A Monumental Event

This semester I had the honor and pleasure to work on an exhibit about the Washington Monument and its grounds (Read a review here). To celebrate our accomplishment and to mark the exhibit's impending invisibility, we gathered for a dinner party and toast.

The task was simple: prepare an appetizer or dessert inspired by the exhibit. I decided to re-create the National Mall while also paying homage to our original logo, which was nixed early on for technical reasons. Brownies would represent the earth, while green frosting would be the grass. I discovered a new product: base frosting, to which you can add packets of color and flavor. Luckily, the store had green, which was mint flavored. Yum! I considered constructing the WaMo out of graham crackers and frosting, but then a friend opened my eyes to the wonders of rice crispy treats (which actually could have used a toothpick or two for support). And of course, let's not for get the Jefferson Pier, which L'Enfant intended to be the center point for DC but now sits, forgotten, in the shadow of the monument (at least in the early morning).

Our original logo (more or less)

These special ingredients provide instand, monumental results!

Luckily, the green packet is mint flavored!

The Washington Monument (and Jefferson Pier) looking from the south-west.

H-M's cookies, shaped and colored like the WaMo and JP. These were delicious.

Don't play with your food! Or don't eat your toys?

Ashley used part of her Christmas gift to decorate this cake.

Sunstroke and Smoothies

Please forgive my lack of writing, oh two loyal readers, and accept this post as a natural continuation of my previous post. Another hot day, another exciting fruit drink. Except this time the recipe was (slightly) more complicated and (slightly) less seasonally local.

I spent the better part of Saturday laying in the sun with my friend while we discussed the very real possibility of giving ourselves sunstroke. After a few hours of basking and a frustrating attempt at scrabble, we decided to embark on the ultimate summer activity: smoothies!

A quick trip to am-pam (aka pan-am) produced a mango (Peru) and strawberries (Florida). The yogurt and honey were nixed in favor of our vegan friend. Chop the fruit, then add some pure cranberry juice and a scoop of whatever fruit sorbet you've got in the freezer. A few ice cubes do the magic.

Make sure you've got the lid of the blender on tight.

Pour the smoothie into cups, grab boggle, and head back into the back yard for more sunshine and frustration! (we were not having a good word-game-day)

Simple and Amazing

Recipe: pomegranates, juicer
Prep time: 4 minutes
Servings: 2-3 pomegranates/cup
Rating: 5 (out of 5)

Pomegranates are an amazing fruit, with amazing flavors (sweet/tart) and super-nutrients. In Israel, the season runs from early September until late December, which makes a juicer a worthwhile investment (not to mention the oranges and grapefruits that appear later on).

Last year, I left my juicer in Rona and Michal's custody, and throughout the year I fantasized about the delicious juices they were (or should be) enjoying. One of my summer tasks was to dissemble and clean the juicer.

Juicer in action

I was walking through the shuk looking for blueberries (no luck) when I came across a single booth selling pomegranates. Despite their rarity (frequency=better) and price, I indulged and bought six. The next day, I made juice, which was somewhat tart/bitter. But the season is only beginning, and it can only get better!

Two full cups, from 6 pomegranates

L'Chaim!

Putting the crushed fruits into the neighborhood compost pile

Shake it Up, Shakshuka Style!

Recipe: below
Prep time: 25 minutes
Servings: 2-3
Rating: 5 (out of 5)

Shakshuka is one of those rare dishes that can be consumed for any meal. Breakfast? Great. Lunch? Yum. Dinner? Perfect. This recipe favors heft and flavor, and can be made for any number of diners. The amounts listed below are for 1-2 portions.

A word of caution before we begin: unlike omelets, which require a wide frying pan, shakshuka requires depth. Therefore, a small pot will serve you better (i.e. ignore the frying pan in the pictures...)

Chopped ingredients, ready to go!

Heat up olive oil, and saute 1/2 a chopped onion . Yellow onions are great, but you can add another layer of flavor by adding red onion, leeks, or green onions. After a few minutes, add 1/2 a finely chopped pepper (I prefer red). Saute for a few more minutes, until the pepper softens. Add 2-3 finely chopped ripe tomatoes, 2 cloves of minced garlic, and a handful of fresh, chopped parsley and cilantro. Add a 2-3 spoonfuls of tomato paste (or if you must, ketchup), and spices: a few dashes of ground cumin and paprika, a dash of black and/or cayenne pepper, and a few granules of salt (to counter the tomato paste's sweetness).

Spices and eggs, lined up for frying.

Cover, and lower the heat. Let the sauce simmer, stirring occasionally. Gradually, the chunks will melt into a delicious, flavorful sauce.

Chunky tomatoes, ketchup and general goodness

Turn off the heat. Make 2-3 dimples in the sauce, and pour an egg into each one. Try to keep the eggs intact (again, ignore the pictures...), and try to cover each egg with some sauce. Cover, turn on low heat, and wait for eggs to be thoroughly cooked.

The hot sauce helps cook the eggs

To serve, put a slice of good, whole wheat bread in a bowl and top with shakshuka. Add a few splashes of olive oil, and devour.

The bread makes the dish more filling, and the olive oil makes it more delicious.

Bonus: If you're short on time, you can make large quantities of sauce and freeze it. Besides shakshuka, the sauce works wonderfully in lasagna.

There's No Taste Like Home

Recipe: below
Prep time: 1:15 hour (+ time to cool)
Servings: 6-8
Rating: 10 (out of 5)

This recipe is an all-time favorite. When I received it, the cake was much, much heavier. Over the years I've reduced the amount of sugar, eliminated 1 egg, and increased the amount of cheese. The result: a fluffy, light and subtly sweet dessert. Even without any toppings, this cake is amazing. But, throw on the right toppings, and you've got a winner. This cake requires gvina levana (white cheese), which is an Israeli cheese with the consistency of yogurt. If you manage to get your hands on it, MAKE THIS CAKE. You will not regret it.















In Israel this is 3% cheese. In the US it's 97% fat free. Go figure. Crumble the tea biscuits, mix with a teaspoon of sugar, a dash of cinnamon, and a slab of melted butter. Pat into the pan and bake at 350° F for 5-7 minutes.














Everything tastes better with an old-fashioned egg beater. Beat 1 egg, then add 1/3 cup of sugar, 500 grams of gvina levana, and a splash of vanilla. Blend thoroughly.














Carefully pour the batter onto the baked crust, taking care to not displace the crust. Bake at 350° F until the cake slightly rises - don't let it seriously brown!











For the final layer, mix some sour cream with a tablespoon of sugar, and let sit. Later, spread atop the warm cake. Let the cake cool before topping/devouring.











The best topping is finely sliced kiwi with wine preserves. Another phenomenal hit is pomegranate concentrate - the tartness is a wonderful complement to the cake subtle sweetness. Otherwise, summer fruit works, or simply eat plain cake!!

Hummus for the Masses

Recipe: secret
Prep time: 2 days (including soaking beans), 20 minutes (after beans have been boiled)
Servings: many
Rating: 3 (out of 5, my own fault, not Hummusious's)

To celebrate completing the first year of graduate school, and to honor my classmates who put up with my incessant kvetching about American food, I decided to host an end-of-the-year potluck picnic. I decided to make homemade hummus, according to a recipe I finagled from Hummousious (aka Ron) last year. This recipe includes his secret tips on how to pamper the beans (soak in tchina) and stir (one direction), but I can't give it away in its entirety....


Soaking the beans with baking soda softens them more quickly, and reduces cooking time.


The pectin-rich cooking water will serve you well.... Save it!


Fresh lemon, garlic and hot peppers create the subtle, yet awesome, tang. Don't forget the parsley! (I did)


Yum. Top with some sauce and za'atar, and enjoy!!

Wrapping Up

Recipe: below
Prep time: 1:15 hours (2 people)
Servings: 5-6
Rating: 4.5 (out of 5)

It's spring, which means homemade dolmas (stuffed grape leaves)!! This is a habit I picked up last year when I had an awesome vine in my yard, and realized how easy they are to make.

After realizing that vines do indeed grow in DC, I stole a few of leaves from a courtyard bar (consider it settling the balance for the $6 slurp of wine).














Pick leaves large enough to roll, but still somewhat rubbery.
Wash and boil them for ~1 minute, until they soften and darken.














In a bowl, mix: raw rice, olive oil, salt, pepper and finely chopped onion, parsely and tomato.














Place the leaves fuzz side up, put in some filling (the rice will expand, so don't overstuff) and roll! Start by folding over the sides, then tuck in the stem, then roll down to the tip.














Tightly pack the rolled leaves into a pot - layers are OK, as long as it's tightly packed. Pour in enough water to cover 1/2 of the first layer, drizzle some olive oil and squeeze in at least half a lemon. Put a small plate (or lid) over the dolmas to keep them packed tightly, and simmer until the rice is soft. Add water as needed, but don't turn up the heat. This will cause the leaves to tear.














Final product. Yum!!