Big news this week at gourmetkoshercooking! We have partnered with Kosher.com to make your grocery shopping so much easier. You don’t even have to leave home. And all those cuts of meat you wanted? Or those hard-to-find products? Here’s your one-stop (one-click!) shopping experience. To get you started we have a special introductory 15% off coupon for GKC readers. Just go to SHOP, click on the kosher.com coupon and off you go. Now you can make our yummy brick roast or indulge in some Zomick’s Chocolate Meltaway, wherever you live. (Just don’t blame us for the calories!)

I spoke last with Chef Shaya, the Kosher Chef who appeared on the national television show “Chopped”. He is engaging, upbeat, and discusses food with passion and artistry.

What was it like competing on the show “Chopped”?
Exciting and surreal. It was an incredible opportunity and a great chance to meet other chefs from different backgrounds.

How was it different competing as a kosher Chef?
That was amazing. The judges responded well and were looking for the connection of food and culture from all the contestants. I loved the idea of adding my ethnicity to the dishes.

What was the particular challenge when you were on the show? We had to make a first course item using all the mystery ingredients in the basket. Mine were duck, polenta, and persimmon. I immediately went to their pantry and grabbed other ingredients like cardamom, limes, and other herbs. I was too busy to be nervous and just wanted to create a great dish in 20 minutes. I seared the polenta and the duck with cardamom and then cooked the persimmon in duck fat. I added lime juice and salt and pepper to the finished first course. Numerous obstacles came up in the challenge, one was that the polenta was not a homemade version but a precooked log that is not all that flavorful. I tried to sear it to add texture and flavor. The second was that the duck was tough and not cooking through in the time I needed. Lastly, I cut myself, which added a little drama to the whole experience.

What is your favorite food to eat and to cook?
That is a hard question. It’s like asking me which finger do you like the most. Lately, I am most intrigued by traditional Japanese and Chinese foods. I love the philosophy, symbolism, and aesthetic connected to each food in their culture. I appreciate how their everyday meals are very balanced, retain the flavors of their natural ingredients and fit the philosophy of their way of life.

What do you always have in your freezer or pantry?
Duck fat, chicken feet, sweet breads, and liver. My pantry…every version and variation of spice like ground chipotle, turmeric, cumin, and coriander. I love to blend my own spices.

What are busy with now?
I am a personal chef and write my own food blog, www.atyourpalate.com. I teach classes at the JCC in NYC, Brooklyn and all over the tri-state area.

Chef Shaya shared some terrific recipes with GKC. Try them and let us know what you think.

Mediterranian Flank Steak Rub
The New American Burger
Champignon en Croûte

For more great recipes from Shaya visit http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/recipes/

Shaya Klechevsky grew up in a home rich in diverse cultures; his mother, an Egyptian native, and his father, a Polish native, brought an interesting mix of food and flavor to every meal. After attending Brooklyn College, where he achieved a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Health & Nutrition Sciences, Shaya found his way to the French Culinary Institute at the International Center for Culinary Arts in New York City’s vibrant SoHo.
There he learned the secrets of French cooking and fused his classic training with his background in Middle Eastern and Eastern European cuisine, resulting in flavorful combinations of ingredients. Shaya uses his passion for good food and a healthy lifestyle to bring healthy, kosher, gourmet cuisine to his clients. Find out how you can have Chef Shaya teach you how to cook (or just cook for you) at www.atyourpalate.com.

Woman’s Day exhorts us to “Drop those pounds”. O magazine promises “weight loss that sticks”. Family Circle suggests it’s the key to happiness in its “Lose weight. Feel great” and Woman’s World is advertising a breakthrough belly fat cure!

Everywhere we look someone or something is pressuring me to lose those extra pounds. Do they think I don’t have a mirror? Don’t they know I’m conscious of it every second of the day? Do they have to rub it in?!!

And don’t they know that most of us have tried every new weight loss plan (diet is a bad word these days, we can only say ‘weight loss’) under the sun. The problem with most diets (oops!) however, is that they’re not realistic. They’re not suited to eating out or entertaining. They’re frequently not geared to those of us who have to feed a large hungry horde at dinner every night of who are tempted to eat that whole loaf of challah every Friday!

But I believe there are a few secrets to successful dieting – or healthier living, which is my euphemism.

One, based on the wisdom of the famous physician and philosopher, Maimonides, is “everything in moderation”. If we feel too restricted, we’ll rebel. (And it won’t be pretty!)

Two, in accordance with this philosophy, an important tip, especially for Americans, is to reduce portion size. When I was expecting my first child, my husband said that “I ate like a truck driver!” That may have worked under those particular circumstances but it’s not a wise lifestyle choice. Take smaller portions – and avoid seconds.

Three; all smart dieters and chefs know that we’ll be satisfied with less if the flavor stands out, if each bite has real vibrancy and zing. If we focus on making creative, flavorful meals, we’ll be able to savor each bite – slowly – and not gobble our way to the finish.

Maybe we should get rid of that word “diet”. It smacks of a very limited regimen of very bland foods. If you open yourself up to new tastes and menus – try our latest offerings – the sky is the limit. You’ll be too busy cooking to eat…

My family and lots of friends spent the first snow day sledding and building snowmen outside. Everyone came in ready for hot chocolate and something warm, fast, and filling. I was always curious about Mulligatawny (an Indian vegetable soup) so I decided to try it. It was such a big hit that I am adding it to my soup repertoire.

Mulligatawny

2 tablespoons corn oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 medium onions, chopped
2 medium carrots, sliced
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 white turnip, peeled and sliced, optional
6 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
3 tablespoons curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped, or basil
½ cup coconut milk (optional)
1 pound chicken breast cut in chunks

Heat oil in a saucepan oven medium heat. Add garlic, cumin and turmeric and cook about 30 seconds. Add onions, carrots, celery and turnips (add chicken now if using), and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the stock and bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and let the soup cool a bit. If you prefer a smooth soup, puree with an immersion blender. Otherwise, season with salt and pepper and add the coconut milk (if using). Add the cilantro or basil and serve.

As kosher consumers today, we are very spoiled. Almost anything we desire is kosher or eventually becomes so. M & M’s were willing to forgo their famous “melts in your mouth not in your hands” slogan (the formula being derived through the use of bugs) in order to woo the kosher market. And we can now purchase – and eat – them in multiple varieties – plain, peanut, almond, peanut butter, seasonal mint (I liked the coconut, what happened to those?) and the new premium flavors. When Oreos went kosher, it seemed Mashiach couldn’t be far behind. Then came Godiva chocolates. And now, finally, that famous childhood treat, Tootsie Rolls, has entered the kosher world. I don’t know if this is good for us for not – physically or spiritually. But it sure is fun. And it, once again, highlights the purchasing power of the kosher consumer. Let’s think together of ways to use this power productively. Send in your thoughts.

The real miracle of Hanukkah is that we keep our kids entertained all week on a low budget with no fighting. Well that would be a miracle wouldn’t it? But really, I think that both children and adults enjoy the holiday and welcome the opportunity to have 8 nights of spiritual uplift – and family fun. It can be a creative challenge but when it works, it’s great. For our family, the side benefits include no homework, lots of doughnuts and latkes, and skating at Rockefeller Center with hot chocolate and marshmallows to follow. The celebration continues in the kitchen and out with:

Oreo Stuffed Doughnuts (from my friend and personal chef Naomi Nachman)
Playing Dreidel – The official game

Download and enjoy Sam Glaser’s new Chanuka CD. It’s a fun parody album with songs for the whole family to enjoy. We love the song Eight Crazy Nights (to the tune of Twist and Shout).

Finally, as in all holidays, we focus on the unity of the Jewish people and try to get involved in some activity that involves giving to others. Our family delivers special Chanukah food packages for Tomchei Shabbos. Let us know what yours does.

Dreidels have four [Hebrew] letters on them, and they stand for the saying, “Nes Gadol Haya Sham,”meaning “a great miracle occurred there.” In Israel, instead of the fourth letter “shin,” there is a “peh,” which means the saying is “Nes Gadol Haya Po”–“a great miracle occurred here.”

Playing with the dreidel is a traditional Hanukkah game played in Jewish homes all over the world, and rules may vary. Here’s how to play the basic dreidel game:
1. Any number of people can take part in this great game.

2. Each player begins the game with an equal number of game pieces (about 10-15) such as pennies, nuts, chocolate chips, raisins, chocolate gelt etc.

3. At the beginning of each round, every participant puts one game piece into the center “pot.” In addition, every time the pot is empty or has only one game piece left, every player should put one in the pot.

4. Every time it’s your turn, spin the dreidel once. Depending on the outcome, you give or get game pieces from the pot:
a) Nun means “nisht”or “nothing” [in Yiddish]. The player does nothing.
b) Gimmel means “gantz”or “everything” [in Yiddish]. The player gets everything in the pot.
c) Hey means “halb”or “half” [in Yiddish]. The player gets half of the pot. (If there is an odd number of pieces in the pot, the player takes half of the total plus one).
d) Shin (outside of Israel) means “shtel” or “put in” [in Yiddish]. Peh (in Israel)means “pay.” The player adds a game piece to the pot.

5. If you find that you have no game pieces left, you are either “out” or may ask a fellow player for a “loan.”

6. When one person has won everything, that round of the game is over!

Here at Gourmet Kosher Cooking we are very excited about our newest addition to the site – our shop where you can easily purchase some of the products we recommend either in our great products section or for use in our recipes. Just click on shop, grab your husband’s, I mean your, credit card and shop away. As a special bonus, anyone who makes a purchase during the month of November will get a gift certificate for $25 off any future purchases of $50 or more. You will discover great opportunities to stock up your kitchen with “have to have” gadgets and appliances. In addition, creative Judaica and tabletop items will be yours with one (or maybe two) clicks. Not to mention the gift-buying. Just click on “shop” and have fun!

Boost your immunity with these tips and recipes
By Megan O. Steintrager, Epicurious.com

Have you noticed that people who normally shun shots are scrambling to get flu vaccines this year? And that’s just the “regular” flu shot—vaccinations against H1N1, or “swine flu,” aren’t even widely available yet. I contacted John La Puma, M.D., the author of Chef MD’s Big Book of Culinary Medicine, for advice about what to eat to boost immunity and fight the flu.
Quercetin Powerhouse Produce: Apples, Onions, Broccoli, and Tomatoes

Quercetin is one of many thousands of flavonoids—substances that are responsible for plants’ colors, as well as many of their health benefits. La Puma says that in research performed on mice, stressful exercise increased flu susceptibility but quercetin canceled out the negative effects. The same illness-fighting results were found in a study on cyclists, La Puma says, citing a study from Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C. Quercetin is also believed to aid in disease prevention thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties. So load up on quercetin-packed produce, including apples, onions, broccoli, and tomatoes. Tip: When buying tomatoes, consider choosing organic, which La Puma says have higher levels of quercetin than conventionally grown ones (the same is true for lycopene in tomatoes).
recipe to try Frisée and Apple Salad with Dried Cherries and Walnuts
.

Chicken Soup
Chicken soup really does have healing properties, according to La Puma. A steaming bowl of soup (unappetizing language alert) “reduces mucus and facilitates coughing it up.” And it seems that chicken soup is more effective at the job than hot water, according to research cited by La Puma. To get the anti-inflammatory and other health benefits of produce too, the doctor suggests making chicken soup with vegetables rather than using store-bought condensed soup or cooking with chicken alone. 
recipe to try:
 Chicken and White Bean Soup with Herb Swirl.

Green Tea
Add fighting the flu to the long list of green tea’s health benefits, which also include fighting cancer and heart disease and possible links to “lowering cholesterol, burning fat, preventing diabetes and stroke, and staving off dementia,” according to WebMD. Green tea is high in “anti-viral activity against influenza,” says La Puma, citing studies involving green tea from the Dr. Rath Research Institute in Santa Clara, CA, and the Department of Biotechnology, College of Engineering, Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. While all kinds of tea are made from the same leaves, white and green teas contain higher levels of catechins—the flavonoids thought to be responsible for tea’s antiviral properties—than oolong and black teas. Although the studies La Puma cites involved green tea, it’s likely that white tea has similar flu-fighting powers. Black and oolong tea do have some catechins and are higher than green tea in other polyphenols, so while they might be the second choice for the flu, they are still good for overall health.


Vitamin D–Rich Foods: Salmon, Light Tuna, Sardines, Milk, and Cereal
Vitamin D has been a hot topic in the news recently, with stories about the sunshine vitamin’s many health benefits dovetailing with reports that suggest that many of us don’t get enough of it. La Puma says experiments in the 1940s showed that mice that received diets low in vitamin D were more susceptible to experimental swine flu infection than those that received adequate vitamin D. While the same has not yet been proven in humans, La Puma and many other experts believe that getting sufficient vitamin D can offer protection against swine flu—the vitamin is believed to cause the production of antimicrobial substances in the body. “In winter, too little vitamin D is made in your skin, because the angle of the sun is too low,” says La Puma. “And winter is when you get flu.” The good news is that food can pick up the slack. Milk (which is fortified with vitamin D in the U.S.), malted drink mixes, and fortified cereals such as Total Raisin Bran and Whole Grain Total all provide vitamin D, but La Puma says roasted sockeye salmon is the single best source, gram for gram. Roasting the fish allows it to maintain the most vitamin D. “Cooking fatty fish with oil allows the vitamin D to leak out,” says La Puma. “Cooking fatty fish in water does retain a little vitamin D, at least in theory, so poaching and steaming work better than frying, deep-frying, and sautéing.”

Other good fish sources of vitamin D are pink salmon, as well as light tuna and sardines packed in oil. “Packing (but not cooking) fish in oil allows retention of omega-3s and vitamin D,” says La Puma. But, he warns, “pouring off the oil from canned fish pours off the vitamin D too.”. If you are not a fan of the flavor or extra calories in oil-packed fish, don’t worry: Water-packed varieties do have some vitamin D, just not quite as much as oil-packed. Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna was the top pick for oil-packed varieties in Epicurious’s Canned Tuna Taste Test. 
recipes to try:
Baked Sockeye Salmon with Bell Peppers and Capers, 
Penne with Tuna, Basil, and Lemon.

Yogurt and Kefir with Live Active Cultures
A recent study suggests that probiotics—the friendly bacteria found in yogurt and some other foods, as well as in pill form—may reduce cold and flu symptoms. La Puma cites the same study and says that probiotics have been shown to reduce the incidence and duration of fever, cough, and runny nose by 73, 62, and 59 percent in kids ages 3 to 5, respectively. While the study was done with supplements, La Puma says we “foodistas” may prefer to get our probiotics from what we eat. When buying yogurt and kefir, be sure to look for the “Live and Active Cultures” label and choose one with as many different strains of cultures as possible. 
recipes to try:
 Moroccan-Style Vegetable Stew with Harissa Yogurt Sauce.

Chiles Such as Serranos, Jalapeños, and Poblanos
Spicy peppers don’t just help clear your sinuses, they’re also a great source of vitamin C, which “has been tested in influenza A and been shown to reduce the incidence of pneumonia that comes with flu,” says La Puma. The vitamin has antiviral properties and stimulates antibody production, explains La Puma. Not a chili-head? Sweet red bell peppers are also packed with vitamin C, as are guava, kiwi, oranges, green bell peppers, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, and papaya, according to the USDA.


Recipes to try:
Frisée and Apple Salad with Dried Cherries and Walnuts
Chicken and White Bean Soup with Herb Swirl
Baked Sockeye Salmon with Bell Peppers and Capers
Penne with Tuna, Basil, and Lemon
Moroccan-Style Vegetable Stew with Harissa Yogurt Sauce

All recipes courtesy of Epicurious.com

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup (generous) dried tart cherries (one 3-ounce package)
1 large head of frisée, torn into bite-size pieces (about 6 cups)
1 medium Gala apple, cored, thinly sliced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts

Preparation
Whisk first 4 ingredients in small bowl to blend. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in dried cherries. Toss frisée and apple slices in large bowl. Add cherry dressing and toss to coat. Divide among 4 plates; sprinkle with walnuts and freshly ground black pepper and serve.

Did you know that there are 11,500,000 kosher consumers in the United States? That is one of the fascinating facts that I learned last week at Kosherfest, held at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ on October 27th and 28th. The dollar value of kosher produced goods in the US is $295,000,000,000 (Is that possible? Did they add some extra zeros?!!) And that’s only one piece of it. The dollar value of kosher ingredients is even higher. And it’s an industry with a 15% average annual growth. Ladies, we have a lot of power that we aren’t exercising. Ask your local market to carry your favorite kosher product. Ask a company that produces an interesting product to consider making it kosher. (They get better shelf space if they do!) And I’m sure there are more possibilities. There’s a lot of money at stake and we’re the ones spending it so let’s make our voices heard!

The world’s largest trade show for the kosher food industry showcased their newest and best kosher products at the Meadowlands Expo center in New Jersey this week. Of course, Gourmet Kosher Cooking was there to see and taste it all. Many booths and products were what we expect at a kosher food show – meat, kugel, cheese, pizza bagels – but a few companies stepped out with new and innovative creations that you should look for in the coming weeks at your local stores.

Here are a few things that caught our eye…

Luck Chen Asian Noodles. Just heat and serve in 3 minutes and you
have a delicious noodle dish that is low in sodium and contains no MSG.

Smart Cookie. Tasty and moist cookies made with vegetable purees.
Their sister company Petite Select also impressed us with the first
glatt kosher, organic baby cuisine.

The Organic Batter Blaster. Think pancake batter from a whipped cream
container. Kitschy yes, but so simple, easy, and mess free.

Mimicreme. A new pareve cream alternative that is made from cashews
and almonds. Healthier than other non-dairy creamers and soy free.

Watch our great products section and featured giveaways for more from Kosherfest 2009.

We are very excited here at Gourmetkoshercooking.com and we hope you will be too. We are in the process of creating a cookbook and we want to feature your recipes. It will highlight the “Best Recipe” in all different categories – best chicken soup, best brownies, best potato kugel, best apple cake…to name a few. We will have a contest in each category and you, the reader, will select the winner. Special prizes will be awarded. We want your suggestions – what categories should we use? Write and let us know.

I love yogurt. Of all the foods I write about, cook with, eat and serve, my morning yogurt is the only food I eat every day – yummy yogurt. Okay, I mix it up with all sorts of good stuff, granola, trail mix, fresh fruit… But here’s the thing, I don’t eat just any yogurt, I love my Chobani Yogurt. That’s why I pursued them and said they had to advertise with us because I am passionate about their product.

Chobani Yogurt is the richest, creamiest, perfectly sweetened but not too sweet, non-fat yogurt. It’s a Greek yogurt so it’s thicker and smoother than regular yogurt and very filling. Amazingly, it boasts 18 grams of protein, no cholesterol, fat, or artificial additives, contains probiotics, is safe for people with corn, nut and soy allergies, and the company gives 10% of their profits to charities worldwide through their program called “Spread Some Good”. Now that’s a company I like to support.

You’ve got to try the new pomegranate flavor (it has seeds in it but you can eat them); my husband hordes the blueberry but for my kids it’s all about the peach, strawberry or vanilla. Let me know what kind you try and like. Mix it with a little granola and fruit and it’s perfect for breakfast or lunch.

I love the yogurt so much that I also recommend cooking with it. The snack cakes (recipe below) disappear the minute I make them and the wonderful yogurt cake is great with any flavor yogurt. Go to www.chobani.com to get some coupons and let me know if you try any of their recipes. They look delicious.

Salmon with Yogurt-Curry Sauce

Avocado with Spiced Tahini Yogurt Dressing

Roasted Beets with Creamy Yogurt Dill Sauce

Lemon Blueberry Yogurt Loaf

Chocolate Yogurt Snack Cakes

Wonderful Yogurt Cake

ADAPTED FROM “TASTE OF ISRAEL,” BY AVI GANOR AND RON MAIBERG, RIZZOLI, 1990

INGREDIENTS
1 cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup tahini
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
3 ripe avocados
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 cans albacore tuna in water, drained (optional)

PREPARATION
1. To make the dressing, whisk together the yogurt and tahini until smooth. Stir in the cumin, coriander, garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper and cayenne. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

2. Before serving, peel the avocados, halve lengthwise and remove the pit. Thinly slice them lengthwise and fan half an avocado onto each of 6 plates. Chop up the tuna and sprinkle over the avocado. Spoon the dressing over and sprinkle with almonds.

YIELD
Six servings

Succos just ended and if you’re anything like me you’re…not to put too fine a point on it…completely and utterly exhausted. The last thing you want to do is cook another meal. But, amazingly enough, the kids are still hungry. They still want a hearty dinner – and breakfast and lunch also for that matter. (Sometimes I wish we were like bears – all that eating over the week of Succos would last us, if not for the whole winter, at least for a week or two!)

And then there’s that Sheva Brachos you’re making for friend’s daughter…and that school bake sale…
There’s never really a break from the kitchen and the truth is that most of the time we wouldn’t have it any other way!

So chin up, paste on your smile and forward march to the kitchen. We have some great new recipes this week. And if you just can’t get yourself there, there’s always pizza…