Moroccan Fish [With Old Moroccan Lady Techniques]; Mastered.

  I feel like I should name this blog "How to cook like an old lady", that is obviously my goal, so why the lies? Simple. Young people can obviously cook, maybe even better then the old ladies I try so very hard to imitate, but there is something so special to me about roots. Doesn't matter where those roots originate from, but we have to plant and replant those babies so that we never lose our core. How does the food we eat connect to our core? You'll find out when your kids ask for your Classic Recipes. The circle of life. *Smile*

What You'll Need:

• 1 Whole Side of a Salmon Fillet - Sliced about 1 1/2' to 2' wide.
• 1/2 Cup Lemon Juice 
• 1 Head of Garlic - Peeled
• 1 Cup Chopped Cilantro + Some as garnish
• 2 Cups of Garbanzo Beans -Soak Overnight (They expand)
• 4 Chopped Tomatoes
• 2 Thinly Sliced Bell Peppers - (Colors of your choice)
• 4 Tbsp Tomato Sauce 
• 1/2 Fresh Lemon - Peeled and Chopped
• 1 Chopped Jalapeno Pepper  (OPTIONAL- for spicy eaters ONLY)
• 1 Tbsp Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Canola Oil
• 3 Tbsp Paprika (Try looking for a nice grade Paprika, redness is key)
• 1 Tsp Turmeric
• 1 Tsp Crushed Black Pepper
• Salt to Taste - I like using Kosher Sea Salt
• Large Shallow Pot

  First, we are going to let our Salmon sit in our 1/2 cup Lemon Juice for about an hour. If you don't have an hour, try to let it sit for as long as you can. Place your Garbanzo Beans evenly in your pot, over them place your chopped Tomatoes and Sugar. Welcome in your sliced Bell Peppers, Jalapeño (if you are going for picante), Garlic cloves, and chopped Cilantro. Now we are going to add hot water until you JUST cover your ingredients so far. Add your Lemon dices, sprinkle your Paprika, Turmeric, Black Pepper, Salt, Tomato Sauce and Oil. On a medium high flame bring to a boil, once boiling lower your flame and let simmer for about 20 mins. If you see that too much water evaporated while boiling you can add another 1/2 cup, or whatever you think is missing. Evenly spread the Salmon slices on top and forget them for about 8 minutes. Add the rest of your Chopped Cilantro that we put on the side to garnish, and gently base your fish with some of the sauce; forget for additional 10 mins. Tada!

TIPS: You can play around with the types of fish you use and the amounts and this recipe CAN convert to Moroccan Fish Balls as well. If you are interested in a step by step, let me know.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

 

 

  I have a knack for making up recipes that sometimes, somehow end up being successful. Problem? I rarely ever write down the exact recipe. So.. I end up with a one time wonder. This time, as I was dancing around the kitchen pouring ingredients and singing my newest muse, whatever it was at that moment, I was yelling the exact ingredients to my sister that happened to be writing nearby. This cookie is now an "every time wonder". There is something about cookies. I am willing to work and over work for a delicious cake, but cookies? If your anything like me, they are going to be finished faster than it took to make them. And no, I'm not going to refrigerate my dough for 45 minutes before shaping and baking. The reason I made the dough now, is because I want a cookie in 13 minutes. FLAT.
I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

What You'll Need:

• 2 Cups Crushed Oats
• 1 1/4 Cup Flour
• 1 1/4 Cup Oil
• 1 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 Cup White Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 2 Tsp Vanilla 
• 1 Tsp Baking Soda
• 1 Tsp Baking Powder
• 1/3 Cup Crushed Walnuts, or nut of choice (Optional)
• 1/2 -1 Cup Chocolate Chips (depending how chocolatey you like your cookies)
• A Dash of Salt

Preheat Oven to 350 F. 

In a large bowl, first combine your oil, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Once nice and smooth, add all your dry ingredients, combine. I like to line my baking sheets with parchment paper, so if you have some of that magic, go ahead and do that. Using two tablespoons or a small scooper make one Tbsp sized mounds leaving a two inch separation between each cookie, because they DO expand. Place into the oven for about 13 minutes, every oven is very different. Many ovens would need you to place your sheet on the bottom wrack for the first 5-6 minutes and then on the top wrack for the rest. Once they are nicely golden, they are ready. They harden once they are set and at room temperature. 

For a softer chewier cookie, take them out once they are slightly golden, for a crispy cookie, golden all the way, Kapish? Good. 

Moroccan Matboucha

  Let me start off by saying what I always say, in Moroccan Cuisine there are no actual recipes. There are ingredients and then you go with your heart. It's not a cliche. It's for realz. One of my favorite ingredients is prayer, it's as UP there as Salt. Try cooking without Salt. Especially when it comes to the soul foods of our culture, Schina (Chulent, Chamin, Dafina), Matboucha, Moroccan Friday night fish.. and many more, prayer is an actual ingredient. 
  Whenever we would travel to Israel for the holidays my grandmother would be cooking up a Tsunami, there is no room for argument, her food can easily compete with the big sharks of the culinary world. Yet, her utensils are so simple, using only the most basic of spices and no actual "recipes". How? If you looked closely enough, you would see her little mouth was wording Psalms-Tehilim. It does something, and like my Great Grandmother, Grandmother and Mother, my little lips move a lot in the kitchen. Another thing, I am a workaholic in the kitchen. If I had the choice of growing my own veggies and wheat, I would. But that's not practical and it goes against the century we live in. So, when I share recipes I try to cut corners when it comes to the actual work going into the dish, but HOPEFULLY ending up with the same delicious outcome. Normally Matboucha calls for 100 freshly peeled and seeded Tomatoes. Unless you have a crush on peeling Tomatoes, lets keep it simple and delicious.

What You'll Need:

• 7 Large Chopped Tomatoes
• 4 Charred Pealed and Sliced Green Bell Peppers
• 3 Charred Pealed and Sliced Red Bell Peppers
• 2 Charred Pealed and Sliced Orange or Yellow Bell Peppers
• 1 Small Green Jalapeño Chopped (For mild heat- If you are accustomed to using Jalapeño's, you can play around with the spiciness)
• 6-7 Cloves Garlic Sliced or Chopped
• 1 1/2 Tomato Sauce
• 1 Tbsp Sugar
• 3/4 Tbsp Paprika
• 1/4 - 1/3 Cup Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp Canola Oil
• Salt & Black Pepper to Taste

Charring Bell Peppers

On a medium-low flame using a large flat pot, heat up Canola Oil. Add your Garlic slices and give them a little spin, allowing them to release their Garlicy LOVE. Add your sliced Bell Peppers and Jalapeño, giving them a few minutes to soak up some of the Garlic's flavor. Now add your chopped Tomatoes, Sauce and Sugar. On a low flame let it all simmer for about 1/2 an hour to 45 mins, showing some love once in while with a little stir. (Make sure the bottom doesn't burn) The Tomatoes will release a lot of water, so there is no need to add water, we are actually trying to release all that excess water, so no covering your pot. After simmering for 1/2 hour or once your mixture starts gaining shape (less excess water), add your Olive Oil, Paprika, Salt and Black Pepper. At this point you will gain a nice rich red color, using the same method as before, show some love with a stir once in a while, simmer for an additional 45 minutes. If your Matboucha seems to still have a lot of excess moisture let it simmer down until the only moisture you have left is the Olive Oil. 

Garnish with some chopped Parsley.

Baby [Red] Potatoes on Crack

 

   There is this house down the block from mine in Israel that always gives me the urge to just walk into as if I own the place, simply cut up an Avocado and serve it with an array of Cheeses, soft boiled Eggs, Italian Tuna, cracked roasted Potatoes with some Kalamata olives with Olive Oil and cracked Pepper everywhere. Ten years and that house gives me the same urge and the same desire...no matter when, no matter what. I would stop the car in front of the house and imagine what the people in it where like, and how they felt "simply cutting up an Avocado whenever they wanted". Could be that to enter the villa you need to walk downstairs instead of upstairs which gives off a cliff house feeling. There is also this massive bougainvillea that married into what was a simple iron gate. The house is crisp white with deep brown aged wooden windows. Italy and Provence joined with Casablanca when they wrote the blue prints. It is Israel. I could have easily just knocked on the door and asked to join with all my ingredients, they might of thought whatever they wanted, but not for more than a second. Israeli people are like water, always giving. Agree to agree, agree to disagree, they have the best hearts. So, why didn't I? Sometimes, when something captivates you so much, leave it that way. From the hunger of fulfillment, we fulfill. So.. RECIPE. These Potatoes go with everything and I mean everything. The insides receive all the flavor from being "cracked", the contrast between the Red Skin and white center will give any dish a beautiful punch, and best of all, they look authentic. 

What You'll Need: 

• Baby Red Potatoes
• Crushed Tri-Color Pepper
• Dash of Chili
• Kosher Salt
• Olive Oil 

Notice, I am not giving amounts because it really depends on how many potatoes you need.

Heat Oven to 370 Degrees F

  Boil your Baby Potatoes until they are just cooked. [Soft enough that you can poke a fork through but NOT over cooked that they started falling apart] Pour the water out and let them cool to a temperature that is cool enough for handling. Holding your Potato with your thumb and pointer finger, just give a squeeze until the Potato simply cracks. Place your cracked Potatoes in a bowl with your spices and Olive Oil and then onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper [for easier cleaning] and into the oven until they reach the crispiness you desire. 

Tom; the [NO KNEAD] Baby Artisan Bun

  

 There are two factors with Bread baking that intimidates people. If you ask me, it's the yeast and kneading. I might be wrong, and if I am, I would love to walk anyone through the steps that scare them because there is nothing easier and more gratifying than fresh homemade bread.
The thing with Artisan bread is that you can double or triple your ingredients and just leave containers of dough in the refrigerator for up to a week I would say, and the nice thing with that is that the longer the dough sits, the richer your bread will taste. One hour before you want your house to smell like a little bakery in Naples, you just take your container with dough out of the refrigerator. This recipe is best made at night, you automatically gain the night hours of sitting time.

What You'll Need:

• 6 1/2 Cups Flour
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Kosher Salt
• 1 Tbsp Yeast
• 3 Cups Water [100 Degrees]

In a large bowl just mix all your ingredients with a wooden spoon until incorporated. Place into container and shut, not airtight though. [If you doubled your ingredients separate into separate containers] Let your dough sit for two hours in a warm/room temperature area, the dough will double in size, then just put your container in the refrigerator for a minimum of 3-4 hours.
Once your buns are shaped they will need to rest for an hour, so make sure to take your dough out of the refrigerator in time to shape and bake before your serving time. You might want to sprinkle your hands with a bit of Olive Oil for easier handling, once you finish shaping your little round give it a dip into a bowl of flour and then straight onto parchment lined baking sheet. Now let them rest for a nice hour in a warm place.
Place into preheated oven for 30 minutes. Truly depends on your oven, bottoms should be nicely golden and they should spring back when touched. Cool on wired rack and serve.

 

Lahme Bi Ajeen; Hamentashen

 I am a Moroccan-French-Italian American born hybrid that spent 11 years in Israel. I don't know what else to say except; food is definitely part of my lifestyle. I never really knew I was originally from Syria, but I secretly always had this love for Syrian food. When I was a kid one of my mothers best friends would make Kebe and Lachme Bi Ajeen all the time. Kids; for some reason we just stuff our mouths without asking what it is, or how to make it, as a result, just like that we miss out on one of our favorite foods until someone else magically makes it. That magically happened when I stayed with my cousins in NYC. Emily Amos. She makes animalistic Lahme. Oh my... I would sneak some before and after the meal WITH Celine (yep, I just ratted you out) when no one was looking, not that Emily would mind *embarrassed face*.
  A year after being re-introduced to Lahme Bi Ajeen, I was in Jerusalem running some Friday errands at the Shuk with another one of my cousins when our noses directed to this hole in the wall that had magical scents wafting out of every direction. I am one of those OCD people that cannot eat something that is not 100% sanitary. Complete germaphobe. But there is something about the little pots of authentic Mamma food; seeing this little family business was just emotionally beautiful and mouth watering. The mother and father not speaking anything other than strict Syrian just sat there rolling, baking, stirring with love radiating out of their beautiful smiles. Their son, this gorgeous boy, around 18 years old was the narrator, business manager, waiter, seater and translator. The whole ambiance was just magical. We didn't even order anything specific, we asked for whatever was at hand. The generosity was from another world. As we sat to eat I was in complete and utter shock how every bite of such simple food can hold so much flavor. My cousin just stared at me and said, "you do know that we are originally from Demascus, Syria, right?" Our great great grandfather, Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto was the Av Beit Din of Aram Tzova, Allepo. DUH! Thats when it all made sense to me. There are foods we love; taste buds and all. But when a type of food hits home, you know its part of your DNA. Now that I babbled on and on.. yes, the recipe.

What You'll Need:
Makes 30 Hamentashen or regular Lachme Bi Ajeen (generously filled)
Preheat Oven 375 Degrees F.
For the Crust you can use your favorite pizza dough rolled out or just buy those ready made pizza dough rounds at your local kosher market.

Filling:

• 1 Lb Ground Meat
• 1 Large Tomato- Finely Chopped
• 1 Purple Onion- Finely Chopped
• 3 Cloves Crushed Garlic  
• 1 Tsp Crushed Black Pepper
• 3 Tbsp Tamarind Paste 
• 1 Tbsp Parsley- Finely Chopped 
• Salt to Taste 

 [For some odd reason I forgot to add the Parsley this time, but it is recommended, gives a pop of color and flavor.] In a bowl combine all your ingredients, you can let it all sit in the refrigerator for the flavors to all marinade, but that's not a must. Have your pizza rounds ready, give them a few soft pokes with a fork so that the air doesn't get trapped inside and explode while baking. If you are making regular Lahme Bi Ajeen, just top your rounds generously then flatten the meat. If you are going for Hamentashen place about a Tbsp of meat in the center of your round and then using water on your fingers as a glue, fold and pinch your sides into a Hamentashen shape. Place in the oven for half an hour, or until nice and golden [depends on your oven]. The Tamarind paste makes a nice caramel coat over the crust and meat. A true delight. 

Serve as an appetizer or a delicious side with Tahini as your dip.

  

Topped with charred Eggplant. 

  

Served as a side, topped with Tahini Sauce. 

I hope you Enjoy!!

Signature Cheesecake

 

   Throughout the years there has always been a "Signature Cheesecake". Each one is my favorite for different reasons, this one is simply my "Go To", impress your eaters, "I worked so hard to get it to be this good", yeah right! Type. It's my Saturday breakfast special. Sometimes served as individual baby Cheesecakes, sometimes fruit topped, pudding topped and sometimes perfectly plain.

What You'll Need:
Makes One 9' Cheesecake.
Serves 6 Generously.

For Crust:

• 1 1/2 Cup Crushed Graham Crackers
• 1 Tbsp Sugar
• 3 1/2 Tbsp Softened Butter
• (OR... Just use a ready Graham Cracker Shell Crust that you can buy in many if not most supermarkets)

For Filling:

• 2 Cups Cream Cheese 
• 2/3 Cup Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 Cup Sour Cream 
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees F.

Crust: If you decided on making your crust, either crumb your crackers in your food processor, or crumb them by placing them in a big zip lock bag using your rolling pin. However you do it, just try to make sure they are as crumby as possible. Place the crumbs into your baking pan with Butter and Sugar. Combine and set your crumbs by flattening and covering the walls of your pan into a neat shell. Place Graham Cracker Shell into the refrigerator until your filling is ready. (We want our butter to chill in order to keep everything in place.) 

Filling: Using stand or hand mixer, were going to whip our Cream Cheese until nice and fluffy, about a minute. Add Sugar slowly while mixing on medium speed, one Egg at a time (30 seconds apart) while still mixing, now the Sour Cream and lastly the Vanilla. 

Pour your filling into baking pan, and into the oven for about 25 minutes. Depends on the oven, but the Cheesecake should look firm, even crack on the sides, but the center should still wobble when moved. Cool your Cheesecake on counter top until it reaches a nice room temperature, cover and place in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight before serving. 

IMAGINATION:

Top with anything you like. White Chocolate Ganache and Strawberries? Vanilla Cream Cheese Pudding? Fresh Fruit? Really.. Anything. Have Fun!