Crumbly-Topping-Divine-Delicious-Homemade-Challah

If you're going to take the time to make one spectacular dish this Rosh Hashana...If you're looking for that one, mouth-watering, blow-your-socks off recipe...If you're willing to put your mind to it, and take the time to achieve perfection...I would truly encourage you to take the leap and bake your own challahs. It is the most rewarding experience, even if you've never baked before. And, it's not rocket science- I promise.
I have posted a challah recipe before, this recipe is the same one, except that I have a added a divine, sweet, crumbly topping that is made using the tiny seeds found within the pod of a vanilla bean- in other words, real vanilla. Challah is pretty simple to make, but it is time consuming. The dough must be prepared first and allowed to rise for about 4 hours. Once it has risen, the dough can then be rolled and formed into individual loaves. The loaves must then be left to rise for another hour or two. Finally, the challahs are brushed with egg wash and sprinkled with toppings (sesame seeds, poppy seeds or crumb topping), and then at last they can be baked. Once baked, they may be wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in plastic bags and then frozen for up to 6 weeks...but I doubt they will last that long in your freezer- they are hard to resist.

Challah Recipe

5-7 Challahs, depending on size and shape

5 pound bag of bread flour

4 packets active dry yeast

2 cups of sugar

4 cups warm water

3/4 cup canola or vegetable oil

4 eggs

1/3 cup honey

3/4 tablespoon salt

Crumb Topping

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

6 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

seeds from 1 vanilla bean pod

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. When your oven reaches that temperature, turn it off. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the yeast, sugar and water. Place that mixture into the warm oven. In a few minutes, the yeast will start bubbling, and form a frothy mixture. In the meantime, place the oil, eggs, honey, and salt in a very large bowl, and mix together. Remove the yeast mixture from the oven, and stir into the egg mixture. Pour half of the bag of flour into the large bowl, and mix using you hands. Add the remaining half, and combine well, using you hands. Once all the flour and liquid are combined, you should form a thick dough that is somewhat sticky and even a little lumpy. Leave the dough in the bowl, and cover with a clean dish towel. Let the dough rest for for 4-6 hours. Once the dough has risen, separate it evenly into tennis ball sized balls. 

For braided challahs, roll 3 of the dough balls into 10-inch long "snakes". Braid, (just the way you'd braid hair) and secure the ends by pinching. Continue, using up all the dough balls. Place the braided challahs on parchment-lined baking sheets, and cover with dish towel. Let rise for 2-4 hours. 

For "pull-apart"challahs, lightly grease a 9 or 10-inch cake pan. Place one dough ball in the center of the pan, and surrounded with more dough balls, filling the pan as needed. Dough balls should be close, but not touching (they will rise and eventually touch). Cover with a dish towel, and let rise for 2-4 hours.

Preheat oven 350. Meanwhile, prepare the crumb topping. In a medium bowl, place the flour sugar, and oil. Use a sharp knife to split the vanilla bean open lengthwise. Take the tip of your sharp knife and scrape out the seeds from the inside of both sides of the pod. Place these seeds in the flour mixture. Use your finger to incorporate and from a crumb topping. In a separate small bowl, mix together 2 eggs and a teaspoon of honey. Once the challahs have risen, brush the egg wash over the challahs and sprinkle generously with the crumb topping. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, rotating midway, until golden. 

A vanilla bean pod

Use a sharp knife to split the vanilla bean lengthwise

Use a sharp knife to scrape out the tiny seeds inside the pod

Add the vanilla bean seeds into the crumb topping

Mix the topping all together

 Getting ready to brush egg wash and top with crumb topping

 Challahs all ready to bake in the oven

Crumb topping challah!!

Golden Chicken & Rosh Hashana

This time of year, I get many requests for unique recipes and suggestions when it comes to Rosh Hashana meals. Truth is, unique isn't always my favorite route to take. When it comes to the holidays, I tend to stick with my tried and true recipes, those that never fail me and always result in rave reviews... The chicken recipe below is a perfect example. Made with pumpkin, figs, cinnamon and red wine, I feel like its the perfect way to bring in the Jewish new year, introducing these wonderful, aromatic fall flavors. Also, any recipe that encourages me to drink while cooking, always makes me happy. This recipe can be prepared up to 2 days in advance, which is always a bonus. It is sophisticated, but simple to prepare, and I can assure you that the aromas that fill your home will make you want to prepare it over and over again. It presents beautifully, as it is sprinkled with toasted almond slices, and goes perfectly with golden rice, potatoes or couscous. 

Let me know what you think...

Chicken with Pumpkin, Figs and Honey

Serves 8

12 pieces of skinless chicken, on or off the bone

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 onions, peeled

2 garlic cloves

leaves from 2 rosemary sprigs

6 thyme sprigs

15 ounce can plain pumpkin puree

1 cup dried mission figlets or 2 cups fresh figs, stemmed

2 cinnamon sticks, cracked

1 teaspoon ground allspice

¼ cup honey

1 cup red wine

1 ¼ cup water

salt and freshly ground black pepper

toasted slivered almonds 

Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.  In a food processor, (or by hand) chop up the onions, garlic, rosemary and thyme…don’t let it get mushy…Just a few quick pulses.

Heat the oil in a heavy roasting pan over medium-high heat. Saute the onions, garlic, rosemary and thyme for about 6 minutes, until soft and fragrant. Add the chicken pieces, and brown for several minutes. Meanwhile, In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, the figs, cinnamon, allspice, honey, wine, and water. (This is usually the point where I pour myself a glass of red…once the bottle is opened- why not?) Pour over the chicken. The smell should be so beyond right now. Spoon the sauce all over the chicken. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium. Cover, and cook for about 45 minutes up to 1 hour. Place the chicken pieces on a serving platter, Spoon the sauce over, and sprinkle the toasted almonds over the top.

Homemade Pita Chips

My friends are always popping in to say hello and have a drink...This is a great recipe for a quick, 5 minute appetizer. I serve these toasty, salty pita chips alongside chummus and guacamole. I simply top the pitas with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of za'atar before toasting them in a hot oven. Za'atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend that I tend to use a lot in my cooking because of its sharp, nutty flavor. Za'atar is a combination of basil, oregano, thyme, and savory, sumac, along with toasted sesame seeds and salt. This spice works so well on the toasted pita because it lends to any flavor you may be pairing it with. This is a perfect example of a time when homemade just completely crushes the store bought variety...I keep bags of pita in my freezer just in case I need to quickly whip these up- everyone seems to love them, even the kids! Light, crisp and delicious- also a great accompaniment to wine and cheese.

Homemade Pita Chips
4 pitas, split through the edges so that each pita is cut into 2 rounds
1/4 cup good olive oil
1-2 tablespoons za'atar

Preheat the oven 375. Drizzle the olive oil over the pita rounds and sprinkle the za'atar over. Bake for about 5 minutes, watch them closely as they burn quickly. Remove from oven and cool. Break into smaller pieces and serves. These pita chips can keep in a ziplock bag for one week.

"Health Cookie"

I've never claimed to be a "health-food" cook. I definitely try to cook using healthy, fresh, seasonal ingredients, but I'm not one to turn away a recipe because of a stick of butter. I like food that tastes good, and if it happens to be healthy, that is just a bonus. This recipe for "health cookies" was given to me by my cousin in Israel, who is an amazing cook. It's a sticky gooey cookie full of almonds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds. It takes just seconds to throw together, and cooking time is about 40 minutes in the oven. They are crunchy, and light tasting; just great to have around the house. But, what I like the most about these cookies is the reaction that they always get: "You made those? No way!" Everyone always assumes they are store-bought! And, as for the health factor- in my family, when the recipe calls for seeds and nuts, those are enough to label them as "healthy"- we just pretend the cup of sugar doesn't exist. Maybe we should call them "healthy enough".

Health Cookies

makes 30 cookies

1 1/4 cup sesame seeds

1 1/2 cup slivered almonds

1 cup pumpkin seeds, shelled

1 cup sunflower seeds, shelled and unsalted

3/4 cup brown sugar

3 egg whites

Preheat oven 325. In a large bowl, combine the almonds and the seeds, stir together. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg whites and the brown sugar. Pour the egg white mixture into the seed mixture, and use your hands to combine. Line several large baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a tablespoon or a mini ice-cream scooper to scoop heaping tablespoons onto the parchment paper, leaving 1 inch between each scoop. Flatten slightly with your fingertips. Place in the oven, and bake for about 40 minutes until golden brown. The cookies may still be a little soft, but will harden once they cool off. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.  

mix the seeds and almonds together

whisk the egg whites and brown sugar together

combine the seed mixture and the egg white mixture

scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets

flatten slightly using your fingertips

crunch!

Lemon & Herb Crusted Artic Char, 1,2,3

If you are looking for a dinner that can be prepared in under a half an hour, look no further. This quick and delicious dish can be made using ANY type of fish and fresh herbs. The result is a simple fillet of fish with a golden herbed crust. Serves beautifully with a fresh leafy salad, grilled vegetables or rice. I like using a little butter to top the crust, as it really adds a burst of richness, but olive oil can definitely be substituted. Prep time takes 5 minutes and cooking should take no more than 25 minutes.

Lemon & Herb Crusted Artic Char
Serves 4-6
1.5 pound fish fillet, skin removed (use any fish that you like: salmon, halibut, artic char, red snapper..)
1-2 handfuls of fresh herbs, I used basil and thyme
1 garlic clove
1- 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, cut into quarters
zest from 1 lemon
1/4 cup breadcrumbs (use plain or flavored- whatever you got!)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into tiny pieces

Use your favorite herbs...or whatever you have in the fridge!

 Place the herbs, garlic, ginger, and lemon zest in a food processor.

 Process until all chopped up into fine pieces.

 Add the breadcrumbs, olive oil, salt and pepper. Process until combined.

 Use the back of a spoon and your fingertips to spread the crumb topping over the entire surface of the fish.

Scatter the pieces of butter evenly over the crumb topping. 

Place the fish, covered, in a preheated 375 degree oven for 15 minutes. Uncover, and bake for an additional 5-8 minutes until golden.

Voila!