Kosher Catering Diaries

ABOUT THE BLOG I’ve loved to cook since I was a kid, but I didn’t get paid for it until I was a college undergraduate, when I answered an advert for an organization which needed a cook to prepare Shabbat food. One tiny snag: I’m not Jewish, and consequently knew absolutely nothing about keeping a kosher kitchen. Being a totally broke, enterprising college student, I read up on all the requisite rules and regulations, and nailed the job (due to my amazing cooking skills no one else wanting to cook against a deadline). My other problem was that I had no background in making “Jewish” food; even if I had, there was no way I was going to compete with everyone’s mothers, who I could guarantee would make any dish better than I ever could. Hence, international cuisine, and hence this blog (I had to write a good many recipes from scratch). So this blog is an account of the resulting recipes, with some stories about (narrowly averted) kitchen disasters and other adventures that inevitably happen when one is cooking against the clock.

~

ABOUT ME I am a postgraduate student at the University of Glasgow, where I study climate change and marine biology. Aside from that, I like distance running, knitting, painting, world history, fiddle music, and learning new languages. Although I was born in San Francisco, I am mixed Scottish and Kalinago (''Island Carib''), and really love both Scotland and the southern Caribbean.

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Buttermilk Mushroom Fritters

  • Origin: Russia
  • Dairy
  • Spice Factor: 1/5
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 egg, whisked
  • 2 tbs baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup vegetable oil (to deep fry)
  • 12oz baby portabella mushrooms, halved

In a medium bowl, mix flour, salt, black pepper and baking powder. Add egg and buttermilk and blend well. 

In a small pan, heat oil until bubbling.

Add mushrooms to the flour mixture, stirring until coated.

Scoop out mushroom slices, and drop into oil.

Fry for 4 minutes, or until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and set on paper towel to drain.

July 11, 2011 · 10:00 am · 4 notes · Permalink

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Lemongrass Noodle Soup

  • Origin: Thailand
  • Meat
  • Spice Factor: 4/5
  • Prep Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 sticks lemongrass, crushed
  • 2 tbs soy sauce
  • 2 tbs chili oil
  • 4 green onions, diced
  • 5-6 basil leaves, shredded
  • 3 cloves garlic, diced
  • 6oz rice noodles, dry
  • 8 oz cooked chicken breast, shredded
  • 2 carrots, peeled and grated
  1. In a large pot, heat chili oil, garlic, and basil leaves.
  2. When oil is bubbling, add broth, soy sauce, and lemongrass. Bring to a boil.
  3. Keep boiling for 15 minutes, or until lemongrass flavor has infused the broth. Remove lemongrass with a strainer.
  4. Add remaining ingredients, and continue cooking until noodles are soft and translucent.
  5. Serve hot with cilantro garnish.

July 6, 2011 · 10:00 am · 13 notes · Permalink

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Easy Chocolate Mint Ice Cream

  • Origin: England
  • Dairy
  • Spice Factor: 0/5
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes, plus freezing

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups heavy cream (double cream is best)
  • 1/2 tsp mint extract
  • 1/2 cup castor sugar
  • 2 tbs baking chocolate (more if desired)
  • 3 egg yolks
  1. In a medium pot, combine sugar, cream, sugar, mint extract and chocolate. Bring to a boil, and heat until sugar is dissolved.
  2. Whisk in egg yolks. 
  3. Pour into a sturdy container. Freeze until set (2-3 hours).

July 1, 2011 · 2:04 pm · 4 notes · Permalink

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Veggies in Soy Yogurt Dip

  • Origin:USA
  • Dairy
  • Spice Factor: 1/5
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 4-5 fresh basil leaves, shredded
  • 4-5 large parsley leaves, shredded
  • 1 green onion, chopped
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 carrot, cut into sticks
  • 1 bell pepper, cut into sticks
  • 1/2 large cucumber, cut into slices

Directions

  1. In a small blender, combine olive oil, basil, green onion and parsley. Blend for about 10 seconds, or until finely shredded.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, herbs, and salt. Mix well.
  3. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for about half an hour.
  4. Serve with vegetables.

June 28, 2011 · 10:00 am · 6 notes · Permalink

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Black Bean Salad

  • Origin: USA (Southwest)
  • Parve (Vegan)
  • Spice Factor: 2/5
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

Salad

  • 2 cups black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups basmati rice, cooked and cooled
  • 3/4 cup fresh corn kernels
  • 1 small red onion, diced
  • 3-4 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
  • 1 large green bell pepper, seeded and diced
  • 1 cup cilantro, shredded
  • 1 1/2 tbs lemon thyme, shredded

Dressing

  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 2-3 tbs olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients.
  2. In a large bowl, combine salad ingredients and mix well.
  3. Pour dressing over salad ingredients, and mix until coated.
  4. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1/2 hour, or until ready to serve.

June 27, 2011 · 10:00 am · 6 notes · Permalink

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Floral Ice Cubes

  • Origin: USA
  • Parve (Vegan)
  • Spice Factor: 0/5
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus freezing time

Ingredients

  1. Pour water into two ice cube trays, distributing evenly.
  2. In each ice cube, place 1-2 flowers, stems up.
  3. Sprinkle in edible glitter if desired, stirring lightly with a toothpick to prevent clumping.
  4. Place trays in freezer.
  5. When ice has set entirely, remove gently ice cubes from trays and place in cups.
  6. Serve with sparkling spring water or a clear cocktail.

June 24, 2011 · 10:00 am · 3 notes · Permalink

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Vegetables in Whisky Mustard Sauce

  • Origin: Scotland
  • Dairy
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Spice Factor: 2/5

Ingredients

Vegetables

  • 2 small cooking potatos, sliced into rounds
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced into strips
  • 1 small yellow onion, sliced
  • 1 small carrot, cut into rounds (optional)
  • 1/2 tbs cooking oil

Sauce

  • 1/4 cup cream
  • 1 tbs stone-ground mustard
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  1. Heat cooking oil in a medium pan.
  2. Add vegetables, starting with carrots and potatoes. Cook until tender.
  3. While vegetables are cooking, heat cream and garlic in a small pot until cream is bubbling.
  4. Stir mustard, salt and black pepper into cream.
  5. Remove vegetables from heat and plate. Pour mustard cream sauce on top.

June 22, 2011 · 10:00 am · 4 notes · Permalink

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Easy Raspberry White Chocolate Frozen Yogurt

  • Origin: USA
  • Dairy
  • Spice Factor: 0/5
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes plus freezing

Ingredients

  • 2 cups plain greek yogurt, chilled
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 cup frozen raspberries
  • 3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
  1. Place rasperries in a blender and puree until they reach the texture of grainy sorbet (about 1-2 minutes).
  2. Pour yogurt into a large bowl. Add sugar. Mix well.
  3. Fold in chocolate chips and raspberries.
  4. Cover bowl and place in freezer.
  5. Freeze for about 5-6 hours, stirring every hour.

    June 20, 2011 · 10:00 am · 1 note · Permalink

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    Spicy Tomato Dahl

    • Origin: India
    • Dairy
    • Spice Factor: 3/5
    • Prep Time: 30 minutes

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups red lentils
    • 2 cups vegetable broth
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 tbs curry powder
    • 1/2 tsp black pepper
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1 small Thai chili pepper, seeded and diced.
    • 3-4 Roma tomatos, diced
    • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
    1. In a medium pot, heat broth to a boil. Add lentils, garlic, and chili pepper. 
    2. Cook lentils, stirring continually, until they become soft and yellow. The liquid should be almost fully absorbed.
    3. Add spices, and stir well. 
    4. Reduce to medium heat, and add tomatoes. Cook for several minutes, or until tomatoes begin to soften.
    5. Fold in yogurt, and mix well. 
    6. Serve with warm naan bread. 

    June 17, 2011 · 11:19 am · 19 notes · Permalink

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    Pasta In Creamy Tomato Sauce

    • Origin: Italy
    • Dairy
    • Spice Factor: 1/5
    • Prep Time: 20 minutes

    Ingredients

    • 8-10 oz dry pasta
    • 6 roma tomatoes, halved and seeded
    • 1 tbs tomato paste
    • 1 tsp olive oil
    • 5-6 large basil leaves, shredded
    • 1/4 tsp black pepper
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1/4 cup parmasan cheese, finely grated
    • 1/2 cup greek yoghurt
    1. Place tomato halves in a small pot, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and cook until tomatoes begin to soften.
    2. Remove tomatoes from water, and place in blender. Discard water.
    3. In a larger pot, bring about 4 cups of water to a boil. Add pasta.
    4. While pasta is cooking, puree tomatoes until smooth.
    5. Return tomato puree to the small pot. Add basil, garlic, and spices, as well as olive oil and tomato paste. Cook until bubbling.
    6. Drain pasta.
    7. Remove tomato puree from heat. Add grated cheese and yoghurt. Mix well.
    8. Pour tomato sauce over pasta and stir until pasta is completely coated.

    June 15, 2011 · 10:00 am · 3 notes · Permalink

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