The Kitchen Guru

Chopped liver often mocked, reproduced and joked about, as traditionally Jewish as chicken soup.  Chopped liver can be made with any type pf liver but personally I prefer the traditional  favorite of chicken livers. Chopped liver was traditionally fried in schmaltz (chicken fat ) which over the years has given way to oil, my no fry no oil version tastes just as good but weight watchers can eat with guilt. Nutritional Value Liver is a nutrient-rich food and the ingredients in the chopped liver recipe add more nutrients to the mix. Liver is high in vitamin A, which is dangerous to unborn babies so pregnant mothers should avoid liver in any form.It also contains  vitamin C  choline,  betaine, of vitamin B-12,  retinal and vitamin E  also  of vitamins B-6, folate, niacin, pantothenic acid, riboflavin and thiamin in lesser amounts It also contains the following minerals  Its high in i ron, magnesium,  phosphorus,  potassium,  zinc,  copper, manganese  selenium . If eaten frequently,

In the U.K. we call it Salt Beef, in the US they call it corned beef, but nothing quite evokes my nostalgia taste buds, than a picture of an overstuffed salt beef on rye  sandwich with    a side order of new green cucumbers.. If you were brought up in the south of England , no trip to London was complete without a visit to Blooms.they were located near Petticoat lane in the East End of London, and on Golders green  road  in north west London. Once inside the doors one would feast your eyes and all your senses  on a whole selection of traditional   Jewish dishes, With portions certainly not for the faint hearted or for the cholesterol shy. This week  I am going to take some of those dishes, remove the smaltz, sugars and gluten and give the Kitchen Guru followers the flavors without the  health risks to your favorite kosher  deli menu . Starting today with the item that made Blooms famous Salt Beef, Salt beef is in my blood, my great grandparents owned and ran Silversteins salt be

So what is Gefilte fish? I remember being asked, "its a special fish the swims close to the surface with a carrot on it head was my flippant reply!  Gefilte fish    from  Yiddish : and   German: gefüllter Fisch "stuffed fish" is an  Ashkenazi   Jewish  dish made from a  poached  mixture of ground boned fish, such as  carp , whitefish or  pike , which is typically eaten as an appetizer. Nowadays gefilte fish is not always stuffed in side other fish but formed into  patties and either simmered on top of the stove in a fish stock, baked or Fried ( Chopped & Fried). Health Benefits of Fish Fish is a low-fat high quality protein. Fish is filled with omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins such as D and B2 (riboflavin). Fish is rich in calcium and phosphorus and a great source of minerals, such as iron, zinc, iodine, magnesium, and potassium. It is recommended  eating fish at least two times per week as part of a healthy diet. Fish is packed with protein, vitam

Zucchini or Courgette  if you are European ,   are a member of the squash family  are so versatile , easy to digest, they are available all year round . Health Values Zucchini’s  are  low in Saturated Fat and Sodium, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Protein, Vitamin A, Thiamin, Niacin, Phosphorus and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Magnesium, Potassium and Manganese. the ideal food for the weight conscious . Versatile Zucchini can be steamed, well seasoned , drizzled with a touch of good quality olive oil and served, they can be eaten raw, baked, fried , griddled. They pair up well with mushrooms, tomatoes, leeks and onions, they are wonderful in quiches , pashdididas. cooked on the griddle, added to soup , as a base of ratatouille.  they can be stuffed, sauteed, baked stir fried  to name a few ways of cooking them. added to kugels, latkes, and chocolate cake  for moisture In fac

Chicken Soup   the traditional starter to any Friday night Shabbat dinner.  The "Jewish Penicillin"  Nearly every country and every culture has their version of chicken soup. Traditionally, Jewish Chicken soup is an Eastern European dish,the Ashkenazi  Jews,were often very poor,chicken farming was a way to provide food, eggs , income  and a meal  for Shabbat.  Every part of the chicken was used, to provide this meal.  Traditionally the old tougher birds (hens) past their best , were used for the chicken soup, the hen or part of the hen was simmered with a selection of root vegetables for hours, and served with home made lokshen, kreplach, or   Kneydls (Matzo Balls) to fill everyone up. The Soup was not a starter but the meal. Possibly everyone I know, remembers their mothers or grandmothers chicken soup. My mothers mother had what I perceived to be, a   gigantic    pot that simmered  away sending golden aromas around her small apartment . Whereas my fathers mother l