The Kitchen Guru

Food to take and break your fast Most families have a traditional meal they have for the Seudat HaMafseket (meal before the fast, a lot has been written about the importance of a simple menu that includes , high protein   slow burning   low-sodium foods to sustain one throughout the day,   My son and family favour my one pot Chicken dish that is delicious, nutritious filling but slow burning, to take the fast and this has become their tradition. ( My grandchildren tell me this dish also is delicious cold so the children who are not fasting can eat leftovers during Yom Kippur)     One pot chicken. Serve 4-6 One chicken portioned into 6-8 portions (I cut the breast in two and separate the legs and thighs) 250g/9oz basmati or  long-grain rice (I use whole rice, but you can choose what you prefer) 1 onion chopped I leek- washed and chopped 2 carrots peeled and 2 large potatoes 2 bay leaves 600ml/1 pint  chicken stock 1/2 cup ...

  Rosh Hashanah – Symbolic foods (Simanim) There is a tradition at Rosh Hashanah to eat symbolic foods ( simanim ) these are meant to help ensure us a good and sweet new year. Whereas the Ashkenazic custom would be to incorporate most of the foods into a menu, most Sephardic households hold a “seder” or mini service after Kiddush and Challah saying a blessing over each food. Over the years I have sat at both tables and love the creative ways each of the simanim are prepared. Here you have three simple and quick to prepare recipes to incorporate simanim into your Yom tov menus and below the recipes you can read about the simanim, and what they symbolise and their importance at Rosh Hashanah Rosh Hashanah Honey and Leek Roasted Chicken – serves 4 -6 I whole chicken portioned 1 leek washed, chopped very finely ½ cup of fresh parsley chopped 2 carrots peeled and finely chopped 1 clove of garlic chopped finely 4 fresh dates without stones chopped finely 1 table spoon runny honey 2 table...

  Gefilte Fish. Surprisingly didn’t start out as a Jewish food. The first mention of gefuelten hechden (stuffed pike) was in a German cookbook. By the Middle Ages, the  German  dish had migrated into the Jewish kitchen under the name gefilte (stuffed) fish. It was from the off considered fish to be the perfect food to kick off a Sabbath or holiday meal. Despite all rammers, Gefilte Fish, do not swim in the sea with a carrot on its head, but are created by the recipes below. Nothing is better than homemade Gefilta fish and like all traditional recipes it is not complex!     The basic fish mixture makes approximately 40 patties, or 3 logs. (I always make the fish balls and logs in bulk as they freeze well. Freeze before cooking and can be cooked from frozen)   1 kilo white fish (cod, haddock,) filleted & skinned but ask the fish monger for the fish bones, skin and head ½ kilo oily fish traditionally carp, but I use fresh mackerel, as above filleted and s...