New cookbook Secret Restaurant Recipes features dishes, tips and techniques from more than 70 top kosher restaurants from all over the world. Here's a selection of recipes from the book to create your own restaurant-quality meal at home.
Have you ever been in a restaurant, savoring the last bites of your meal, wishing you could make the same dish at home?
You don’t have to wish anymore. Now you can turn to Secret Restaurant Recipes, by Leah Schapira and Victoria Dwek.
Featuring dishes from more than 70 top kosher restaurants from all over the world, Secret Restaurant Recipes is full of tips, techniques and flavor pairings from today’s best kosher chefs. The book is full of signature tips and friendly kitchen guidance.
The book not only reveals the elegant dishes from acclaimed restaurants but family-friendly, everyday recipes as well.
Below is a dairy dinner complete from appetizer to dessert.
Portobello Mushroom Soup
(Pareve)
Recipe courtesy of Omni Jewels & Java Cafe in Toronto
2 Tbsps. oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 lb. portobello mushrooms, gills removed, finely diced
10 cups vegetable stock, divided
kosher salt
pinch of coarse black pepper
Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until onion is soft, about 7 minutes.
Lower heat, add mushrooms and cook very slowly, until most of the mushroom liquid has evaporated, 20 to 25 minutes.
Add 2 cups of stock and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Cook for 45 to 60 minutes.
Puree in a blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Serves 8.
Rockport Salad
(Dairy)
Courtesy of the Milk Street Cafe in Boston
6 oz. mixed greens
1 pear, cut into 1⁄2-inch dice
3⁄4 cup red grapes, halved
1⁄2 cup dried cranberries
1⁄2 cup shelled pistachios
3 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
Honey-Balsamic Dressing:
2 Tbsps. balsamic vinegar
1⁄4 cup white vinegar
1⁄4 cup honey
1⁄2 tsp. lemon juice
1⁄2 tsp. coarse sea or kosher salt
1⁄8 tsp. ground black pepper
6 Tbsps. extra virgin olive oil
In a mixing bowl, combine the greens, pears, grapes, cranberries and pistachios.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegars, honey, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Continue to whisk while drizzling in olive oil until dressing is emulsified. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Alternatively, you can serve the dressing on the side. Top with goat cheese.
Serves 4.
Salmon & Tuna With Teriyaki Sauce
(Pareve)
Courtesy of Cafe Rimon in Jerusalem
3-4 Tbsps. olive oil, divided
2 red onions, thinly sliced
1 lb. mushrooms, quartered
1 lb. salmon, skin removed, cut into 1-inch wide strips
1 lb. tuna, cut into 1-inch wide strips
kosher salt to taste
pinch of coarse black pepper
2 scallions, green parts only, cut into rings
1⁄2 cup cashews
1⁄3 cup sesame seeds
Teriyaki Sauce:
1 cup sugar
2 carrots, finely diced
1 onion, diced
1 celery rib, diced
2 oz. fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1⁄2 cup white wine
2 cups low-sodium soy sauce
3 Tbsps. cornstarch dissolved in 5 Tbsps. water
lettuce for plating
To prepare the teriyaki sauce: Add the sugar to a medium saucepan over medium-low heat; caramelize sugar. When the sugar at the edges of the pan begins to melt, gently stir. Continue to stir gently until the sugar is liquefied.
Add the carrots, onion, celery, ginger and garlic, and cook over medium-low heat stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Some of the sugar may harden; that’s OK. Add the white wine and cook an additional 5 minutes.
Add the soy sauce and bring to a simmer. Lower heat, simmer for 1 hour.
Strain out the vegetables and return to the pan. Bring the sauce to a boil over high heat. Stir in the cornstarch mixture. When the sauce reaches the desired consistency, remove from heat. Set aside.
To prepare the fish: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions, cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until soft and tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
In the same pan, heat the remaining olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the fish. Sear on all sides until medium-rare (the tuna will cook much faster than the salmon; remove while you still see pink inside). Remove from pan and set aside.
Return vegetables to the pan. Stir in 3⁄4 cup teriyaki sauce and cook for 1 minute. Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary.
Spread the lettuce onto each plate. Arrange the salmon and tuna in a row on top. Top with mushroom/teriyaki mixture and sprinkle with scallions, cashews and sesame seeds.
Serves 4.
Financiers
(Pareve)
Courtesy of Pardes in Brooklyn
8 egg whites
11⁄2 cups plus 1 Tbsp. sugar
4⁄5 cup flour
1 cup ground almonds
pinch of kosher salt
2⁄3 cup canola oil
Preheat oven to 350.˚ Grease 12 (4 oz.) ramekins with nonstick baking spray.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until foamy. Slowly add sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold in the flour, ground almonds and salt. Then fold in oil.
Portion the batter into the prepared ramekins. Bake for 18 minutes.
Let cool. Flip cakes onto serving plate and sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar. You may also add fresh berries to the tops of the cakes.
Makes 12 mini-cakes.
