Haman Holipches Stuffed Leeks

What are Haman holipches you ask? Good question! Traditional holipches refers to stuffed cabbage – one of my favorite traditional foods growing up, but this version uses leeks instead of cabbage, and they’re wrapped up in the same style of samosas, to form a perfect triangle – just the thing for Purim! (watch the Instagram reel to see how it’s done!).

I’m a huge fan of leeks (it’s my favorite part of the chicken soup!), so when I saw some variations on this recipe on Instagram, I knew I had to jump on the trend and create my own version, inspired by some Persian flavors including apricot and mint.

These Purim pockets honor the tradition of eating kreplach during the holiday, because their hidden filling symbolizes the hidden nature of the Purim miracle. Kind of like why we eat hamantaschen too!

Haman Holipches

3 leeks
1.15 lbs. ground beef (not lean)
3/4 cup jasmine or basmati rice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup sliced dried apricots
1 thai red chili, minced
1/4 cup chopped mint
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp kosher salt

Sauce:
2 cups water
1/3 cup silan
zest of 1/2 lemon
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp allspice
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. While the water boils, trim the leeks by removing the root and the dark green tops. Cut along the length of the leeks and peel the first few layers apart until the peels are no longer wide enough to use for filling (depending on the thickness of the leeks, you should be able to use the first 6 layers or so).

Wash the leek peels well to remove dirt and transfer to the boiling water to blanch for 2 minutes – until softened and pliable. Transfer to a paper towel.

Finely chop the leftover leek (that was too narrow to use for wrapping) until you have 1/2 cup.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, rice, chopped leek, garlic, chili pepper, apricots, mint, parsley and spices. Mix until fully incorporated.

Working with 1 sheet of leek at a time, place a large spoonful of filling in the top corner of the leek and fold it over in a triangular pattern, folding it over itself repeatedly until you have a single triangular shaped pocket.

Layer the pockets into a Pyrex dish, overlapping slightly.

In a large measuring cup, combine the sauce ingredients. Pour over the leeks. Wrap with a layer of parchment paper and foil and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour. Uncover, raise the oven temperature to 425 degrees and continue to cook, uncovered, until the leeks start to brown around the edges and the sauce thickens, about 20-25 minutes.

Related Recipes:

cabbage hamantasch knish
wonton beef empanadas
salmon en croute with creamed leeks

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Salami Wellington

It’s amazing how I’ve been trashing up salami here for Purim on the blog for 12 years now and I still get so excited about it. AND I still, somehow, come up with new and exciting ideas! This year is probably my favorite because I’ve ALWAYS wanted to make beef wellington and I couldn’t believe just how awesome it turned out! Yes, it’s a bit of a patchke, but it’s so beautiful to serve, especially for your Purim meal!

Why have I been trashing up salami for 12 years now? I started the trend on my blog years ago for Purim since salami is hung like Haman was hung on the gallows! My drunken hasselback salami went crazy viral, as did my salami babka a few years later! I hope you love this one as much as I do!

Happy Purim!

Salami Wellington

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, finely minced
16oz. finely minced cremini mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tsp fresh thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
splash of whiskey, optional
5 strips Abeles & Heymann beef fry
2 tbsp dijon mustard
14oz. Abeles & Heymann salami
2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
1 egg yolk, thinned out with a splash of water

Method:

In a shallow pan, heat the olive oil. Add the shallots and saute until translucent. Add the mushrooms and saute over high heat until all the liquid has been released and the mixture is mostly dry, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and stir to incorporate, saute 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with whiskey, if desired. Remove the mushroom mixture from the pan and transfer to a plate or baking sheet. Place in the freezer to cool.

Lay a large piece of Saran wrap on your work surface. Place slices of beef fry down in a row, overlapping slighty. Spread the mushroom mixture over it. Brush the salami with dijon mustard and place on top of the mushrooms. Lifting the Saran wrap, roll the layers around the salami, tightening the roll around the sides until taut. Place in the freezer while you prepare the puff pastry.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Lightly roll out the puff pastry to smooth out the folds. Take the second sheet of puff pastry, and using a lattice cutter, cut out a strip of lattice.

Remove the roll of salami from the freezer. Place on the solid sheet of puff pastry, wrap it around tightly and seal the ends. Brush with egg wash. Wrap the lattice sheet of puff pastry over it and brush with additional eggwash.

Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Slice and serve.

Other salami recipes:

last year: salami chopped sandwich
two years ago: sweet & sour salami
three year: roasted antipasto salad
four years ago: salami nduja
five years ago: salami tarte tatin
six years ago: salami potato latkes
seven years ago: salami babka
eight years ago: salami quiche
nine years ago: beer battered salami chips with beer mustard
ten years ago: drunken hasselback salami
eleven years ago: salami chips

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Hot Honey Hasselback Salami

Do I ever tire of hasselbacking salami? No, I do not. And I feel the same way about building boards – it’s the perfect game day, or really any day, snack! So I couldn’t resist a few flavor combo, with a condiment that’s all the rage – HOT HONEY. Plus, you know how I feel about alliteration! HOT. HONEY. HASSELBACK. Yes please!!

Hot Honey Hasselback Salami

1 salami
1/2 cup hot honey, such as Gefen
3 tbsp yellow mustard

Dipping Sauce
1/2 cup mayo
1 tbsp sriracha
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 1/2 tsp rice vinegar
2-3 tbsp hot honey

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Remove the wrapper from the salami and place on a cutting board with chopsticks on either side. Holding the salami down with one hand, slice into thin, even slices (don’t worry, the chopsticks will ensure that you don’t slice all the way through).

In a small bowl, combine the hot honey and mustard.

Generously brush the salami with the sauce, making sure to get in between all the slices. Bake for approximately 30-40 minutes, basting every 10-15 minutes, until the salami is browned and crispy around the edges.

While the salami is cooking, mix the dipping sauce in a bowl until incorporated.

Serve with dipping sauce and, if desired, add other accoutrements like crackers, pretzels, crudites, dried fruit, nuts and pickles.

 

Other Salami Recipes:

roasted antipasto salad
salami nduja
salami tarte tatin
salami babka
beer battered salami chips with beer mustard
drunken hasselback salami
salami chips

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Kani Mock Crab Cakes

Friday’s look very different in my house from week to week. With my kid’s leaving to their dad’s every other weekend, I don’t cook for Shabbat every week, and when I do, I’m not always hosting. I have my busy hosting weeks where I plan my menu on Thursday night, write up a shopping list, and shop early Friday morning. And then I have my lazy Fridays where I pull out whatever I have in the fridge from the week and plan a last-minute meal. I love both styles of cooking – one where I have to be more organized, and the other where I get to be creative and play.

This past weekend was the free kind and I had a package of kani leftover from our build-you-own-sushi-bowls dinner on Monday. I had made flaked salmon, so nobody went for the kani, and I wanted to use it up. Mock crab cakes were the obvious choice, and I had some hearts of palm in the fridge, a bunch of peppers, dill from my soup, and plenty of saltines leftover from my stomach virus (so fun!!!)…. the perfect mix for some patties.

Kani Mock Crab Cakes

16oz. kani (mock crab), diced small
1 red pepper, finely diced
2 hearts of palm, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 scallions, chopped
1 cup crushed saltine crackers
3 tbsp chopped dill
1 1/2 tbsp yellow mustard
zest of 1/2 lemon
dash of tajin
1/3 cup mayo
2 eggs + 1 egg white
salt and pepper, to taste
3 tbsp grapeseed oil + 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, for frying

Crumbs:
2 cups panko
1/3 cup toasted black and white sesame seeds
kosher salt, to taste

Spicy Mayo
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tbsp sriracha
2 tsp sesame oil

Method:

In a large bowl, combine the kani, red pepper, hearts of palm, garlic, scallions and seasonings, mix with a spoon until incorporated. Place the crumb ingredients onto a flat plate or small sheet tray and stir to combine.

Press the kani mixture together to form patties and dredge in the crumbs until coated on both sides.

Heat the oils in a frying pan and fry the patties until golden on both sides, adding more oil, if needed.

Serve with spicy mayo.

Related Recipes:

Asian kani bites
kani caesar salad with nori croutons
kani salad

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Halva Ribbons

I’m stress baking with Israel and the hostages on my mind – so I went to my tried and true recipe – my famous BABKA STRAWS, only Israel-inspired with a halva filling this time, and hostage ribbon shaped because it’s all I can think of right now.

I’m going to keep it short because I don’t know how to even formulate my feelings into words but I’ll share something I wrote this New Years, a bit of hope in the darkness…

Two thousand twenty four
A year of
Victory or defeat
memories I’d like to forget
Tik tok
Tik tok
The sound of
Mothers of hostages
Fathers of soldiers
sobs in my pillow
Numbers on masking tape
Rising
Broken spirits
Colliding
Boots for soldiers
Gear for brothers
Glimmers of light
In the darkness
Faith
our weapon
Family
our shield
A nation of Maccabees
Fighting
Uniting
Igniting
The Star of David
forever emblazoned
On our souls
We are the light
And we will dance again
עם ישראל חי

 

Halva Ribbons for the Hostages

2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
1/2 cup tahini paste
3 tbsp silan (date honey)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
kosher salt, to taste
1-2 tbsp water
1 egg + 1 tbsp water, beaten, for eggwash
2 tbsp demerara sugar
2 tbsp sesame seeds

Method:

In a medium bowl, combine the tahini paste, silan, cinnamon, vanilla and salt, whisk until combined. Add in the water a tablespoon at a time until the spread is creamy like the texture of dulce de leche.

In a second bowl, combine the demerara sugar and sesame seeds.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Working with one sheet of cold puff pastry at a time, lightly roll the dough out to form a large rectangle (flour your surface, if needed). With the short side facing you, spread half of the halva filling on the lower half of the dough. Fold uncoated half of the dough over the coated side.

Using a pizza cutter, cut the pastry into thin strips, 1/8 – 1/4-inch thick. Twist the strips into a ribbon shape and place on the sheet tray about 1/2-inch or so apart.

Brush the ribbons with egg wash and sprinkle with the demerara sugar mixture.

Repeat with remaining puff pastry and halva cream.

Bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.

NOTE: If the puff pastry gets too soft, it can be difficult to work with. If needed, freeze the pastry to firm it up before cutting and shaping.

VARIATION: You can use this halva crumble topping in place of the sugar/sesame mixture.

Related recipes:

yellow ribbon cookies
tahinitaschen
cheese babka straws
chocolate rugelach

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