Skip to main content

Post Bar-Mitzva Weekend

Last weekend we were away at a field school for a double bar-mitzva. My son and my nephew were born 24 hours apart 13 years ago and so we shared their weekend. The event was a major success, but very stressful as far as logistics. The weather here is in the 90's (30's celcius) every day with low humidity. Its wearing to be out and about.

This weekend is for recovery! We still have relatives staying with us. In addition, a new family just moved into our community and we will be hosting them for one meal (lunch).

Parshat Ki Teitzei
Dinner - 12 people
Mushroom Garlic Soup
Cajun Chicken
Pargiot with Adobo Seasoning
Stir fried Cabbage and Garlic w/ Pepper Flakes
Rice
Roast Zucchini and Tomatoes

Lunch - 15 people
Corned Beef
Meat Roll
Roast Potatoes with Rosemary
Cabbage and Ginger
Green Salad w/ Dressings

I start my soups by making stock. I purchased a mess of turkey bones from my butcher a few weeks ago and put them in the freezer until I was ready to use them. Today, I popped them out of the freezer and onto a an oven tray in a hot (400) oven. Once they thaw and brown, I'll dump them into cold water along with some vegetables and then simmer for 4-6 hours. Once its strained, I'll use most of this stock for this evenings soup and freeze what's left.

Adobo Seasoning (from The Spicy Food Lover's Bible, pg 153)
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt (I used kosher salt since it makes it easier to grind the mixture)

Grind in mortar and pestle.

I use this as a dry rub on the pargiot and then spray them with olive oil. Bake at 325 for 35 minutes.

Comments

Tzippy said…
hey Elliot,
How did the Mushroom Garlic soup come out? It sounds like a great easy recipe. But, I would probably have to add some meat.
Thoughts?
Tzippy
Elliot said…
Very rich. I used a strong chicken stock. Between the stock and the mushrooms, the soup had a good texture and taste. No need for meat.

Popular posts from this blog

A change of pace (Kidney Failure)

I have been trying to keep this blog focused on hospitality and food.  God though has other plans for his creations and I find now that I will have to expand the scope to cover new topics.  I'll try to continue blogging about my menus and our guests, but expect more posts that have little or nothing to do with food. In February of this year, My second oldest son, Asaf was diagnosed with Chronic Renal Failure. Simply put, both his kidneys are damaged and scarred from some infection or defect that happened years ago.  They will likely cease to function sometime within the next six months. The good news is that there is no immediate danger to his life.  Kidney Dialysis is a viable option and can maintain his health for up to ten or more years if necessary.  Unfortunately, the process is not easy and there are potential side effects. Given Asaf's generally excellent health and age, Kidney Dialysis is considered only a stop-gap measure and not a long term solution. The best solutio...

Pesach 5768 (2008) Overview

Pesach is just around the corner and preparations are already underway.  Our current guest list includes 7 gentlemen from a post-high school yeshiva program and two young ladies.  Our total count stands at 17 for all five meals. My wife and family are already working on cleaning the house.    Some of the dry goods purchases have been completed, and now we are looking at the protein purchase (butchers bill) and the fresh produce.  To get the process started off on the right foot, we are making menus.  In the general way of things, I expect these menus to change over the next 10 days.  Yet, I want to keep them online and get your input.  Do you think they are too light, too heavy, or just plain not enough for our hungry guests?  Let us know! There are five major meals that we need to prepare. Friday Night Dinner Early Shabbat Lunch (which must be eaten before 9:30am and that needs to include bread) Shabbat Lunch (around 1:30pm, that cannot include bread or matzoh) Seder Dinner First Day ...

B"DE Clark Evenchick

B"DE = Baruch Dayan Emet, Blessed is the truthful judge. This is the traditional jewish response to hearing that someone has passed away. My friend Clark Evenchick passed away last night. He suffered for a number of years from ALS. His passing is both a loss and a blessing. We will miss his wit and his powerful presence. On the other hand, ALS is a terrible disease for both the patient and their family. As the body becomes less responsive, the family and caregivers need to spend more and more time providing physical and mental support. Clark's passing frees both himself and his family from this disease. Clark built our house. At one time, he ran a construction company. Clark was not only an honest contractor, but also a joy to work with. At a time when most houses took up to two years from ground breaking to residence, Clark built our house in 7 months. Whenever there was a problem, we were more than comfortable telling him to find his own solution. I believe that...