By Emily Moore, JTNews Correspondent
Making wonderful kosher meals has always been a creative endeavor, sometimes involving taking non-kosher (or dairy) recipes and re-working them to fit the kosher culinary need of the day. In this column, I’m going to explore a few perhaps new ideas with you and share some tips for converting non-kosher or dairy recipes into dishes you can use happily in your kosher kitchen.
I think shellfish is one of the most difficult food categories for which to make substitutions in kosher cooking. In fact, we usually don’t even consider trying to convert shellfish recipes with substituted ingredients. And, to be sure, I don’t know of any good substitutions for oysters, mussels and clams; I’ve not found “fake” shellfish made from textured soy or vegetable proteins particularly palatable.
I have a technique for cooking fish that, while it may not re-create the flavor of shrimp or scallops searing in a pan, is so delicious that you will be happy to convert a shrimp or scallop recipe just to try it. The method is a Chinese technique called “velveting.” It may read as if it’s a bit complicated but it’s actually quite easy. Cubes of fish are rinsed, patted dry and dredged in cornstarch (or a substitute), then gently poached in a simple court bouillon, a broth made exclusively for cooking fish.
If you’re in a hurry, you can poach the dredged fish in simmering salted water with some herbs tossed in with lovely results. I’ll give you a court bouillon recipe and you can save it after your first “velveting” for another — or the same — use later.
Court Bouillon:
1/2 small onion, chopped fine
or 1 shallot, minced
1 med. carrot, peeled and chopped fine
1 stalk celery, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 med. Roma tomato,
diced in medium-sized pieces
1 cup white wine, dry or moderately dry
Tie into a large square of cheesecloth:
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. peppercorns
2 or 3 sprigs parsley,
2 Tbs. margarine or vegetable oil
1 Tbs. kosher or sea salt
In a 4-quart (medium-sized) pot, gently heat the oil or margarine, put in the vegetables and cook about 10 to 12 minutes, or until wilted and fragrant.
Add the white wine and continue cooking till half evaporated.
Add three quarts of water and the cheesecloth pouch of herbs, increase heat to medium and bring to a boil. With a large tablespoon, skim off any scum that rises to the surface.
Turn down the heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Add the salt.
Drain through a fine strainer into another pot with a broader opening; discard the solids in the strainer.
If you wish to make the court bouillon ahead of time, cover and store it in the fridge for up to 10 days, or freeze for 2 months.
Velveting the Fish
24 oz. skinless, boneless filet of salmon, cod, halibut or other firm filet fish, cut into 1” cubes
2 tsp. kosher or sea salt
6 to 8 Tbs. cornstarch (arrowroot or powdered agar agar will also work nicely)
Bring 2-1/2 quarts of court bouillon or salted water to a simmer.
Mix the cornstarch and salt together in a medium bowl. Rinse the pieces of fish and pat dry.
Put half the fish into the cornstarch and toss to coat completely then place in a strainer and shake off the excess.
Add the fish piece by piece to the simmering liquid and let cook 3 or 4 minutes or until just done. Remove with a slotted spoon, taste a piece for salt seasoning and place the rest of the drained fish on a flat dish in one layer. Repeat with the second half of the fish.
Velveted fish is best used immediately, but if you want to make it ahead, cover and refrigerate the batch; it will keep about 3 to 4 days and doesn’t freeze well.
Use velveted fish in hot or cold appetizers, in pasta dishes, or in curries and stir-fries. Salmon replaces shrimp dishes very nicely, and halibut or cod instead of scallops. Or, mix and match!
Gently stir the fish into hot dishes at the very end of cooking, or if refrigerated heat carefully in a very small amount of court bouillon or water and place over the top of the dish. Also, try using the court bouillon in the dish itself for a richer flavor.
For a cold appetizer, try skewering chilled velveted fish on toothpicks and have guests dip them into cocktail sauce, creamy basil pesto (mix pesto with light mayonnaise or sour cream) or rosemary-garlic aioli.
Enjoy!
Yield: 4 main course servings or 6 appetizers
Gremolata
Here is a grated cheese alternative called “gremolata” to be used on pastas and risottos. It’s an Italian accompaniment made with breadcrumbs, lemon zest, garlic, salt, parsley and black or red pepper, and it’s delicious!
2 cups white or wheat bread crumbs, dry or fresh
2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
4 Tbs. olive oil (doesn’t have to be extra virgin)
Zest of 1/2 lemon, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or 2 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary or basil with the parsley
1 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper or 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 tsp. kosher or sea salt
Place a medium-sized skillet over medium heat; add the olive oil and heat till just shimmering.
Add the breadcrumbs and garlic and stir constantly while the crumbs become golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes.
Add the lemon zest, herbs, pepper and salt, stir to combine and remove from the heat.
Serve warm or at room temperature on top of Mediterranean pasta dishes, casseroles and salads.
Keeps for two weeks, tightly covered, in the fridge, or for two months in the freezer.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
My next suggestion is a wonderful way to make mashed potatoes without any dairy or dairy substitutes, but with a lot of roasted garlic and some olive oil.
2 lbs. Russet or Yukon Gold or Yellow Finn potatoes, peeled
12 to 16 whole cloves of garlic
3/4 cups olive oil (good quality, but not necessarily extra virgin)
2 to 4 Tbs. chopped fresh sage, parsley, chives or rosemary
1 Tbs. kosher or sea salt — or to taste
Place the olive oil and garlic in a small ovenproof container and cover with aluminum foil or a lid. Bake in a 350º oven for 20 minutes, then check the garlic. If not completely soft, roast for 10 more minutes and check again. Once the garlic is very soft, remove from the oven and cool slightly. Mash the garlic in the oil with a fork until it makes a rough paste. Keep warm.
Cut the potatoes into 2” pieces and cook in salted water until very soft — but not falling apart. Drain completely and keep hot.
Begin mashing with a potato masher or with the paddle attachment of an electric mixer. While the potatoes are still a bit lumpy, add half the garlic and oil mixture and mash in well. Add the other half of the garlic and oil along with the salt and herbs (if using) and switch to beating with a hand whisk or the mixer’s whisk attachment.
Beat till very fluffy and smooth, adding a bit more olive oil or a splash of cooking water to assure the potatoes will be fluffy but not dry. Check the seasonings and serve very hot.
Yield: 4 servings
Finally we have the most decadent of desserts — chocolate decadence! And what do you do when you want to really show off for dessert and you’re having a meat or poultry meal? Here’s one of my favorite recipes converted for non-dairy dining.
Note: You will need an electric mixer,
hand-held or standing, for this recipe.
1 lb. (16 oz.) semi-sweet kosher
chocolate (Callebaut is good)
8 oz. parve margarine
6 eggs
Grease a 10” spring-form pan or a 10” deep cake pan with the margarine and line the bottom with either waxed or parchment paper. Grease the paper and lightly flour the interior of the pan with all-purpose flour or matzoh cake meal.
Preheat the oven to 350º.
Chop the chocolate into 1”–1-1/2” pieces. Put into a medium stainless steel or enamel bowl (not ceramic) and add the margarine, cut in 1” pieces. Place the bottom of the bowl into the opening of a medium-large pot containing about 2”–3” of barely simmering water. Set the pot over low heat and be sure that the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water and that the water doesn’t boil – this will ensure that the chocolate will melt evenly and won’t burn. The chocolate and margarine will take about 20–25 minutes to melt together. When melted, remove the pot from the heat and stir the mixture in the bowl with a spatula till smooth. Leave the bowl sitting above the water.
While the chocolate and margarine are melting, beat the eggs with the whisk attachment of the electric mixer until tripled in bulk – that’s right, tripled. They will be very pale yellow and as thick and light as stiffly beaten egg whites.
Now, stir 1/4 of the whipped eggs into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Then, fold 1/2 of the remaining eggs into the chocolate until almost all the streaks of white are incorporated, then repeat with the remaining eggs. At this point the batter will begin to fall and it isn’t necessary to make sure every bit of whipped egg is completely incorporated as long as the batter appears generally homogenous.
Pour the batter into your prepared pan. Put the pan into a larger baking pan that will fit it easily and place both pans into the oven on the middle rack. Pour very hot or boiling water into the outer pan till the water comes about 2” up the sides of the inner pan.
Close the oven and let bake 45 minutes. Check the cake’s center by piercing with a toothpick—if it comes out “chocolatey” with a few crumbs clinging to it, the cake is done. If the toothpick comes out wet or very sticky, keep baking for another 10–15 minutes.
When done, remove the cake from the oven and let cool in the pan on a cooling rack until just warm. Then run a knife around the insides of the pan and
1) Remove the outside of the spring-form pan, or…
2) Dust a plate with powdered sugar and invert the cake pan onto the plate—the cake should easily drop out of the pan.
Remove the paper from the (now) top of the cake. For the spring-form bottom, dust the serving plate with powdered sugar, invert the cake onto the plate and use a small knife to help remove the bottom; pull the paper off.
To decorate to serve, place a paper doily about 1/2” smaller than the cake’s diameter on top of the cake. Lightly sift powdered sugar, then carefully remove the doily. Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped clean to cut the cake into 8 to 12 pieces.
Yield: 8 to 12 servings