Pomegranate Molases

Last month I got into a little pomegranate kick. I stumbled upon a recipe that called for pomegranate molases which I had never heard of before. It's a thick syrup made of pomegranate juice used in a lot of Middle Eastern cooking. So I searched the internet on how to make it or where I could buy it. So it turns out, it is so simple to make and stores easily for up to six months in the refrigerator so I decided it would be worth making. So this is what set me off on my pomegranate kick. Below is the recipe for the pomegranate molases and the following posts are some other recipes I have made using my newly discovered condiment.

Ingredients

4 cups pomegranate juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice

In a large, uncovered saucepan, heat pomegranate juice, sugar, and lemon juice on medium high until the sugar has dissolved and the juice simmers. Reduce heat just enough to maintain a simmer. Simmer for about an hour, or until the juice has a syrupy consistency, and has reduced to 1 to 1 1/4 cups. Pour out into a jar. Let cool. Store chilled in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to six months.

If you want your pomegranate molasses to be sweeter, add more sugar to taste, while you are cooking it.

Fig and Pomegranate Tapenade

A must make! And it is so easy. This is wonderful served over a crostini and goat cheese. Also would be great along side roast leg of lamb or as a seasoning for roast chicken (spread the tapenade under the skin before cooking).

• 8 ripe fresh figs, stemmed, halved (I just used dried figs)
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon drained capers
• 2 1/2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses (see above post for recipe)
  
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon Sherry wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped

Preparation

Preheat broiler. Line small baking sheet with foil. Brush foil with olive oil. Lightly brush figs with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Arrange figs, cut side up, on sheet. Broil until figs are lightly browned at edges, about 3 minutes. Cool on baking sheet.

Combine figs, olives, capers, pomegranate molasses, rosemary, and vinegar in processor. Using on/off turns, coarsely chop figs and olives. With motor running, add remaining 1tablespoon oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Stir in walnuts. Let tapenade stand 2 hours at room temperature to blend flavors. (Can be prepared 5 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

Bulgar and Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Tomatoes, Onions, and Pomegranate Dressing

This is a Turkish dish that has a very exotic taste because of the unique flavor combinations. All of the ingredients, however, are familiar.

Dressing

• 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses (see above post for recipe)
  
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large garlic cloves

Salad

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 2 cups small grain bulgur (about 10 ounces) a.k.a. cracked wheat
  
• 2 cups warm water
• 3 red jalapeño chiles, thinly sliced into rounds
• 1 cup canned black-eyed peas, rinsed, drained (from 15 1/2-ounce can)
• 1 cup chopped fresh basil (preferably purple basil)
• 3 large green onions, chopped

• 2 cups chopped seeded diced plum tomatoes (about 3/4 pound)
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped

Preparation

For dressing:
Combine pomegranate molasses and oil in small bowl. Using garlic press, press garlic into mixture and whisk to blend. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

For salad:
Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add bulgur; stir 1 minute. Add 2 cups warm water, cover, and simmer until water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in jalapeño chiles, then black-eyed peas, basil, and green onions. Cover skillet and let stand 5 minutes. Transfer bulgur mixture to large bowl. Mix in dressing. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Just before serving, mix tomatoes into salad and sprinkle with nuts.

Tomato and Mint Salad With Pomegranate Dressing

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 pounds plum tomatoes, halved, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 cup diced seeded fresh Anaheim chiles*
• 1 cup diced seeded peeled cucumber
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves
• 3/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces
• 1 jalapeño chile, seeded, diced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses (see above post for recipe)
  
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• *Also known as California chiles; available at many supermarkets and at Latin markets.

Preparation

Combine first 8 ingredients. Whisk pomegranate molasses and oil in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper; toss.

Sumac Skirt Steak With Pomegranate Reduction

The layering of the different flavors is what makes this really interesting. And it is very simple to make.

• 1/3 cup pomegranate molases (see above post for recipe)
  
• 1 tablespoon sumac (found in Middle-eastern markets or online at www.adrianascaravan.com)
  
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 lb skirt steak
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or margarine if you are keeping kosher)
  
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot (1 medium)
• 1/4 cup ruby or tawny Port
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Preparation

Preheat broiler.

Stir together sumac, pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cut steak into pieces to fit in a large shallow baking pan and pat dry. Transfer steak to baking pan and sprinkle evenly with sumac mixture, then let stand about 10 minutes.

Broil steaks 3 to 4 inches from heat, turning over once, 2 to 3 minutes total for thinner pieces, 3 to 4 minutes for thicker pieces for medium-rare. Transfer steaks with any pan juices to a large plate and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 10 minutes.

While steak stands, heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then cook shallot, stirring occasionally, until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Add Port and simmer until reduced to a glaze, 2 to 3 minutes. Add meat juices accumulated on plate and bring to a simmer. Whisk in pomegranate molases and lemon juice. Remove from heat and whisk in butter or margarine until incorporated.

Holding knife at a 45-degree angle, thinly slice steak diagonally and serve with sauce.

The joys of baby proofing!

Sorry Asher, we'll get you a proper sand box this summer! (I'm still trying to decide which looks worse, dirt constantly on the carpet or this lovely mesh covered pot)

California!

We just got back from a brief, week-long trip to sunny California. It was a much needed break from our insane negative 12 degree weather we were having in Iowa. Our first reason for going was for a business meeting and dinner Moises had in Palo Alto that we go to every year. So we thought since we were going out there we may as well squeeze in a mini vacation. We started out in L.A. for a couple of days visiting our old stomping grounds. We had a lot of friends there to see and our old favorite restaurants to eat at. Danny, Moises' brother happened to be there at the same time on business which worked out great.

Then we headed for San Diego and stopped by Newport, where Moises use to live, along the way. We stopped by Rabbi Mintz's house and had a nice visit with him and his wife Chani.

We spent a couple of days in La Jolla and San Diego where my mom and Jan met up with us. They thought they'd escape the cold in Salt Lake to hang out with us and look for houses in San Diego. It was great to spend time with them. Moises and I also checked out a couple of Hebrew schools in hopes that by the time Asher is 3 or 4 years old we will be able to make our move back to Southern California. We were really excited about the schools and community there.

And finally we flew up to northern California for Moises' meeting. While he had his meetings I got to meet my friend Christina, her husband Jon and their beautiful baby Evelyn for lunch. Christina and I met eachother while we were both teaching English in France. She recently moved to S.F. so it was a perfect opportunity to see her and meet her husband and 3 month-old baby girl. I wished I would have gotten a picture of them to post.

So we had a great time and a productive one too.

Ahhhh!

CALIFORNIA!

Brunch at the Calemzuk's

Their daughter Yael.
Paola and Emiliano invited us over to their house for brunch one of our mornings in L.A. Emiliano and Moises went to the University of Pennsylvania together.

The Kesselmans

We had dinner at Rabbi Kesselman and his wife's house one of our nights in L.A. Moises and I use to learn with Rabbi Kesselman when we lived in there and became good friends with him and his wife Estee.

Le Pain Quotidien

Before leaving L.A. Moises, Asher and I met Danny for brunch at one of our favorites, Le Pain Quotidien. It was so nice eating at all our old favorite restaurants.

The Mintzes

On our way from L.A. to San Diego, we stopped by Newport where Moises use to live. We stopped by Rabbi Mintz's house to visit with him and his wife Chani. Asher of course had a great time playing with their daughter Chaya. She was so cute; she kept trying to give him kisses!

The Beach in La Jolla

Babi!

My mom and Jan decided to get away from their cold weather in Salt Lake to meet up with us in San Diego. We had a great time visiting with them.

Our visit with Melinda and Katie

We were able to visit with Melinda and her 19 month-old daughter Katie who live in San Diego. Asher had a great time playing with Katie and was also impressed by her toy collection!

Tabouli Salad

I could eat a heaping bowl of this; it is so refreshing and satisfying.

yield: Serves 6: Makes 4 cups

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fine grain #1 bulgur
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup finely diced tomatoes
• 1 cup diced cucumber
  
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 2 pinches of ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin, or more to taste
  
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (optional)
  
• 2 cups finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup slivered fresh mint leaves
• Tender romaine leaves

Preparation

1. Place the bulgur in a fine sieve, rinse under cold running water, squeeze dry, and soak in the lemon juice for 45 minutes. Use a fork to fluff the bulgur.

2. In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, scallions, cinnamon, cumin, and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Drizzle on the olive oil and toss (you can omit the olive oil, however it will help bring all the flavors together and round out the acidity from the lemon juice). Fold in the bulgur, parsley, and mint and mix well. Refrigerate, stirring occasionally.

3. Taste and correct the flavors with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve with crisp inner leaves of romaine lettuce for scooping up the salad.

*Some variations that I like is to add diced avocado, or radishes. I also like to add bit of seasoned rice vinegar to taste.

Asher's got a green thumb!

Cedar Plank Salmon with Roasted Red Pepper and Caper Sauce

This is one of my favorite recipes from one of my favorite cooking magazines, Fine Cooking. I like to make extra sauce to freeze and have on hand as well as the spice rub.


For the sauce:
1/2 cup jarred piquillo peppers or roasted red peppers
1-1/2 Tbs. sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 medium clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1-1/2 Tbs. brine-packed capers, rinsed and chopped
1-1/2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salmon:
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. hot pimentón de la Vera (Spanish smoked paprika) or Hungarian hot paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Four 6- to 8-oz. skinless salmon fillets (preferably at least 1 inch thick)
2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

---

Make the sauce:

Put the peppers, vinegar, mustard, and garlic in a blender and begin to puree. With the blender running, add the oil in a thin, steady stream. Transfer to a small bowl, stir in the capers, parsley, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Season to taste with more salt and pepper if needed.

Prepare the salmon:

Soak a cedar plank in cold water for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours. In a small bowl, mix the sugar, cumin, pimentón, 1-1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Sprinkle the mixture over the salmon and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, or cover and refrigerate for up to 12 hours.

Prepare a two-zone fire on a gas or charcoal grill: On a gas grill, set two of the burners to high (one if your grill only has two burners) and leave one burner off. On a charcoal grill, push all of the lit coals to one side of the grill.

Set the cedar plank on the grill over the hot zone, cover the grill, and wait until the plank starts to smoke, 2 to 3 minutes. Meanwhile, rub the skinned sides of the salmon fillets with the oil. Slide the plank to the cooler zone and arrange the salmon on top, oiled side down and thicker ends closest to the hot zone. Cover the grill (vents open on a charcoal grill) and cook until the fish is almost cooked through with just a touch of pink in the center—make a nick with a paring knife in the thicker part of a fillet to check—or an instant-read thermometer inserted in a thick part registers 135°F, 10 to 14 minutes. Transfer the fish (still on the plank) to a serving platter and serve with the sauce.

Organizing Mom's Cupboards

Hello Everybody!

More Fun In the Tub

9 month Stats...

Asher went in for his 9 month well check visit today. Dr. Omar says he's doing great! Asher was relieved when he heard them say he wasn't getting any vaccinations this time.

Here were his measurements:
Height 29 1/4 inches (75th percentile)
Weight 18.12 pounds (25th percentile)
Head circumference 44.5 cm (25 percentile)

Havdallah

Here we are just finishing havdallah. Asher looks forward to the leftover wine from the havdallah cup. For those unfamiliar with havdallah, it is a Jewish ceremony observed at the end of Shabbat (on Saturday night, when three stars are visible in the sky), in order to mark the distinction between the departing sacred day and the coming ordinary weekday. It includes three blessings... over wine, spices, and candle light.

Spicy Dill Pickles

These are soooo good (and easy)! I can easily polish off a whole jar myself. I love that they are crunchy too, unlike the recipes that require boiling.


Spicy Dill Pickles

• 12 pickling cucumbers
• 2 cups water
• 1 3/4 cups distilled white vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups packed coarsely chopped fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon sugar
  
• 8 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
• 1 tablespoon pickling spice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dill seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

Combine all ingredients except dill sprigs in large bowl. Stir, let stand at room temperature 2 hours until sugar and salt dissolve.

Transfer 4 cucumbers to each of three 1 1/2-pint wide-mouth jars. Pour pickling mixture over to cover. Place a few dill sprigs in each jar. Cover jars with lids and close tightly. Refrigerate at least 10 days. Pickles will stay fresh for up to 1 month. Keep refrigerated.

Blue Cheese Spread

This is a recipe I got from my mom. It is delicious and very addictive.

BLUE CHEESE SPREAD with CROSTINIS

For the spread:
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
3 Tbs. heavy cream (I just used milk because I didn't feel like buying a whole container of cream)
6 oz. Stilton blue cheese
½ cup plus 3 tsp. chopped toasted pecans
fresh ground pepper to taste
Pear slices for serving

For crostinis:
1 baguette, cut crosswise into ¼ – inch thick slices
Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing

To make crostinis:
Preheat an oven to 350
Brush a baking sheet with olive oil. Arrange the baguette slices on the sheet in a single layer. Brush the tops with oil and season with salt. Bake until crisp and golden, 15 to 18 minutes. If not using immediately, let the crostini cool, then store in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to use.

For the spread:
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, or in a mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer fitted with the beater attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until soft and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the cream and continue beating until combined, about 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the blue cheese and beat on low speed until the cheese is crumbled and no large pieces remain, about 1 minute. Stir in the pepper and the ½ cup pecans until evenly distributed.

Divide the blue cheese mixture among 3 small ramekins, smoothing the tops with a spatula. Cover the tops of the ramekins with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Let the spread stand at room temperature up to 2 hours before serving. Just before serving, sprinkle 1 tsp. chopped pecans in the center of each ramekin and press down lightly. Serve with the crostini and pear slices alongside.

Serves 10 to 12.

If desired, replace ¼ cup of the pecans with ¼ cup chopped dried cranberries and stir them into the spread along with the pecans. The spread can be made a few days in advance and refrigerated; add the chopped-pecan garnish just before serving.

Freezing Tofu

I happen to really love tofu and all the things you can do with it. I recently learned that if you freeze tofu it takes on a chewier, meatier texture and will soak up marinades and rubs like a sponge.

All you need to do is drain a package of firm tofu, freeze it in a plastic bag, thaw it, squeeze any excess water from it and either crumble or cut it into the size pieces you want and then it's ready for your marinade.

You can leave it as is or bake it. To bake it you will heat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for about 25 minutes on a lightly greased baking sheet turning or stirring halfway through.

You can add it to salads or sandwiches as you would meat. I recently made a vegetarian chili with it after marinating it in the following:

1/4 cup warm water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Wisk all the ingredients together. Pour mixture over tofu pieces and squeeze it in so that it all absorbs evenly.

Healthy Pumpkin Pie Custard

I love this because it's not too sweet and makes a satisfying, healthy snack (very appropriate for the new year!). You can eat it as you would pudding or custard, or you can dip apples or pears in it.


1 12-oz. package soft silken tofu drained (most grocers carry this in or next to the produce section with all the other tofu, it has a much finer, silkier texture)
1 cup pumpkin puree (I think sweet potato would be really good too but I haven't tried it)
1 1-oz box sugar-free vanilla pudding mix
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Blend all ingredients together in a large bowl using a hand mixer until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate before serving.

Two New Pearlies!

I forgot to mention a couple of weeks ago Asher popped his two top teeth. Yay!

SPEEDY!

Happy New Year!

To celebrate the new year we went out to a nice dinner and cracked open a delicious bottle of champagne that we had been saving for a special occasion such as this one.
Asher called it a night before we got our main course. He is definitely the "early to bed, early to rise," kind of guy.