THE SHABBAT TABLE: REAL LIFE KOSHER COOKING

Norene, left, with Miriam Pascal, author of Real Life Kosher Cooking

Good Shabbos, Shabbat Shalom! Each week, the days are getting shorter and shorter, and Shabbat starts very early, so it’s extremely helpful to be able to prepare family-friendly meals for Shabbat that can be assembled with a minimum of time and effort. Miriam Pascal to the rescue!

In her newest book, Real Life Kosher Cooking: Family-Friendly Recipes for Every Day and Special Occasions (Mesorah Publications/November 2017), cookbook author Miriam Pascal skillfully shows home cooks that they don’t need difficult-to-find ingredients or fancy equipment to create delicious meals. All that’s needed is a pinch of passion, a dash of caring, and a hearty helping of creativity.

Each of Miriam’s recipes are beautifully photographed (this multi-talented young lady did her own food photography!) and there are easy-to-follow instructions. She also includes helpful menu suggestions for family and special occasions; “Plan Ahead” and/or freezer tips for each recipe; Pesach substitutions guide; and a Comprehensive Index.

Hundreds of thousands of cooks regularly turn to Miriam Pascal to find recipes for food that is wholesome yet elegant, adventurous yet doable – and fun! In her newest book, the author of Something Sweet and founder of www.OvertimeCook.com shares a delicious collection of recipes for real life cooking, and for real people that her fans have been asking for. Real Life Kosher Cooking features over 160 doable recipes that home cooks will want to make again and again.

“I believe food is meant to be shared, to be enjoyed, and to inspire,” Miriam says. “My hope with this book is that my recipes introduce you to new flavours, inspire you to try new ideas and recipes, but most of all, to become staples in your kitchen.”

For more about Miriam Pascal and her pareve Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies (Without Margarine) or her Tiramisu Cookies, click here: https://thecjn.ca/food/shabbat-table-everyone-loves-something-sweet

The recipes in Real Life Kosher Cooking have something for everyone, every taste, and any occasion. From Breakfast and Breads, Salads and Spreads, Appetizers and Snacks, to Soups and Stews, Meat and Poultry, Dairy and Meatless Mains, to Desserts and much more, Real Life Kosher Cooking covers all the bases. Recipes include:

Middle Eastern Squash Soup

Zucchini Corn Fritters

Roasted Butternut Squash and Quinoa Salad

Baked Honey Barbecue Popcorn Chicken

Shawarma Spiced London Broil

Apple BBQ Spare Ribs

Pastrami Stuffed Shells

Crispy Onion-Topped Potatoes

Savory Spinach and Cheese Pancakes

Hawaiian Roasted Salmon

Corn Chip-Crusted Fish Sticks

Falafel Pizza

S’mores Mousse Trio

Cinnamon Bun Pie

Coffee Hazelnut Meringue Layer Cake

Real Life Kosher Cooking is full of recipes that I created for my family and friends, with an eye towards my readers. I want this cookbook to become as much a part of your life as it is a part of mine, frequently used and full of stained and flour-covered pages.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Miriam Pascal is the founder of OvertimeCook.com, one of the world’s leading destinations for kosher recipes, with hundreds of thousands of monthly visitors. A self-taught cook and baker, Miriam shares her passion for recipes, food, and photography on her website, as well as in her popular food column in Mishpacha Magazine’s Family Table. Her first book, the dessert cookbook Something Sweet, enhanced her reputation as the go-to source for easy-to-prepare, delicious kosher recipes. Miriam has garnered a large and loyal following of home cooks who appreciate her expertise and experience in creating simple, family-friendly recipes that fit the lifestyles of busy people who want to serve nutritious and delicious meals. Miriam’s work has been featured by numerous national magazines and other media.

Recipes below have been reprinted with permission from Real Life Kosher Cooking by Miriam Pascal (Mesorah Publications/November 2017), Photos by Miriam Pascal

ASIAN GLAZED CORNED BEEF (Meat)

Yield 8 servings

Talk about a crowd pleaser! Miriam served this corned beef at a large family gathering, and was surprised — and definitely pleased — to see that everyone, even the pickiest kids, were enjoying this meat — and for good reason! The sweet Asian flavors in the glaze are a fantastic pairing for the tangy pickled flavors of the beef, making a dish that had everyone reaching for seconds.

1 (3-4 pound) pickled brisket, preferably second cut

Glaze

3/4 cup teriyaki sauce

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

2 Tablespoons
rice vinegar

2 Tablespoons honey

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 inch of fresh ginger, minced, OR 2 cubes frozen ginger

4 cloves garlic, minced

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Place meat in its bag of pickling liquid into a 9×13-inch (or larger, if needed) pan. Add water to the pan until the meat is covered. Cover pan tightly with foil; bake for 3 hours, until meat is tender. Drain water from the pan and set meat aside until cool enough to handle.
  3. Meanwhile, prepare the glaze: Add glaze ingredients to a small bowl; whisk to combine.
  4. Remove meat from bag; drain all liquid. Return to pan; pour half the glaze over meat. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Remove from oven; pour remaining glaze over meat. Bake for an additional 15 minutes.
  5. To serve, slice meat and spoon glaze/sauce over it.

Variation: The method of baking the corned beef in its liquid was taught to me by Mr. David Asovski, a master butcher and meat expert, as a way of preserving the pickled flavor of the meat. If you prefer a less-pickled flavor, remove meat from the pickling liquid; place meat into a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook for about three hours, until tender, then continue with Step 3.

Plan Ahead: Meat can be frozen in an airtight container. Reheat, covered, until heated through. For best results, freeze after Step 2. Defrost, glaze, and bake fresh.

TOMATO ROASTED POTATO WEDGES (Pareve)

Yield 6-8 servings

The tomato coating gives these potatoes a ton of flavor and a really unique caramelization on the outside. As a bonus, they’re easy to make and kid friendly!

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced, OR 2 frozen garlic cubes

1/4 cup olive oil

5 Idaho potatoes, cut into wedges

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together tomato paste, salt, oregano, pepper, garlic, and olive oil until smooth. Add potato wedges; toss to coat in the tomato mixture.
  3. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on prepared baking sheets.
  4. Bake for 50-60 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the insides are soft and the outsides are crispy and caramelized.

Plan Ahead: These potatoes can be prepared up to two days ahead of time. Reheat, uncovered, in a single layer, until warmed through.

Norene Gilletz is the leading author of kosher cookbooks in Canada. She is the author of 12 cookbooks and divides her time between work as a food writer, food manufacturer, consultant, spokesperson, cooking instructor, lecturer and cookbook editor. Norene lives in Toronto and her motto is, “Food that’s good for you should taste good!” For more information, visit her website www.gourmania.com or email her at [email protected].