The Shabbat Table is the latest CJN column from noted chef and food blogger Norene Gilletz. Click here for last week’s recipes.
Good Shabbos, Shabbat Shalom! When it comes to feeding kids at the Shabbat table, there are so many challenges. “My food can’t touch!” or “I don’t like sauce on my food!” I’ll always remember attending a big celebration hosted by my friends, Cheryl and Len Goldberg. Their granddaughter looked at the fabulous buffet table containing at least 35-40 choices and said: “Where’s the Wacky Mac? There’s nothing to eat!”
A lot depends on the age of the child and how fussy they are. When I was at my sister’s for Father’s Day dinner last week, I spotted a copy of a new community fundraising cookbook on her coffee table: Nourish, A Collection of Recipes by the Parents of Robbins Hebrew Academy. Rhonda’s grandchildren, Mikaela (age 10) and Jack Matias (who is just turning 8), attend the school. I flipped through the cookbook and was very impressed.
My niece arranged for me to meet with Tracy Kowal, who co-chaired the cookbook project with Cheryl Stein. Nourish was designed and written by the RHA Parents’ Association and contains 100 family-friendly recipes, with beautiful colour photos throughout.
Tracy has two sons, Jonah (age 11) and Nathan (age 15). The Matias and Kowal families recently got together for Shabbat and Tracy showed me several recipes from the book she served. They are in her regular Shabbat rotation as well as part of her weekday meals. I’ve included some of her comments along with the recipes she recommended. Other recipes she recommends are Black Bean and Corn Salad, Fish Tacos (the kids love to assemble them on their own), Parve Ice Cream, Rocky Road Squares and Chocolate Chip Biscotti are always a hit!
Tracy likes to make her own challah for Shabbat – who doesn’t? Her family especially loves it when she adds raisins!
Nourish retails for $36 and is available through the RHA website. For more information, click here.
NON-DAIRY CAESAR DRESSING (Pareve)
Here’s a pareve option for Caesar salad. The non-dairy ingredients make it a perfect addition to a Shabbat dinner.
Tracy’s Comments: “This recipe is always a hit with the kids, whether they’re 4, 6, 8, 10…or any age!”
Prep Time: 20 minutes
1 egg yolk
1 tsp dry mustard
splash of Worcestershire
1 tin anchovies
4 cloves garlic, minced
5-7 croutons
1 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
Combine egg yolk, mustard, Worcestershire, anchovies, garlic and croutons in a food processor or blender. Process for 1 minute, until anchovies are thoroughly chopped.
In a separate bowl, mix together oil, vinegar and lemon juice.
Add both mixtures together in a jar with a tight fitting lid, and shake well to combine. Store any leftover dressing in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Makes 2 cups.
JERUSALEM BEET SALAD (Pareve)
This was served at a hotel in Jerusalem. This recipe has been created to try and replicate the original. To make this salad even easier, buy the beets already roasted!
Tracy’s Comments: “I ate this salad with one of my friends at a hotel in Israel and my friend tried to replicate it. I buy pre-roasted beets to save time. I made it for Father’s Day and making it this Shabbat. It’s great for kids of any age.”
Prep Time with Pre-Roasted Beets: 10 minutes
Prep Time without Pre-Roasted Beets: 1 hour 40 minutes
Salad:
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
6 medium sized beets, roasted and sliced (homemade or store-bought)
3 tbsp cilantro, for garnish
2 tbsp roasted sunflower seeds
Dressing:
1 roasted beet
juice of 1/2 lemon
juice of 1/2 orange
1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
dash of each salt and pepper
Take peeled and diced carrot, place into a pot and boil. Drain when soft, about 5-7 minutes.
Roast beets in a covered roasting pan, with one-inch water at bottom of pan, for 1 hour 30 minutes at 425 F. Remove beets from oven, peel and slice. Mix carrots on top of sliced beets.
Dressing: Puree the beet, and then add the remaining ingredients. Pour puree over the carrots/beets.
Garnish cilantro and sunflower seeds.
Serves 4-6
P.S.: Beets are highly nutritious and “cardiovascular health” friendly root vegetables. Beets are also an excellent source of folate and a very good source of manganese, potassium, and copper. They are also a good source of dietary fiber, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin C, iron, and vitamin B6.
TURKEY BREAST (Meat)
This turkey is also great the next day on a salad. That’s only if you have any leftovers…it goes fast!
Tracy’s Comments: “This Turkey Breast is in my regular rotation of recipes. I buy turkey on the bone from Costco on Wednesday, marinate it on Thursday and cook it Friday! It’s good for kids of all ages. So easy! If you’re having guests, just buy two turkey breasts.”
Prep Time: 25 minutes + marinating time
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
1 head garlic, peeled (yes, 1 whole head!)
3 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp pepper
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp orange juice
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1tsp white vinegar
2 – 2 1/2 lb turkey breast, bone in, skin on
1/2 cup white wine
Place all ingredients except white wine in a food processor or blender. Blend well for 1 minute. Pour over turkey. Marinate (in the refrigerator) a minimum of 4 hours. Can be left overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Place turkey in a roasting pan. Pour 1/2 cup white wine in bottom of pan.
Bake uncovered for 1 1/2 hours. Add more wine during cooking if needed. Baste every 20 minutes.
Serves 4
CAULIFLOWER LATKES
These are so delicious, you may never make potato latkes again!
Tracy’s Comments: “Kids of all ages love these latkes. Don’t tell the kids they’re made with cauliflower! They’ll never know!”
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
1 head cauliflower
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
2 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Break cauliflower into small pieces and boil until soft, approximately 10 minutes.
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Add flour and cauliflower. Mash together until the cauliflower is in very small pieces. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Lightly fry in olive oil on both sides until golden brown.
Serves 4
P.S. Cauliflower has less calories than potatoes, so these latkes are definitely less heavy, less fattening, and contain more vitamin C.
Norene Gilletz is the leading author of kosher cookbooks in Canada. She is the author of eleven cookbooks and divides her time between work as a food writer, food manufacturer, consultant, spokesperson, cooking instructor, lecturer, and cookbook editor.
Norene lives in Toronto, Canada and her motto is “Food that’s good for you should taste good!” For more information, visit her website or email her at [email protected].
