A Stack of Dishes

Something good is cooking...

Gail Watson

Shiksa Matzoh

by

Ach! can I tell you? I’ve been dying to make matzoh for years now, years I tell you- so why was I waiting? What was so important that I had to put it off to now?

Nothing but a good impetus.

For many, many years I hosted Easter at my loft. Two long tables were placed in the middle of the space and I would run small vases of bright flowers down the middle. Tucked in amongst the blooms I placed my china bunnies and birds and nests.  I always really loved Easter because the menu is completely open. The traditions are all ours and who can resist the pastels and the colors?

20-30 people would gather around the table. My favorite thing to make were small potato nests that I filled with two little bocconcini and nestled amongst tender lettuces. So beautiful!

And the desserts! A chocolate cake in the shape of a lamb with white buttercream icing, lemon tartlets, homemade ice creams and long before they were fashionable- homemade marshmallows.

However this year my lamb mould did not see the light of day. Instead my kids and I will be joining my cousin Patty and her fiancé’s family who are all Jewish. Since we will be having dinner on Sunday, and since it’s not quite Passover- Patty is calling it East-over, which as she said, “Sounds better than Pass-ster”.

So, getting my Jewish on, I decided to make matzoh. Shiksa Matzoh. I’ve been dragging this recipe around for so many years I hate to admit it. A super simple thing to make, I just never got around to it.

After covering myself in flour and working out the kinks of matzoh making, I finally got a flan into the oven- my family’s little tradition that I will bring to the table. There is room and a place for all things.

I am not a follower of a faith per se, but I whole heartedly believe in resurrection and rebirth. Raising my glass to growth and starting anew! Happy Holiday all!
Homemade Matzoh
makes 12, 8-10″ matzoh
 
1.75c flour
.75c water
pinch of salt
 
 
Mix the flour, water and salt in a bowl until it comes together into a dough.
 
It will be a little on the sticky side. Knead for a quick 2 minutes. Then let rest.
 
Heat oven to 450˚ If you have a pizza stone it works great here. I used my cast iron grill pan, which worked beautifully. (seriously, I use that pan for just about everything)
 
On a floured surface roll out the dough into crazy thin circles. Prick all over with a fork to prevent them from puffing when baked.
 
Using a spatula lay the dough onto the pan in the oven and bake for just 2-3 minutes until just starting to brown.
 
Remove and cool on a cooling rack.
 
 

Golden Meringues

by

As a rule I am not much of a cookie fan. Not really sure why that is, it’s not like I have anything against them, just less my thing. When I was in High School I had an Art teacher named Anne DeReeder who really loved them. I spent a lot of time in the art room back then. Aside from the science lab (I was President of the Outing Club if you could believe it), it was where I gravitated to. It was a room of creation, of possibilities and the coolest people in the building.
Anne was full of energy and brightness. She was more laugh and hugs than teacher and authoritarian. She was about fun and possibility, and really delighted in us kids and what we were doing. I mean, she flew her own Cessna- She was pretty cool.
I recall a conversation one late afternoon that we had where she got all goosey about cookies. They were little jewels to her- a simple formula that could be done so wrong and be so bad- but when made right, got her excited. I would have made cookies for her, I was a baker even as a small kid, but just never quite got onto the cookie bandwagon.
But I do like to make meringues.
They’re so simple and just a little magical to me. This batch I did half plain and half with some chocolate folded in. I like them both ways. I like the grainy crunch and the melt away on the tongue. They can also hold for a bit. They’re easy to make and just keep on hand for awhile.
I’ve been known to pipe my meringues into pretty shapes- one day I’ll do some for you- but I kinda like the geode style. I find them beautiful and unique and soft and romantic. I’ve been known to make them monster big for laughs, or bitsy ones when I’m thinking I should be sugar mindful.
Golden Meringues
made 30 of medium large cookies
 
4 egg whites, room temperature
.5t white vinegar
2/3 c granulated sugar
4t cornstarch
The cleanest bowl and beater on the planet- I mean it
 
preheat oven to 250˚ and line cookie sheet with parchment paper
 
in your super clean mixing bowl (do not use a plastic bowl, only glass or metal)
place the eggs and the vinegar. 
 
Beat on medium high until foamy and starts to thicken.
 
Tablespoonfuls at a time sprinkle in the sugar. When all incorporated turn beaters on to high until whites are stiff and glossy. 
 
They should be tight with soft peaks when you pull the beater, but not grainy and not floppy.
 
gently stir in the cornstarch.
 
using a large spoon mound meringue onto the cookie sheets.
 
If you like chocolate in yours, just toss in a handful of chopped chocolate and fold in at the end.
 
Bake for 90 mins and then reduce the heat to 200˚ and back another 90 mins
 
store meringues in an airtight container and keep on the counter or cupboard.

Fresh Goat Milk Ricotta Ruby Beet Salad

by

Fresh made Goat Milk Ricotta with ruby beets and pistachios

A little disclosure is that I would really love to learn how to make cheese. It’s probably the mad scientist in me, but there is something about the alchemy of it all that is just fascinating. My friend Cathy Wheelbarrow-you may know her as Mrs. Wheelbarrow– taught just such a class this past weekend in DC.  Together this class made all of my favorites: Ricotta, creme fraiche, fresh chèvre and fresh mozzarella. Though aged cheeses are intriguing, a girl could keep herself pretty busy with these.
It’s no secret by now I can get into making ricotta at home. It’s pretty simple and I find it so remarkably rewarding. Though this past week I found myself wondering how goat milk ricotta would taste. Would the tang play though, or does it need aging?
This brought back to mind a trip that my family took one wintery weekend when I was a kid of about 9 or so. Some friends of the family had chosen to escape the corporate rat race and bought a goat farm up in Rheinbeck, New York. They lived in a rickety, drafty, old house warmed by wood stoves that was back into the woods down a winding country road. It was all so beautiful except for the frosty air that hit us when we climbed out from under piles of quilts the next morning. Shivering at the breakfast table all bleary eyed, we were given mugs of hot chocolate. In my house such things were for holidays and rarest of occasions, so this was a delight- until I took a sip. The taste was tart and sour and animal. Oh what a blow to my little girl expectations! When I pushed it away my Mother, in a sing songy voice said, “It’s fiiiiine, just go ahead and drink it petunia”- only later confessing it was made with milk from their goats.
So armed with this memory I decided to give it a try- and it turned out remarkably well. A little bit milder than I would have imagined, which turned out to be an asset. The result was a more delicate taste and an overall sense of lightness. The goat milk I had purchased from Whole Foods which came pasteurized and boxed. The next time I might venture down to the farmer’s market and try some fresh milk and compare the difference.
Fresh Goat Milk Ricotta and Ruby Beet Salad
 
1 qt goat milk
generous pinch of salt
2T fresh lemon juice
cheese cloth or a fine meshed strainer
 
roasted ruby beets, peeled
grated orange zest
fruity olive oil
chopped pistachios
S & P
 
 
Place the goat milk and salt in a heavy saucepan and gently bring to the boil.
 
Lower the heat and stir in the lemon juice. The curds will immediately begin to separate from the whey.
 
Gently simmer the ricotta for about 2 minutes, then strain though some cheese cloth or a fine meshed strainer. I have a yogurt strainer that I found somewhere that works like a charm. The whey is rich in nutrients and great tossed into a soup, if you’re compelled to do such things.
 
The longer the curds sit the dryer they will be, so you should go by personal preference on this. I let mine sit for about 3 minutes before transferring it into a container to store.
 
Let the curds come to room temperature on the counter and then store in the fridge. 
 
Use within the week.
The Ruby Beet salad is a simple combination of all the above listed ingredients. Drizzle the olive oil over with a nice pinch of coarse salt and a generous grind of black pepper.