It wouldn’t be Purim without hamantashen, the three-corner pastries shaped like the evil Haman’s hat. They are an expression of our wish to completely “consume” our enemies – and fun for the kids to boot. We are always searching for the best hamantashen recipes (Let us know which one you prefer or sent in yet another!) We have listed a variety here – some of our favorites and some contest entries – for you to try. Rolling out the dough is a bit of an effort so it’s wise to try to make them in advance – but be sure to save some for Purim!!
These cookies are traditionally filled with prune, poppy or fruit fillings (see recipes below) but can be filled with any preserve or filling of your liking. Be creative; try peanut butter and marshmallow fluff for your kids, or homemade applesauce with cinnamon for the apple pie lover)

3 cups flour
½ cup finely ground almonds
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
½ pound unsalted margarine or butter
1 egg
2 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Hamantashen Fillings: (recipes follow)
1 egg white, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour, almonds, baking powder, salt, sugar, and lemon zest. Blend or cut in the butter until the mixture resembles very fine crumbs.

In a small bow, beat the egg, water and lemon juice until well blended. Add to the flour mixture and beat until completely blended and the mixture begin to form a dough. Do not over mix.

Transfer to a floured board and knead the dough into a ball. Divide the ball into 6 equal portions for easier handling. Flatten each portion with the palms of your hands and roll it out to ¼ inch thick. With a scalloped cookie cutter or the top of a water glass, cut into 3 ½ inch rounds. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of filling in the center of each round. Fold the edges of the dough toward the center to form a triangle, leaving a bit of the filling visible in the center. Pinch the edges to seal them.

Place the hamantashen on a lightly greased foil-lined baking sheet and brush with egg white. Bake fro 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool and eat.

Hamantashen Fillings
Apricot-Coconut
2 cups apricot preserves
½ cup shredded coconut
½ cup chopped nuts like walnuts, toasted
Grated zest of 1 lemon

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Prune Filling
1 ¼ cups pitted prunes
½ cup raisins
Sweet wine or water
½ cup sugar
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 orange
½ cup walnuts, toasted

In a large bowl, soak the prunes and raisins in enough wine to cover for 3 hours or overnight. Drain well. Chop or mince the prunes and raisins. Add the sugar, lemon juice and zests, and walnuts and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Poppy Seed Filling
4 ounces poppy seed
½ cup pareve milk
1 tablespoon unsalted margarine or butter
¼ cup seedless raisins
¼ cup walnuts, toasted
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, combine the poppy seeds, pareve milk, margarine, raisins, walnuts, and honey. Bring to a boil and stir over medium heat until the pareve milk is absorbed and the mixture thickens. Cool. Stir in the vanilla.

Chocolate Filling
½ cup cocoa
½ cup sugar
¼ cup pareve milk, pareve cream or coffee
1 cup nuts, toasted

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and blend thoroughly.

The next recipe was submitted by Sarah Faygie Berkowitz. I think I’m going to try it this year.

Easy Hamentashen w/ Gourmet Fillings
Ingredients:
1 Duncan Hines Cake Mix (lemon, chocolate, butter golden, yellow strawberry,etc…)
1 cup white whole wheat flour (or regular)
2 eggs
2 tablespoons water
(Note the absence of oil, margarine or butter!)

Gourmet Filling Options:
Apple Pie: chopped apples and walnuts, cinnamon and sugar

Cappucino: Nestle’s Iced Jave syrup and a few chocolate chunks or chips Strawberry Daiquiri: Strawberry Preserves (or cut up fresh strawberries) and a shot of Strawberry Daiquiri Syrup Peanut butter and Jelly: A 1/2 spoonful of each side by side Lemon Zest: a small spoonful of lemon pie filling and grated lemon zest Cranberry Pecan: A scoop of whole cranberry sauce (chopped fresh or frozen cranberries optional) and chopped pecans

Cooking Instructions:

Mix all ingredients well with an electric mixer. Roll out dough to desired thickness. Cut out circles using a yartzheit glass or other round shape.

Place spoonfuls of filling, pinch corners together, place on parchment paper or greased cookie sheet and bake 12 – 15 minutes, depending on desired firmness and oven accuracy.

Other Tips/Notes:

TIPS:

This dough really needs to be mixed in a kitchen aid. I tried by hand and only got crumbs and thought it was yet another defective recipe. The mixer made a perfect dough of my crumbs in about 4 seconds. The trick is to try to roll it out evenly on a floured surface (thick or thin – however you like it). One of the beauties of this dough is that you don’t have to pinch it to death to keep the filling contained. It doesn’t open up and ooze out like some other recipes I’ve tried.

Note:

I’ve waited my whole life for this recipe. I’ve made dozens over the years and none of them were what I wanted. I got the fillings down pat (anything but prune) but the great dough eluded me. Back in Atlanta, I suddenly remembered tasting a hamentash a neighbor had made years ago. I called her, and here it is in all its simple glory (if you’ve seen it before and everyone and her sister knows this one, don’t burst my bubble. Just be happy for me.)
This one is from Shoshana Ohriner
Recipe : Cranberry White Chocolate Hamentashen

Ingredients:
1/2 cup margarine, cut into 8 pieces
1/2 cup shortening, cut into 8 pieces
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 beaten eggs
2-4 tablespoons orange juice
1 egg + 1 tablespoon water, lightly beaten

Cranberry White Chocolate Filling
1 12 oz bag cranberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup orange juice
6 tablespoons sugar
4 oz white chocolate chips

Cooking Instructions:

Pulse the dry ingredients in the food processor until well combined. Add the margarine and shortening and pulse until mixture resembles a coarse meal.

Add beaten eggs and pulse until combined.

Remove the from the food processor and pour into a large bowl. Sprinkle with two tablespoons of orange juice and mix until it comes together into a ball.

If the dough seems dry add the remaining orange juice.

Divide the dough into two disks, wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
While the dough is chilling make the filling. Place the cranberries, orange juice and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until all the cranberries have popped.

Remove from heat and add chocolate chips. Stir until they are melted. Let filling cool to room temperature.
Roll out dough and using a round cutter, cut into circles. Fill each circle with a small amount of filling. (For 2 inch circles use about a teaspoon of filling). Brush each circle with the egg wash and fold two sides together, pinching tight to make a corner. Fold up the remaining side to make a triangle with the filling showing in the middle and pinch the other two corners well. It is important that they are well pinched, so that they do not come open in the oven.
Bake at 350 until they are slightly firm to the touch, about 11 minutes.

And here is Rochel Lieberman’s submission:

Recipe : American Embassy Hamentashen
Ingredients:
Dough:
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups flour, sifted
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons Orange Juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:
(either prepared or home-made)

Cooking Instructions:

Sift together sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Work the shortening in by hand (you can also do this in a food processor). Add the egg and orange juice, mixing until a dough is formed. Chill overnight, if possible, or at least 2 hours. Prepare Filling.

Roll out dough ~ 1/8th inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 3″ circles, and place 1 heaping teaspoonful of the filling on each. Pinch 3 edges together, leaving a small opening in the center. Place on a greased and floured cookie sheet, cover with a towel and let rest for 1/2 hour. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake for 20 minutes, until delicately browned on top. Transfer to cooling rack until completely cool. Can be frozen, but don’t expect to find too many left for Purim!
Other Tips/Notes:

When we lived in Mexico in the 1980’s we became close friends with a giyores tzedek who was on diplomatic post in the American Embassy, She often brought us “treats” from the commissary, including her own baked goods that used “American” (i.e. unavailable to us) ingredients. This is her recipe, which we have enjoyed making for years afterwards, now that we are back in the US and have access to kosher ingredients. Enjoy!

You asked and we responded (Isn’t that what all the magazines say?!). We are very excited to introduce GKC’s health and nutrition section. Dr. Simone Stromer will be writing about the health benefits of different food trends – this week we focus on red wine (I hope it will be chocolate next week!) – and soon all the heart-healthy or weight-watching recipes will be marked with an appropriate icon. If you have great healthy recipes to share, please send them in. And if you have other ideas on how we could improve our site, we welcome those also. So enjoy our new section but don’t worry – we will continue to have some great Shabbos (and weekday) indulgences!

Living in NY and running Gourmet Kosher Cooking (with my Bff Emuna) has many perks besides thinking about food and being in touch with all our terrific readers. Last Monday night at Chelsea Pier was a big one.

As readers of GKC know, the “Kosher Restaurant and Wine Experience” produced by GKC’s friends at Royal Wines, arrived in NY on Monday and by Tuesday Gotham needed to go on a diet! Seriously. Tevere’s baby artichokes greeted you at the door and by the time we made it to our first glass of wine, yours truly had eaten foods from three different continents and that was at just the first table. A very special thank you to Gary Landsman, our wine contributor at Royal Wines for inviting GKC to what was by all accounts a wonderful night for those of us who love delicious food and great wine.

Royal wines showcased all of the wines that they produce (what don’t they produce??) plus other labels that they distribute. It was amazing. We tasted wines from around the world, and with loving advice from GKC’s best friend at the Wine Spectator, Miriam Laufer, we were directed to the newest and best wines to try. From Spain we fell in love with the Capcanes Peraj Ha’abib, (I know, try and say that ten times fast) and from Napa the Covenant label has emerged with three new wines. Our favorites were the Chardonnay and the Red C Cabernet (this is what kosher wine is meant to be). Other wine favorites to keep in mind were the new Reserve from Alexander, the Herzog Clone #6 Edition and the Carmel Mediterranean, savory, rich and not too overwhelming. Most of these wines were bottled in limited quantities so they may be hard to find over time. GKC was also happy to see their friends from Flegman’s wines carrying on the tradition of their father who started making wines a century ago in Hungary. (You can buy any of these wines at a discount here, through www.onlinekosherwine.com (use coupon code DFXJQW).

In addition, to fantastic wine there were a few restaurants that stole the show. I am so excited to introduce Chef Moses Wendel who is opening a new restaurant in Crown Heights in three weeks called Basil. His food was beautiful to look at and tasted divine. He served a Tuna Tartare with Saffron, Smoked Paprika, and Green Olive Puree and Chocolate Truffles with Cocoa Nib and Rum, Skewered with Coconut Anglaise Pipette. Fumio, a restaurant in Livingston, NJ served some delicious short ribs. The meat just fell off the bone and was layered in subtle flavors of tomato, garlic and soy. People waited on lines for the warm Pastrami by Pomegranate Market. Their homemade hummus is worth traveling to Brooklyn for. A special treat turned out to be a new surprise called My Brother Bobby’s Salsa from the Hudson Valley. If you want it fresher than Bobby’s you’re going to have to pick the ingredients yourself. The cantaloupe salsa was delish! It was great to see one of the legends of the kosher dining world Chef Jeff Nathan, serving some of my favorites from Abigael’s. And finishing the gastronomic extravaganza with a flavored coffee and light biscotti by NoiDue made for a perfect evening. Don’t miss the event next year. GKC will be sure to give you plenty of warning… You’re going to want to be there!!

It’s that time of year when we get the blahs. It’s the middle of winter, Chanukah is long gone and Purim isn’t quite in sight. We all need a little pick-me-up. And I can think of nothing better than jewelry to do the trick!! Ester Shahaf has earrings for all ages – some are good Bas Mitzvah gifts, some suit your older teens and some you may like yourself. She also has some beautiful and fun necklaces. Check out our SHOP necklaces; you can help Israeli artists and yourself at the same time. Her bright colors will certainly help chase the blues away!

More Great Deals from GKC. Just for GKC readers, 10% off wine at Onlinekosherwine.com

Perfect for Purim, Passover or for any dinner at home, Onlinekosherwine.com has an extensive selection of the finest kosher wines available. They offer extremely good value for quality wines of every type, from many regions of the world. Take advantage of their expertise (we include wine pairings with our recipes now) to enjoy fine wine at excellent prices today by using the exclusive GKC coupon for 10% off wine purchases of $100 or more. Just click SHOP and use the coupon code DFXJQW at checkout and you are ready for a wonderful evening.

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.