2 posts tagged “recipes”
If you remember, Purim took me by surprise this year because I've been busy experimenting with macaroons for Passover. I had planned to bake some this weekend, but given our busy schedule, expected not to do it, and instead to feel guilty and/or stressed for the rest of the week. However, the cookie gods have shined upon us, and have arranged for Queenie to have a last minute sleepover at a friend's house, and Spit Spot, after a very long nap, is playing next door with the neighbor's cats.
So. The dough is in the fridge cooling. I opted to keep it all-purpose flour this year without diluting it with whole wheat (you can substitute up to half, but I cannot remember if I actually do that or not). I think prunes make them healthy enough, don't you? I'm also experimenting with poppy seed filling for the first time. We'll see how that goes.
Poppy seeds are the traditional hamantaschen filling, along with prunes. The story goes that Queen Esther lived on nothing but poppy seeds and chickpeas for 3 days while she stored up the nerve to tell her husband that his vizier, Haman, was planning to kill the Jews and that she, herself, was Jewish. I've also read the word taschen is German for purse or pocket (the shape of the cookies) and that mohn means poppy in Yiddish or German. So they are "poppy pockets." Perhaps the Haman pun was just too good to resist?
Here's the most basic recipe for poppy seed filling (the same one on several sites) I found some others that required overnight soaking, grinding, and the additions of butter or cream, but I used the basic as I have no cream, and wasn't really looking for the overnighting of anything:
2 c. poppy seeds
1 c. milk
3/4 c. honey
1 tsp. lemon peel
1/2 c. raisins
Grind poppy seeds (I tried this with dry seeds in the Cuisanart but it didn't really work. I've read it's to break down the bitter shell to get to the starchy sweet inside, but have read some bakeries don't bother. I'm hoping just beating them up a bit in the grinder helps. The soak overnight recipes make more sense to me, if grinding).
Mix with milk and honey and cook on low until thickened. Add remaining ingredients, cool.
I'm thinking it might need a quick puree for the raisins. I'll let you know how they turn out.
I plan on sending some to a friend's father in law. Several years ago I offered him some of the regular ones. He looked at me and said, "I only eat poppyseed ones." Okay, old man. So now you will eat these. There. I win. Silly, no?
edited to add: I think I may have overcooked the poppy seeds. Compared to the fruit filling it does not take long on the stove! I tried to re-soak them a bit in some more milk, but as I've already added the lemon this may backfire. Stay tuned.
Update: I have made a few rounds of the regular cookies. Success! The first batch was a bit sad looking (like pancakes, they seem to get better with each batch in the oven as I re-familiarize myself with how thick/dry the dough needs to be and I tweak the cooking time) but tasty tasty. Hooray! I will try to make more in the morning for my ballet friends and Batty's family.
Update, next day: Success! I kept the seeds overnight in the fridge, attempted to smoosh them in the blender again this morning (unsuccessfully, really) and cooked some with suspicion. But surprisingly, they are wonderful! Creamy and not too sweet, nor bitter, with a wonderful exotic aroma about them. I am pleased. Hopefully, others will be too.
I have become addicted to Merken spice. Have you tried it? It's a Chilean blend of Cacho de Cabra chili pepper, corriander, cumin, and salt. Essentially, a smoky, spicy paprika. It's got more of a kick than Spanish paprika, and is crazy warming and homey on chilly nights in a veggie or chicken stew, on mashed potatoes, or in eggs.
I'm craving it now, and wished I had made some Chilean stew for dinner. We had a nice crusty trout, but still. Here's a basic and flexible recipe my whole family loves. If making it for the kids, I usually use Spanish or regular paprika with a bit of cumin and a touch (the teeniest bit) of smoke flavoring, and save the actual Merken in a shaker on the table.
I've also made it into a vegetable soup that I'm quite in love with by replacing the meat with a 3 bean combo and adding extra water. It's all pretty fail-proof and quick:
Brown approx. 1 lb. chicken thighs in olive oil with 1 large onion. You can substitute ground beef, pork, beans, etc.
When meat is cooked, sprinkle with lots of paprika (at least 2 TBL).
Add some water to cover meat. Then add veggies and potatoes, whatever sounds good in the mix. I normally use:
1 chopped medium sweet potato
2 c. fresh green beans or 1 c. frozen, thawed peas
2 sliced medium zucchini
1 c. fresh or frozen, thawed corn
Bring everything to a boil and let it simmer until the water is reduced and think like a stew. Part way through the simmering add:
salt to taste
cumin to taste (if using regular paprika)
You can add a bit of chipotle spice to the end if using regular or Spanish paprika.
