How to make the original kosher dill pickle

By Linda Ziedrich for MyJewishLearning.com

Since the publication of the first edition of my book, The Joy of Pickling, several New Yorkers (or former New Yorkers) have asked me why I failed to include any sour cucumber pickles.The first time I heard this question, I was bewildered. All the pickles in my book are sour; pickles are by definition sour. But the New Yorkers were looking at recipe titles for the term sour or full-sour–or maybe New York or kosher–anything to reassure them that the pickles would turn out like the ones from their favorite sidewalk shop in Lower Manhattan. They all urged me to go to one of these shops and taste the pickles and peer into the barrels, and I did.

For all you New Yorkers, here’s a recipe for pickles as close as I can get to the ones you pine for.

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Chickpea and noodle soup with Persian herbs

Total time: 3 1/2 hours

Servings: 4

Note: Kashk, a flavorful Persian yogurt-like dairy product, is widely available at Middle Eastern markets and can be substituted with labneh (strained yogurt).

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound onions (1 very large or 2 medium), chopped (about 3½ cups)

4 large garlic cloves, chopped

2/3 cup dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans), sorted and rinsed (about 4 ounces)

2 cups vegetable broth

8 cups water, divided

1/3 cup green lentils, sorted and rinsed

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Salt and freshly ground pepper

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Ramp Chimichurri Challah

By Leora Kimmel Greene for The Nosher

Spring has finally sprung and I had my first sighting of ramps at the farmer’s market a few weeks ago. If you are new to ramps, they are a mild type of garlic with a slight onion taste that grow in the early spring. They are coveted this time of year and have a very short season.

I came home on a Thursday night with these beautiful ramps but no plan. As I was putting my dough in the bread maker (I have a love affair with making challah in the bread machine) I realized the ramps would create a chimichurri perfect for a spring-inspired stuffed challah.

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Baby Lox Potatoes Appetizer

From ToriAvey.com

Baby Lox Potato Appetizer – Roasted Mini Potatoes with Lox Cream Cheese Spread Lightened Up with Greek Yogurt

Lox and cream cheese– the classic Jewish flavor combination. Luscious, salty salmon topped with a schmear of whipped cream cheese is somehow just perfect together. Sandwiched between two bagel halves, there is nothing more satisfying on a Sunday morning.

This appetizer will allow you to enjoy lox and cream cheese as a lightened up, gluten free appetizer. Roasted baby potatoes create little “boats” for a luscious lox spread. Greek yogurt lends nonfat creaminess to the lox; combined with a small amount of cream cheese, the flavor is rich and creamy without being overly caloric. I don’t know about you, but with Rosh Hashanah behind us I’m watching my calorie intake like a hawk! Topped with capers, the flavor is heavenly. In addition to this baby potato appetizer, the lox spread goes great on whole grain toast, as a topping for crostini, or the old school way… on a toasted everything bagel. Essen!

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Israeli Salad with Chickpeas, Feta & Fresh Mint

By Shannon Sarna for The Nosher on MyJewishLearning.com
In our home there is a clear division of labor when it comes to the kinds of meals we both cook. The husband is in charge of meat and fish. I am in charge of soups, sauces and salads. (And dessert too of course).

Salads are really so much fun to throw together. I love experimenting with seasonal ingredients I find at my local farmer’s market and also using ingredients I have hanging around in my house. And above all about salads: I love that you can improvise.

The salad calls for arugula but all you have is spinach? Just substitute! Have some apples in the house that you want to use before they go bad? Chop them up and throw them in! This is actually how some of my best salad creations came about in the first place including one of my favorites, this Spinach, Blueberry & Goat Cheese Salad with edamame and cucumbers. It was literally what I had in my fridge and it happened to combine together for a delightful and delicious result.

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