Just an update...

Hello Everyone!

If you received a message from Amazon about my book being delayed, it's actually good news! Due to the tremendous number of pre-orders on Amazon, my publisher pushed the pub date of my book back a few weeks. We needed to make sure that books would be available in bookstores and specialty retailers across the country, and they just needed a little more time to accomplish this. I appreciate your patience while you wait for your copy of The Modern Menu to arrive. It'll be worth the wait!  

In the meantime, I will continue to post stories and recipes from 'The Modern Menu' here, so check back often for those. 

Thanks so much for your support!

Love, 

Kim

 

A Recipe Sneak Peek...

Here is a little sneak peek into one of the recipes and photographs you will find in my new cookbook, ''The Modern Menu'. The recipes all follow my usual, simple, straightforward style. Lots of flavor, not a lot of fuss. The stunning photographs found in the book were taken by award-winning photographer and filmmaker, Andrew Zuckerman. 
The holidays may be over but the season for squash and root vegetables definitely isn't. I wanted to share this amazingly magical flavor combination: Gingered Butternut Squash and Sweet Potatoes. It’s a flavor match-up that always surprises people when they first taste it. If you've been following the blog, you'll know by now I have a bit of a love affair with these ingredients, but I just can’t get enough of the sharpness of the ginger when added to the creaminess of the butternut squash and sweet potatoes - it's a wonderful contrast. 

I like to make this in the morning, turn off the oven, and leave it in there all day long. Your house will smell so good, you’ll want to make it again and again. To keep things simple, sometimes I make this a day in advance, cover and refrigerate, then reheat in a low oven until warm. 

Gingered Butternut Squash and Sweet Potatoes 

Serves 8

1 Large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch wedges

4   Sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 

2-inch wedges

3 Yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced 

1 (4-inch) piece ginger, peeled and julienned 

5 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon kosher salt 

½ Tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet 

with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, combine the squash, sweet potatoes, 

onions, ginger, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Use your 

hands to mix everything together until the wedges 

are evenly coated. Transfer to the prepared baking 

sheet and arrange in a single layer. Bake, uncovered, 

for 40 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 300°F 

and bake for an additional 90 minutes. Reduce the 

oven temperature to 200°F and bake 1 hour longer. 

The potatoes and squash should be crisp on the 

outside and soft on the inside. If you are not serving 

this dish immediately, keep in the oven, with the 

oven turned off, until serving.

Introducing my COOKBOOK!

2013 is going to be a very great year. I’m very excited to announce that I have finished my first cookbook and it is being published this spring!
The Modern Menu: Simple. Beautiful. Kosher. is the result of countless hours in the kitchen, time I’ve spent with some of you reading and some by myself, lost in my own world.

I feel like I could fill several books with all the recipes I can’t live without, but because I had to control myself, I settled on the selected recipes you’ll find in my book. Something that I kept in mind while writing the book was a familiar motto that guides my cooking, especially when I’m making something up as I go along:

Less is more. Simple is best.

I’ve split the book into seasonal menus with their own themes from “Crisp” which highlights the role of texture in cooking to “Vibrant” which focuses on bringing out the colors of various dishes, and you’ll just have to consider pre-ordering by clicking here for your own shelf to see the other tricks I have up my sleeve.

The book is all about being creative and taking risks in the kitchen – if the risk doesn’t turn out, I always learn something new, and if it does, then wow! A new dish has been born…the grilled cheese croutons for instance. I’m still not over how surprisingly good those were.

I’ll be sharing recipes from The Modern Menu regularly to give you all sneak peeks into what’s in store, and in the meantime, I always love hearing what’s on your modern menu wishlists for 2013, so please keep the comments and questions coming as they arise. For fans of Andrew Zuckerman’s work, check back here often – I’ll be posting some of the images he contributed to the book as well!

Happy cooking,

Kim 

Rustic Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons..

I made this soup almost by mistake a few days ago when my whole family was coming to visit. It was cold outside, and I was too tired to leave the apartment and go to the supermarket. I opened the fridge and stared at a variety of tomatoes: 2 large beefsteak, moldy/softened tomatoes, a Tupperware of sliced tomatoes (leftovers from the bagel & lox platter I ordered the day before), a box of colorful cherry tomatoes...I just had to come up with something...and in fact, it was easier than I thought.

I literally just threw every tomato item I had in the apartment into a large pot (including sun-dried tomatoes in oil), and the result was spectacular. I was going to serve with grilled cheese sandwiches, but at the last minute, I decided to cut the grilled cheese sandwiches into bite-sized croutons, and this is what really got me the rave reviews...So easy, so simple, so good. 

Rustic Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

Makes 1 large pot, enough for 10 people, but can be frozen in smaller batches

*Note that the ingredients in this recipe do not need to be exact, it is all give or take a little bit...you can't mess it up, I promise.

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 carrots, peeled and diced into small pieces

1 large onion (white or yellow), peeled and diced into small pieces

2 celery ribs, diced into small pieces

1-2 cans diced tomatoes (with their liquid)

1 can tomato paste

1-2 cans tomato sauce

any fresh tomatoes you have: large tomatoes should be cut up and small tomatoes can just be thrown in

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil (include the oil), optional

a bunch of fresh basil

lots of salt and freshly ground black pepper

good extra virgin olive oil, chili pepper flakes or chili oil, optional

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onions and celery. Cover the pot and let cook, about 5 minutes. Stir together, and cook uncovered for another 5 minutes, until the veggies are softened and translucent. Add all the tomatoes and sauces. Toss in the bunch of basil, and stir lightly. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover with a lid. Reduce the temperature to medium-low, and and cook (covered) for about 30-40 minutes. (Meanwhile, you can prepare the grilled cheese croutons, see recipe all the way below) When you uncover the pot, everything should be softened and 'melting' together. Use an immersion blender to blend it all together, including the basil. Taste it, and season generously with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil, chili oil, or sprinkle on chili flakes. Serve immediately, or bring to room temperature before refrigerating until ready to serve...Freezes and reheats well.

carrots, onions and celery (also called mirepoix)- you can buy this mixture already prepared at many supermarkets!

I used some left-over sliced tomatoes

use all the liquids in the cans and packages, don't strain anything

the more variety, the merrier

add sun-dried tomatoes and their oil

a beautiful bunch of basil adds a punch of flavor

 a hand immersion blender makes it so easy

make it as smooth or chuncky as you like

 

beautiful

a good drizzle of high quality extra virgin olive oil

Don't forget the croutons- they take it to the next level!

Grilled Cheese Croutons
makes a ton of croutons!

8 pieces of sliced bread, I used honey whole wheat
your favorite cheese (mozzarella, muenster...goats cheese)
lots of butter

Place the cheese in between two pieces of bread and spread butter on the outside of each piece of bread.
If using a panini press (if you don't own one, it's a great investment): cook the sandwiches in the press until golden and toasty, Remove and let cool. Use a sharp knife to cut each sandwich into tiny cubes.

If you don't have a panini press, heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Place the buttered sandwich on the pan and place a heavy plate over the sandwich to press it down as it cooks. Turn the sandwich over and repeat on the other side. Remove from pan, and cool. Use a sharp knife to cut each sandwich into tiny cubes.

The grilled cheese croutons can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated. Before serving, lay them on a baking sheet and heat them up in a preheated 375 oven for 10 minutes to crisp them up and make them melty inside.
Enjoy!

Crispy, Salty & Oily- Latkes the real way

Every year I swear that I won't do it again the next year. Latkes. But then, the holiday season approaches: bright lights fill the sky, Christmas music blares from every radio station, the streets of NYC are packed with holiday shoppers. I can't help but love this time of year. It is my absolute favorite. In place of a Christmas tree, I decorate a "Chanukkah Table", full of wrapped gifts for my children, dreidels, tons of chanukkah gelt, and menorahs. I guess it's as close as I can get. And once I'm in the holiday spirit, I can't help but get the urge to whip out the potatoes and onions and start from scratch. I know that I could pick up some pretty decent latkes at many places in New York, but we all know that nothing, I mean nothing, beats homemade. So, with my Christmas music blasting, I roll up my sleeves, crack the windows open, and start frying... 

But, I will say that this year was different than most. I think I may have finally figured out how to actually enjoy the latke making process. Below you will find a few tips in red.

Best Potato Latkes

makes about 22 small latkes (actually the perfect size!)

In the past I have made huge, huge batches- that kept me frying on 3 frying pans for hours. This is a mistake. You are better off making small quantites and doing it a few times, rather than doing it all in one shot. Trust me. Large batches end up burning, and the mess is just too much to handle.

4 large russet potatoes, peeled

4 small-medium yellow onions

3/4 cup matzo meal (this is the real deal, old school)

4 eggs

2 teaspoons kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 tablespoons rice bran oil or canola oil (I use rice bran oil for frying, it's a healthier alternative and makes no difference in taste)

Grate the potatoes and onions in a food processor or on a box grater. You can do them seperately or at the same time. Now, you will need to squeeze out the extra liquid from the potatoes and onions. I find that the best way to do this is by wringing them out in a towel to get as much of the liquid out as possible. Take an old, but clean towel, and place about 3 cups of your gratings into it, and wrap the towel around it. Wring them out and then place into a large bowl, do this with all of your gratings. 

In a seperate bowl, crack 3 of the eggs, and beat with a fork. Stir the matzo meal into the beaten egg. Pour the gratings into the egg bowl, and use your hands to smush it all together. The mixture should be sticky and wet, but not too wet. There should not be any liquid swimming in the bottom of the bowl. If you feel that your mixture is too dry, take the remaining egg, and crack it into a small bowl, beat it with a fork. Pour a drop of that beaten egg into your potato-onion mixture. You do not need to add all of the egg, just as a much as is needed. Add the salt and pepper, and mix well.   

Prepare a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and let it get hot. I like my latkes to be uniform in size, so I use a small ice cream scooper to measure out each latke. Scoop out 4 latke mounds and place on the pan, press down slightly so they are flattened a bit. Now, listen carefully:

Be patient, and do not overcrowd your pan. Resist the urge to touch, pat, move, or flip the latkes too early on. Let them cook for at least 2 minutes per side. Keep the temperature at medium-high and do not play with the temperature dial. They are better off cooking slowly that way they don't burn on the outside and undercook on the inside. Flip them once, when really golden, and cook on the other side for 3 minutes longer. Remove from heat and pace on a paper towel-lined baking sheet to cool. Now, take a step bake and relish in your glory. Take a bite- and see why they really are worth the fuss. Happy Chanukkah and Happy Holidays to all!

Peel your potatoes & onions (I used more than 4 potatoes because mine were teeny tiny!)

 

Grate your potatoes and onions

Place your grating in a dish towel

Wrap the towel around the gratings

Wring the gratings in the towel- squeeze like crazt to get as much liquid out as possible!

 Beat your eggs in a seperate bowl

 Pour the potato and onion into the egg and matzo meal

Use your hands to combine

 For perfectly sized latkes, use a small ice cream scooper

 I fry mine in Rice Bran Oil

Heat the oil over medium-high heat

 Be patient and don't over-crowd the pan

 Fry until golden & crisp

Let cool on a paper towel line baking sheet

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potato Wedges with Maple Crumbs

This is a perfect and easy Thanksgiving side dish that takes little time to prepare and always gets rave reviews. I make this all winter round, and the kids love it too. It's one of those recipes you will store in your mind and make time and time again.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potato Wedges with Maple Crumbs 
Serves 8

3 large yams, scrubbed clean and dried, cut into wedges
5 cups brussels sprouts, rinsed and dried
3 tablespoons light tasting olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup corn flake crumbs
4 tablespooons good maple syrup
1 sage leaf, fresh or dried

Preheat oven 375. Place the potatoes on a large baking sheet, and drizzle the oil over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss all together. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 35 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the topping: In a mini food processor combine the corn flake crumbs, maple syrup and sage leaf until all is combined and crumbly, like sand. Set the topping aside. After 35 minutes of cooking the potatoes, remove the baking dish from the oven and toss in the brussels sprouts. Shake the sheet a little to get everything nice and mixed up. Return to the oven, uncovered for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes has elapsed, pull the baking sheet out of the oven and sprinkle the crumbs evenly all over the top of the potatoes and brussels sprouts. Return to the oven to cook for 15 minutes longer, until the crumbs are toasty and golden.
*If you are a lover of truffle salt, and you happen to have some in your pantry, now would be a perfect time to sprinkle just a little over the top of the crumbs...*

Serve straight out of the oven, or reheat before serving. Enjoy

Winter Root Vegetable Chips

It's definitely the season for winter root vegetables, and Thanksgiving is the perfect time of year to bring out the dishes that will warm you up, inside and out.
Here is a  unique, delicious, but simple recipe that will surprise and delight your family and friends.
Winter Root Vegetable Chips- these are exactly what they sound like, only better. Root vegetables, very thinly sliced, drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with herbes de Provence, a mixture of dried herbs typically containing basil, thyme, fennel, savory and lavender. The vegetables are then slowly baked in a hot oven until they are perfectly crisp. Serve these in a big bowl on their own, or alongside hummus, or toss them into a salad. You may use pretty much any root vegetables, though my favorites are without a doubt red beets and butternut squash.

Winter Root Vegetable Chips

Root vegetables, peeled, seeded and very thinly sliced (slice as thinly as you can) This can include:
Fennel, Squash, Beets, Turnips, Celery Root, Sweet Potato...)
a good drizzle of light olive oil
several pinches of herbes de Provence (available at most supermarkets in the spice aisle)
good pinch of Kosher salt
good pinch of black pepper

Preheat the oven 375. Toss all these ingredients together in a large bowl, until well coated. You really can't mess this up. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the veggies in a single layer on the cookie sheets. Place in oven. Immediately reduce the temperature to 325 and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until crisp. You may need to rotate the baking sheets once or twice during the baking. So simple, but so good.

 Slice the vegetables thinly

 Drizzle with olive oil and season with herbes de Provence

 Toss together

 Place on a baking sheet in a single layer