Vegetable Spaghetti

My week began with me in the kitchen baking. There were coffee cakes, savoury cakes, a tart, brownies, muffins and cornbread. A birth in the family and an independence day celebratory BBQ later, it is finally the weekend. Instead of sleeping in late, I dragged myself out of bed on Friday morning for to see what I could come up with at the farmers market. It is beyond crowded and I get annoyed from the pushing and shoving, but people are going crazy for high quality, local and seasonal produce like groupies in line for an 80’s revival (?) concert, so I cant stay mad for long. Getting by in the market is a precise task that calls for a surgical concentration; a quick ‘in and out’ act and I am back on my bicycle with a bag full of goodies and nobody gets hurt. Its almost as if it didnt happen only I have proof of purchase.

I always seem to find treasures at the farmers market. Once it was chalk dry tart mini apples, there were lace long mulberries and last week I walked home with a brown paper bag full of custard marrow.

After reading in Jane Grigson’s vegetable book about vegetable spaghetti I was both intrigued and mighty pleased to find it in the market yesterday. Like the custard marrow, the squagehtti is a type of squash. It has a thready flesh reminiscent of pasta, hence its name. I boiled it, drizzled cold pressed sunflower seed oil, crushed salt and white pepper corns and topped it with roasted pumpkin seeds. A perfect light lunch.

Tell you what though, a drizzle of good raw tahini and smoked paprika elevated it to an even higher ground.

Vegetable spaghetti with pumpkin seeds and white peppercorn

Vegetable spaghetti

Sea salt

Freshly ground white pepper corns

Cold pressed sunflower seed oil

A handful of roasted pumpkin seeds

Tahini (optional)

Smoked paprika (optional)

Push in a skewer in the Vegetable spaghetti to make a hole and boil in plenty of salted water. It should be ready in 30-45 minutes, but pierce it with a knife to make sure the centre is tender. Remove and drain, then cut in lengthways to reveal the strings of flesh inside.

Remove the seeds and save for later.

Drizzle with the oil, season with salt & pepper and sprinkle the pumpkin seeds.

You can also drizzle with tahini and smoked paprika.

About the seeds:

Being a lover of all things efficient, once boiled and sliced open I removed the seeds and roasted them (thanks to Kate’s Halloween snack of homemade roasted pumpkin seeds I recall having for breakfast…).

Toss them in olive oil and seasoning, roast in 150°C preheated oven for 30 minutes, until golden brown.

Aubergine jam

In the past few months I have entered a new phase. I discovered canning and home food preservation. Yes, its economic, and I get to enjoy seasonal produce at its peak for a little while longer, and yes, its efficient, as I like things to be. But that’s not it. With my tendency to keep things, gather and collect objects, recipes and memories… canning has become a valuable tool enabling me to carry on collecting memories through food like the unexpected batch of fragrant sweet tomatoes given to me in the middle of winter, or the bag of lemons that made their way from a distant relative’s lemon tree. Rather then enjoying them here and now, canning allows me to extend the flavour of the memory just a little bit longer. Now my fridge is filled with a surprising tangy banana chutney, canned tomatoes, a confit of fresh garlic and pickled lemons, each labelled with a memory of a time and a place.

This week I added to my collection a wonderful aubergine jam. That’s right. Last week I went to Mahne Yuda, a rather pricy picturesque market in Jerusalem. I headed beyond the main passages and behind the stalls to a particular stand that sells vegetables from the west bank. That’s code for truly local and seasonal produce, with vegetables that look like they used to when I was growing up, awkward, imperfect and bursting with flavour and aroma.

I took home a bag of aubergines the shape of miniature light bulbs, covered in a glistening dark skin. Determined to preserve this gift to myself (much much cheaper then shoes).

Commonly served during the mimuna on a freshly fried Mufletta the flavour of the aubergine comes through, infused with the spices and absorbed with the sugar. This is lush on toast, a warm buttery pastry, or as a topping for yogurt. I even served it on top of a homemade vanilla ice cream with crushed salted caramel peanuts. That worked rather well to put it mildly.

Aubergine jam

Based on a recipe by Erez Komarovsky

Ingredients

2 medium sized aubergines or 8 baby aubergines

2 cups water

1 ½ cup unrefined cane sugar

1 Tsp cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick

3 cloves

1 Anise star

1/2 freshly squeezed lemon juice

Remove the aubergine’s stalk, but leave the tip in tact, which acts as a handle for easy grip.

Using a fork prick the entire aubergine skin.

Place the aubergines in a medium sized saucepan, add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.

Cook for 5 minutes, remove and drain the aubergines.

In a separate saucepan combine the sugar and spices. Add the aubergines and cook on a low heat until you reach the desired consistency, about 2-3 hours.

Put a saucer in the freezer and sterilize a jar: Wash a glass jar with the lid and soak in boiling water for 10 minutes.

Set out to dry upside down on a clean kitchen towel.

Take the saucer out of the freezer, and put a drop of jam on it. Tilt the saucer, and see if the jam is set. If not, let it boil for another minute, then test again until you've reached the desired consistency.

Stir in the lemon juice.

Pour the jam into the jar until full, wipe carefully if there was any spillage and close the lid tightly. Let cool to room temperature upside-down on the counter, then store in a cool and dark place for a few months.

The Mimuna Madness

Salted Caramel Matzoh Crunch with Chocolate

Passover is almost here. It feels it. The weather is changing and unpredictable, the clocks have been reset for summer time and the air has a festive flair to it.

It is a time for Matzo and Matzo meal cakes, cookies, fritters and snacks. Surprisingly, few snacks are on offer during this period that are both made of matzo meal and taste good. Those wishing to enjoy a decent sweet snack tend to use other ingredients over matzo as base such as marzipan, nuts or chocolate.

I think I know why. I think its about nostalgia. Once a year, during Passover, unidentified cookies appear on supermarket shelves. They bear strange name and are manufactured by unknown companies. This happens every year. The coconut and peanut cookies taste as they did when I was growing up. They are the taste of Passover, along with the Gefilte fish, and it wouldnt be one without them.

However, be that as it may and with the utmost respect for nostalgia, I cannot put them in my mouth. They taste awful.

This is a recipe written by Marcy Goldman over 20 years ago which I found about a year ago and put a pin in it, until now. It was worth the wait.

This is an insanely indulgent confectionery without the faintest flavor of nostalgia despite the fact Matzo spread with chocolate is what the Passovers of my childhood tasted of.

It has everything one can wish for: salted butter caramel, chocolate and the option to creatively customize it to a sin of your liking. Oh, and its dead easy to make.

Happy holidays.

Caramelized Matzoh Crunch with Chocolate

Recipe adapted from here

4 to 6 sheets of matzoh


200 Salted butter, cut into chunks


1 cup (firmly-packed) light brown sugar


1 cup dark chocolate (70%cocoa), coarsely chopped

Topping of your choice,

(I used

Roasted pumpkin seeds

Cinnamon sugar )

Line a baking tray completely with foil making sure it goes up the sides. Preheat the oven to 175°C degrees.

Line the bottom of the sheet completely with matzoh, breaking extra pieces as necessary to fill in any spaces.

In a medium-sized heavy duty saucepan, combine the butter and sugar, and cook over medium heat until the butter begins to boil.

Boil for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and pour over matzo, spreading with a heatproof utensil.

Put the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the syrup darkens and gets thick.

While it's baking, make sure it's not burning. If so, reduce the heat.

Remove from oven and immediately cover with chocolate chunks. Let stand 5 minutes, and then spread smooth with an offset spatula.

Now comes the fun creative part.

You can sprinkle with a mixture of seeds and nuts, I sprinkled a handful of roasted pumpkin seeds, but sunflower seeds, sesame, walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds will also work. You can add raisins or candied orange peel for a fruit & nut combo or.

Another option is to omit the dark chocolate altogether replace it with white chocolate and sprinkle with roasted coconut flakes, or simply have it with the salted caramel.

Let cool completely in the refrigerator, then break into pieces and store in an airtight container until ready to eat.

Poached egg on rice. Again

Not again. Yes. Again.

I have managed to catch yet another cold this winter. I say winter; I mean whatever one can call summer in March…

Whatever it is, its calling for comfort food and a good opportunity to visit an old favorite, good old Poached egg on rice. Nothing beats this favorite.

Ever since I discovered the Japanese method for cooking rice that’s how I cook mine. the seasoning part I do my way. Cold pressed sunflower seed oil is magical, with a dominant flavor of sunflower seeds its not suitable for cooking, only seasoning. Mixed with a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice, the rice is ready to receive the egg like bread awaits butter.

This is my chicken soup, porridge and comfort all in one.

Poached egg on rice

Serves 1

1 cup short grain rice

1½ water

1 fresh egg, at room temperature

2 Tbs Cold pressed sunflower seed oil

1 Tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice

Sea salt, to taste

White peppercorns, freshly ground, to taste

Tahini

Put the rice in a heavy duty medium sized saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 12 minutes without lifting the lid. Remove from the heat and leave to rest for 5 minutes.

Transfer the rice to a large bowl. Add the oil, lemon juice, salt & pepper fluffing the rice using a spatula. Cover the bowl and prepare the poached egg.

For instructions on how to poach an egg check out this link.

place the poached egg on top of the rice and drizzle with tahini. You can also add caramelized onion, sautéed leek and fresh ginger, grated parmesan… the rice is your oyster.

Sabich on Sourdough Bread

Every once in a while a dream can come true. It sounds cheesy, I know. But I don’t mind it. One of my dreams came true. I dared to dream a pretty ridiculous dream and it was a matter of before the dreamy seed turned to a reality in full bloom. Just in time for spring.

Like the a good run of Tetris, for one moment everything fell into place.

This is my way of thanks.

I seem to have a soft spot for Sabich. This is truly odd since I have never once in my life stopped at a sabich stand and ordered one. It is also strange since the Sabich is mainly prominent in the centre of Israel, not exactly my childhood terroir.

And yet this is my second post on the wonders of the delightful combination of eggs, eggplants and tahini on bread. In fact, now that I’ve made it at home I have no interest on sampling the street version. I will keep this fantasy unfulfilled for a little while longer. When the time is right.

I made this for Saturday brunch the other day. the local version of eggs benedict I sliced 2 pieces of homemade sourdough bread and piled everything on top of them. It's what Saturdays should be.

Feel free to add or remove the toppings, keeping the key ingredients: carbs, eggs, eggplants and tahini.

Sabich on sourdough bread

(Serves 2)

1 medium sized eggplant

Crushed sea salt

Freshly ground white peppercorns

Ground Sumaq (available at any spice shop)

A few thyme sprigs

A dash of Balsamic vinegar

Olive oil

4 medium size sourdough slices (or any dark bread)

Honey (Clearly the secret ingredient)

2 hard-boiled eggs

Chopped pickled lemon (optional)

A handful of chopped parsley

A handful of chopped mint

Tahini

Sriracha (any other hot chili sauce will do)

Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

Crushed sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground white peppercorns, to taste

1/2 lemon

Begin by oven roasting the eggplant.

Preheat the oven to 220°C.

Wash the eggplant and dice into small cubes. Place in a roasting tray and toss with the sumaq, thyme, salt, pepper, vinegar and olive oil.

Roast in the oven for 20-35 minutes, until the pieces are a light brown color.

This can be made up to 3 days in advance, if kept covered and refrigerated.

To assemble the dish spread a thin layer of honey on the bread slices. Slice the eggs into 5mm thick pieces and place evenly on the bread.

Scatter the roasted eggplant and pickled lemon, and generously drizzle the tahini.

Sprinkle the chopped mint and parsley and season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and chili sauce.

Squeeze the lemon on top and serve with a glass of Arak or Vodka.

Spicy Sweet Potato Spoon Bread

It’s a rainy Saturday. Finally. The setting is ideal: It’s the final days of February, and not a heat wave in sight. A monsoon is happening outside and I get to sit in my PJ’s at home, dry and warm. Just me, the blessed Internet and whatever I have at hand to cook. Some weekends are just about that.

Hmmm. What do I have to play with? The cupboards are pretty empty as I didnt go to the market this week. We're talking a few sweet potatoes. Thats it. Its all that I needed.

A while ago I found a treasure trove at my parents’ house. Among the vintage cookbook was also “The NY Times Bread & Soup Cookbook” by Yvonne Young Tarr that came out 34 years ago.

Its divided by types of cuisine, and each chapter lists short typical breads and soups recipes, including some risqué recipes such as Frog legs soup, a hot cucumber soup (that’s under the ‘diet’ section) and sheep’s head broth. They don’t make cookbooks like this anymore; few ingredients, several guidelines and an inherent simplicity that is true to the recipes' identity.

I decided to take a trip down the ‘American Plain & Fancy’ chapter and make a spoon bread. Spoon bread is not really bread, but more of a moist though solid savory pudding, apparently prevalent in parts of the Southern US.

Slicing a piece with a knife wouldn’t get you far, hence its name ‘spoon bread’.

The easiest recipe ever, any cookbook that takes me half way across the world in no time without leaving my house in search of random ingredients is on my good side.

Spicy sweet potato Spoon bread

Heavily adapted from

“The NY Times Bread & Soup Cookbook” by Yvonne Young Tarr

(Serves 4)

1 large sweet potato

2 Tbs butter (I used clarified butter)

2 Tbs cold press sunflower seed oil

1 Tbs sugar

¾ Tsp grated nutmeg

¾ Tsp crushed white peppercorns

½ Tsp mace

¼ Tsp cinnamon

2.5 Tbs whole-wheat flour (can be substituted for a gluten free recipe)

1/8 Tsp salt

1 egg

Topping

A handful of pumpkin seeds

A handful of flax seeds

Scrub the potatoes and boil until tender but not to soft, as whole chunks are always a pleasant surprise to stumble upon.

Preheat the oven to 220°C.

Peel and mash with the butter and oil. Add the sugar, spices, flour and salt and mix thoroughly.

Beat the egg and stir into the mixture.

Pour into a buttered pan and sprinkle the seeds on top.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool the bread in its pan on a wire rack.

Cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.

Update: this spoon bread is even better topped with a slice of anchovy.