Passover Hazelnut Sandwich Cookies with Chocolate filling

Makes 18-20 sandwich 2-inch cookies (not very thin)

2 cups hazelnuts
1 cup sugar
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted pareve Passover margarine,  room temperature
4 large egg whites, room temperature
6 tablespoons matzo cake meal
6 tablespoons potato starch
Filling
6 ounces pareve Passover semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
4 tablespoons pareve Passover margarine, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Place the nuts and sugar in a food processor and process until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Place the margarine in a large mixer bowl, and beat with electric mixer until light and creamy. Add nut-sugar mixture and beat until mixed and light. Add egg whites and beat for about 3 minutes until very fluffy.

Sift matzo meal and potato start together and add to above mixture until just incorporated.

Using a rounded teaspoon, form mounds about 2-inch in diameter and place on cookie sheet about 2-inch apart. Make the mounds as round as possible.

Bake in the oven 10 to 20 minutes until wafer edges are well browned. Remove the parchment paper to a cooling rack and let the cookies cool completely on the parchment paper. the cookies should be crisp when cool.

For filling, microwave margarine and chocolate pieces together for 30 second on high. Remove from microwave, stir and mash until all chocolate is melted.
Spread the flat side of cookie with a thing layer of chocolate and top with the flat side of another cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies.

Recipe from "Passover Desserts" by Penny W. Eisenberg published in 1996. Yes, I own this book.  I had lefovers of chocolate and 4 egg yolks, so I decided to make a quick chocolate-covered pretzels. See my next post.

Quick chocolate-covered pretzels

Making Passover hazelnut sandwich cookies, I had some leftovers of chocolate filling and four egg yolks. So, I decided to make a quick chocolate-covered pretzels.

Make 30 small pastries.

1 & 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons sour cream
4 egg yolks
1 tablespoon sugar
zest of 1/2 medium lemon

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line large cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Add flour and butter to a large bowl. Rub butter into flour and add yolks, sour cream , sugar and lemon zest. Make a dough. Divide dough into 30 equal pieces. With lightly floured hands, roll each piece of dough into a 7 inch long rope.  Make a pretzel and place on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough. Bake 20-25 minutes. Cool to a room temperature and dip the one side into chocolate. Leave on a cooling rack to dry up the chocolate.

Мини-крендели с шоколадной глазурью.

Делая пасхальное печенье с фундуком, у меня остаталась шоколадная глазурь и четыре яичных желтка. Я решила сделать быстрые мини-крендели с шоколадной глазурью.

На 30 маленьких печенья

1 & 1/2 чашка муки
2 столовые ложки сливочного масла, нарезанные на небольшие кусочки
2 столовые ложки сметаны
4 яичных желтка
1 столовая ложка сахара
свежая цедра из 1/2 среднего лимона

Разогреть духовку до 350F. Выстелить пeргаментной бумагой большое деко.

Добавить муку и масло в большую миску. Растереть масло с мукой, добавить желтки, сметану, сахар и лимонную цедру. Замесить тесто. Разделить тесто на 30 равных частей. Каждый кусок раскатать в веревку длиной 18-20 см. Сделать крендель и положить на деко. Выпекать 20-25 минут. Остудить до комнатной температуры и верхнюю сторону покрыть шоколадом. Оставить на подносе до застывания шоколада. .

Passover spicy chicken

14 ounces (400 grams) chicken thighs
1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sriracha (I used 1 & 1/2 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce)
1 tablespoon white wine
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
cilantro, for garnish

Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and then season lightly with salt.

Combine the maple syrup, soy sauce, sriracha, white wine and ginger in a bowl and stir together.
Add the chicken to a room temperature non-stick pan in a single layer with any bits of fat facing down, and then put it over medium high heat. This gives the fat a chance to render out so you don’t need to add any extra oil.

Once the chicken is browned on one side, flip each piece, and brown the other side.
Add the sauce, and turn up the heat to high. Bring the sauce to a boil, tossing the chicken occasionally to coat evenly with the sauce as it thickens.

The chicken is done when there’s no sauce left in the pan. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Recipe come from PBS Fresh taste

Buttermilk cabbage latkes

Makes 17-19 medium size pancakes

1/4 medium green cabbage head,(almost 2 cups shredded cabbage) cut into medium chunks
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (250 ml) buttermilk or kefir
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 & 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
Black pepper to taste
Vegetable oil for frying

Sauce for 5 pancakes
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon grainy mustard

Place cabbage into bowl of food processor and process until small pieces. Add eggs and process again for 10-20 seconds. The mixture will be almost a paste, but with pieces. In a small bowl mix flour with baking soda and put aside.  Pour cabbage mixture into a medium bowl, add salt, buttermilk, sugar and mix very well. Slowly add flour mixture to cabbage mixture and make a dough with a spoon. The dough is a standard pancake dough. Add parsley and black pepper.

Heat a heavy griddle or fry pan which is greased with a vegetable oil. The pan is hot enough when a drop of water breaks into several smaller balls which 'dance' around the pan. Pour a small amount of batter (approx  2 tablespoons) into pan. When bubbles appear on surface and begin to break, turn over and cook the other side.

Mix all sauce ingredients and serve with latkes.

Капустные оладьи

На 17-19 среднего размера оладий

1/4 среднего кочана зеленой капусты (почти 2 чашки нарезнанной капусты), нарезать на среднии куски
2 яйца
1 чайная ложка соли
1 чайная ложка сахара
1 стакан (250 мл) пахты или кефира
1/2 чайная ложка пищевой соды
1 и 1/4 чашки муки
2 столовые ложки петрушки, мелко нарезанной
Черный перец по вкусу
Растительное масло для жарки

Соус на 5 оладий

2 столовые ложки сметаны
1 столовая ложка майонеза
1 чайная ложка зернистой горчицы

Положить куски капусты в чашу кухонного комбайна и прокрутить до образования мелких кусочков. Добавить яйца и снова прокрутить в течении 10-20 секунд. Смесь будет почти пастообразной, но с маленжкими кусочками. В маленькой миске смешать муку с содой и отложить в сторону. Вылить капустную смесь в среднюю миску, добавить соль, пахту, сахар и хорошо перемешайть. Медленно добавить мучную смесь и ложкой замешать тесто. Тесто представляет собой стандартное тесто для блинов. Добавить петрушку и черный перец.
Нагрейть тяжелую сковородку и слегка полить растительным маслом. Выложить столовой лоькой оладьи и пожарить с двух сторон. Смешать все ингридиенты для сауса и подать с теплыми оладьями.

Vegan Creamy Curried Cauliflower Soup

Serves 6 to 8

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to serve
2 medium white onions, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to season
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large head of cauliflower (about 2 pounds), trimmed and cut into florets
4 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 cup coconut milk
Freshly ground black pepper, to season
1/4 cup roasted cashew halves, for garnish (optional)
1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley, for garnish (optional)
Red pepper flakes, for garnish (optional)
I used 2 tablespoon of canned salsa for garnish (works pretty good)

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Cook the onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt until onions are soft and translucent, 8 to 9 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add garlic, and cook for 2 additional minutes. Add cauliflower, broth or water, coriander, turmeric, cumin, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer until cauliflower is fork-tender, about 15 minutes.

Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender until smooth and then return the soup to the soup pot. (Alternatively, use an immersion blender to purée the soup right in the pot.) Stir in the coconut milk and warm the soup. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or spices if you’d like.
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a handful of toasted cashews, a few springs of parsley, sprinkle of red pepper flakes, and a dash of olive oil to top.

Recipe comes from The Kitchn

Avocado egg toasts

Make 2 extra-large bread toasts

2 extra-large pieces of multi-grain bread
1 medium garlic glove
1 medium size avocado, cored, pitted and mashed
2 oz goat cheese
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 large egg, hard-boiled and grated on small holes of grater
1 teaspoon dill, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Using folk, mix together avocado and goat cheese, add lemon juice and mix again. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Toast the bread and gently rub the cut side of the garlic clove over toasted bread. Spread avocado mixture, sprinkle with egg and dill. Serve immediately.

Теплые бутерброды с авокадо и яйцом

На 2 больших бутерброда

2 больших куска хлеба
1 средний зубец чеснока
1 средний плод авокадо, очищенный и размятый в пюре
60 грамм козьего сыра
1/2 чайной ложки лимонного сока
1 яйцо, сваренное вкрутую и натертое на мелкой терке
1 чайная ложка мелко нарезанного укропа
Соль и перец по вкусу

Вилкой перемешать авокадо с сыром, добавить лимонный сок и еще раз перемешать. Добавить соль и перец по вкусу. Поджарить хлеб в тостере, натереть чесноком, выложить смесь авокадо, посыпать яйцом и укропом. Подать сразу же.

Banana-Nut Pound Cake

Make 12-15 servings

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 medium bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup bourbon or low-fat milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch fluted tube pan; set aside. Combine flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; set aside.

In large bowl beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Gradually add sugar, beating about 7 minutes or until light. Add eggs, one at a time, beating 1 minute after each; scrape bowl frequently. In a bowl combine bananas, bourbon, and vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and banana mixture to butter mixture; beat on low to medium speed after each addition just until combined. Stir in the pecans. Spread evenly in pan (pan will be full).

Bake for 70 to 85 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool on rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve with berries or ice cream, if desired.

Кекс с бананами, сливочным сыром и орехами пекан

На 12-15 порций

3 1/4 чашки муки общего назначения
1/2 чайная ложка разрыхлителя
1 (240 грамм) пакет сливочного сыра "Philadelphia"
1/2  чашки (8 столовых ложек) сливочного масла, размягченного
3 чашки сахара
4 яйца
2 средних банана, пюре (около 1 чашки)
1/4 стакана бурбона или обезжиренного молока
1 столовая ложка ванили
1 чашка мелко нарезанных орехов пекан
Сахарная пудра

Разогреть духовку до 325 градусов по Фаренгейту. Смазать жиром 0-дюймовую круглую фому; Смешайте муку, разрыхлитель и 1/2 чайной ложки ложки.

В другой большой миске взбить электрическим миксером сливочный сыр и масло. Постепенно добавлять сахар, взбивая около 7 минут. Добавить яйца, по одному, избивая 1 минуту после каждого; В маленькой миске смешать бананы, бурбон и ваниль. Поочередно добавить мучную смесь и смесь бананов в смесь масла. Всё хорошо взбить. Добавить орех пекан и вылить в приготовленную форму.

Выпекать 70 - 85 минут, пока зубочистка, вставленная рядом с центром, не станет чистой. Вынуть из духовки и дать остыть течение 10 минут. Переложить на ресетку для охлаждения. Посыпать сахарной пудрой. Подавать с ягодами или мороженым.

Recipe from Better Home & Gardens magazine

Indian-style curry with potatoes, cauliflower, peas and chickpeas

Make 4 large servings
2 tablespoons curry powder (sweet or mild)
1 ½ teaspoons garam masala (see note above)
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 medium onions , chopped fine (about 2 cups)
12 ounces Red Bliss potatoes , scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 - 1 ½ serrano chiles , ribs, seeds, and flesh minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ medium head cauliflower , trimmed, cored, and cut into 1-inch florets (about 4 cups)
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes , pulsed in food processor until nearly smooth with 1/4-inch pieces visible
1 ¼ cups water (Add 3/4 cup and add more if you need. For soupier version you have to add more water)
1(15 ounce) can chickpeas , drained and rinsed (I used 1/2 cup_
Salt and sugar to taste
8 ounces frozen peas (about 1 1/2 cups) (I used 1 cup)
¼ cup heavy cream or coconut milk

Toast curry powder and garam masala in small skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until spices darken slightly and become fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove spices from skillet and set aside.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions and potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized and potatoes are golden brown on edges, about 10 minutes. (Reduce heat to medium if onions darken too quickly.)

Reduce heat to medium. Clear center of pan and add remaining tablespoon oil, garlic, ginger, chile, and tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add toasted spices and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute longer. Add cauliflower and cook, stirring constantly, until spices coat florets, about 2 minutes longer. Add tomatoes, water, chickpeas, and 1 teaspoon salt; increase heat to medium-high and bring mixture to boil, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits.

Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer briskly, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in peas and cream or coconut milk; continue to cook until heated through, about 2 minutes longer.

Adjust seasoning with salt and serve immediately, passing condiments separately.

Recipe comes from Epicurious.com