all day friday to shop and cook.

Know the feeling. I leave a couple hours early on Friday which gives me some time in the kitchen but the shopping is done a couple of days ahead and prep work and some cooking is usually done Thursday night. Then it's in the kitchen Friday after work and go full blast till people arrive at 6 pm. I'm usually thinking what's on the menu by Tuesday so I can plan

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You've captured the situation perfectly. I feel like I'm constantly preparing for shabbos.

[Miriam Kresh]

Oy. I used to be married to a guy whose emotional attachment to food was extreme. I'd start cooking for Shabbos on Tuesday, freezing, storing, and prepping as far ahead as I could. Thank Heaven, my present DH is not at all demanding, always happy with whatever I put down in front of him. But to make Shabbos as varied and tasty as I like it, I do bake and freeze on Thursday afternoon, usually.

So Shabbos is coming up tomorrow. We are latkeh'd out. And I don't want to see a sufganiyah for another year! Michelle's trip to Roladin for those super-delicious ones inspired me to visit our local branch as well... Heavenly, yes. Bazillions of calories, also. Unfair, why can't rich, sweet things be slimming?!

Melissa's roast turkey breast looks lovely. I only make it cold and curried, for a main-dish salad in hot weather. How did you make that turkey breast, more or less, Melissa?...

Chicken shnitzel, cut into strips, marinated briefly in soy sauce, ginger and garlic, then rolled in egg white and cornstarch and fried, that's the entree this Shabbos night. Kasha pilaf (meaning kasha tossed with toasted sliced almonds and chopped spring onions, instead of stirred into bow-tie noodles). Swiss chard sauteed with onions and garlic and served with a sauce based on the inevitable chicken soup which precedes all of the above. If They have been particularly deserving, a medium-sized twice-baked potato with broccoli in the filling for each. Shabbos lunch, a spicy Sephardi hamin with turkey shwarma meat, chickpeas, eggs, orissa, and a subversive un-Sephardic vegetable kishke. That ought to do 'em. Better get that kishke made up now.

Miriam

[scubadoo97]

Since I'm usually cooking for a crowd of at least 10-15+ people on Shabbat, I have to find menus that are somewhat easy, filling and not too costly. Tomorrows menu will start will tortilla soup, followed by salad, yellow rice and chicken, peas (I would have included them in the yellow rice but my daughter hates peas), broccoli and cauliflower. I'll start on the stock for the soup and brown the chicken tonight.

Shabbat Shalom to all

[Miriam Kresh]

Since I'm usually cooking for a crowd of at least 10-15+ people on Shabbat, I have to find menus that are somewhat easy, filling and not too costly.  Tomorrows menu will start will tortilla soup, followed by salad, yellow rice and chicken, peas (I would have included them in the yellow rice but my daughter hates peas), broccoli and cauliflower.  I'll start on the stock for the soup and brown the chicken tonight. 

Shabbat Shalom to all

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Scubadoo,

You made arroz con pollo? I sometimes make that for Shabbat. My mother taught me to use 2 1/2 times the amount of liquid as rice, not the usual 2:1 ratio for plain loose rice. I put peas on the side too. Do you ever cook olives in the dish? My mother used to, when we were kids, but stopped doing so years ago for some reason. What a delicious thing to eat. Saffron rice and chicken with bell peppers and olives...plenty of onions and garlic...a touch of cumin...I'm not even hungry right now, but thinking of a. com p. is making my mouth water. OK, now I know what I'm making for next Shabbos night.

Miriam

[scubadoo97]

Thanks Marian, it was very tasty. I used my "go to" Jasmine rice and as usual did less than 2X water to rice. I had 4 cups of rice to 6 cups of water. I did use real saffron but also used Bijol for the extra yellow kick. I started with onions diced fine, cubanelle peppers, blistered, peeled and diced, sliced green pimento stuffed olives and a good dose of mashed garlic. Sweated this out and then added the rice and spices to toast before adding the water. Due to the large amount of chicken and rice I cooked them separately. I was going to de-bone the chicken but my back was starting to get angry Thursday night so I served it with cut up chicken pieces on top of the rice. I layered in slices of red bell pepper that had been roasted and peeled. The biggest hit of the evening was the tortilla soup. Not a drop left in the pot. For the soup I started with diced onions, green bell, jalapeno and cubanelle peppers, carrots, celery, garlic and a little roasted corn that I cut off the cob and chili powder which was then sauted in olive oil. Simmered in chicken stock with bay leaf, and oregano. I cut up about 8 corn tortillas and let them break down in the soup. Near the end, threw in a large amount of chopped cilantro and lime juice. Served with thin strips of fried corn tortillas and cubed avocado. No time for pictures I'm afraid. This was my daughter's requested meal for her birthday which actually is on Christmas day. She wanted to go OUT to dinner for her birthday tomorrow night. Due to short notice on her part, very few restaurants available on Christmas eve, so I will back in the kitchen plan dinner for her and a few of her friends for tomorrow or Monday night and try to make it a little more upscale.

[Miriam Kresh]

That tortilla soup sounds wonderful, Scubadoo. Wish kosher corn tortillas were available here. I don't think you can even get treif ones! Although I admit I haven't looked. Now some questions: how did you get rice to cook with so little water? Does it have to do with the kind of rice? I'm not familiar with go to Jasmine rice. And, what is Bijol? Is it annatto seed? Annatto just keeps giving out color and doesn't stop. But I love the flavor of saffron and get all I can out of it it by infusing in the hot stock for 1 hour before cooking the rice.

Arroz con pollo is lunch for tomorrow, since a large family is coming to visit...have to dream up something different for Shabbos now. Fish soup, I think, with chunks of corn in it and plenty of cilantro. Finally someone said they were tired of the eternal chicken soup! I'd like to make a big, main-course fish soup with plenty of bread and dips for Shabbos night but the family will probably consider that too light. What to follow up, what to follow up... all my problems should be so big.

Miriam

[scubadoo97]

You are ahead of me in planning for Shabbat dinner.

Fish soup sound wonderful. As a main course with some good crusty bread. That would be a meal for me. My wife would be on my case about it not being enough for company though.

None of my guest are kosher so I didn't have to worry about it too much but the corn tortillas that I used were La Banderita from Ole'. I just checked and they have a K and parve logo on the bag.

http://www.olemexicanfoods.com/Foodservice...nTortillas.html

I like jasmine rice for anything where a long grain rice is needed. Just like the way it taste and usually buy a 25 lb bag from my local Oriental market and freeze in 5 lb bags. I have always heard the ratio for cooking rice is 1.5 to 1 water to rice. I think Alton Brown did a show on rice and said the same thing but also said the more rice you use the smaller the ratio. I also use the first knuckle method but requardless I just boil until the water gets to near the top of the rice, stir and cover on low for 15min. Then turn off and let it sit for 15min then fluff. Never comes out dry or gummy.

Yes Bijol is a very orange/red colored seasoning that is mostly annatto. I have used the method of frying annatto seeds in oil and using the oil. It results in a very yellow rice but my kids didn't like the flavor compared to the junk in the bag. Go figure. So I just sprinkle a little of Bijol in the rice for color and added the saffron for me. I like using the annatto seeds though.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Melissa's roast turkey breast looks lovely. I only make it cold and curried, for a main-dish salad in hot weather. How did you make that turkey breast, more or less, Melissa?...

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Because I wanted to focus on the latkes this week in particular, I simply put it in the oven with some olive oil, smoked paprika from Hungary, Maldon salt and ground pepper ... very simple ...

Yesterday, Miriam, I had lunch with Michelle Kemp and David Nordell, Swisskaese and Tapenade respectively ... we shopped at the very gourmet, very au courant, Trader Joe's here in Atlanta and they bought several kosher items which appealed to them ... we had a vegetarian Chinese lunch and had a ball chatting about food in Israel, politics, and travel .. what a fantastic couple! Thanks to our postings on eGullet for making this meeting a reality ...

Edited December 25, 2006 by Gifted Gourmet (log)

[Miriam Kresh]

Yesterday, Miriam,  I had lunch with Michelle Kemp and David Nordell, Swisskaese and Tapenade respectively .... what a fantastic couple! Thanks to our postings on eGullet for making this meeting a reality ...

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What a smile that photo brought to my face, Melissa! I have been thinking of Michelle and David a lot since they left for the States, and to see them like that unexpectedly was a pleasant surprise. How exciting that you met with them, and yes, they are a lovely couple. They took me to a very Hungarian cafe in Tel Aviv one evening, and we indulged in pastry. David tried to teach me how to say "strudel" in Hungarian, but I was so busy teasing him that it sounded like something one might exclaim in a burst of ill temper that I've gone and forgotten how to say it.

Thank you for the turkey breast idea. I've always thought that oven-roasting it would result too dry, but I'll try it this Shabbat (to go after the fish soup). Now it's your turn to visit us here and get spoiled. Any other eGulleteers welcome too, of course!

Scubadoo, thanks for the link to the corn tortillas. I have been wondering if I want to import beans from Rancho Gordo, now I'm thinking of adding those tortillas to the list of foods with shipping charges attached. It's a philosophic dilemma, because I've always tried to stick to foods that are available locally. Not really fanatic on the issue, since my soy sauce comes from Japan, my apple cider vinegar from England, etc., but I pick them up at the supermarket around the corner. It's not as if there aren't enough dried beans and pulses here...but those Rancho Gordo ones look luscious, and I do sometimes get a sharp longing for those corn products, tortillas and arepas. I do buy books from abroad, and pay the shipping. Is being middle-aged enough jusification for indulging in a bit of food extravagance?

Miriam

Edited December 25, 2006 by Miriam Kresh (log)

[bloviatrix]

Thank you for the turkey breast idea. I've always thought that oven-roasting it would result too dry, but I'll try it this Shabbat (to go after the fish soup).

Miriam, I find that the key to making a moist oven-roasted turkey breast is to use a meat thermometer. Cook it until it reaches an internal temp of 168F and it should remain moist.

It's not as if there aren't enough dried beans and pulses here...but those Rancho Gordo ones look luscious, and I do sometimes get a sharp longing for those corn products, tortillas and arepas.

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I'm about to be evil, but I recently made my first Rancho order and we've been in bean heaven. You should check as to whether or not he can ship to Israel because I know Canada is out of the question. Otherwise, do you know anyone who is coming to visit in the near future that can bring them for you?

[jaynesb]

Hello everyone, I know it's been a while since I last posted. I haven't been watching the forums as closely as I did before the summer because my life got a lot more complicated with Sisterhood responsibilities. Don't want to get into it because it's not really cooking related but it is keeping me from focusing on more interesting cooking.

But I have enjoyed seeing what you all have been making and serving (as well as news of the get-togethers.) Anyway, just wanted to pop in and say hi and thank you to all of you for continuing to share some of your wonderful Shabbat meals. Kind of like a virtual invitation to a worldwide Shabbat dinner.

jayne

[Miriam Kresh]

Miriam, I find that the key to making a moist oven-roasted turkey breast is to use a meat thermometer.  Cook it until it reaches an internal temp of 168F and it should remain moist.

I'm about to be evil, but I recently made my first Rancho order and we've been in bean heaven.  You should check as to whether or not he can ship to Israel because I know Canada is out of the question.  Otherwise, do you know anyone who is coming to visit in the near future that can bring them for you?

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bloviatrix,

Just caught sight of your comments - haven't been online much in the past few weeks. I will have to get a meat thermometer - think I'll have to go to Tel Aviv for that. I'll ask in the kitchenware stores around the shuk first; they carry restaurant supplies too, and one of them may have a thermometer. As you see, most cooks here don't use or own one. I've never seen an oven or a meat thermometer in the local stores. My oven therm. I bought in a chef's store in Tel Aviv.

Go ahead, be evil and break my heart... My relatives come once a year to visit, and they've already been and gone. I'll check the Rancho Gordo website again, but if they don't ship abroad, then I'll just have to wait till next November.

Made a crockpot beef stew for Shabbat dinner, easy and tasty. I'm not fond of beef unless it's meltingly tender, and this was so. Just the standard American stew with carrots, celery, potatoes. The cooking liquid was a rice and raisin wine I made last year. Four hours on high, and the stew was ready. For the gravy, I stirred in some flour paste and left it another hour. Just before Shabbat, I transferred the whole gesheft over to a clean pot and put it on the hotplate. On the side, steamed cauliflower and salad. I needed to make an easy Shabbat meal, and that was it.

Shabbat lunch was shepherd's pie, salad of avocado and tomato, cold string bean and almond salad, tossed salad, olives, za'atar.

My challa over-proofed - pulled it out of the oven, where it was rising in the warmth of the light bulb, in a panic, to see that it was already forming crusty bits all over the top. Help! No time to start and proof another batch. I kneaded it again, losing all the lovely inflated sponge, but as it was fairly damp I added more sprinkles of flour and let it rise once more (it didn't, very much). Put it into the oven with a prayer - and although it didn't rise much again, the challah baked through and the flavor was very good. Whew. This absent-minded business is not where it's at. I've considered putting a timer next to everything I cook, then decided that all these little timers popping off every few minutes would drive me to distraction in the kitchen.

Miriam

 

 

 

 

 

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