The Shabbat Table – Festive Father’s Day treats

Baby lamb chops in bourbon sauce (Amy Stopnicki photo)

Shabbat Shalom! Sunday is Father’s Day, the official time to celebrate the fathers and grandfathers in our lives. It’s a day to pay tribute to fatherhood and the paternal bonds that connect family members to each other.

While Mother’s Day (the second Sunday in May) has been observed in the United States sine 1911, Father’s Day was not officially recognized by the US government until 1966, when Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honouring fathers. He designated the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day.

President Richard Nixon signed Father’s Day into law and made it a permanent national holiday in 1972.

It’s traditional to mark Mother’s Day with brunch and carnations. Father’s Day, however, is all about beef and barbecues. Salad and veggies can be optional but a nice beef or lamb dish, or a chicken option for more health-conscious men, may be the best culinary way to show love and appreciation to the fathers in our families.

Kosher Taste by Amy Stopnicki (Philipp Feldheim)

The following two recipes come from Kosher Taste, by Amy Stopnicki, a GTA author and event planner. Stopnicki’s recipes are flavourful yet simple to prepare. The dishes should please carnivores of all ages and are great options for a festive Father’s Day meal.

Chopped meat kabobs (Amy Stopnicki photo)

CHOPPED BEEF KEBOBS (Kosher Taste, Amy Stopnicki)

1 egg

1/4 cup (60 ml) breadcrumbs

1 tsp (5 ml) paprika

1 tsp (5 ml) cumin

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 cup (120 ml) parsley, finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

2 lbs (900 g) ground meat

 

Preheat the oven to 375°F (180°C)

In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine egg, breadcrumbs, paprika, cumin , garlic, parsley, salt, pepper and meat.

Form the meat mixture into 2-inch football-shaped balls.

Cook on a baking Sheet for 10 to 15 minutes or until the meat thoroughly cooked.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

READ: THE SHABBAT TABLE – GRILLED, CHILLED!

 

BABY LAMB CHOPS IN BOURBON SAUCE

1/2 cup (120 ml) honey

1/2 cup (120 ml) fancy molasses

1 cup (240 ml) bourbon**

1/4 cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar

1 market bunch mint. Cleaned and checked and chopped

salt and pepper to taste

8 lamb chops (approximately 1-inch thick)

**substitute whisky or beer

 

In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine honey, molasses, bourbon, cider, vinegar, garlic, mint, salt and pepper to make the marinade.

Marinate the lamb chops overnight in the refrigerator or for 1 to 2 hours at room temperature.

Heat a BBQ grill to a high heat.

Grill the lamb chops for 2 minutes, then flip them and cook them another 2 minutes or until the lamb is cooked to the desired doneness.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

 

Culinary News:

Rivky Kleiman’s new cookbook is hot off the press.

Simply Gourmet: A Complete Culinary Collection For All Your Kosher Cooking by Rivky Kleiman (Mesorah Publications, Ltd.)

Simply Gourmet: A Complete Culinary Collection For All Your Kosher Cooking (Mesorah Publications, Ltd.) offers some very interesting and novel recipes like Beef Fry and Onion-Filled Burgers and Chili-lime Rubbed Delmonico. The food in the accompanying photos look delicious.

Besides the beef section, there’s a range of innovative recipes like French Onion and Short Rib Soup; Seared Tuna Platter, Poached Mediterranean Flounder, Crustless Onion and Chive Quiche, Brussels Sprouts Fritters, and Teriyaki Mushroom Salad.

The dessert and baking sections are very creative takes on classic recipes like the Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie and Lotus Ribbon Bundt Cake.

Kleiman, a resident of Lakewood, New Jersey, co-authored the popular Bais Yaakov Cookbook. Her recipes have also been featured regularly in Mishpacha Magazine‘s Family Table, as well as on kosher.com.

 

Oven Southern fried chicken (Rivky Kleiman photo)

OVEN SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN (Simply Gourmet, Rivky Kleiman)

12 chicken drumsticks, skins on

11/3 (320 ml) cups flour

1Tbsp (15 ml) kosher salt

1 tsp (5 ml) onion powder

1 tsp (5 ml) chili powder

1 tsp (5 ml) paprika

1 tsp (5 ml) black pepper

1/4-1/2 tsp (2 ml) turmeric

2 eggs

1-2 tsp (5-10 ml) hot sauce

1 tsp (5 ml) yellow mustard

1/2 cup (120 ml) margarine

 

Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Prepare the coating mixtures: Place the flour and spices into a resealable bag. Using a fork beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Stir in the hot sauce and mustard.

Place the drumsticks into the bag with the flour mixture. Shake to coat the chicken. Dip each drumstick into the egg mixture, then shake them in the flour mixture again.

Place the drumsticks onto the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle 1 tbsp (15 ml) of melted margarine over each drumstick. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake the chicken on the second rack for 40 to 50 minutes until the juices are clear when the chicken is pierced with a fork.

Makes 4 servings