By Michael Natkin , JTNews Columnist To my way of thinking, summer hasn’t started until we’ve had our first big bowl of strawberry shortcake. Generally I make it with big, flaky biscuits, but for some reason this year it crossed my mind to try it with cornbread instead. Corn andContinue Reading
By Michael Natkin , JTNews Columnist This is the month when seniors say goodbye to high school and start to dream of life in college. Some of my favorite memories of college are impromptu dinner parties, sharing good, simple, inexpensive food. This week’s dish of Caribbean-inspired, coconut milk-scented rice, blackContinue Reading
By Michael Natkin , JTNews Columnist Panna cotta is a classic Italian dessert, traditionally made from cream and milk set with gelatin, which isn’t vegetarian. The gelatin is what makes it different from flan (set with eggs) or pudding (set with starch and sometimes eggs). The best panna cotta isContinue Reading
By Michael Natkin, JTNews Columnist Sabich was a popular Shabbat food for Iraqi Jews, and when they immigrated to Israel and set up a community in Ramat Gan, the sandwich came with them. It has since gained widespread popularity. There is something about the creaminess of the egg and theContinue Reading
By Michael Natkin, JTNews Columnist Braising is something of a lost art, which is a shame because it isn’t at all difficult to do. Learn a couple of basic moves and you’ll be rewarded with a succulent, richly flavored, rustic dish perfect for Passover. A proper braise is composed ofContinue Reading
By Michael Natkin , JTNews Columnist This is one of my favorite appetizers to serve for a party; they are a cinch to make and will surprise your guests with the unexpected combination of caramelized apple, blue cheese, and tarragon. The key is to use a good, crisp-cooking apple andContinue Reading
By Michael Natkin , JTNews Columnist Pozole (also spelled posole) is a soup or stew made all over Mexico, dating back to pre-Columbian times. Kosher pozole is almost a non-sequitur, because the original is heavy on the pig, but this vegetarian version is delicious and filling so I don’t thinkContinue Reading
By Michael Natkin , JTNews Columnist I’ve been greatly enamored of Mama Lil’s peppers lately. If you haven’t had them, they are hot little pickled goathorn peppers packed in olive oil. They are made here in Seattle, so you can support a local business while discovering a delicious new taste.Continue Reading
By Michael Natkin , JTNews Columnist My wife’s family is Sephardic, so for Hanukkah we don’t make sufganiyot, we make rustic yeast-raised and fried donuts called buñuelos. This is my wife’s grandmother, Sophie Morhaime’s, recipe. For Hanukkah we have them with the traditional honey; any other time they are alsoContinue Reading
By Michael Natkin, JTNews Columnist Although Sukkot is past, with our mild climate in the Pacific Northwest the harvest most definitely continues. Beautiful wild mushrooms like chanterelles, morels, and even fresh porcini are available, as are new potatoes. Here’s a beautiful way to use those ingredients. Everything is sautéed untilContinue Reading
By Michael Natkin, JTNews Columnist On Rosh Hashanah, tradition suggests we eat apples dipped in honey for a sweet new year, and a “new fruit” to celebrate the season — often a pomegranate, which is apocryphally claimed to have 613 seeds, the same as the number of mitzvot. This recipeContinue Reading
