The succulent, meltingly tender foods of the Jewish Sabbath are for everyone. You don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy them. All you need is your oven’s Sabbath mode.
What is Sabbath mode, you ask? You can read all about it in Debbie’s blog.
To sum it up, you assemble the food long hours before you plan to eat. (Even the day before, if you are an observant Jew.) Then you cook it over low heat for long, delicious hours. Time is a great chef. So just let it do its magic while you go about your business.
With Passover and Easter upon us, here are some recipes that suit both holidays: spring lamb, potato kugel, and, believe it or not, coconut brownies.
Note: you will need a some parchment paper and quite a lot of aluminium foil to execute this menu.
Overnight Potato Kugel
2015-04-01 12:15:25
Short ribs, tough and well-marbled, lend themselves well to slow cooking. Here they provide just enough savoriness to the potatoes.
Ingredients
- • 4 strips of meaty, short ribs
- • 8-10 large potatoes (a combination of Russet and Yukon Gold works best), peeled
- • 2 medium yellow onions, peeled
- • 4 large eggs, beaten
- • Salt and white pepper to taste
- • 1 cup chicken soup
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- 2. Place the meat at the bottom of a lightly greased 9-by-13-inch casserole dish. Better yet, one that has a tightly fitted lid.
- 3. Grate the onions and potatoes on the large holes of a box grater or in a food processor. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the eggs. Add salt and pepper to taste and pour over the meat. Use a rubber spatula to distribute evenly.
- 4. Bake for an hour and a half. Remove from oven. Drizzle one cup of boiling chicken broth over the kugel.
- 5. Place a piece of parchment paper over the kugel. Cover with piece of heavy duty aluminum foil to seal the pan. If you have a lid, place it on the pan. If not, wrap with a few extra layers of foil. Set the oven to Sabbath mode and cook for 5-8 hours.
Mrs. G's Appliance Chef https://appliancechef.mrsgs.com/
Spring Lamb With Olives
2015-04-01 12:16:16
If you have a French braiser or a Dutch oven large enough to hold the leg of lamb, use it because it retains moisture better. If you don’t, use a roasting pan covered with heavy duty aluminium foil.
To gauge whether you have enough liquid, “listen” to the pot. Yes, listen. Carefully place your ear close the the pot and listen for some very gentle bubbling. If you don’t hear that, carefully open the pot and add ½ a cup of boiling broth or water (I’d go for broth).
Ingredients
- • 1 6-lb. leg of lamb (preferably bone in, if you have a pan large enough to hold it)
- • Salt and pepper to taste
- • 2 tablespoons olive oil
- • ½ cup dry white wine (use the rest of the bottle later)
- • 16 cloves garlic, peeled
- • 4 medium onions, sliced
- • 1 cup oil cured black olives (optional)
- • A few sprigs of thyme and one sprig of rosemary, tied with kitchen string
- • 1/2 bottle of dry white wine
- • 1 cup chicken broth, more or less as needed
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Season lamb with salt and pepper. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a heavy French oven.
- 2. Brown lamb on all sides. Remove to a platter. Add a ½ cup of wine and scrape the bottom of the pan to release all of the delicious particles that have clung to it. Add garlic, onions, olives, thyme, and a sprinkle of salt; stir to cover with the pan sauce. Return the lamb into the pot with 1/2 of the wine bottle. Add the remaining broth and bring to a simmer. Cover and transfer to the Shabbath oven. Cook for at least 8 hours or until ready to serve.
- 3. Let cool (ragu tastes better if made a day or two ahead). Just before serving, heat it up and add the braised vegetables and olives. Cook together until heated through and serve.
Mrs. G's Appliance Chef https://appliancechef.mrsgs.com/
Slow-Cooked Coconut Brownies
2015-04-01 12:17:14
Prepare the batter and place it in the pan. Four hours before serving, slip the pan in an oven set to Sabbath mode. Allow one hour to cool before slicing, otherwise you’ll end up with too much of a gooey—if delicious—mess.
Ingredients
- • 1 cup olive oil, plus more to grease the pan
- • ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- • ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water
- • 2 ounces unsweetened dark chocolate, finely chopped
- • 2 large eggs
- • 2 large egg yolks
- • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- • 2½ cups sugar
- • 1 cup matzo cake meal or potato starch (or a combination), sifted
- • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (or ½ teaspoon table salt)
- • 2½ oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- • 2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
Instructions
- 1. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Prepare a sheet of parchment paper of the same size. Lightly grease one side with a thin layer of oil.
- 2. In a large bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and boiling water until smooth. Add the unsweetened chocolate and whisk until the chocolate has melted.
- 3. Whisk in the olive oil. Add the eggs, yolks, and vanilla, and continue to whisk until combined. Add the sugar, whisking until fully incorporated.
- 4. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the matzoh meal and salt until just combined. Fold in the bittersweet chocolate pieces.
- 5. Pour half the batter into the prepared pan. Use a spatula to spread it all the way around and smooth the top.
- 6. Sprinkle 1 cup of the shredded coconut on top of the batter. Pour in the remaining batter and smooth. Top with remaining coconut.
- 7. Place the parchment paper with the greased side down on top of the batter. Wrap in a double layer of aluminum foil and cover with a tightly-fitting lid if you have one. Bake in Sabbath mode for 2½ hours.
- 8. Letting these brownies cool completely before slicing helps them keep their shape. Transfer to a cutting board and use a sharp chef's knife to cut into diamonds.
- 9. Alternately, transfer to a platter and spoon portions into cups or small bowls. You can top them with (parve) vanilla ice cream.
Adapted from adapted from Melissa Clark, The New York Times
Adapted from adapted from Melissa Clark, The New York Times
Mrs. G's Appliance Chef https://appliancechef.mrsgs.com/
