4 Tablespoons margarine (you can use butter if you are not kosher)
2 Tablespoons curry powder
1/4 cup dry white wine
2-3 pounds chicken wing drummettes or chicken cut into 1/8ths
1 cup mango chutney
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1 Tablespoon finely chopped scallion
2 Tablespoons finely chopped peanuts

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1.    Melt the margarine in a saucepan and stir in the curry powder.  Cook for 2-3 minutes and add the wine.  Remove from heat.

2.     Remove any excess fat from the chicken parts.  Wash and pat dry.  If using whole wings, discard the tip and cut the two bone section and drummettes apart.

3.    Place the chicken parts in a roasting pan and baste with the curry sauce.  Bake for 20 minutes in a 350F Oven.

4.    Chop up any large pieces of mango in the chutney and then spread the chutney over the chicken parts.  Bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is tender.

5.    Place the chicken on a serving platter and reduce the sauce by 1/3.

6.    Pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with the coconut, scallions and peanuts.  Serve.

NOTE:  May be made in advance and reheated in the microwave or oven.  Garnish with the coconut, scallion, and peanuts only after reheating and before serving.

LATKES-POTATO PANCAKES

6-8 large thin skinned potatoes, California long whites or Yukon Gold

3 eggs, beaten well

1 Tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2-cup matzo or cracker meal

1 large onion, cut into 8 pieces

Oil for frying

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1.    Grate the raw potatoes using the large grating disk on a processor or the largest holes on a grater if doing it by hand. Place grated potato in a colander, rinse with cold water and drain while you grate onion.

2.    Combine eggs, salt, pepper and matzo meal in a 3 quart bowl.  Mix thoroughly.

3.    Change to the cutting blade on your processor.  Add onions to the work bowl.  Pulse on and off 5 times.  Add ¼ of the grated potatoes to the onion and pulse on and off to make a coarse paste. Add to the egg mixture and stir to combine.

4.    Add the drained potatoes to the bowl and mix thoroughly using a large spoon or your hands.

5.    Heat a large frying pan or large skillet for 20 seconds.  Add enough oil to cover the pan to a depth of 1/4 inch and heat for an additional 20 seconds. Drop mounds of potato mixture into the pan.  Fry on both sides until golden.  Drain fried latkes on a platter covered with crumpled paper towels.  Serve with applesauce and sour cream.

Tina’s Tidbits:

•    Grated potatoes turn black when exposed to air.  Rinsing the potatoes under running water washes away excess starch and the discoloring culprit.
•    Always grate your potatoes separately from your onions that way you won’t lose any of the flavorful juice when you drain the potatoes
•    The best way to drain fried foods is on a plate covered with crumpled paper towels.  Crumpling gives more surface area for absorption.

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
1 Tablespoon finely chopped flat leaf parsley
8 ounces cooked sweet potato, preferably with pale flesh
2 teaspoons Harissa, or more to taste
1 egg, separated
Salt to taste
12-15 regular sized (8 inch square) lumpia shells or thin spring roll skins

1 or more cups of vegetable oil for frying briks
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1.    Heat an 8 inch skillet over high heat for 20 seconds; add olive oil and heat for 10 seconds more.  Reduce the heat if oil is smoking and add the onion.

2.    Sauté the onion until golden.  Add the garlic and sauté another minute until mixture is fragrant; do not let garlic get too dark.

3.    Remove the skillet with the onion mixture from the heat and add the parsley and potato.  Mash the potato well to mix all of the ingredients together.  Add the Harissa, egg yolk and salt to taste and stir to combine.

4.    Combine the remaining egg white with 1 teaspoon of water.

5.    Lay one lumpia skin on a board.  Place 1 heaping Tablespoon potato mixture in the center.  Using your finger, rub some egg white on the bottom and top edge of the shell.

6.    Fold the bottom edge over the filling and lightly press down along the edge.  Do the same with the top edge.

7.    Rub some egg white on the left and right edge of the formed rectangle.  Fold the right edge over the filled section and gently press down to seal the edge.  Repeat with the left edge creating a packet that looks almost square. Place seam side down on a plate while you form the other packets.

8.    Pour the oil into a flat bottomed wok or a small saucepan so that the oil is 1 inch deep.

9.    Heat oil until hot, but not smoking and registers 350F on a frying thermometer.

10.    Place the packets, 2 or 3 at a time into the hot oil seam side down.  Fry until lightly golden and the tops begin to puff up a little. Turn briks over and fry just until lightly browned.  Immediately remove from oil with a wire spatula or slotted spoon.

11.    Drain on paper towel and serve immediately. Additional Harissa may be used for a dip, if desired.

Although this dish is a well-known Italian appetizer available in restaurants and in cans in the supermarket, relatively few people know that this dish is actually a traditional Jewish Sabbath dish brought to Italy in 1492 when the Jews fled Spain. The high content of vinegar and sugar preserves the mixture so it will last a very long time in your refrigerator if it is not all gobbled up immediately! Speaking of gobble, try some on a turkey sandwich.

Ingredients

• 2 eggplants-each 8 inches long
• 1 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 large onions
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 1 ounce drained capers
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation Instructions

1. Wash the eggplants, cut off the ends, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
2. Heat a 4 quart pot for 20 seconds. Add the oil and heat for another 15 seconds. Add the eggplant cubes and fry in the oil until the cubes are soft and particles on bottom of pan are golden. The eggplant will absorb the oil at first and then the oil will be released. Remove the eggplant with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl. Leave remaining oil in the pot.
3. Dice the onion in 1/2-inch dice and then fry in the above oil until the onions are slightly golden and soft.
4. Return the eggplant to the pot and add the remaining ingredients. Cook for 20 minutes over low heat until the flavors are well blended. Stir occasionally.
5. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold. The Caponata lasts for weeks in the refrigerator and always tastes better the longer it sits.

Ingredients

• 1 3 ounce box of lemon gelatin
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1-cup fish broth from jar
• 1 6-ounce jar red horseradish
• 1 or 2 jars gefilte fish
• 1 carrot, sliced and cooked for garnish (optional)
• Scallion or chives for garnish (optional)

Preparation Instructions

1. Remove gefilte fish from the jar and put in a large, shallow casserole or serving dish.
2. Place gelatin in a medium sized bowl. Add boiling water and stir until dissolved. Add fish broth and horseradish and stir until well blended.
3. Pour liquid mixture around the gefilte fish and a little o­n top to act as “glue” for the carrot and scallions.
4. Cut the carrot slices with a teeny flower shaped cutter, or with a knife to resemble a flower. Cut thin curved slices from the green part of the scallion.
5. Strategically place the carrot shapes and scallion slices o­n the gefilte fish pieces to resemble flowers and leaves. Chill and serve when firm.

The classic way to make gefilte fish is to place the skin, head and bones in a pot with some vegetables, cover with water, place the fish balls o­n top of this mixture and then cook for an hour and a half. The reasons you haven’t made gefilte fish are: 1.The house smells for days, 2. You don’t like to handle the fish heads, 3. Some scales always stick to the fish, and 4. You like the jarred kind better! Well, I can’t help you with the jarred variety, but I can with the other issues.

First of all, if you don’t like the jelly with the fish then you can skip the whole head and skin process! The collagen in the bones jells the liquid when it is chilled. The fish balls can be poached instead in salted water to which a little carrot, o­nion and celery has been added.

If you do like the jelly, then just follow my directions below. Make the “soup” in advance so that there is no smell in the house o­n Shabbat, and then poach the fish balls in the prepared fish broth for the short time and they are done. We are modern cooks; it doesn’t take 1-½ hours to poach these little delicacies!

Ingredients

• 4 pounds whole fish (combination of carp, whitefish, pike, snapper or sea trout)
• 2 carrots, cut into 2 inch lengths
• 2 stalks celery cut into fourths
• 1 Bouquet Garni (1 bay leaf, thyme, marjoram and summer savory wrapped in cheesecloth)
• 1 pound yellow o­nions
• 2-3 quarts water

• 2 medium yellow onions
• 1 carrot
• 1/4 cup very loosely packed fresh parsley
• 2 eggs
• 1/3-cup water
• 1/2-cup matzo meal
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Garlic, ginger, sugar, dill or whatever your Bubbe used to use (regional options)

Preparation Instructions

1. Fillet the fish or have the store do it for you.
2. Rinse out the head of the fish and make sure that any bloody masses are removed. Soak all of the bones and head in cold salted water to cover for 15 minutes or longer. Drain the bones and discard the water.
3. Place the bones and head on the bottom of a large Dutch oven and cover with carrots, celery, and thinly sliced onion. Add the Bouquet garni and the 2-3 quarts of water to cover and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Strain the liquid, reserve the carrots and set aside. Discard the bones, etc.
4. To make the fish, grind the fish twice in a grinder fitted with a fine blade or process in a food processor until a fairly smooth texture. Remove the fish to a large bowl.
5. Grind or process the onions, carrot and parsley and add to the fish.
6. Add the eggs, water, and matzo meal and salt and pepper and mix well with a fork until light and fluffy. NOTE: to check for seasoning, cook 1 teaspoon of the fish mixture in salted water for 10 minutes. Taste and then adjust seasonings if necessary. Never taste fresh water fish raw.
7. Shape the fish mixture in your hands to form ovals and gently place in a frying pan to which 1 inch of prepared fish stock has been added. Poach, covered for 20-30 minutes (depending on size) over low heat or until center of 1 fish ball appears white. Drain on a cloth towel and cool in previously made fish broth. Serve with horseradish.

Additional Notes:

• A variety of fish can be used and placed in a terrine to create layers.  This eliminates the the need to make the poaching broth in the first part of the recipe.
• If making a terrine, bake for 30-45 minutes in a 350F oven until fish is firm but not dry.

Ingredients

• 12 thin slices of French bread
• 1 large clove of garlic, cut in half
• 1/4-cup extra virgin olive oil
• 20 large calamata or other cured olives
• 1/2 7-ounce jar roasted peppers
• 2 pieces of sun-dried tomatoes

Preparation Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
2. Rub o­ne side of each slice of bread with the cut sides of the garlic. Brush the olive oil over the garlic-seasoned sides.
3. Place the bread o­n a cookie sheet and bake for 5 minutes or until golden.
4. Meanwhile, make the tapenade.
5. With the flat side of a heavy knife, crack the olives and remove the pits.
6. Place the olives in a processor work bowl and process until fairly smooth. Scrape down the sides of the work bowl.
7. Drain the roasted peppers and pat dry. Add the peppers and the sun-dried tomatoes to the olive mixture and process until smooth.
8. To serve, spread tapenade over the bread crostini and serve at room temperature.

Additional Notes

This mixture can be stuffed into mushrooms, covered with a little mozzarella and baked until mushroom is hot and cheese has melted! A small amount of blue-veined cheese such as spanish Cabrales can be used as a garnish as in the picture.

A large clove of garlic can be processed with the original ingredients as well.To easily peel a clove of garlic, smash it with the broad side of a large knife. The skin will split and easily fall off.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces Membrillo-Quince Paste
• 8 ounces manchego cheese
• Assorted crackers or thin slices of French bread, toasted

Preparation Instructions

1. Wet a sharp knife and cut the paste into ¼ inch slices.
2. Cut the slices into rectangles, or diamond shapes. You may also use small cookie cutters to make little flowers out of the membrillo.
3. Cut the manchego cheese into slices and then cut the slices into squares or rectangles small enough to fit o­n a cracker.
4. Place the cheese o­n the cracker and then place the membrillo o­n top of the cheese. That’s it! Makes 2 – 3 dozen appetizers depending o­n how thick you make the slices.

Ingredients

• 10 sun-dried tomato halves
• 3 ½ ounces jarred roasted red peppers, drained
• 20 pitted calamata olives
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 ounces Gorgonzola or other blue veined cheese
• 8 ounces Mascarpone
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Preparation Instructions

1. Lightly grease 1 four cup mold or 5-6 ramekins. Line the mold(s) with plastic wrap or cheesecloth and set aside.
2. You will need to use your processor three times, rinsing thoroughly in between each use.
3. Combine the first five ingredients in the processor workbowl and process until a smooth paste is formed. Pour the mixture into the four cup mold or divide evenly among the ramekins. Rinse the workbowl.
4. Combine the Gorgonzola with the Mascarpone and cream cheese in the processor and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Pour mixture evenly over the sun-dried tomato mixture in the mold(s). Rinse out the bowl.
5. Combine the basil with the garlic and oil in the processor workbowl and process until a fairly smooth paste is formed. Add the remaining ingredients and process until well combined and smooth and stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Pour this mixture over the other layers and smooth evenly. Cover with plastic wrap until firm.
6. When ready to serve or package for gifts, unmold and carefully remove plastic wrap.

This filling is so delicious! Not too salty and very flavorful. Go easy on the nutmeg. You should be able to slightly smell the spice but the mixture shouldn’t taste like spinach egg nog!

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
• 1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled
• 7 1/2 ounces farmer cheese (pot cheese)
• 3 eggs lightly beaten
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• nutmeg, to taste
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 pound phyllo dough
• 3/4 cup melted butter

Preparation Instructions

1. Pre heat oven to 425F.
2. Saute’ the onion in the 2 Tablespoons butter until golden. Squeeze out all of the excess moisture from the spinach and then add to the onions and cook over low heat until most of the moisture has evaporated. Stir occasionally. Add the feta, farmer cheese, eggs, and seasonings and combine. Add the bread crumbs and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes.
3. Cut the phyllo sheets into 2 inch strips. Brush one strip at a time with melted butter. Keep the phyllo not being used covered with a piece of plastic wrap and then a damp paper towel.
4. Put 1 teaspoon of filling at the far right end of the strip. Fold the dough over the filling to form a right triangle. Continue folding the dough over and over to make a triangle. Make sure that each edge is placed accurately over the previous edge of the same side.
5. Arrange triangles on a baking sheet, seam side down and brush with melted butter. Bake 15 – 20 minutes or until golden.

Additional Notes

May be frozen before or after baking. If unbaked, take from freezer and immediately proceed to step 4.