Splash of Sherri

A New York Girl in a Midwest Kitchen

Tag: jewish food

egg in a bagel is how I celebrated national bagel day

Posted on by Sherri

Egg in a bagel is how I celebrated national bagel day (FYI it was last Wednesday). How did you celebrate? Did you even know there was such a thing? I didn’t. Shouldn’t everyday be National Bagel Day? In any case, this is a holiday I can really get behind. It’s so inclusive – everyone loves bagels and there are so many toppings – don’t get me started.

I could have celebrated the traditional way with a bagel, lox and cream cheese, or even a bagel and tuna salad – but no lox in the house, and as for tuna, I eat way too much tuna as it is. I didn’t want to celebrate with plain old scrambled eggs and a toasted bagel, that didn’t seem fancy enough. I wanted to really whoop it up and party! Yes, this is how I party – with a bagels! Just ask my friends; they all know it’s true and now the secret is out.

I’m sure you’ve heard of an egg in bread or at least know about it. It’s called so many things. I actually found a website which says it goes by 66 different names so maybe you know it as: an egg in a basket, a rocky mountain, egg in a hole, Popeye, and my all time favorite – moon over Miami!. It’s just like what it sounds like, a slice of bread with a hole cut out of the middle and an egg dropped in then grilled to a toasty perfection. I’ll post about the traditional one another time but for now, let’s celebrate the bagel!

So there they were, 4 ingredients: a bagel, 2 eggs, and butter, that’s it. Bagels are so prefect for this recipe because they already have a hole in the middle. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before – it was delicious! Really delicious. It has all of the elements you want in a traditional egg in bread – the crispy grilled buttery bread and perfectly cooked oozy yolk, which when cooked together is nothing like eggs with a bagel on the side; this is a marriage. When you cut into the bagel and the yolk breaks, it’s like liquid gold.

Maybe it was the everything bagel seasoning, or the crispy and chewy goodness of the bagel grilled with butter that made this an egg in bread 2.0 – whatever it was, I’m hooked. And hey, it’s not too late to celebrate, I think the bagel deserves a whole week! Don’t you?

So here we go, four ingredients: 2 eggs, a bagel cut in half, and butter for the pan – that’s it.

ingredients
1 everything bagel cut in half (or any bagel you like)
2 extra large eggs
1 tablespoon butter (more if you like a lot of butter)
Salt and pepper to taste
optional toppings or sides: chives, asparagus, avocado, smoked salmon, more everything bagel seasoning!

directions
If the hole in the bagel is too small, take a round cookie cutter and make a larger hole. If you don’t have a round cookie cutter (which you should so please go buy one) just use a knife.

Melt butter in a large frying pan or skillet set to medium heat. Place the bagels cut side down and grill for about 2 minutes. Crack and egg into the hole. Cook for about 3 minutes or until you see the egg white becoming a little opaque. Flip carefully and cook another 3 to 5 minutes depending on how cooked you like your yolk – plate and Enjoy!

oven baked potato latkes

Posted on by Sherri

We are coming up on the last couple of nights of Hanukkah and as I get ready to light candle number 7, I think it’s just about time for oven baked potato latkes. Actually it was time for oven baked latkes about 4 candles ago! Potato latkes (aka potato pancakes) and doughnuts are two treats we indulge in over the holiday. At Hanukkah, we keep the tradition of eating fried foods that reminds us of the miracle of the oil which lasted 8 nights.

In my house, it’s tradition to make fried potato latkes at least once during the eight days. They are so crispy on the outside and tender and creamy on the inside. But when I want to lighten things up and still indulge in the deliciousness of the holiday foods, I turn to baking instead of frying.

potato mixture

I know, you don’t think they are as good as fried, but these really are. When made in a hot oven on a hot pan, they come out just as crispy and delicious as the fried version. Plus, they are so much easier – you put them on a cookie sheet and into the oven and done. There is no standing over the frying pan waiting for them to be flipped and you won’t smell like latkes!

Ordinarily I make my mother’s recipe; it’s my go to especially when frying. However, when I’m baking them, I have been using a recipe which calls for parboiling the potatoes. It’s the perfect recipe when baking the latkes. It’s quick, easy, there is little mess, the potatoes don’t turn grey, and you don’t have to squeeze the water out of the potatoes. The best part is they have the same great taste and none of the guilt.

I adapted this recipe from Marcy Goldman which is very similar to my mom’s except for the parboiled potato. Parboiling them makes it easy to grate, and the skin slides off easily. This recipe is really a winner and everyone will love them. Serve with your favorite topping whether it’s sour cream, applesauce, or my new favorite, everything bagel seasoning mixed into sour cream!!!!!! YUM! The recipe makes approximately 24 latkes. Enjoy!

ingredients
1 and 3/4 pounds Yukon gold potatoes (or any potato you like)
1 medium onion, finely grated
4 extra-large eggs (large are fine too)
2 tablespoons flour (more if needed)
1 ½ teaspoons salt or to taste
½ to 1 teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste
¼ cup oil (I use extra light olive oil)
Toppings: apple sauce, sour cream, tzatziki dip, everything bagel seasoning, smoked salmon

directions
Place potatoes in a medium saucepan and just cover with cold water. Turn heat to high and allow to come to boil. As soon as potatoes are boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and set a timer for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the potatoes from stove, pour out the hot water and run cold water over them until the water remains cold. Let sit five minutes then dry the potatoes. The potatoes are still raw, but not quite.

They will be slightly softened, but still firm enough to produce distinct shreds. Leaving the skin on, use a hand grater and grate the potatoes into a large 5 quart bowl. You can also use a food processor fitted with a medium disc but I like to hand grate them. If the peel separates from the potato, discard it. If the peel gets grated in with the potatoes, it’s fine and just incorporate it into the mixture. The potatoes may feel a little bit gummy, but don’t worry about that.

Grate the onion into a bowl and drain the liquid. Add the onion, eggs, salt, and pepper into the grated potatoes then sprinkle in the flour and mix together. If the mixture seems loose, add another tablespoon of flour. To bake
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Pour the oil onto a rimmed baking sheet. When the oven comes to temperature, place the greased baking sheet into the oven for 5 to 10 minutes until the pan is hot. Using a towel or oven mitts, take the pan out, and quickly dollop the potato mixture onto the pan. I use a ¼ cup measure for each and gently press the tops down a little. Place in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes. Take them out and turn them over then continue to bake until golden brown and crispy about another 10 minutes. Serve immediately with the topping of your choice. To reheat, place latkes on a large wire cake rack on a cookie sheet.

Happy Hanukkah!

 

Savory Spinach Noodle Kugel

Posted on by Sherri

This is the kind of post which you may want to read at night, because it could easily be a shot game! You know what I mean – right? Every time I say the word kugel, you take a shot of Manischewitz Concord Grape Wine!!!!!

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Sabich is My New Favorite Breakfast Sandwich!

Posted on by Sherri


Who am I trying to kid with that title? Sabich is my new favorite breakfast sandwich. It’s also my favorite lunch AND dinner sandwich – could I be as bold as to say a snack as well? I wouldn’t say I’m addicted, but today I started to feel like I might have a little problem. When searching on Google, I realized, I’m not alone. Words used to describe this sandwich are obsessed, devoted, hooked, can’t live without, and the best sandwich I ever ate! So don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Until a couple of weeks ago I had never heard of it and then I watched the show Brunch at Bobby’s. His show was all about celebrating the breakfast sandwich. In addition to the usual eggs on a biscuit, he made a Sabich. As he listed the ingredients, I couldn’t figure out how this consortium of ingredients could possible go well together. Then I tried it, and after eating it three days in a row, I was sold!

What is it you ask? It’s a Middle Eastern pita sandwich filled with fried eggplant, hard boiled eggs, hummus, Israeli salad, tahini, amba sauce (which is a pickled mango sauce), sometimes potatoes and pickles. If you like eggplant, this is for you. Actually, even if you don’t like eggplant, you’ll love this!
In all the recipes I found, the eggplant is fried, but Bobby roasted it instead and that sounded perfect to me. I think you get the same great taste without all the extra oil. He also used a mango hot sauce; I couldn’t find that or amba sauce with is traditionally used, so I subbed regular hot sauce and it was delicious. Reading that amba is similar to chutney (which is like a spicier savory cousin to jam), I bought Major Grey’s and ultimately ended up making a mock amba sauce which by the way, my husband really liked. If you like mango this is the way to go, if you are allergic like me – skip it!

I know it seems like a lot of ingredients, but if you plan correctly, the whole thing should only take about 30 to 40 minutes (less if make the components ahead of time). Here’s a quick snapshot… first put your eggplant in the oven. While that’s roasting, put the eggs in water to boil. Then while they are both cooking away, make the Israeli salad. To make things a little easier, I purchased ready-made hummus and tahini (total time saver).

I promise it is so worth it. This sandwich is creamy from the eggplant and hummus, it’s crunchy from the Israeli salad, the eggs put it over the top with richness, the amba or hot sauce gives it a little tangy kick, and the warm pita just brings it all together. If you find like me you are in need of a sabich support group, just reach out… I’m here for you! Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 to 2 eggplants, peeled and sliced into ½ inch thick rounds (about 1 ¾ – 2 lbs.)*
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or olive oil spray (my fav is from Trader Joes)
4 large or extra-large hard-boiled eggs
Israeli salad, recipe follows
1 cup hummus
1 cup finely shredded red cabbage (I used romaine and radicchio)**
Tahini
My recipe for mock amba sauce or hot sauce or (optional)
if you can find true amba, go for it!
4 pita either white or whole wheat, warmed
salt and pepper

Israeli Salad
1 cup finely chopped tomato (approximately 2 tomatoes)
1 cup finely diced English cucumber
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
freshly ground pepper to taste

Mock Amba Sauce
2 tablespoons of Major Grey’s Chutney
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
A few dashes of hot sauce

Preparing the eggplant:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees f.  Place the eggplant slices on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush or spray the eggplant slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Roast until golden brown and soft, about 30 minutes, turning after 15 minutes.

Preparing the eggs:
Put the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water by an inch. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer for 3 minutes. Turn the heat off, cover the pot and let it sit for 9 minutes. Drain immediately and cover with cold water and ice. Let it sit for a few minutes. Peel and thinly slice the eggs.

Israeli Salad:
Toss the diced tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Make sure to save the juice from the tomato and add that as well. Mix to combine.

Mock Amba Sauce:
I used 2 tablespoons of Major Grey’s Chutney. I mashed it with a fork to break up the larger mango pieces then added added 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar and a couple dashes of hot sauce (to your personal taste). You could also put it in a mini food processor.

To Assemble the Sabich:
Use the freshest pita you can find, it really makes a difference. Cut an opening at one end of the pita bread to make a pocket. Spread some of the hummus on the bottom of the pita (and the top if you like). Add the ingredients in layers. First, add a few slices of eggplant, then a couple tablespoons of the Israeli salad, on top of that the sliced eggs, some cabbage or lettuce, a few dashes of hot sauce or amba sauce, tahini and then open wide!

*When choosing eggplants, look for firm, smooth and uniform in color. If there are any brown or soft spots, you don’t want it! I like to buy thinner eggplants that are light in weight. The lighter the weight, the less seeds and the seeds are what makes them bitter.
** Bobby added cabbage which doesn’t really like me very much, I used romaine and radicchio instead. While they are not interchangeable, it gave the sandwich a beautiful color contrast and peppery bite to it. I thought it was a perfect substitution. Feel free to use shredded cabbage.

Just in time for National Coffee Day… I present to you an Amazing and Delicious New York Crumb Cake

Posted on by Sherri


Usually I miss a big national food holiday, but not this time! Just in time for National Coffee Day…. I present to you an Amazing and Delicious New York Crumb Cake. Let’s face it, coffee is great on its own, but who can pass up a good piece of coffee cake? Not this Jewish girl from Brooklyn! Plus, all of you will need something to go with the free coffee you’re going to score today – Am I Right?

You all know by now how much I love my iced coffee, but did you also know how much I love my crumb cake – or any coffee cake for that matter? Let’s just say my husband doesn’t call me his little coffee cake for nothing! The love runs deep, both for the husband, and the coffee cake!

A quick coffee cake lesson because you may have noticed I’ve been using the term coffee cake interchangeably with the term crumb cake…

Coffee cake is quite literally cake you have with coffee. Crumb cake falls under that umbrella just like it’s cousins the sour cream walnut cake, streusel squares, or marble cake. Crumb cake is a type coffee cake, and no two coffee cakes are alike – but are similar if that makes sense. Crumb cake implies a crumb or streusel topping. All coffee cakes may or may not have a crumb topping, but all go well with coffee. Most people use the term crumb and streusel interchangeably, however, the sugar/butter/flour ratio is a little different. A real crumb cake will be about a 50/50 crumb to cake ratio. A streusel cake will have less and a lighter sprinkling on top. One more quick note, sometimes you have cake with coffee, but that doesn’t automatically make it a “coffee cake” take for example birthday cake – this is not coffee cake. There you have it, everything you wanted to know about coffee cakes but were afraid to ask! However, if you do have more questions, just ask and I’ll get back to you in-between bites!

So now on to the recipe… I’ve tried my fair share of crumb cake recipes and while I have loved them all, this one is by far the best I have found. I think it’s the crumb to cake ratio which really hits the mark for me. I adapted it from Johnny Iuzzini’s cookbook Sugar Rush. If you have a chance, you have to check it out – it’s just beautiful, informative, and with clear instructions for the home baker to follow. Oddly enough, he got the recipe from a home baker who was one of his interns. I think all home bakers should have a good coffee cake in their repertoire – you’ll be an instant hero to all of your friends! This recipe could not be easier, the cake is moist and tender and the buttery, cinnamon crumb does not disappoint. Coming from this New York Girl, this is quite an endorsement! Of course, I did change a couple of things, but not much. A little extra salt here, a little less fat there and voilà my splash is added. I used low-fat milk and low-fat sour cream but feel free to use whole if you’d like. I made the recipe both ways and didn’t notice that much difference, so I might as well save the calories, and then maybe enjoy a second piece!

Just remember, I said this is a crumb cake (50/50 topping to cake). It will look like you don’t have enough batter, but you will. It is a very thin layer that when baked, puffs up. You will also think you have way too much crumb topping… nonsense! You can never have enough! What happens is the cake rises because of the baking powder/sour cream reaction and the crumb, not so much so even Steven.

One more last thing, before you get started baking, here are a couple of National coffee day links to find free or discounted coffee near you. Enjoy!

http://time.com/money/4961486/free-coffee-deals-national-coffee-day-2017/
https://www.columbusonthecheap.com/free-perks-on-national-coffee-day/

Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon of kosher salt
5½ tablespoons (1/3 cup) unsalted butter
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup low fat sour cream, at room temperature
⅔ cup 1% milk, at room temperature
1 large egg, at room temperature (I used extra-large it’s all I ever bake with)
1 tablespoon good vanilla extract

Crumb Topping:
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ cups packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (I use Vietnamese cinnamon)
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Makes one 9 x 13 inch cake and serves 12 to 16 people. I guess that depends if you are New Yorker or not!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and set your rack in the center of the oven. Spray a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray, dust it lightly with flour and invert it over the kitchen sink to tap out the excess. Set aside.

I like to start with the crumb topping and then set it aside until the batter is done. Whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt until combined. Add the melted butter and stir until the dry ingredients have absorbed the butter. With your hands, gently mix the crumb mixture and roll it in-between your palms and fingers to create the crumbs. Set aside.

For the cake… In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer set to medium, use the paddle attachment and mix together the butter and sugar until light in color. Add in the egg and sour cream blending until it is mixed well.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk and vanilla. With the mixer on low, alternate the wet and dry ingredients starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Don’t forget to scrape don’t the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Mix until just combined – do not over mix.

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. It’s a thick batter; you can use an offset spatula to spread it as evenly as you can. Using your hands, scatter the topping evenly over the cake batter.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until the center of the cake is firm to the touch and springs back lightly. If the cake is not baked through, reduce the temperature to 325 degrees and continue baking in 5 minute increments until it is set in the center making sure the topping doesn’t get too brown. If this happens, you can lightly cover it with foil.

Let the cake cool completely then dust it with the Confectioners’ sugar. While it’s cooling, go put on a pot of coffee!

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