Chickpea and zucchini kofta

Both this recipe and the following one come from Purple Citrus and Sweet Perfume.  I am glad I made both.  They complimented each other nicely.  TAHINI, LEMON AND SUMAC SAUCE:  Mix 3 tbsp tahini, 1 tsp ground cumin, juice of 2 small lemons.  Add a little water, slowly, and stir until it becomes the texture of thick cream.  Add 2 minced garlic cloves and stir.  Mix 2 tbsp olive oil with 1/2 tsp sumac.  Drizzle over tahini mixture.  Sprinkle 1 tsp black sesame seeds over the top.  (I used regular seeds)

Another dip, not pretty, but tasty.  This is an adaptation from the above mention cookbook due to the ingredients on hand.  YOGURT AND FETA DIP:  Mix 2 oz feta with 1/2 - 3/4 cup yogurt (Greek would be best).  Add 2 minced garlic cloves and a little dried oregano.  Season with pepper.  Sprinkle with 2 tbsp chopped toasted almonds, 1/2 tsp sweet paprika and 1 tbsp olive oil.

The original recipe for the kofta comes from the same book, but I didn't have most of the ingredients for the recipe.  So, this is what I made instead.  I liked it.  I will probably make a version of it again.  ZUCCHINI AND CHICKPEA KOFTA: Grate 1 onion and 1 zucchini.  Heat 3 tbsp olive oil.  Add zucchini and onion.  Saute about 3 minutes.  Add 1 1/2 cups (or so) of cooked chickpeas.  Stir.  Season with 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp hot paprika, 1/2 tsp sweet paprika and salt and pepper.  Add 3 cups of water.  Stir.  Add 1/3 cup cracked wheat.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer hard until all the fluid is absorbed and the wheat is tender.  Put in food processor and chop a few times.  Let cool.  Make into balls, dredge in flour and cook in a couple of tbsp olive oil.  When browned, put in a hot pan in the oven at 350 degrees.  (The original recipe called for fine bulgar, not cracked wheat)  I served all this with toasted pita, chopped tomatos and cucumber, chicken cooked earlier in the week tossed with olive oil and sumac and roasted cauliflower with cumin.

Sunday night supper club: Hanukkah

Kurt and Laura's cookies and donuts.  The cookie recipe comes from Saveur.  The donut recipe will come later.  (Sorry Kurt, I can't find the sheet you gave me!)

Josie's Pastrami on rye with pickles.

Connie's Sweet Lokshen Kugel:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cover 1 cup raisins with hot water to plump.  Boil 16 oz egg noodles til tender.  Drain and return noodles to pot.  In a food processor, mix together 6 large eggs, 1 # sour cream, 1 cup cottage cheese, 1 cup cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup melted butter, 1/4 tsp salt.  Pour egg mixture over cooked noodles and stir well.  Drain and pat dry the raisins.  Stir into noodles.  Spray a baking dish with cooking oil.  Put noodle mixture into dish.  Combine 1 cup crushed corn flakes, 1/2 stick butter, 6 T sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon.  Cook noodles 30 minutes.  Then put on the corn flake mixture and cook another 30 minutes.  Let rest 20 minutes.

Pam also made a sweet kugel.  Her recipe can be found here:   http://www.cyber-kitchen.com/rfcj/KUGELS/Noodle_Kugel_with_Currants_and_Apple_-_dairy.html

Sam's homemade pastrami.  WOW!

Arty table shot.

Wilson's Latkes.  They also made a brisket.

Speake's Kugel:  Grate 2 pounds potato.  Salt lightly and let drain.  Cook 2 cups chopped onion and 1 tbsp chopped shallot in 1/4 cup chicken fat for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add pepper and potatoes.  Let cool a few minutes.  Add 4 beaten eggs.  Heat 1/4 cup chicken fat in a cast iron skillet.  Put potato mixture in and back 50 minutes at 400 degrees.  Before serving, brush with a little margarine or chicken fat and broil til crispy.  (5 minutes and it was almost burnt)

Werth's bagels and lox

Dri's amazing challah bread.

ANDY

Jennifer's Salmon Spread recipe can be found here:  http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/smoked_salmon_spread.html

 

 

Matt making the latkes.

Thank you Wilson's for a wonderful night.  Next month will be at the Werth's.  Country to be determined.

Baked Kofta

I have been a little lax in my blogging lately.  I picked up a cookbook by Silvena Rowe at the library, Purple Citrus and Sweet Perfume.  I am very excited about this cookbook.  The baked kofta was the first thing I made, mainly because I had all the ingredients at my house.  It was a quick lunch and very delicious.

Baked Kofta: 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Soak 1 slice of bread in 1/3 cup milk.  I used wheat bread and it was fine.  Squeeze out excess milk and crumble into a bowl, along with 7 oz ground beef, 7 oz ground pork, 1 grated onion, 3 tbsp finely chopped parsley, 1 large egg, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/4 tsp red chili flakes, 1/4 tsp sweet paprika, salt and pepper.  Mix and divide into 12 meatballs.  Slightly flatten them and dredge in flour.  Brown in olive oil, each side about 4 minutes.  Put in baking dish.

Sauce - Using the same pan that you cooked the kofta, add 2 tbsp olive oil, 3 large tomatoes (chopped), 2 tbsp tomatoe paste, 1 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp dried oregano, salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring, 5 minutes.  Pour over koftas and bake for 20 minutes.