In a nod to the latest darling to take the kosher world by storm, quinoa appears in a whopping nine recipes including chicken quinoa stir fry, tropical quinoa salad and my favorite, maple quinoa, featuring baby spinach, Granny Smith apples, chickpeas, toasted pecans and dried cranberries. Salad lovers will have plenty to cheer about here with 20 salads starring exciting and nutritious ingredients including bok choy, kale, persimmon and wheat berries.
Those of us trying to incorporate more fish into our diets have lots of intriguing choices as well. Fish tacos with guacamole and spicy mayo might just have enough of a fun factor to entice kids and the too-cute-for-words mini salmon sliders will bring out the kid in all of us. I was struck by the creativity of several of the meat entrees including pomegranate brisket; tangy ground beef, seasoned with cumin, cinnamon and cardamom, and served atop a bed of hummus a la your favorite Middle Eastern restaurant; and yams with salami, both cut in cubes and roasted in a hot oven into crunchy brown deliciousness.
Who says that barbeque has to mean hot dogs and hamburgers? Grilled chicken pizza, baked on store-bought focaccia is drool-worthy and grilled pineapple beats store-bought ices for dessert any day. Looking for end-of-meal options that venture more into the decadent department? Pink lemonade cookies, with lemon juice and strawberries, are beautiful and oh so summery, while chocolate chip cookie trifle takes the popular party dessert one step further, swapping out boring cake cubes for everyone’s favorite cookie, laced of course with both coffee and schnapps.
While the original Gatherings has a short Pesach section long on fabulous ideas including an eggplant-based meat lasagna and a fabulous looking frozen lemon meringue cake, Gathered Around the Table supports my theory that the best Pesach recipes aren’t Pesach recipes at all, but year-round favorites that either have no chometz or can be easily tweaked for holiday cooking. 46 recipes in Gathered Around the Table can be used as is for Pesach and an additional four require just minor adjustments to make them Pesach-friendly. And in an effort to make menu planning, a sometimes tedious task, a whole lot easier, Gathered Around the Table includes eight sample menus that are sure to wow anyone lucky enough to score an invite to dinner at your house.
Both Gatherings and Gathered Around the Table are published by Feldheim and are available online and at your favorite Judaica store.
* * * * *
Asian Bok Choy Chicken Salad
Yield: Serves 6-8
Ingredients For Salad
2-3 cups grilled chicken, cubed
6 cups sliced bok choy
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1½ cups thin dry chow mein noodles
Ingredients For Dressing
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
Directions
In a large bowl, combine grilled chicken, bok choy, celery and red pepper.
Whisk together dressing ingredients and pour over salad.
Sprinkle chow mein noodles over top. Serve cold.
* * * * *
Baked General Tsao Chicken
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
½ cup cornstarch
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
6 boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips
2-4 tbsp canola or olive oil for frying
4½ tbsp plum sauce
5 tbsp rice vinegar
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
½ cup brown sugar
¾ cup water
3 tbsp minced ginger
5 garlic cloves, minced
3 green onions, sliced
1-2 tbsp sesame seeds
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a bowl, combine cornstarch, salt and pepper. Add chicken and coat with mixture.
Heat oil in skillet on medium-high temperature. Sauté chicken in oil until browned and crisp but not cooked through, approximately 1-2 minutes. Remove from pan and place in a glass or Pyrex baking dish.
Mix plum sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, water, ginger, and garlic in a bowl. Pour over chicken.
Bake 30 minutes or until cooked through. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds and serve over rice or noodles.
* * * * *
Low-Fat Creamy Spinach Fettuccine
Yield: Serves 6-8
Ingredients
1 lb box fettuccine noodles
3 tbsp margarine or butter
1⁄3 cup flour
2½ cups of milk
2 cups fresh chopped baby spinach or 1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1½ cups grated mozzarella cheese
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp mustard powder
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
In a medium saucepan, melt butter or margarine over low heat. Add flour. Slowly add milk, stirring constantly until mixture has thickened. Add spinach, cheese, garlic powder, mustard powder, salt and pepper. Stir until cheese has melted.
Pour sauce over pasta, tossing to coat.
Note: Serve with garlic toast or bread.
