Breakfasty foods
Main courses and salads
Passover dishes
Breads
Desserts and snacks
Alcoholic drinks
FRANK'S FRIED BREAKFAST POTATOES
Serves: 2
1 medium apple, diced
2 medium russet potatoes, diced with skin on
1 medium onion, diced
2 oz sausage, crumbled
1 tbsp oil
a 3" branch or so of fresh rosemary, or more or less
salt
pepper
garlic powder
Throw everything in frying pan and cook covered over medium heat, for about 25 minutes, or until potatoes brown, stirring every five minutes or so.
FRANK'S COTTAGE CHEESE PANCAKES
1/2 cup flour
1/8 cup yogurt
1 egg (2 whites = 1 egg)
8 oz cottage cheese
1 tbsp sugar
FRANK'S BUTTERMILK PANCAKES
1 cup flour
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 cup buttermilk (or more to make thinner)
FRANK'S FAMOUS POTATO SALAD
(fairly generous portions for 4 people)
You can make any changes in amounts of salt, onions, vinegar, etc. that you want.
Cut up 3 lbs of potatoes with their skin still on into pieces 1 - 1.5 inches across any which way. I used a mix if Russet and red potatoes, but anything is ok. Cover with water with about 2 tsp salt and after bringing to boil cook about 15 min until a fork goes through them easily. They shouldn't be disintegrating too badly. To get it right you will have to test every 3- 5 min once you have cooked about 15 min. Drain.
Add about 1 1/2 cups diced onions. I used about 3 scallions [spring onions] (with outer layer removed) cut up with crosswise cuts (including most all of the green part) and most of a red onion.
Add 4 tbsp dried parsley (or some chopped fresh) [optional]
1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp coarse ground pepper (if available)
7 tbsp red vinegar (not balsamic). You may want (lots) more; taste and decide. It tastes less vinegary when it cools down.
4 tbsp olive oil. One or none if people on diet; still tastes ok but drier.
GRAVLAX
1 boned salmon fillet
1 oz. each salt and sugar per pound of salmon
coarse ground pepper
(?) 1 gm dried dill weed per pound of salmon
1. Mix all dry ingredients together.
2. Pluck pin bones out of salmon and set fillet in casserole dish.
3. Rub mixture into fleshy side of salmon; use all the mixture (pour over it what cannot be rubbed in).
4. Cover salmon with clingfilm and weight down (e.g., with cans).
5. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
6. Pour out liquid that has formed and pat salmon dry; cut into thin slices.
7. Serve with mustard sauce.
MUSTARD SAUCE FOR GRAVLAX
Dijon mustard
sour cream (preferably nonfat)
white wine vinegar
sugar
dried dill weed
Theoretical proportions for the sauce:
2/3 c. mustard (Dijon)
1 cup ? sour cream
2 Tbs ? vinegar
3 Tbs sugar
1/4 cup dried dill
GREEK SALAD DRESSING
4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
4 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano (if you have fresh, use lots more)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup good olive oil
Blend together all the ingredients except the oil. Pour in the oil slowly, whisking constantly (or blend in the blender). Yield: 3/4 cup.
For the salad itself, cube tomatoes and cucumbers, add roughly diced red onions and a fair amount of feta, and throw in some kalamata olives. No lettuce or bell peppers or any of that junk, though the dressing's equally good for a normal salad.
CHICKEN AND POTATO STEW WITH ORANGES AND LEMONS
Serves: 4
large pinch of saffron strands
2 tbsp olive oil
large chicken, about 2kg / 4.5lb, cut into 8 pieces
2 tbsp plain flour
1 tsp salt
crushed black seeds from 6 green cardamom pods
1 tsp whole cloves
1 tsp allspice berries
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1 tsp whole pink peppercorns
2 cinnamon sticks, 7 cm each
juice of 2 large oranges and 2 large lemons
750g / 1lb 10oz floury potatoes, peeled and cut into large 7cm / 3in chunks
1 whole lemon and 1 whole orange, sliced
1-2 tbsp rosewater.
1. Put saffron in small bowl and pour over a little boiling water. Leave to infuse.
2. Heat olive oil in large casserole and fry chicken about 2 or 3 pieces at a time, until lightly golden all over. Transfer pieces to large plate as they're sealed. Drain off all but 1 tbsp of fat from the casserole. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes, then add saffron and its infusing water. Stir well.
3. Add chicken pieces to pot along with salt, spices, orange and lemon juice. Pour over enough water to cover (about 1.15 liters / 2 pints) and bring to the boil. Add potato pieces and the slices of orange and lemon.
4. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer gently for 30-35 minutes or until tender, occasionally skimming off any fat that rises to the surface. Taste to adjust the seasoning, then stir in the rosewater and serve with rice.
FRANK'S TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE
Serves: 2
Preheat oven to 450°F
6 oz (170g) pasta
4 oz (113g) tuna
1 can (10 - 14 oz, or even more) cream of mushroom soup
chopped parsley
3 tbsp dry or medium dry sherry
pepper
1/4 cup (1 oz) seasoned breadcrumbs (w/ garlic, parmesan, salt & pepper)
paprika
1. Boil pasta and drain
2. Layer pasta and tuna in greased dish
3. Mix soup, parsley, and sherry and pour over top
4. Put breadcrumbs over top, sprinkle on paprika
5. Bake at 450°F (230°C) for 40 minutes
FRANK'S MACARONI & CHEESE
Serves: 4
12 oz macaroni (or other pasta)
Sauce
2 cups hot milk
4 Tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
pepper
Cheese
2 cups each diced lowfat cheddar and "Free" American
2/3 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
paprika
Cook 12 oz macaroni or other suitable pasta, like shells.
Make sauce by adding 2 cups hot milk to 4 tbsp flour with 1 tsp salt and pepper as desired. Add milk slowly with stirring, so goes gradually from paste to liquid without clumping. Cook with stirring to thicken as much as possible. Will thicken further as cools.
Butter casserole.
Cut into small pieces equal amounts of lowfat cheddar (real cheese) and "Free" American or Old English till have 2 cups of each (after cutting up). Combine and intermix.
Layer pasta and cheese and sauce starting with pasta and ending with cheese.
Pour on top 2/3 cup of milk well mixed with 2 eggs (fake OK).
1/2 cup (seasoned) breadcrumbs on top.
Sprinkle with paprika.
Bake ~40 minutes in 350° preheated oven (uncovered)
If reheating, add further milk/egg mixture to make more moist. Otherwise kind of dry second day.
FRANK'S (ACTUALLY TED'S) CHILI
(makes about 10 cups)
1 lb frozen tofu (it should have been frozen a while so that it changes texture to become chewy - I think probably a day or so is ok [it should change color from white to tan] I usually leave it weeks or months so I am not sure) broken up or into small bites
1 cup water
1 onion chopped
About 1 pepper (green, yellow, red, mixed or whatever)
2 cups canned tomatoes with juice (not finely crushed or pureed)
3 tbsp Worcester Sauce
Garlic or garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
generous pinch black pepper
1 1/2 tsp standard "chili powder" (you may well want more; you may want some special kind but then determine amount by taste)
1 tsp cumin
2 ca 16 oz cans of beans (I use one of pinto and one of red beans)
There are mushrooms, too, damn it, just my dad forgot to tell me how many or what kind! Shiitake, I think.
Just put it all in a pot and cook till the vegetables are done and the flavor seems good. I usually end up adding some extra liquid (tomato juice or water); with the above amounts it is pretty thick.
ARROZ CON POLLO*
(4 large portions)
-2 cups (16 oz) uncooked short grain rice
-1 approx 16 oz can tomatoes with juice + chicken stock so total makes sl > 4 cups
-3 chicken thighs
-frozen peas (amount that looks right)
-canned (jarred) artichoke hearts
-pimento (not a lot)--optional
-1 diced onion
-3 Morning Star breakfast patties (fake sauage) or real sausage, broken up onto smallish pieces
Brown and mostly cook chicken in a largish frying pan or stew pot and set aside.
Put rice, onions, and the tomatoes+chicken stock together in the same pan, cover, and cook till rice almost almost but not quite done (probably about 10 -15 min). Add everything else, but don't stir yet.
When rice seems done, and everything seems hot, stir up and add peas leaving them just long enough to defrost and get hot.
*This recipe is light on chicken and heavy on rice, because mommy and I tend to like it that way. But if you were making it for guests, you should use more chicken than this, and maybe would want to use some breast meat too)
2 apples, finely chopped
1 cup/7 oz/200g chopped walnuts
2 tbsp grated lemon rind
2 tsp cinnamon to taste
Sugar to taste (I used none)
Enough red wine (Manischewitz-like) to bind mixture together (plus a little). If the wine is not sweet, then for sure add sugar.
MATZO BREI
per person (increase by 50 % for generous portions)
Note: Where it says "butter" below you are supposed to use chicken fat; it tastes much better, but we never have it. You have never had it with chicken fat and I haven't since I was a kid either.
Brown 1/4 - 1/2 diced onion. If not watching calories cook in frying pan in 1 tbsp butter over med-low heat till brown. If watching calories:
Cover onion with water and add about 1/4 tsp salt, cover and cook till onion almost soft. Then over high heat boil off water and keep cooking till see signs of little brown. Then moisten with a little more water and stir around. Things will generally get kind of brown. Cook a little longer.
Get one matzo very wet, break up into pieces, and add to onions. Cook with occasional stirring to mix onions with matzo and bring new matzo to hot surface until matzo browns a little. If not watching calories, do this in another tbsp of butter or even more. Otherwise just add a little butter (or marg but not diet marg)
Add a little salt and pepper (about the amount you would put on something that was on your plate - be slightly generous, however). More pepper than salt.
Beat up 2 eggs and add trying to get matzo as wet as possible with eggs. Cook over medium heat, stirring and turning occasionally until done. Should be a little moist. Don't over cook.
2 cups lukewarm water
2 tsp yeast (= 1 pkg or .25oz) [NOT rapid rise!!!]
2-3 tsp salt
4 cups flour
olive oil
fresh rosemary
sea salt
Dissolve yeast in water, in a large-ish bowl. Add 2 cups of the flour and the salt. Stir until no longer lumpy. Add remaining flour; stir again until smooth. Will take about 2 or 3 minutes per flour session, I'd say.
Cover bowl tightly with saran wrap, clingfilm, whatever you want to call it. Set aside to rise for 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 500° F. (Do this before the dough is risen.)
Oil a baking sheet; you'll be happier if the sheet is also non-stick. Turn the dough onto the sheet. Rub some oil on the surface. Stick your index and middle finger of each hand into the dough and use them to pull the dough in different directions, spreading it across the baking sheet. Make it fairly thin, about 3/4" or something. The holes from your fingers can go all the way through, or at least don't worry about it if they do.
Sprinkle rosemary and sea salt on the surface. Put bread in oven and reduce oven temperature to 450°F. Let cook until golden brown; can be anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes depending on your oven. 25 is sort of normal.
Remove from oven and tray and let cool on a rack.
CHALLAH
2 packages (.25 ounce each) active dry yeast [ = 4tsp / .5 oz ]
2/3 cup warm water (110°F / 45°C)
6 egg yolks
3 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 pinch salt
1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Stir in the yolks, 3 eggs, oil, sugar, and salt. Add about 3-1/2 cups of flour to make a sticky dough.
2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead with remaining flour until smooth and elastic, about 7 minutes. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn to oil the entire surface of the dough. Cover with a damp cloth. Place in a warm place until double in size, about 1-1/2 hours.
3. Punch down the dough, and divide into 3 pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 12 inches long. Braid the three strands together, and seal the ends. Place the bread on a greased cookie sheet. Beat the remaining 1 egg with a pinch of salt; brush onto bread. Let the bread rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush the bread with eggwash again.
5. Bake for 40 minutes, or until golden. Cool on a wire rack.
SWEDISH RYE BREAD (LIMPA)
2 cups milk
1 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 ounce dry yeast (two packages)
6 cups rye flour (approximate)
3 cups white flour (approximate)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup dark molasses
2 teaspoons anise seed, crushed
(or other flavorings; e.g., 1 tsp. anise seed, 1 tsp. caraway seed, 1 tbs. grated orange peel)
1 teaspoon salt
1. Scald the milk and combine it with the water and brown sugar in a very large bowl. (You need something that holds at least 4 or 5 quarts.) When the mixture is lukewarm, dissolve the yeast in it, then stir in 2 cups rye flour and 1 cup white flour to make a paste.
2. Let the mixture rise in a warm place until it is light and foamy. This usually takes about 30 minutes to an hour. Check it frequently-it can really make a mess if it rises enough to overflow the bowl. (I'm sure they could make a great horror movie about a gigantic blob of bread dough that keeps getting bigger and bigger as it consumes everything in its path....)
3. Stir in the granulated sugar, oil, molasses, anise seed and salt, and enough flour to make a stiff dough, using 2 parts rye to 1 part white. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic, adding more flour to keep it from sticking to your hands.
4. Clean and grease the bowl. Put the dough in the bowl, turning it to grease all sides. Cover the bowl loosely with a clean towel and let the dough rise until it's doubled in bulk (about 1 hour?). Punch it down and let rise until double again (about 45 minutes?).
5. Divide the dough into three loaves and put in greased pans. (I usually make round loaves and bake them on cookie sheets.) Cover with the towel and let rise until double again (about 1 hour?).
6. Bake for about 45 minutes (to an hour?) at 350 deg. F. Because of the high sugar content, this bread can burn rather easily; watch it closely so it doesn't get too dark.
PUMPKIN SEEDS
Pre-heat oven to about 325°F (163°C)
Oil baking pan or sheet
Single layer of pumpkin seeds (you can put a bit of oil on them as well)
Salt pumpkin seeds
Bake until slightly brown - watch very carefully, they can change very quickly. Daddy thinks that it takes between about 5 and 10 minutes (it can take up to half an hour or longer, as well; pumpkin seeds are very temperamental and unpredictable!).
NEW ENGLAND BAKED CANDIED CRANBERRIES
From Gourmet Cookbook, Vol. 1
1. Spread 2 cups sound cranberries in bottom of baking dish. The larger the cranberries, the prettier the result.
2. Sprinkle with 1.5 cups sugar.
3. Cover tightly.
4. Bake at approximately 350°F for 1 hour.
5. Cool.
ALMOND BRITTLE
Preheat oven to 350°F
1 cup (6 oz.) blanched almonds
3 tbsp. water
1/2 cup sugar
1. Spread almonds in single layer on baking sheet; toast in oven, stirring every so often (maybe 5 minute intervals), until they turn golden brown in color (about 15 or 20 minutes).
2. Heat water and sugar in heavy saucepan over high heat until mixture is clear. Do not stir with a spoon while heating, but swirl by handle of pan.
3. Cover. Heat until bubbles in mixture are thick.
4. Remove cover. Keep heating until mixture turns a light golden; still do not stir, but swirl.
5. Once golden, remove from heat and empty almonds into caramel; stir in with a spoon and turn onto greased cookie sheet. Leave to cool (approximately 20 minutes). Break into pieces. Makes about 1 cup of almond brittle.
NOTE: To blanch almonds: boil enough water to cover, then dump in shelled almonds for about a minute. Drain them, and then have fun squirting them out of their skins.
GRACE'S LEMON SQUARES 9" x 13" pan
Base
3/4 c. butter
1 1/2 c. flour
1/3 c. confectioner's sugar
Cut together; press in pan. Bake 15-20 minutes at 350°. Meanwhile:
Topping (I think it works better with twice the amount of topping given here, so feel free to double the following amounts)
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
juice of 1 lemon (1/4 c. +)
Beat together till foamy, then beat hard for 8 minutes (this is the annoying part, unless you're using an electric beater).
2 T. flour
3/4 t. baking powder
Stir in.
Pour lemon mixture over pastry base (need not wait to cool).
Bake 20 min. at 350°F. When cool, sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and cut into squares.
ADAM'S MOM'S CHEESECAKE
Let me just say that my family has had so many requests for this cheesecake recipe that we felt that the world should have a chance to experience it. It's . . . words defy me, but it's cheesecake.
Base
* 4oz Crushed digestive biscuits
* 2oz (or less) Melted margarine
Mix together and press into base of loose bottomed 8" tin (I haven't gone metric yet)
Topping
* 1/2 cup caster sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1lb Curd Cheese
* 1 x 5oz carton of soured cream
* Vanilla essence
Mix together and pour onto base.
Bake 30 minutes on Gas Mark 5 (190°C)
Optional If required (and you're not weight watching), you can cool the cake for 10 minutes, and mix another carton of soured cream with 1 tsp. of sugar, and spread on top & return to oven for a further 10 minutes.
When cold, top with strawberries, kiwi slices, tinned fruit, grated chocolate, or your favourite fruit, or whatever.
PUMPKIN COOKIES
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
1 1/3 cups mashed cooked pumpkin
1 3/4 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)
1 cup whole bran
1) Preheat oven to 375°F
2) Cream sugar and shortening together until light and fluffy.
Beat in the egg and then the pumpkin.
3) Sift together the flour, baking powder, and spices.
Add them to the batter.
4) Stir in dried cranberries, nuts, and bran.
Drop by tablespoons onto greased (or stickproof) baking sheets.
Bake 20 mins. or until golden brown.
Yields about 4 dozen cookies (probably less!).
SIMPLE SWEET SCONES
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut up
1/4 cup granulated sugar (use 1/3 cup for slightly sweeter scones)
2/3 cup milk (1 cup sometimes seems preferable)
1. Heat oven to 425° F (218° C). Put flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl; stir to mix well.
2. Add butter and cut in with a pastry blender or rub in with your fingers, until the mixture looks like fine granules. Add sugar; toss to mix.
3. Add milk and stir with a fork until a soft dough forms. Form dough into a ball, put onto a lightly floured board, and give 10 to 12 kneads.
4. To make triangular scones, cut dough in half. Knead each half lightly into a ball and turn smooth side up. Pat or role into a 6-inch circle. Cut each circle into 6 or 8 wedges. Place wedges on an ungreased cookie sheet-slightly apart for crisp sides, touching for soft sides.
5. Bake about 12 minutes, or until medium brown on top. Put on a linen or cotton dish towel on a wire rack; cover loosely with the cloth and cool completely before serving.
CRÈME FRAÎCHE
Mix 2 cups heavy cream (not ultrapasteurized) and 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice in a jar. Cover and let stand 8 to 12 hours at room temperature. Refrigerate; the mixture will become very thick. Makes 2 cups.
JEN'S BROWNIES
8oz sugar (white) (less better than more)
1oz plain flour (more better than less)
1oz cocoa (more better than less)
2 eggs
vanilla, salt
3oz melted butter
Mix all up in bowl. NB putting eggs straight into melted butter = Bad Plan
+ enough milk to make it into runny batter
Bake about 35-40mins at 200C (~475F)
Test for stickiness with knife in centre
Use judgement!
BLIND JAKE'S BLENDER MINT JULEP
There was a time, between the end of slavery and the invention of the blender, when good mint juleps simply didn't exist.
-- Lake Douglas, New Orleans dandy
1 bottle (750 ml) Jack Daniels or other fine bourbon whiskey
1 big bunch of mint
3/4 cup sugar
Place ingredients in blender and blend until sugar is dissolved and mint pulverized to the point where the entire concoction turns a repulsive bilious color. Strain through cheesecloth and a funnel back into the original whiskey bottle. Because of the added sugar and mint, there will be more total volume than can fit in the bottle, and this excess is known as the chef's lagniappe and should be poured directly over crushed ice and polished off. The rest will keep for a long time in the refrigerator. For best results serve in a silver or other opaque vessel, to mask the biliousness of the drink, garnished with a sprig of fresh mint. If desired, you may first wet the rim of the drinking vessel and dip it in sugar, as you would salt a margarita glass.
ADAM'S MEAD
Boil 1 gallon water.
Add:
3 lb honey
spices (cinnamon, allspice, ginger, cloves, cardamom)
Orange rind & flesh
Lemon if wanted
1 cup very very very very strong tea (this provides nitrogen so is
important)
Keep almost boiling for 2 hours.
Strain or whatever into demijohn (sterile, add bubble seal etc)
let cool.
Add yeast (made up according to packet). I use Champagne yeast.
RAMOS FIZZ
From the Alta Mira Hotel in Sausalito
In a blender, combine:
6 shots Gin
2 shots Triple Sec
2 shots Sweet and Sour
2 shots (or a bit less) orange juice
2 egg whites
Dash of orange flower water
equal volume of half-and-half (about 15oz for 1 oz shots)
Add ice and blend. Sprinkle top with nutmeg and serve.