EST. 2011 BY LIZ RUEVEN
What’s New with Kim Kushner

What’s New with Kim Kushner

When a cookbook author launches her intro with a line like “I don’t always love to cook,” her honesty feels like the confession of a delightfully candid friend. Or something we each feel, but probably don’t say, as we face another ___________ (fill in the blank: Monday, weekend, holiday, Shabbat, work week, school week, family dinner….)

It’s this tone of openness that first attracted me to Kim Kushner’s The New Kosher, Simple Recipes to Savor and Share (2015).

Watch for our cookbook give-away later this week! 

She describes a hectic life with three young kids in NYC where everyone is on the move and her kitchen is not the tidy fantasy stage set of methodical slow cooking.  Instead, meals provide moments (some rushed, some leisurely) where family and friends gather to enjoy deeply flavored, uncomplicated dishes.

 

Photo: Kate Sears; Roasted Eggplant and Red Onion with Yogurt Dipping Sauce
Photo: Kate Sears; Roasted Eggplant and Red Onion with Yogurt Dipping Sauce

 

But don’t be deceived.

 Uncomplicated and simple may include only 5-6 ingredients but Kushner serves up bold flavors, approachable preparations, and easy ideas for presentation. Her flavors reflect her Mom’s kitchen, where Moroccan and Israeli inspired dips and mezze crowd the table alongside main dishes.

Recipes will tempt kosher keepers and others looking for easy meal ideas ranging from basics and starters all the way through sweets. In general, recipes are not technique driven, making them particularly appealing to today’s busy home cooks.

 

Here are some of the dishes we’re most excited to prepare:

 

Photo: Kate Sears; Pomelo Salad with Red Onion, Mint and Cilantro
Photo: Kate Sears; Pomelo Salad with Red Onion, Mint and Cilantro

Pomelo Salad with Red Onion, Mint and Cilantro is a colorful winter salad that takes about ten minutes to assemble and provides a bright start (or finish) to any main course.

 

Photo: Kate Sears; Red Roast Chicken with Lemon, Whole Garlic and Vegetables
Photo: Kate Sears; Red Roast Chicken with Lemon, Whole Garlic and Vegetables

Red Roast Chicken with Lemon, Whole Garlic and Vegetables is a classic one dish meal, perfect for a winter evening.  A healthy selection of carrots, zucchini, fennel and onions benefit from being roasted surrounded by the flavorful juices of this upright chicken.

 

Photo: Kate Sears; Crispy Rice Cake with Saffron Crust
Photo: Kate Sears; Crispy Rice Cake with Saffron Crust

Crispy Rice Cake with Saffron Crust has just four ingredients but will wow your guests. Kushner provides the easiest technique for achieving the perfectly crisped tadig that everyone will fight for.

 

Thankfully, desserts that benefit from butter and other dairy remain unadulterated by margarine.

 

Photo: Kate Sears; Cinnamon-Chocolate Pound Cake with Greek Yogurt
Photo: Kate Sears; Cinnamon-Chocolate Pound Cake with Greek Yogurt

 

Dairy free hamantaschen with three luscious fillings (Rocky Road, Cookies and Cream, Ferrero Rocher) and Biscotti (Chocolate Chunk with Lavender or Olive Oil with Hazelnuts and Rose Water) stand out among the pareve desserts.

Photo: Kate Sears; Kim Kushner
Photo: Kate Sears; Kim Kushner

We’re giving away one copy of The New Kosher later this week! Be sure to check back and enter to win!

Kim was kind enough to share this delectable dish with us. Thank you, Kim!

 

poisson à la marocaine

Recipe and photo (at top of blogpost) courtesy of Kim Kushner, THE NEW KOSHER, Simple Recipes to Savor and Share, A Weldon Owen Production, 2015.

serves 6

Recipe is pareve

 “To me, nothing defines Moroccan cooking more than the classical preparation of fish. The vibrant red, yellow, and green colors, the spicy aroma, and the delicate textures all come together in this perfect dish. Traditionally, the fish is assembled and marinated in the fridge overnight, but if you are short on time, you can easily go ahead and cook it straightaway.”

 

For the Paprika Oil

1⁄2 cup (13⁄4 oz/55 g) sweet paprika 2 cups (16 fl oz/500 ml) canola oil

 

For the Saffron Water

1 tablespoon saffron threads
1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) boiling water

4 cloves garlic, quartered

1  bunch fresh cilantro, stems reserved and left whole, leaves chopped

2  red bell peppers, seeded and finely diced

3  dried red chiles, such as guajillo, ancho, or pasilla

6 grouper or tilapia fillets, about 6 oz (185 g) each

1–2 preserved lemons, cut into small pieces Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper Fresh cilantro for garnish

 

To make the paprika oil, in a glass jar, combine the paprika and oil and shake until well blended. Set aside. This will serve as the base for your Moroccan cooking. Store in a dark pantry and always shake before using.

 To make the saffron water, preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Place the saffron on a small piece of aluminum foil and fold over to secure the saffron inside. Toast in the oven for no more than 1 minute. Use your fingers to crumble the saffron into tiny pieces. Place in a small glass jar, pour in the boiling water, and shake until well blended. This mixture will also come in handy for Moroccan cooking.

If you have time to marinate the fish: Pour 1 ⁄4 cup (2 fl oz/ 60 ml) of the paprika oil into a large sauté pan. Add the garlic, cilantro stems, bell peppers, and chiles. Place the grouper on top and add the preserved lemons. Pour 3 tablespoons of the saffron water evenly over the fish. Use your hands to rub the liquids into the fish.

Season with salt and pepper. If you have time, cover the pan and let the fish marinate in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

Remove the pan from the fridge, place over medium- high heat, and cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, sprinkle the cilantro leaves over the fish, and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes longer. The dish should look bright and bubbly. Serve right away.

If you have don’t have time to marinate the fish: Pour 1 ⁄4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) of the paprika oil into a large sauté pan. Add the garlic, cilantro stems, bell peppers, and chiles, place over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peppers and chiles are softened, about 4 minutes.

Place the fish on top and add the preserved lemons. Pour 3 tablespoons of the saffron water evenly over the fish. Season with salt and pepper. Tilt the pan so that the liquids are evenly coating all of the fillets. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, sprinkle the cilantro leaves over the fish, and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes longer. The dish should look bright and bubbly.

Serve right away.

All photos courtesy of Kim Kushner, THE NEW KOSHER, A Weldon Owen Production, 2015.

 

 

2 Comments

  2. I just reviewed Kim’s Moroccan recipe for grouper and/or tilapia filets and am very excited to try this. I love the tips regarding Moroccan cooking re: paprika oil and saffron water. I have saffron threads and all the ingredients except the grouper…am not a huge fan of tilapia…& I wonder whether I can get grouper from my fish monger in the Northeast (NJ)… the recipe is intriguing and sounds delicious. I’m a fan of all the prior recipes as well. If I win the cookbook, I will probably buy Kim’s book to give out as gifts.

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SIDE DISH
Photo by Jerri Graham Photography

Hi. I’m Liz and I welcome you to Kosher Like Me.

When I’m not caressing fruits and veggies at my local farmers’ market you’ll likely find me chatting with like-minded eaters, probing the scene in NYC or seeking inspiration in my spice cabinet. Life outside of this blog is all about my family, tasty travel adventures and power walks deep in the CT woods or along the shore.

Please brew a fragrant cup of tea, grab a nosh and stay a while.