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The Best Dessert You’ve Never Heard Of

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Maybe you have heard of lemon posett, but the first time I encountered it was about a year ago at Huckleberry, an unbearably cute neighborhood cafe in Santa Monica that has some of the best breakfast and pastries on the planet. It’s a completely unassuming dessert served in a ramekin or small bowl, pale yellow in color, and not very exciting to look at. But one swipe of your spoon through this silky, creamy delight is all it takes to realize you’ve come across something special. Continue reading “The Best Dessert You’ve Never Heard Of” →

A Weeknight Champagne Sauce

The recipe is inspired by a recent meal I had at Cordelia restaurant in Old Jaffo in Tel Aviv. They served me a ricotta and spinach-stuffed tortelloni with shrimp and Champagne butter sauce (essentially a Champagne buerre blanc) that made me swoon. This is my attempt at a weeknight version of that seductive dish. The sauce is subtle in flavor and buttery, while the shallots absorb the Champagne flavor and lend some bite to the dish. Continue reading “A Weeknight Champagne Sauce” →

Fresh Pasta without the Gadgets

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It doesn’t get much simpler than fresh pasta: flour and eggs are combined to create a dough, which is then rolled out into any shape and any thickness you want. It’s quite magical really. And while I dearly miss the pasta maker attachment for my KitchenAid stand mixer, I’ve made pasta with nothing more than my own two hands and a wine bottle as a rolling pin. Continue reading “Fresh Pasta without the Gadgets” →

Fried Vegetable Fritters with Homemade Mayonnaise

I can’t explain it, but I suddenly had a craving for fried vegetable fritters with homemade mayonnaise as a dipping sauce. I was skipping Hebrew and I guess felt like making it worthwhile. It was an incredibly specific desire, and I could even taste the exact ratio of mellow creaminess to bright lemon in the mayonnaise. Lucky for me I had all the ingredients on hand – egg, oil, lemon, breadcrumbs, zucchini, leftover artichoke. Before breading the vegetables I whisked a little seltzer into the egg, which made the batter nice and light. Use any thinly sliced vegetables you have on hand and serve this as a starter or snack. Then use the leftover mayonnaise to slather on sandwiches or dip fries into. Continue reading “Fried Vegetable Fritters with Homemade Mayonnaise” →

Risotto in the Style of Milan

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I brought a small container of saffron back from New York and have been waiting to use it. As the world’s most expensive spice (a pound of dry saffron requires at least 50,000 flowers and 15 hours of manual labor) you can’t just use the stuff willy nilly. On the other hand, a little does go a long way, especially if you soak it in liquid first. But what to use it on? My last saffron recipe, Rigatoni with Wine-Braised Chicken and Saffron Cream, would be hard to live up to. I’d been craving risotto, so Risotto Milanese it was. Continue reading “Risotto in the Style of Milan” →

Artichokes with Roman Flare

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This recipe, as with most of my favorite recipes of late, began with a trip to the shuk. It may be February, but springtime is in bloom, and the artichokes at the market were stunning (apparently they come to Italy in late February). With no particular plan in mind I bought four. You should know that I have a bit of a rocky history with artichokes, particularly an unusually thorny one that left me the worse for wear early in my cooking career. Artichokes can be intimidating – those tough outer leaves, the necessary trimming, the quick discoloration. But once you learn to properly turn and prepare an artichoke, the result is always satisfying. Continue reading “Artichokes with Roman Flare” →

A Hearty Hash for Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner

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This recipe was born out of the desire to cook with what I had on hand. It required a bit of creativity, and I honestly didn’t expect all that much. A healthful supper, but not something memorable. But then the flavors came together. The natural affinity of black beans and sweet potatoes became apparent, and the aromatic seasoning brought the dish from plain Jane to something special. It turned out damn good. Continue reading “A Hearty Hash for Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner” →

Tasting Notes: A Wine Tour of the Judean Hills

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Although Israel isn’t exactly known as a world-renowned wine region (yet), wine has been cultivated in the area since pre-biblical times. And yes, it hasn’t been highly regarded in the past, but that is largely because the export market is very different than the fine boutique wines available here. This is all changing, slowly, and Israeli wine is finally earning some respect. Not that I’m a huge fan, but the famed American wine critic Robert Parker, for example, devoted an unprecedented nine pages in his most recent buyer’s guide (more pages than South Africa and on par with New Zealand) with 12 wines scoring 90 points or higher. Continue reading “Tasting Notes: A Wine Tour of the Judean Hills” →

Chicken Tagine, Minus the Tagine

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A tagine is both the name of a type of slow cooked North African dish and the pot it is supposed to be cooked in. Large and conical in shape, I have long wanted a tagine but have yet to justify such a single-purpose space hog. I’ve promised myself that when I finally get to Morocco I’ll get one. Fortunately, you can obtain the flavors of a tagine dish without the specialty cookware (not exactly, but close). In fact, I don’t even have a lid for the large pan I used, but tin foil proved to be a worthy substitute. Continue reading “Chicken Tagine, Minus the Tagine” →

Curry and Spice and Everything Nice

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I have been making a lot of soup lately. Way more than usual. It’s just so good, so easy, and it’s usually even better the next day. I often make soup on Sunday and Tuesday afternoons, before Hebrew class from 5-8pm. That way I have something warm and tasty to come home to. I’ve made chicken, mushroom, cauliflower, tortilla, you name it. This time I wanted something a little different. Continue reading “Curry and Spice and Everything Nice” →