FoodGirlOnline.com » Jewish Food

Chocolate Orange Torte

foodgirl — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 23:41:39 +0000

Strawberry Sauce:
•   2 cups fresh strawberries, cut in half, divided use
•   1/2 teaspoon confectioners’ sugar
•   .
•   Torte:
•   3/4 pound margarine, unsalted or pareve
•   3/4 cup sugar
•   3/4 cup fresh orange juice
•   2 Tablespoons orange liqueur
•   1/4 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled
•   1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
•   12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
•   6 large eggs, lightly beaten
•   1/8 cup miniature chocolate chips for garnish, optional
Preparation:
Place 1 cup of halved strawberries (retain the rest for garnish) in a ziptop bag. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar and shake to coat. Refrigerate while you make the torte.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.

Place margarine, sugar, orange juice, orange liqueur, and coffee in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Stir until combined and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Addchocolate and stir until completely melted and blended. Let cool.

When chocolate mixture is cool, whisk in the eggs until thoroughly combined. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 45 minutes until top has a slight crust and center is set.

Let chocolate torte cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, place sugared strawberries in a blender or food processor and pulse to puree. Pour strawberry sauce over the cake, sprinkle with chocolate chips, and decorate with remaining strawberry halves.

Yield: 14 to 16 servings

Easy Wine-Marinated Brisket

foodgirl — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 23:41:00 +0000

1 cup dry red wine
•   2 Tablespoons soy sauce
•   1 small onion, finely minced
•   1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
•   3 garlic cloves, finely minced
•   3 to 4 pounds beef brisket
•   1 medium-sized onion, thinly sliced
•   Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
Combine wine, soy sauce, grated onion, celery, and garlic in a heavy-duty zip-top freezer bag large enough to accommodate the brisket. Add the brisket to the bag, squeeze out the air, seal, and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Remove brisket and place fat-side up in a roasting pan or dutch oven. Spread sliced onions around brisket and cover with the marinade. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover tightly with heavy foil or a lid. Bake 3 hours, until tender. Check midway during roasting time and add water, if needed, to keep brisket from drying out.

When done, remove brisket from oven and let rest 15 minutes. Carve slices against the grain and place on serving platter. Cover slices with pan juices and cooked onions to serve.

Yield: about 8 servings

Israeli Chumos / Hummus

foodgirl — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 23:39:45 +0000

1 cup water
1 cup sesame seeds
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clover garlic, cut in pieces
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 can (1 lb. 4 oz.) chick peas (garbanzos),
drained, reserving liquid
1 tablespoon minced parsley
Put first seven ingredients in blender. Cover, blend until seeds are ground and mixture is smooth.
Add chick peas, a few at a time, blending until smooth after each addition.
If mixture is too thick, thin with reserved liquid. Chill.
Mound mixture on a flat plate, sprinkle with parsley.
Garnish with ripe olives and radish roses.
Serve with crackers for dipping.