Busy in Brooklyn

Broccoli Winter Salad with Creamy Onion Dressing
from Our Table by Renee Muller
Reproduced with permission from the copyright holders, ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications

1 (14-ounce) bag fresh broccoli, larger florets cut into bite-size pieces
1 (4-ounce) bag baby spinach leaves OR any other lettuce
1 large grapefruit, supremed (see Note)
1 cup pomegranate seeds
1 avocado, cubed
¼ cup roasted, salted cashews

For the dressing
½ cup oil
½ small onion, chopped
3 Tablespoons honey
¼ cup vinegar
1 teaspoon mustard
½ teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, combine broccoli, spinach, grapefruit, pomegranate seeds, avocado, and cashews.
Prepare the dressing: Place all dressing ingredients into a jar. Blend with an immersion blender until creamy. Drizzle over salad right before serving.

NOTE: A supremed citrus fruit is one that supplies the flesh of the fruit only, no membranes, no pith, only perfect segments that will add a touch of elegance to your salad. It requires a little practice, but once you get the hang of it you will find yourself doing it quite often. Start by trimming off the stem end of the fruit, including about 1/4-inch of flesh, using a small sharp knife. Repeat with other end. Arrange fruit to sit flat on a work surface. Following the contour of the fruit, slice away the peel and white pith from top to bottom. You want to make sure the flesh is visible and you are left with no white pith. Working over a bowl or sink, hold the fruit in one hand. With your other hand, cut alongside one membrane and then alongside the adjacent membrane, releasing the supreme. Carefully transfer segments to a bowl. Repeat until all supremes are removed. Now you will be able to taste the fruit only, with no bitterness whatsoever. I find that even my pickiest eater will enjoy an otherwise daunting grapefruit, if served this way. Try it.

For the Dough
14 ounces (3½ sticks) butter OR margarine, softened
4 eggs, at room temperature
2 egg yolks, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
6 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

For the filling
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese (not whipped), softened
5 Tablespoons (⅔ stick) butter, softened
⅔ cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons cornstarch
confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, on medium speed, combine softened butter, eggs, and yolks; beat until butter is broken down a bit, about 2 minutes. Add sugar; continue to mix. Slowly add flour and baking powder. Mix until a nice, soft dough forms. (Dough might seem sticky, but that’s OK, once it’s chilled it will be more manageable.) Divide the dough into 3 parts. Place each part into a separate resealable plastic bag; refrigerate, preferably for a few hours or overnight.

Prepare the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine all filling ingredients until creamy. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare standard or mini muffin pans.

Using a box grater, grate one piece of well-chilled dough onto a plate. If the dough hasn’t chilled enough, place it into the freezer for a bit. Refrigerate grated dough until ready to use.
Remove remaining dough from the fridge. Working with one piece at a time, roll out dough to ¼-inch thick. Cut rounds with a 3½-inch round cookie cutter or glass. Place rounds into a muffin tin, pushing down and pressing sides to cover all sides. Fill each with a heaping tablespoon of filling.

Place 1-2 tablespoons grated dough over each cheese pocket (be generous; this is what makes the pockets pretty), pressing down gently to attach them to the cheese filling.
Bake cheese pockets, 25-30 minutes, until golden. Let cool; dust with confectioners’ sugar.