Pepper Steak with Plum Sauce

As the song goes, it’s “back to life, back to reality.” While Pesach was a wonderful opportunity to spend time with family and friends, there’s something nice about getting back into a routine. Not to mention, being able to eat chometz again!

One of my most favorite chometzdik dinners is a dish my mom makes with pepper steak and plum jelly. She found the gourmet jam in Australia, and every time she visits, she brings home a jar. I decided to try and recreate her recipe without the jam, and I think I came pretty close!

It took me a while to learn how to make pepper steak that didn’t taste like I was chewing rubber. I learned, first and foremost, that good pepper steak has to be quality pepper steak. The better the quality of the meat, the softer it will turn out in the end. The second thing I learned about cooking pepper steak is to cook it low and slow. The longer the steak simmers, the longer the meat will tenderize. Lastly, I learned to add the sauce at the end, so that the sugar in it does not burn and harden the meat.

Have you got any tips for making your pepper steak soft? I’d love to hear them!

 

Pepper Steak with Plum Sauce

1 pkg pepper steak
1 onion, sliced into half rings
5 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 30 oz can whole purple plums in heavy syrup
1/4 cup hoison sauce
salt and pepper, to taste
oil, for sauteing

Method:

Saute pepper steak in a bit of oil until browned. Remove from pan. Add onions and garlic and saute until golden. Return meat to pan, remove pits from plums and add them, with their syrup, to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 1-2 hours. Uncover the pot, add hoison sauce and cook on high heat until reduced by half, about 20-30 minutes.

1 year ago: 1-2-3 decadent molten chocolate chip cakes

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20 Non-Gebroks Things to do with Potatoes & Eggs

It’s Chol Hamoed and we’re all scrambling (pun intended!) for things to make for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I don’t know about you but I can’t look at another plate of chicken and mashed potatoes. Here are some ideas for inspiration!

20 THINGS TO MAKE WITH POTATOES

1. mashed potatoes
2. shepherds pie
3. fries
4. potato kugel
5. potato au gratin
6. hassleback potatoes
7. potato latkes
8. potato salad
9. potato soup
10. scalloped potatoes
11. tater tots
12. chremslach (mashed potato patties)
13. hash browns
14. potato chips
15. breakfast potatoes
16. stuffed baked potatoes (if you eat peels)
17. roasted potato wedges (if you eat peels)
18. crispy potato skins (if you eat peels)
19. smashed potatoes (if you eat peels)
20. potato blintzes (using egg crepes)

20 THINGS TO MAKE WITH EGGS

1. scrambled eggs
2. poached eggs
3. omelette’s
4. frittata
5. eggs en cocotte (baked eggs)
6. egg pizza
7. shakshuka
8. crepes
9. nut pancakes (eggs with ground nuts and sugar)
10. egg salad (how to make perfect hard boiled eggs)
11. chef salad or salad nicoise
12. deviled eggs
13. souffle
14. crustless quiche
15. egg drop soup
16. mayo/hollandaise sauce
17. creme brulee
18. sabayon
19. meringues
20. mousse

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Homemade Raspberry Sorbet


Making home-made sorbet is easier than you think. You don’t even need an ice cream machine! It’s basically just frozen fruit puree sweetened with sugar and water. You can also add herbs, chocolate or wines and liqueurs to flavor the sorbet.

To make a fruit sorbet, you’ll need:

1. Fruit (fresh or frozen)
-Soft fruit (mango, berries, peaches, melons, pineapple, bananas, grapes)
-Hard Fruit (apples, pears, rhubarb)
-Fruit Juice (lemon, grapefruit, orange, lime)
2. Sweetener (simple syrup, honey, agave , fruit juice or sweet wine)
3. Acidity (lemon, lime, orange, balsamic vinegar)
4. Alcohol (vodka or liquers), optional

Sweeteners should be added to taste. Depending on how ripe, sweet or tart the fruit is, you’ll need to add more or less. You will always need to add simple syrup to start for the right consistency. Wine, fruit juice or honey can also be added for additional sweetness and flavor.

Alcohol does not freeze so it helps keeps the sorbet smooth and gives it a less grainy texture. You can use liqeurs that complement the taste of your fruit or vodka, which has no flavor.

For soft fruit: add fruit, sweetener, acid and alcohol (if using) to a blender or food processor and puree (pour through a fine mesh sieve if it has any pits).

For hard fruit: add fruit, sweetener, and acid to a pot and cook until tender. Cool and add to a food processor or blender. Add alcohol (if using).

For fruit juice: add juice, sweetener (you can boil it up with some of the rind for a more intense flavor), and acid to a bowl and mix.

If you have an ice cream machine, good for you! Just pour the mixture into it and let the machine do all the work. If you don’t, pour the mixture onto a cookie sheet and freeze until set. Break it up and blend in the food processor until smooth. Freeze and blend again for an ultra smooth consistency.

Here are some gourmet sorbet combinations and ideas for inspiration:

watermelon
pear+moscato
blood orange
lemon+mint
blackberry+red wine
rhubarb
blueberry+pomegranate
strawberry+basil
figs+balsamic

Personally, I love plain old raspberry sorbet! The beautiful crimson color, coupled with some fresh blueberries, is the perfect way to end any meal.

Whats your favorite sorbet recipe? Share it with us in the comments below!

 

Homemade Raspberry Sorbet

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
24 oz. fresh or frozen raspberries (thaw if frozen)
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp vodka, optional

Method:

Create a simple syrup by bringing the sugar and water up to a boil until the sugar dissolves. Cool. Put the raspberries, syrup and lemon in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth to remove the pits. Pour the raspberry puree onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet and freeze until set. Break the frozen puree into pieces and blend again in the food processor (separate into batches, if needed). If possible, freeze on the cookie sheet once more and blend again. Serve immediately or freeze. If frozen, remove from the freezer and let it soften for a few minutes before serving.


1 year ago: fruity sorbet dessert

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Orange Chicken

When you don’t eat processed foods on Pesach, you’ve got to make the most with what you’ve got. That’s where sauteed onions come in. I know some people who prepare vats of it and freeze it in individual portions. Most of my family’s meat and chicken Pesach recipes include sauteed onions as a base and some kind of braising liquid like wine or juice. The onions practically melt into the juice and the resulting sauce is delicious over mashed potatoes.

For my orange chicken recipe, please view my guest post and recipe on Joy of Kosher.

1 year ago: roasted beet & orange salad

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Rice Vermicelli

Is your pantry filled with little bags of assorted leftover pasta? That extra orzo from when you only made half the box?  Or the scraps from the 10 oz. bag of egg noodles (whose recipe only called for 7 oz.)? Well luckily, I have a great recipe to use up your leftovers before Pesach! This Shabbos, you can turn your simple plate of rice into a two-toned pilaf that is just as pleasing on the palate as it is on the eyes! It’s simple, easy, and kids love it!

 

Rice Pilaf

2 cups white rice
3/4 cup fine egg noodles, spaghetti cut into pieces, orzo or other fine pasta
4 cups water or chicken stock
3-4 tbsp oil
2 tsp salt

Method:

Heat up oil in a saute pan and add pasta. Saute over medium heat, stirring constantly, until pasta is fragrant and golden. Watch the pasta carefully because it can quickly go from golden to burnt. Add the rice and stir for a minute or two. Add water or stock and salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

1 year ago: sesame linguini with marinated chicken breast

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