Author: chanie

Beer Battered Salami Chips with Beer Mustard

Oh yes I did. I made SALAMI. ON. STEROIDS.

And I didn’t have much choice either. I mean, there’s pretty much no outdoing my drunken hasselback salami, so I had to go there. And by there I mean, the deep fryer.

Ever since I read about a not-so-well-known custom to eat salami on Purim (to commemorate the hanging of HAMAN…hanging….salami….get it?), I’ve been banging out salami recipes for the holiday. Truth be told, I have no idea if this is a real thing, or if I happened upon a practical joke, but regardless, this taking-salami-to-the-next-level challenge has been a blast.

And it’s so ironic because I literally hated salami growing up. My mom used to feed us salami sandwiches for lunch every Friday afternoon. She’d smear ketchup on rye and top it with thick slices of salami all wrapped up in a foil package so we could take it along as we played in the courtyard of our building. One at a time, we’d chuck those salami sandwiches down the incinerator, and my mom was none the wiser! Fast forward some 20+ years and here. I. am.

Now when I think about this recipe, I have to admit, it’s like the ultimate guy food. It’s got beer, salami and it’s fried. I mean, seriously, could you ask for anything more?

Apparently you can. Because, not only did I come up with the ultimate finger food, I even made a beer dipping sauce, just to take the whole Purim thing over the top. Because that’s the way I roll. Or hang, apparently.

I’ve never made mustard from scratch before so I was excited to give it a try. There’s something really interesting I discovered about mustard in this recipe creation process. When mustard is exposed to heat, it loses it’s potency. (Same goes for horseradish and wasabi by the way)! I learned this by trying the same mustard recipe two ways – one used a bit more beer so I reduced it over heat, and the other I blended in the food processor to thicken, using no heat. The results were astounding! The blended mustard is super hot, while the cooked mustard is mildly sweet with little heat. Pretty awesome, right?

When the crispy salami and beer mustard meet, it’s the ultimate marriage. And it’s not just any salami, by the way. I used my favorite brand, Abeles & Heymann, because after visiting their factory a few months ago, and watching the salami-making process with my own eyes, I know their salami is made with the highest quality ingredients from start to finish!

And I wouldn’t think of coating that salami in anything less than the perfect crispy batter – which is what you get from beer batter. It’s super light and crisp, and let’s not forget, easy! Beer batter is just flour and beer and that’s it. Because the salami is packed with flavor, I don’t add much else, but you can always add a pinch of cayenne for some heat, if you’d like.

Now that we have the ultimate party food, lets discuss the Jewish holiday of Purim for a second! The Purim celebration is based upon the biblical Book of Esther, which recounts the story of Queen Esther and how she saved the Jewish people from annihilation at the hands of Haman (after whom the HAMANtasch is named). We celebrate with a festive feast (where these salami chips must make an appearance!), sending food gifts to family and friends, drinking until we don’t know the difference between the evil HAMAN and the righteous MOREDECHAI, and of course, dressing up as characters in the Purim story.

Growing up, Purim was always our favorite holiday, and you can imagine why. We got to dress up, deliver goodies to our friends and gorge on hamantaschen. As an adult, I love to put my own twist on the holiday with creative themes on my food gifts, fun twists on holiday cocktails and of course, crazy spins on salami!

If you live in Brooklyn, Queens or The Five Towns, be sure to check out my other salami recipe in the all new FYI Magazine! I’m so excited to join the team of FYI as the food editor, with a column for Fast & Fresh recipes as well as a Nutritious and Delicious section. This month, I’ve got a quick and easy salami quiche as well as a Persian twist on dried fruit truffles – perfect for your Purim feast or your Mishloach Manos.

Whether you choose to take on the Purim salami tradition or not, just remember to have fun and be joyous, because that’s what this holiday is all about! :) Happy Purim!

Beer Battered Salami Chips

1 16oz. Abeles & Heymann salami, sliced
1 cup all purpose flour
1 12oz. bottle of beer, ale preferred
pinch of salt

Method:

Add the flour and salt to a bowl and whisk to combine. Pour in the beer and stir until a thick batter forms. It should be a little thicker than pancake batter. You’ll need most of the bottle of beer (with about 1/2 cup left over).

Heat a few inches of oil in a saucepan to 350 degrees.

Dip the salami slices in the beer batter and place in the hot oil. Fry a few at a time until golden brown on one side, and then flip over to brown the other side. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider and drain on paper towels. To keep the salami chips crisp, remove from the paper towels and place on a rack.

Beer Mustard, Two Ways

1/2 cup yellow mustard seeds
1 12 oz. beer, ale preferred
3 tbsp mustard powder
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
2 heaping tbsp honey
1/4 c brown sugar
1 tsp salt

For sweet mustard, soak the mustard seeds in the beer overnight. Place the mustard seeds with the soaking liquid and all the remaining ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to break up the bubbles. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the mixture has reduced and thickened. Stir occasionally, so the mustard seeds don’t burn or stick to the bottom of the pan. Be sure not to thicken the mustard too much as it will thicken more once cooled.

For spicy mustard (VERY SPICY!), soak the mustard seeds in 1 cup of beer (not the whole bottle) overnight. Place the mustard seeds with the soaking liquid and the remaining ingredients (excluding the leftover beer) in a food processor. Blend until the mustard seeds break down and the mixture thickens (it will thicken more in the fridge).

For either mustard, store in a glass jar in the fridge, giving it a few days for the flavors to meld and develop.

FOR A LIMITED TIME, GET 15% OFF YOUR ABELES & HEYMANN ONLINE ORDER USING COUPON CODE “BUSY”!

Salami making at the Abeles & Heymann factory with owner, Seth Levitt! This is the first and last time you will see me in a lab coat and hairnet ;)

This post is sponsored by Abeles & Heymann. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter! 

Other Salami Recipes:

drunken hasselback salami
baked salami chips with dijon dipping sauce

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Halva Krembo’s

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know about my recent trip to Israel. I posted lots of droolworthy pics of all of the delicious foods I was eating! And there was no shortage of that. Israel is the land of milk and honey – overflowing with the most amazing bounty. A single trip to the Machane Yehudah market will prove just that. You’ll find the sweetest seasonal fruits and perfect large, robust vegetables that are all farm fresh and (mostly) locally grown. The stands piled high with fresh baked pastries, the artisan breads and fluffy pillows of pita, and the hidden gems of culture at every turn are awe-inspiring.

One thing the shuk is known for is it’s halva. “Mamlechet HaHalva”, or “The Halva Kingdom” is famous for it’s amazing array of halva flavors. It is so hard to pick a favorite but the espresso, candied pecan and cinnamon are all up there!

And any of you that have walked passed the halva stand have been nudged by the famous “Halva King” to try a piece. He’s become a fixture in the shuk, gold crown and all! See my pic with him below!

The Halva Kingdom recently started making a line of flavored tahini as well. I tasted the freshly ground paste (which tastes like peanut butter) and then sampled a selection of sweet and savory flavors like tomato, pesto, nougat, chocolate, and more. The nougat was so good, I brought home a bucket!

All of the amazing flavors and aromas of the shuk inspired me to create a twist on a classic Israel snack – the KREMBO. Krembo is hebrew for “There’s Cream In It”, referring to the fluffy cream hiding under it’s chocolate coating. Krembo’s have a round biscuit base and are available in vanilla and mocha flavors. They’re wrapped up in thin foil packaging, blue for vanilla and brown for mocha.

With tahini being just about the most popular food of Israel, I was surprised they never came out with a halva flavored krembo – so I decided to do just that! I started with a sesame-flavored cookie and topped it with some tahini-flavored whipped cream. I coated it all in chocolate and decorated it with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.


Creating a beautiful chocolate glaze came together easily with the amazing new brand of kosher vegan chocolate chips – California Gourmet. Their 45% cocoa chips are rich in chocolatey flavor with just the right balance of sweetness. I love how easily it melts, perfect for dipping, and it hardens quickly too. I stir in some coconut oil to create the perfect chocolate magic shell, and we use the leftovers to have a little after-school fondue dipping party!

California Gourmet chocolate chips help me keep my krembo’s pareve, without sacrificing on richness and flavor. And boy are these rich and flavorful! Halva flavored Krembo’s, here we come!

And while we are talking about homemade krembo’s, I must give a shoutout to the Balaboosta cookbook. In it, Israeli Chef Einat Admony recreates one of the favorite snacks of her childhood, you guessed it….krembo. Her homemade version of the classic (which looks incredible, by the way), gave me the push I needed to make these happen.

You see, I’m not much of a pastry girl. In fact, I don’t own a single pastry bag. When I say to fill your pastry bag with whip cream, I mean Ziploc. And I cut the corner with a scissor, the old fashioned way. That’s how I pipe people. So let me tell you – If i can make these, you most definitely can. They might look intimidating, but they are anything but. And that, my friends, is just the way I like to do things. Happy Halva-ing!

Halva Krembo’s

sesame cookies, recipe follows
tahini cream, recipe follows
chocolate magic shell, recipe follows
sesame seeds, for garnish

Method:

Place the tahini cream in a piping bag with a wide tip. Pipe the cream onto the cookies, creating a mound of cream. Place the cookies into the freezer for 20 minutes.

Pour the chocolate magic shell into a large mug. Dip the cookies into the chocolate and place on a rack set of a lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and set aside to harden, or freeze until set.

If you have extra cookies, dip half of the cookie into your leftover magic shell and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place on a rack to harden.

Sesame Cookies
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, lightly packed
2 large eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil, softened
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sesame seeds

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spread the sesame seeds out onto a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, stirring occassionally, until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and coconut oil until creamy. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until incorporated. Stir in the sesame seeds.

Spread the dough out into a log on a sheet of parchment paper and roll the paper tightly, twisting the sides, to form a tight cylinder, about two inches wide. Refrigerate the dough until chilled, about 1 hour, or freeze for 20 minutes.

Slice the dough into half inch slices and spread out on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely.

YIELD: 18-20 cookies

Halva Cream
16oz. nondairy whip topping
3/4 cup tahini
honey or silan, to taste

Whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the tahini until incorporated. I prefer my cream not to be too sweet, but if you’d like, you may fold in a bit of honey or silan, to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.

NOTE: for dairy, use heavy cream. Will require additional sweetener.

Chocolate Magic Shell
1 10 oz. bag California Gourmet chocolate chips
3 tbsp coconut oil

Set a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (water should not touch the bowl). Pour the chocolate into the bowl with the coconut oil and stir until melted into a smooth sauce.



Here are some photos of the things that inspired this recipe! With the Halva King, eating freshly ground tahini and surrounded by the many flavors of tahini, halva, and of course, krembo!

This post is sponsored by California Gourmet Chocolate Chips. Follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  

Related Recipes: halva & ricotta stuffed figs

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Raspberry Hamantaschen Hand Pies

I can’t believe the blogosphere is already awash with hamantaschen recipes. Is it just me or has this year literally flown by?!


Purim is one of my favorite holidays, and I’m sure it is for you too! Any holiday where we get to dress up in fun costumes, eat a nonsensical amount of candy and drink until we don’t know the difference between Haman and Mordechai is fine. by. me.

Purim is about JOY and FAMILY and TRADITION and I love to shake things up with fun and exciting recipes. Last year, my drunken hasselback salami went out all out viral and my Hamantini cocktail took a festive cookie to the next level. We can’t forget my sushi hamantaschen, baklava hamantaschen, mustache glasses, and other Purim fun, all easily accessible in my Purim column. There are some really great recipes coming up as well that I can’t wait to share with you!


As you can see, I love shaking things up, and whenever I get a chance to deconstruct a traditional holiday food, I take it and run! Hybrid recipes are my all time favorite and these hamantaschen hand pies are just the thing. If you’re not familiar with hand pies, they are basically a handheld pie made with a flaky pie crust and filled with fruit filling. They’re usually folded over into a semicircle shape, but are sometimes rectangular or even round. I’ve never seen triangular hand pies so I thought they’d make the perfect hamantasch!


My first batch was not as successfull as these beauties here. At first, I just made slits in the dough, ala classic pie, but they just looked like rustic hand pies, not hamantaschen. I troubleshooted and then these were born. And I couldn’t love them any more. They’re not only rustic and adorable, they taste AMAZING too. I think I even like them more than the traditional!


Would you believe that I’ve never made real, traditional hamantaschen? I was always scared away by those sob stories where the hamantaschen opened during baking and all the jam bled out. I also love the packaged store-bought variety that is full of additivies and junk. I mean it’s Purim after all. So if you’re gonna gorge on candy, you might as well eat a hamatasch. The real, margarine and preservative kind (so says the Paleo enthusiast lol).


While we’re on the topic of fun hamantasch recipes, here are some of my favorites from around the web: rainbow hamantaschen, funfetti hamataschen, fluffernutter hamantaschen, speculoos hamantaschen, smores hamantaschen, and halva hamantaschen. I also love the idea of savory hamantaschen, Bon Appetit‘s got a great variety from around the world.

What’s your favorite version? Share it with me in the comments below!


Raspberry Hamantaschen Hand Pies

1 recipe pie crust (recipe follows)
1 recipe raspberry pie filling (recipe follows)
1 egg + 1 tbsp water, for eggwash
demerara sugar, for sprinkling
glaze, recipe follows

Method:

Roll out the pie crust and cut out triangle shapes with a cookie cutter. Repeat until you’ve used up all the scraps of dough. Reserve half to be used for the top of the hamantaschen and half to be used for the bottom. Using the triangles that you reserved for the top, cut a tiny triangle in the center of each with a sharp knife.

Fill each of the triangles that you reserved for the bottom with about 1/2 teaspoon of raspberry pie filling. Brush the edges of the dough with water and top each one carefully with the triangles that you reserved for the top. Using a fork, press down all around the dough to seal. Brush with eggwash and sprinkle with demerara sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool completely and drizzle with glaze.

For Pie Crust:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup ice water

Method:

Pulse the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add butter and continue to pulse until the mixture is the texture of a coarse meal. Add the water and blend until the dough comes together in clumps. Form the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until chilled.

For Raspberry Pie Filling:
6 oz fresh raspberries
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp lemon
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp water

Method:

Place the raspberries, sugar and lemon in a small saucepan. Dissolve the cornstarch in the water and add to the pot. Cook the mixture over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until raspberries are soft and the mixture has thickened. Set aside to cool.

NOTE: You may use frozen raspberries as well. If needed, add an additional teaspoon of cornstarch dissolved in a tablespoon of water to thicken up the juices.

For Glaze:
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
6 tsp milk or water
splash of vanilla

Mix all the ingredients together until the powdered sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is thick, but slightly runny.

VARIATION: Try the filling with other berries, or use canned pie filling or jam for a quick and easy substitute. For the drizzle, you may also use white or dark chocolate.



Related Recipes:

date and almond marzipan hamantaschen
baklava hamantaschen
sushi hamantaschen
savory hamantaschen trio
The Hamantini

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Tortilla Crusted Chicken Fingers (Baked!)

Wait. Stop. I know what you’re thinking. These look EXACTLY like KFC chicken tenders, now how did she do that?! I’m an accidental genius, that’s how (and a very humble one at that). Read on.

These crazy, amazing, oven-fried crispiest-ever chicken fingers where never supposed to happen. It was around the holidays, Succot to be exact, and I decided to go with a Mexican-themed menu. We’d already had so many meals and I needed a break from the traditional! I made blackened fish tacos, guacamole, taco salad, black bean & chorizo chocolate chili, cornbread, empanadas, and Mexican hot chocolate brownies. Now there was lots of meat going on, but not much in the form of chicken, so I wanted to make sure we had something kid-friendly that matched the Mexican theme. I looked through my pantry for something “corny” and found a half-eaten bag of BBQ tortilla chips – perfect! OK maybe BBQ tortilla chips are not authentically Mexican but I figured it could pass.

And pass it did. Those chicken fingers never even made it to the table. They got passed around and were gone in seconds. And the crazy part is – I made them the most untraditional way – by dipping the chicken in oil instead of egg.

My youngest is allergic, and I wanted to make sure there was something for him to enjoy, so I decided to forgo the egg-dipping and just go for some oil as a binder. True oil is not as sticky as egg, so the chips did not adhere as well – but they were super ultra crispy.

They were also super ultra tasty – because I used BBQ tortilla chips instead of the plain old boring ones. The BBQ seasoning gives the chips a nice color, so even though they’re baked, they look fried. Just like those crispy cornflake chicken tenders you drool over in every fast food commercial.

Speaking of commercials, I had wanted to get these up for Superbowl Sunday this week, but they just didn’t make it. Maybe that’s because I, nor anyone I know, is interested in the game. We’re more like social media geeks than sports fanatics so if you ask my husband and I who played, we have no idea. The only thing I know about Superbowl Sunday is that Katie Perry wore a yalmulkah dress! And I only know that ‘cuz it was all over my whatsapp!

Superbowl or not, these crispy oven-fried chicken tenders are the perfect appetizer for any party. They also make the best child-friendly dinner, with a mayo-salsa sauce for dipping. My picky-eaters loved them, and I’m sure yours will too!

Tortilla Crusted Chicken Fingers

1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 eggs, lightly whisked
1 bag BBQ tortilla chips
cooking spray
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup salsa

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour the tortilla chips into a ziploc bag and crush with your hands until completely broken apart into small bits. Set up a dredging station with the chicken strips, eggs and tortilla chips each in a separate dish. Dip the chicken into the egg and then into the tortilla chips, pressing down so the chips stick to the chicken. Place the crusted chicken strips on a well-greased baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray and bake for approximately 20 minutes, until chicken is crispy and cooked through. For best results, serve immediately or remove to a cooling rack so chicken remains crispy.

For the dipping sauce, combine the mayonnaise with the salsa and mix.

EGG-FREE VARIATION: Dip the chicken strips in oil instead of egg and proceed as above.

Related Recipes:

french fried chicken nuggets
nut crusted shnitzel

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Roasted Tomato Soup with Muenster Breadsticks

I really feel bad for you guys. Here I am living it up in sunny Miami, while my fellow Brooklynites are stuck with a curfew while the city shuts down due to a blizzard. I’m truly thinking of you while I sit here relaxing at the beach! :- p

And just to show you how much I care, I’m sharing this comforting roasted tomato soup with muenster breadsticks in honor of Snowmaggedan 2015! I know you all stocked your houses to the hilts, so chances are, you have the ingredients on hand (and then some), so lets get cookin’!

They’re calling this NorthEastern historic and crippling and I’m calling this recipe duo soul-warming and pure comfort food. It’s the perfect kind of meal to eat at the fireplace while piles of fluffy white snow accumulate outside your window. Winter Storm Juno’s got nothing on you.

We start our not-so-little snow feast with roasted tomato soup. If you’ve never roasted tomatoes before, it’s time to start! They become so deliciously sweet – perfect with sweet roasted garlic and shallots. Topping off the soup with pesto and fresh basil just takes it over the top.

You can’t have tomato soup without cheese and bread! I love me some grilled cheese with tomato soup, but roasted tomato soup requires something a bit more sophisticated – like breadsticks! Don’t be overwhelmed by the thought, I keep things simple using a quick & easy pizza dough (you can even use store-bought dough). And for the filling – I use my ultimate favorite cheese of all time – MUENSTER! Muenster is a white cows-milk cheese that melts incredibly well. Natural & Kosher makes convenient pouches of shredded muenster that are perfect for making grilled cheese, mac ‘n cheese, pizza, or quesadillas.  I like to twist my breadsticks so I get lots of the toasted crispy cheese all around, but you can also make these more traditional and keep the cheese inside (see recipe for how).

Now back to sunny Miami – we’re keeping away from the pool today because it’s all of 55 degrees,, and the natives are pulling out their Uggs! I’m still on a high from The Miami Marathon (hashtag Miami Famous) this past Sunday, which I was lucky enough to walk/run in honor of The Friendship Circle.


Running a marathon was something I’ve always wanted to do, but I never thought I’d really do it. When my friend Rochel Leah recruited me for Team Friendship, I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting myself into. Little did I know, I’d have to train 4 times a week to complete 13 miles, when I could barely meet a single mile mark.

Six weeks of training proved nearly impossible in 20 degree weather (and less!), but I pushed myself to my limit and walked/ran as much as I could. Four times a week didn’t happen, but I managed quite a few training sessions, increasing my mileage to as much as 10 miles. I covered Prospect Park, Brooklyn Heights, Dumbo, Williamsburgh, Long Island City and more! I can’t wait to share pics and more about my experience in a future post. In the meantime, you can still support my run and help me reach my fundraising goal here!

I’m off to relax in the sun, but stay warm you guys, I’m thinking of you!

Roasted Tomato Soup:

10 plum tomatoes
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 shallots, peeled
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup vegetable stock
1/2 tsp dried oregano
pesto, for garnish
fresh basil, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Slice the tomatoes and shallots in half lengthwise and place them on a baking sheet along with the garlic cloves. Coat the vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes.

Place the roasted vegetables in a pot with their juices. Add stock and oregano and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Using an immersion blender or food processor, puree the soup until smooth. Adjust the consistency by adding more stock, if needed.

Ladle the soup into cups and garnish with pesto and fresh basil. Serve with muenster breadsticks (recipe follows).

Yields: 6 half cup servings.



Muenster Breadsticks
Thanks to my son’s teacher, Frayda Brown, for this super easy pizza dough recipe! 

1 tbsp dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp salt
4 oz. Natural & Kosher shredded muenster
olive oil
garlic powder
Natural & Kosher grated parmesan

Place the yeast, sugar and water in a large bowl and let it rest until foamy. Add remaining ingredients and mix until a dough forms. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and place in a warm place to rise, about 1 hour.

Roll the dough out into a rectangle, adding flour as needed, to keep it from sticking. Spread the muenster cheese over the bottom half of the dough and fold the top half of the dough over the cheese. Using a pizza cutter, slice the dough into sticks and twist carefully. Place the strips on a parchment lined baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder and parmesan cheese and bake at 400 degrees until lightly browned, about 20 minutes.

VARIATION: Try mixing some shredded muenster directly into the dough for more cheesy goodness.
SHAPING: If you prefer to keep the cheese inside the dough, roll out small strips of dough into rectangles, fill with shredded cheese and roll into a long rope, pinching to close on all sides. Brush with oil and proceed as above.

Yields: about 12 breadsticks.


This post was sponsored by Natural & Kosher Cheese. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, Google+, or via their Blog

Related Recipes:

minestrone soup
3-cheese broccoli pull apart buns
lasagna roll-ups

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