Category: Appetizer

Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

I love stuffed mushrooms and often order them in restaurants. They’re usually filled with parmesan and bread crumbs or covered in a cheesy crust. You may also find them in a pool of marinara sauce. Whatever their filling, stuffed mushrooms serve as a delicious appetizer or side dish. Here is a pareve version that can be served alongside a  fleishig meal.

Check out my tutorial on how to clean mushrooms!

Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

2 packages stuffing mushrooms, stems removed and finely chopped
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 cups frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess water
Salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
flavored breadcrumbs
olive oil

Method:

Saute onion in olive oil until translucent. Add garlic and continue to saute until fragrant. Add chopped stems, sauteing until golden. Add spinach, season with salt and pepper and continue to saute until incorporated. Spoon mixture into mushroom caps. Sprinkle lightly with flavored breadcrumbs. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 5-10 minutes.

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Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are a great way to turn a basic food into a gourmet dish. They make for a fun and tasty hors d’oeuvre as well as a low-carb and filling treat. I often serve deviled eggs on Shabbos day instead of egg salad for a more substantial side dish. There are hundreds of recipes and even a few books dedicated to the art of making deviled eggs. But all you really need is a little creativity and perfectly hard-boiled eggs to create this delicious dish. Click here for my tutorial on how to make eggscellent hard-boiled eggs!

I have experimented with many different fillings including sundried tomatoes, horseradish and pickle relish, but my classic recipe below is our all time favorite.

Deviled eggs

7  hard-boiled eggs
1/3 cup mayo
1 heaping tbsp spicy mustard
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp salt
pepper, to taste
paprika, for garnish
chives, for garnish

Method:

Follow my instruction in this tutorial to hard-boil your eggs. For easier peeling, use 1-2 week old eggs (fresh eggs do not peel well). Peeling them underwater also helps. Cut eggs in half and gently remove yolks. With a fork, mash yolks well and add all ingredients besides for paprika and chives. You can spoon the filling into the eggs, or for a prettier presentation, pipe them using a ziploc bag. To do this, insert a ziploc bag into a measuring cup (this makes them easier to fill), folding the top of the bag over the rim of the cup. Spoon all the filling into the bag and twist closed, pushing all the filling down towards the corner. Snip the tip of the bag with scissors and pipe into egg whites. Garnish with paprika (try smoked paprika for added flavor!) and chives.


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Savory {& Sweet} Cheese Balls


I was first introduced to the idea of cheese balls from Nechama Cohen’s cookbook, Enlitened Kosher Cooking. She makes a version using farmer cheese and 5% cheese for a lighter variation than the classic cream cheese. I made this for shavuous in the past, and as delicious as it is, it is even prettier to look at. If you are looking for that wow factor at your yontif table, you should definitely consider making these.

There are hundreds of cheese ball recipes out there, and the truth is, you don’t really need a recipe at all. All you have to do is start with the main ingredient: creamy cheese. Then, mix in whatever filling you’d like. I had some leftover sundried tomato olive tapenade, so I mixed a few tablespoons of that in. Think of the kind of cream cheese they have at bagel shops or get creative with original concoctions.

Here are some suggestions:

SAVORY CHEESE BALLS:

Cheese:
cream cheese
goat cheese
farmer cheese
blue cheese
Roquefort cheese

Fillings:
cheddar cheese
scallions/chives
olives
sundried tomatoes
jalapeno
pimientos
chillies
craisins

Condiment/Spices:
soy sauce
worcestershire sauce
horseradish
wasabi
ginger
basil
mustard
lemon
rosemary
thyme
hot sauce
packets of mixed herb seasonings

To incorporate the filling, bring your cream cheese to room temperature. Mix in the fillings and spices and stir to combine. Refrigerate your mixture for a few hours so the flavors have a chance to meld and the cheese can firm up again. In the meantime, prepare your toppings.

Toppings:
sesame seeds
poppy seeds
caraway seeds
zaatar
minced dried garlic flakes
minced dried onion flakes
parsley
dill
granola
chopped walnuts
chopped pecans
chopped pistachios
slivered almonds
crushed wasabi peas
scallions or chives
smoked paprika

Remove the cream cheese from the fridge after you’ve allowed it to set. Form balls and roll in desired toppings. You can refrigerate again until ready to serve. If you serving these at your yontif meal, I recommend preparing the filling in advance and rolling it in the topping before serving.

Serve with assorted crackers and sliced cucumbers.

SWEET CHEESE BALLS:

While savory cheese balls make a great appetizer, sweet ones serve as a great dessert and also work well when served with cheese latkes and pancakes.

Fillings:
coconut
raisins
crushed pineapple
dried fruit
canned pumpkin
strawberries
maraschino cherries
pomegranate seeds
chocolate chips

Condiment/Spices:
nutmeg
cinnamon
vanilla
coffee
melted chocolate
confectioners sugar
dulce de leche
flavored jams

Toppings:
pretzels
sprinkles
powdered sugar
cinnamon-sugar
shredded coconut
Oreo cookie crumbs
graham crackers crumbs
chopped peanuts
chopped pecans
chopped chocolate
cookies
cocoa
granola
cereal

Prepare as above. Serve with sliced fruit, pancakes, waffles, cheese latkes or blintzes!

As you can see, the ideas are endless! Use your creativity to come up with sweet or savory flavor combinations that you love.

Check out my friend Chanie’s post for decadent cream cheese truffles(essentially sweet cheese balls dipped in chocolate). They look delicious!

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Turkey & Pastrami Wrapped Asparagus

I love the spring. It’s not only because of the beautiful weather and the blossoming trees. I also love the seasonal fruits and vegetables of spring including asparagus, spinach, rhubarb and strawberries, among others. Eating fruits and vegetables that are in season allows you to get the most nutritional value, flavor and freshness out of them at the most affordable price. With Shavuous just around the corner, I like to plan my menu around the freshest produce available on the market. These wrapped asparagus make the perfect appetizer or side dish at your fleishig meal.

Wrapped asparagus is a traditional antipasto which commonly uses non-kosher ingredients. I decided to try wrapping them with turkey and pastrami instead, and the results were pretty and delicious. In searching for ideas, I came across these lovely chive-tied ones, and they turned out to be the perfect finishing touch. The chives not only up-the-ante on the dish, they also help to keep the cold cuts tightly wrapped around the asparagus.

Although the turkey and pastrami add flavor to the asparagus, they are very simply seasoned. To add more flavor, drizzle with some classic aioli, or use my honey mustard dressing below.

Look out for more seasonal recipes to serve at your Yom Tov meal, coming next week!

Turkey & Pastrami Wrapped Asparagus
adapted from a recipe by Ellie Krieger

2 bunches of asparagus
1/4 lb. smoked turkey
1/4 lb. smoked pastrami
chives
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Method:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Break the woody end off each asparagus spear (if you hold one end of the asparagus in each hand and bend it, it will naturally break at the spot where it starts to become woody). Rinse the asparagus (if you’d like) and drain very well. Drizzle with olive oil, using a brush or your hands to coat well. Cut each piece of turkey and pastrami lengthwise into 3-4 strips. Wrap one strip of turkey or pastrami around each asparagus spear, below the tips. Gently tie a chive around the center of the cold cuts to hold them in place. Take care not to tear the chives, and make a knot (by tying twice) to ensure that they don’t open. Snip the ends of the chives with kitchen shears. Place on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Bake for 10-12 minutes (depending on thickness and how tender you like it), turning once.

To serve, plate asparagus alternating between the turkey and pastrami. Drizzle with dressing.

Honey Mustard Dressing

1/2 cup mayonaise
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup dijon mustard

Mix well to combine.

NOTE: It is best to use thicker asparagus for this recipe, as they hold the cold cuts better. Try to find ones that have an even shape so they cook evenly (not ones that get very thick at the bottom). To use thinner spears, just wrap 2-3 spears at a time with the cold cuts, instead of just one.

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Sundried Tomato Olive Tapenade


After tasting a delicious olive tapenade at a restaurant a few years ago, I started playing around with different olive dip recipes to serve on Shabbos, alongside the fish. I tried the typical spanish olives with mayo, green olives with garlic and olive oil, and finally this recipe, which proved to be by favorite. The sundried tomatoes add a delicious flavor and color to the dip. When I was plating this for photographing, my two year old daughter asked if she could have some in a sandwich. I put two pieces of crostini together, and she ate the whole thing! If a two year old can appreciate its deliciousness, imagine how much you, and your guests, will!

Sundried Tomato Olive Tapenade

1 19oz can black olives (I use manzanilla)
1/2 jar of sundried tomatoes packed in olive oil, about 10
4 tbsp oil from the jar of sundried tomatoes (or extra virgin olive oil)
3 garlic cloves

Method:

Add olives, sundried tomatoes, garlic and oil to a food processor. Pulse until it reaches desired consistency (I like it a bit chopped and piecey otherwise it will have a sandy/grainy texture).

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