Tomatoes and a New Year

This month we celebrated Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and it gave me a chance to pause and think.

We have a simple custom on Rosh Hashanah called tashlich where we cast pieces of bread, symbolizing our sins of the past year, into a moving body of water. I love it. Tossing the bread into the river and watching it lazily float away clears my mind in such a tangible way. The past year drifts away and I’m left feeling calm and ready to just be in the moment and appreciate something simple. Like a tomato.

It’s mid-October already, but we still have tomatoes at the market alongside apples and squash. We’re in that glorious time of overlapping seasons. Our neighbors had an abundance of tomatoes from their garden and generously shared them.  I love neighbors.

While standing over the sink with a salt shaker in one hand and a juicy red tomato dripping in the other, I thought about what elaborate soup or sauce I could make with them. But then I tasted their sweetness. Rosh Hashanah is about sweetness, whether in food, family, friendships or new beginnings. Tomatoes are not your classic food for Rosh Hashanah (we traditionally dip apples in honey) but they are certainly sweet and become even more so when slow roasted.

Really, when roasted they’re like candy and I gobble them up. And they couldn’t be simpler to make. Slice the tomatoes, lay them on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, pop them in a low oven and wait for the magic.

The long, slow heat coaxes a rich, caramelized taste from the tomatoes and intensifies their tomato-ey flavor, filling your house with a heavenly scent. You can pull them from the oven when they’re still a little juicy and plump, or let them keep on roasting until quite dry and crinkly. You really can’t go wrong.

If you don’t eat them all off the baking pan (believe me, easy to do), these little gems freeze well for nibbling in January or keep in olive oil in the fridge. So if you’re lucky enough to still have some tomatoes left I recommend turning your oven on.

So simple it is. I guess I’m ready to say I’ve let go of summer and am well into fall, with its stunning blue sky, vibrant explosions of yellow and gold leaves and frosty nights (and snow in the mountains!). No great insights. Just a tomato. But the beginning of the year 5777 has been lovely, filled with sweetness and promise and I can truly say I’m content.

Slow Roasted Tomatoes

3 1/2 pounds Roma tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise (or enough halves to fit on a rimmed baking sheet)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees. Place the tomato halves in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, cut side up. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

Roast the tomatoes for about 6 hours and up to 8, depending upon how juicy or dry you prefer them. They will shrink and start to crinkle around the edges. I like both the juicy and drier ones and will often remove some of the tomatoes after 6 hours and continue roasting the rest for another couple. The tomato flavor concentrates and sweetens and is just delicious.

Cool tomatoes and begin eating! Roasted tomatoes will keep well in olive oil in the fridge or can be frozen.

Pumpkin White Bean Soup for Alyssa’s Baby Celebration

We are celebrating with soup today! This is how much I love soup … I’m bringing it to a party, a party in honor of my friend, Alyssa. Alyssa is the creator of Everyday Maven and is welcoming her second baby in January. I am delighted to gather with a wonderful community of food bloggers to share recipes and good wishes for her.

I’ve had the pleasure of spending time with Alyssa both in Seattle and here in the Valley. She is vibrant and beautiful and creates incredibly delicious, healthy food. My family has enjoyed quite a few of her recipes (I’ve made her chocolate mug cake more times than I can count!) and I appreciate her step-by-step instructions and attention to detail in every recipe.

Knowing that Alyssa will be a busy mom to two sweet boys soon, we all wanted to share dishes that are quick and easy to prepare and will nourish her family well. With the arrival of the snowy days here, I have been making more soups and they are marvelous lunches for me to bring in to the store - I fill a thermos with steaming soup and lunch is ready to go. With her baby arriving in January, I want Alyssa to be able to prepare a filling, warm lunch to sustain her and her family on those damp, chilly days of Seattle winter. Plus, she can make a double batch and pop some in the freezer.

This Pumpkin White Bean soup is one I have made often over the years. It is hearty and simple to make, especially since it uses pantry staples that are easily kept on hand. Beans, pumpkin puree and tomatoes form the base of the soup. The original recipe calls for using black beans, but one time I had only white beans and I found they worked even better since I prefer the color of the soup more.

Onions and garlic are softened in olive oil, and then the beans, pumpkin and tomatoes are added and simmered in chicken stock. I also include carrots sometimes for extra veggies and to enhance the orange hue. A quick puree with an immersion blender creates a smooth, luscious texture. Cumin seasons the soup while a splash of sherry vinegar brightens it. Earthy, creamy and warm, this soup is full of flavor and should help energize a lovely mom with two little ones. Congratulations to you, Alyssa!

A huge thank you to Faith of An Edible Mosaic and Liz of  The Lemon Bowl for hosting this celebration! Please be sure to check out all the talented cooks below celebrating Alyssa and her expanding family today.

Pumpkin White Bean Soup
Serves 6-8
Adapted from New Kosher Cuisine for All Seasons
by Ivy Feuerstadt and Melinda Strauss

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ pound carrots, sliced (you don’t have to peel)
1 28 ounce can tomato puree
1 28 ounce can unsweetened pumpkin puree
2 15 ounce cans white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
32 ounces chicken stock
2 tablespoons red wine
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste
Fresh green herb for serving, such as parsley

In a large soup pot, warm the olive oil over medium low heat and saute the onion and garlic until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the carrots, tomato puree, pumpkin puree, beans, chicken stock, red wine and cumin and stir. Increase the heat to high until the soup just starts to bubble, then lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes to infuse the flavors and soften the carrots.

Remove the soup from the heat and puree it with an immersion blender until smooth, being very careful not to splatter any hot soup. Stir in the sherry and salt and pepper the soup to your taste. Garnish with a sprinkle of green herbs when serving.

This soup easily doubles and freezes well.

Alyssa's Baby Celebration:

Breakfast

Fried Egg Topped Curried Sweet Potatoes from A Beautiful Bite

Chocolate Orange Protein Smoothie from The Lemon Bowl

Spaghetti Squash Hash from Eats Well With Others

Lunch

Hearty Garbanzo Soup from Sweet Life Bake

Pumpkin White Bean Soup from Blue Kale Road

Dinner

Slow Cooker Red Wine Pot Roast from Jeanette’s Healthy Living

Slow Cooker Beef and Bacon Stew from Girlichef

Lemon Pepper Chicken with Arugula from Virtually Homemade

Roast Chicken Ratatouille from An Edible Mosaic

Arugula Chimichurri over Roasted or Grilled Salmon from Karista’s Kitchen

Snack

Spiced Honey Nut and Seed Snack Mix from Fake Food Free

Charred Brussel Sprout, Bacon, and Toasted Sesame Guacamole from Baker by Nature

Quick and Easy Cucumber Bites, Three Ways from Hip Foodie Mom

Zucchini and Tomato Salad with Herbed Yogurt

We have entered a new season and, with Rosh Hashanah last week, the start of a sweet new year. After our summer of wildfires here in the Methow Valley, these stunning autumn days are welcome. Mother Nature is raw and fierce and beautiful in turn.

I’ve been busy chasing life this summer. I’ve made new friends and learned new skills. My new store is bustling and we recently launched a newly redesigned shopping website and I’ve neglected Blue Kale Road. Now, as we ease into fall and its sunny days and crisp nights I find a comforting time to reconnect with old friends. Although I try to slow down, our new season is already moving at a quick pace - Sam is back at college, Isaac is in his senior year, and life is full and good.

I love spiced pear cake at an autumn potluck, community gathering at a local cider pressing and seeing the first Delicata squash. We still have an abundance of tomatoes and zucchini at the market, though, reminding us that the best of summer is lingering for just a bit longer.

This month, the Tasting Jerusalem theme is to pick any new recipe from the book to try, so I chose a salad with tomatoes and zucchini in mind. Chunky Zucchini and Tomato Salad is a combination of grilled tomatoes and zucchini, stirred into an herby yogurt mix. Why I hadn’t tried this one yet is beyond me, because it is filled with so many of my favorite ingredients. First of all, the yogurt mix alone is truly fantastic and makes a tempting dip on its own. Fresh mint, parsley, chiles, garlic, walnuts, date syrup and lemon are stirred into thick yogurt. Divine.

The recipe calls for charring the tomatoes and zucchini on the stove top and then finishing in the oven, but since I’m looking for any opportunity to continue cooking outside I grilled the veggies on the barbecue.

The vegetables are then chopped and folded into the yogurt mix. I decided to serve the veggies and yogurt side-by-side in order to get the individual flavors as well as a mix of the two. In honor of Rosh Hashanah, I used pomegranate syrup instead of date syrup, which added a tart richness.

Crunchy, vibrant, creamy and bold, this is a gorgeous dish. It would be marvelous alongside simple grilled fish or make a hearty appetizer served with crusty bread. If you still have access to summer’s tomatoes, you won’t be disappointed.

Fall. It’s good to be back.

Zucchini and Tomato Salad with Herbed Yogurt
Serves 4-6
Adapted from Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

2 pounds yellow or green zucchini
4-5 large, ripe tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups thick, plain whole yogurt
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1-2 fresh chiles, to taste (original recipe calls for red, but I had a jalapeno on hand and used that), seeded and finely chopped
Zest of 1 lemon and 1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon pomegranate syrup, plus more to drizzle (original recipe calls for date syrup, so if using date syrup increase the lemon juice to 2 tablespoons
2 cups walnuts, lightly toasted and chopped
3 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
½ cup parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat a barbecue on high. Slice the tomatoes and zucchini in half lengthwise and brush with olive oil. Place the vegetables cut side down on the grill and cook until lightly charred and soft. Remove from the grill and let cool.

In a bowl, combine the yogurt and remaining ingredients and stir gently. Spoon the yogurt onto one side of a small platter or serving bowl. Chop the vegetables roughly and spoon them next to the yogurt. Drizzle with additional pomegranate syrup and garnish with mint. Serve immediately.

Deconstructed Stuffed Potatoes from Jerusalem

October is all about tamarind in our Tasting Jerusalem cooking group. Tamarind has quite an exotic appeal and conjures up tropical visions for me. Sure enough, tamarind trees grow in tropical areas and produce pods with an edible fruit pulp.  The pods are available in some markets or you can easily find the dark brown paste on store shelves. Tamarind is popular in Indian, Mexican, Middle Eastern and Asian cuisines and the tart, sour taste can go either sweet or savory.

When perusing the recipes in Jerusalem that contain tamarind paste, I was intrigued by the Stuffed Potatoes. Hollowed out small potatoes are individually stuffed with a well-seasoned meat filling and simmered in a tamarind and tomato sauce. The recipe cautions, though, that it is time consuming and best to have someone help with it. With this in mind, I decided to make a deconstructed version: meatballs simmered in sauce and served over mashed potatoes. This way I could get the benefit of all the delicious flavors in a rustic, homey fashion.

I began by making the sauce. Chopped tomatoes, carrots, onions, garlic and tamarind pasted simmered away, seasoned with fragrant cumin, paprika and allspice. A dash of crushed red chile added a nice little kick. While the sauce cooked, I made meatballs with ground beef, almond flour, parsley, cinnamon and garlic. The meatballs gently cooked in the flavorful sauce, filling the kitchen with its enticing scent. One of the most comforting sounds is a bubbling pot on the stove!

Once the meatballs were cooked, I spooned them over bowls of mashed potatoes, drenching it all in the rich, brown sauce.  Something about eating mashed potatoes and meatballs is just so soothing and lovely. This cozy dish explodes with spice and taste, the tamarind adding a deep note of flavor. It warmed our bellies while we watched the sun set over the valley, pockets of color from the changing leaves peeking out here and there. Truly one of the most gorgeous Octobers ever!

Deconstructed Stuffed Potatoes
Adapted from Jerusalem: A Cookbook
By Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi
Serves 4-6

Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 large carrot, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red chile peppers
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon allspice
1 28 ounce can tomato puree
1 1/2 tablespoons tamarind paste
Salt and pepper to taste

Meatballs
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Hot mashed potatoes for serving (I mashed Yukon Gold potatoes with olive oil and some of the potato water)

To make the sauce, warm the olive oil over medium high heat in a large Dutch oven and add the garlic, onion and carrots. Cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add the remaining ingredients, stir and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer for about 15 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, make the meatballs.  In a mixing bowl, combine all of the meatball ingredients and gently mix (I use my hands). Scoop out enough of the mixture to make roughly a 2 inch ball. Place in the simmering sauce and repeat until all the meat is used (you should have 12 or so meatballs). Use a spoon to gently move the meatballs around so they are not too crowded and are covered with the sauce. Let cook for about 20 minutes, until the meat is fully cooked.

To serve, scoop some mashed potatoes into a bowl and ladle a couple of meatballs and some sauce over.

Herb and Tomato Salad with Pomegranate Dressing

Sometimes an ingredient slips into your kitchen and lingers, hanging around in the cabinet waiting for you to discover it, play with it, and you end up say, “Wow!” This is what happened to me with pomegranate molasses.

Pomegranate molasses is pomegranate juice that is cooked down until it concentrates into a thick, luscious, tart syrup. Over the years, I’ve used a teaspoon here and a drizzle there, but the full magic of pomegranate molasses didn’t hit me until I started using it in a starring role – I hadn’t been using enough to really take note of that fruity, tangy, richness.

This month in our Tasting Jerusalem cooking group we’re focusing on pomegranate molasses, which features prominently in some Middle Eastern dishes. I was eager to grab my bottle and start cooking!

The first recipe I made from Jerusalem was the Fried Cauliflower with Tahini. Rather than frying, though, I roasted the cauliflower which is always my favorite way to prepare it. I then tossed it with green onions (the recipe calls for a variety of fresh herbs but I only had green onions on hand) and then dressed it with a mix of tahini paste, Greek yogurt, lemon juice and pomegranate molasses. This dressing is unbelievably good – tart and creamy – and I’ll be making it again soon.

Sparked by this delicious dish, I began thinking of other ways to use pomegranate molasses in a more abundant way. As I was starting to take a photo of the bottle, there were some very ripe tomatoes on the table and seeing them in the background inspired me to pair these ingredients together.

I chopped up the tomatoes and, having just replenished my fresh herbs, I added a shower of woodsy thyme, bright mint, earthy parsley and green onions.  To dress these lush tomatoes and fragrant herbs, I mixed pomegranate molasses (a lot) with olive oil and gently tossed it all together. Some toasted walnuts added crunch and reminded me of the traditional Persian dish, fesenjen, which has a sauce of ground walnuts and pomegranate molasses. A spicy bite from red chile rounded it out. I spooned the tomatoes and herbs over a bed of arugula and we dove into this pretty salad. And my bottle of pomegranate molasses sits in the front of the cabinet now.

I’m excited to be heading back to Seattle for the International Food Bloggers Conference this weekend and hope to see many of you there!

Herb and Tomato Salad with Pomegranate Dressing
Serves 4-5

1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
1/3 cup thyme leaves
1 cup mint leaves
1 bunch Italian parsley, roughly chopped
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1 small red chile, minced
1/4 cup pomegranate molasses
1/8 cup olive oil
Salt to taste
2 cups arugula

In a large mixing bowl, gently mix the tomatoes, walnuts, herbs and chile together. In a small bowl, stir together the pomegranate molasses and olive oil and drizzle over the salad. Stir a little bit and add some salt to taste. Place the arugula on a serving platter and spoon the salad on top before serving.

Israeli-Style Salad with Crispy Chickpeas

Salad and summer go hand in hand. When the sun is shining and temperatures soar, a crunchy, refreshing salad is wonderful, even for breakfast. This month for Tasting Jerusalem, we’ve been focusing on all the brilliant salads that are featured in Jerusalem. Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi share an abundance of creative, tempting recipes and it’s been such a treat to explore them.

A salad that caught my eye was the Spiced Chickpeas and Fresh Vegetable Salad. Diced cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, red pepper, radishes and herbs are served alongside a generous helping of well-spiced, fried chickpeas. I’ve had this recipe marked for months now and when I learned of July’s theme I couldn’t wait to make it.

The salad is similar to a traditional Israeli one, which typically includes tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley or cilantro and onions, and is a staple in our household. I decided to change the recipe up a bit and use some herbs I had on hand. In place of the customary parsley and cilantro, I chopped up fresh mint and lemon thyme for a pop of summer flavor. Inspired by another salad recipe in Jerusalem that I’ve enjoyed, I added kohlrabi in place of the radishes for more crunch. I also like to include diced pickles in my Israeli salad (something I learned from my dear friend, Iris) so I went ahead and chopped a few up. Speaking of chopping, when making a salad like this, it’s important to have a small, even dice for both the texture and look.

Rather than frying the chickpeas, I roasted them in the oven since this is one of my favorite snacks and I liked the idea of using them in a new way. Tossed with cardamom, cumin, sumac and a pinch of salt, the chickpeas emerged fragrant and toasty from the oven. If you like to nibble as I do, I’d recommend making extra chickpeas or you may not have any left for the salad!

I was very pleased! There’s a lot going on with the flavors and textures in this pretty salad. After drizzling olive oil and a squeeze of lemon over it, I sprinkled the chickpeas on like croutons. I was even able to use large tomatoes from our garden. (In July! I just have to pause here and say large, ripe tomatoes in July are a first ... we usually only get little Sungolds in late July and the bigger ones in August and September. Truly a glorious time.) And if you’re looking for some breakfast inspiration, this salad is divine served with a couple of hard boiled eggs and plain yogurt on the side.

Israeli-Style Salad with Crispy Chickpeas
Serves 4 generously
Adapted from Jerusalem: A Cookbook
By Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

1 cup cooked, drained chickpeas
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon sumac
A pinch of flaky sea salt
1 English cucumber, cut into a 1/2 inch dice
2 large tomatoes, cut into a 1/2 inch dice
1/2 large red bell pepper, cut into a 1/2 inch dice
4 medium sized pickles, preferably a bit spicy, cut into a 1/2 inch dice
12 ounces (6 small) kohlrabi, peeled and cut into a 1/2 inch dice
1/2 of a red onion, cut into a 1/2 inch dice
10 sprigs of lemon thyme, leaves removed
1/4 cup fresh mint, roughly chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced (or more to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Dry the cooked chickpeas well by rolling them between 2 kitchen towels. This will help them get crisper. On a small, rimmed baking sheet drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chickpeas and roll them around to coat. In a small bowl, combine the cardamom, cumin, sumac and a pinch of sea salt. Sprinkle this mixture over the chickpeas and toss them gently to coat. Roast the chickpeas until they are crispy, about 20-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

In a large serving bowl, combine all the veggies and herbs. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Just before serving, scatter the chickpeas on top.

Sam's Gazpacho

Our April showers have happily brought us May flowers. Buds are bursting into bloom everywhere, and Bob has successfully foiled our mischievous chickens from hopping up on the coop roof, so I can once again plant flowers there.

May also brings us a little closer to Sam’s high school graduation. As I was digging through a box in the closet the other day, I came upon a cookbook that his second grade class had made featuring their favorite soups. I stopped what I was doing and plopped down on the floor to page through it, memories of helping him choose a soup for this project rushing back. Second grade. How have the past ten years gone by so quickly?

Sam’s contribution to this collection was gazpacho and it remains a favorite of his. With graduation and birthday celebrations on the horizon, I have been thinking about festive meals to make and gazpacho will be a terrific addition to one of these celebratory menus.

Gazpacho is a refreshingly chilled soup that is full of flavor and texture. With the hot summer days to come, it’s also a wonderful choice as the only cooking involves roasting some red peppers, which can easily be done on the barbecue while you’re hanging out in the backyard. I like little flecks of charred pepper in my soup, so after roasting them I remove the seeds but leave much of the blackened skin on. The peppers are pureed and then chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions and parsley are added for a chunky texture. I’ve added some pickled jalapenos for a spicy kick, too, along with lemon and lime juice for a bright finish.

Over this past gloriously sunny weekend, Sam finished off the gazpacho and it's still his favorite soup. Where has all the time gone?

Sam's Gazpacho
Serves 6

4 red bell peppers
2 pounds tomatoes (roughly 6 medium)
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1 cup parsley, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 large cucumber, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tablespoon pickled jalapenos (or more to taste), diced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Sliced avocado to garnish (optional)

Preheat your broiler or barbecue on high. If using the broiler, place the peppers on a baking sheet and pop them under. If using the barbecue, place the peppers on the grill, lower the heat a bit and close the cover. Check on the peppers every few minutes, and turn them so that they blacken and soften evenly. When they are quite soft, remove from the heat and let cool.

Open the peppers (careful for all the liquid that will pour out) and remove the seeds and stem. Place them in the bowl of a food processor. Roughly chop half of the tomatoes and add them to the peppers. Puree until smooth. Pour into a large mixing bowl. Add the parsley, garlic, cucumber and pickled jalapenos to the food processor and pulse a few times until chunky. Add to the bowl of puree.

Dice the remaining tomatoes and add them to the soup. Stir in the lemon and lime juices, salt and pepper and taste for seasoning. Cover and chill the soup for at least 2 hours or for up to one day. Taste again for seasoning before serving with sliced avocado, if desired.

Orange-Scented Couscous Pudding and Jerusalem’s Burnt Eggplant Soup

Couscous, a staple in Middle Eastern and North African cooking, is Tasting Jerusalem’s ingredient for April. These cute little pearls of durum wheat semolina are commonly served with meat dishes, in soups, in salads or as a side dish.

A recipe I’ve been eyeing in Jerusalem is the Burnt Eggplant and Mograbieh Soup. When this past weekend turned chilly and rainy, I decided it was an ideal time to make soup. Charred eggplant is incredibly appealing to me and it’s amazing in this tomato-based soup. Mograbieh is Lebanese couscous, a larger-sized version than the tiny spheres typically seen. It’s similar to Israeli or giant couscous, which is readily available in Western markets.

Since I just pulled our barbecue out for spring it seemed the perfect place to roast the eggplants. Sue, from Couscous & Conscientiousness, made the same soup and also used a barbecue. Less messy than the oven! Plus, you can’t beat the flavor that a barbecue imparts. I tweaked the recipe just a bit, using white wine in place of broth and increasing the tomatoes because we like things really tomato-ey around here. And before cooking the couscous, I toasted the pearls in melted butter until they turned golden and fragrant. When serving the soup, I kept the couscous on the side so everyone could scoop in the amount they desired.  With its deeply satisfying, smoky flavor and bright pop of dill, this is a soup I’ll be happy to eat quite often!

Beth and Sarene are also hosting a couscous recipe contest this month for Tasting Jerusalem. I decided to move in a sweeter direction with couscous and make a pudding for my boys. A lonely bottle of orange blossom water has been sitting in my cabinet for a while, and pairing this with honey and orange zest seemed a marvelous way to flavor the pudding. Orange blossom water has a truly lovely fragrance, and I’ve discovered it’s quite good in tea, too, so I think I’ll be keeping it within easier reach.

I simmered Israeli couscous with cream and honey, whisked in egg yolks and coconut milk, then added a splash of orange blossom water and a bit of orange zest to finish the pudding. Warm, rich and creamy, with a hint of honey and the delicate scent of orange, this pudding is indulgent for breakfast or dessert. Needless to say, my sons devoured it quickly!

Orange-Scented Couscous Pudding
Serves 4

1/2 cup Israeli (giant) couscous
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons honey, plus extra for serving
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1-14 ounce can whole, unsweetened coconut milk
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon orange blossom water (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon orange zest
Orange slices for serving (optional)

In a medium sized sauce pan, bring the cream, couscous, honey and salt to almost a boil, lower the heat and let simmer for about 7-8 minutes, until couscous is al dente. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and coconut milk until smooth. Slowly pour the coconut-egg mixture into the cream and couscous and stir. Continue cooking, stirring a few times, until the pudding thickens, about 6-7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the orange blossom water and orange zest.

Let the pudding cool slightly (it will thicken as it cools). It’s best served warm or room temperature with orange slices a drizzle of honey. If you chill the pudding, it will thicken quite a bit so warm it and add a little cream or coconut milk to loosen it.

Burnt Eggplant and Mograbieh Soup
Adapted slightly from Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi
Serves 4

2 large eggplants (about 2 pounds total)
Olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 tablespoon cumin
1-6 ounce can tomato paste
1 pound Roma tomatoes, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups white wine
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, plus lemon slices to serve
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/3 cup Israeli (giant) couscous or mograbieh
Fresh dill for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat your barbecue on high, then lower to medium. Slice one of the eggplants in half lengthwise and set aside one of the halves. Pierce the whole and remaining half eggplant a few times and place on the barbecue. Close the cover and let cook for about 10 – 15 minutes. When blackened, turn them and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Dice the raw half of eggplant into a small dice. In a large sauce pan or soup pot, drizzle a little olive oil and fry the eggplant over medium heat. Stir a couple of times, so most of the sides brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

Add another drizzle of olive oil and the onions and cook over medium heat the onions are soft. Add the cumin, tomato paste, tomatoes and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the wine, water and lemon juice, bring to a simmer and then lower heat. Let cook for about 15 minutes.

In a small sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat and add the couscous. Stir and toast it until it browns. Watch closely, as it will turn dark and burn quickly. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch, a sprinkle of kosher salt and bring to a boil. Cook until just softened, about 8 minutes (depending upon your brand). Drain and set aside.

Remove the cook eggplant flesh and add to the tomato base. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until mostly smooth. Reheat gently and add salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, ladle into bowls and garnish with some fried eggplant, dill and a slice of lemon. Serve the couscous in a bowl alongside, allowing everyone to scoop out what they’d like.

Grandma’s Spaghetti

Last week, after Passover ended, our kitchen shelves filled once again with bread, cereal, grains and pasta. This time of year always calls for a hametz-filled dinner with pizza or spaghetti and usually a beer or two (no beer during Passover either).  And when you say spaghetti in our house, it always means my mother-in-law’s spaghetti!

We used to call this spaghetti Mom’s Spaghetti, but over the years it has been lovingly renamed Grandma’s Spaghetti by my sons. Bob’s mom, Ann, did not have a large cooking repertoire, but what she did have was marvelous, with some delicious gems like peach dumplings and homemade fried corn tortillas for taco night.

When Bob and I were engaged, Ann shared her spaghetti sauce recipe in a Cordes family cookbook that was given to me at my wedding shower. This hearty, homey spaghetti has been warming our bellies ever since.

This is total comfort food. A simple sauce is made with ground beef, mushrooms, onions, garlic, oregano and tomatoes. It is incredibly satisfying and easy to make for a weeknight dinner. In fact, I usually double the sauce to have leftovers for lunches. And we always serve it with elbow macaroni, just as Ann did when Bob was growing up (she said feeding three kids long spaghetti noodles was just a mess). When the answer to, “What’s for dinner?” is answered with “Grandma’s Spaghetti!” then all of my boys are happy.

I miss my mother-in-law. Ann was a character, had a lively personality and loved a good story. I have many memories of her heartwarming laugh. She is dearly missed and was a Mom to many of us during her short but colorful life. This Mother’s Day, it will be 15 years since she passed away. Eating her spaghetti and telling stories of her antics evokes warm memories for Bob and me and helps our boys recall their pistol of a Grandma.

Grandma’s Spaghetti
Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced (we love mushrooms, so I usually double or even triple this amount)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 pound ground beef
1 28 ounce can whole tomatoes, chopped (keep the juice to add)
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Cooked elbow macaroni for serving

In a large Dutch oven or fry pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for a few minutes, until it begins to soften. Add the garlic and oregano and stir. Add the mushrooms, stir and cook for a few minutes. Add the ground beef and break it up with a spoon. Stir and cook until the beef is mostly browned with just a little pink left. Add the chopped tomatoes with their juices, tomato paste and a teaspoon of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to start. Stir and bring the sauce to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 30 minutes. Give the sauce a stir and taste for salt and pepper. Ladle over macaroni and enjoy.