Red Onion Tarte Tatin

I've been sitting in front of the computer day in and day out looking for work, hopefully checking emails for some good news. Alas, I just land up selecting a few and mass deleting. Then this recipe mailer came in and I saw this red onion tarte tatin that just made me pull out the pen and paper and write it down. It sounded delicious and made me just want to eat it right there out of the screen. It turned out surprisingly easy to make, and met all my expectations with still a little crunch to the onions. I've never made a tarte tatin before, it was only ever something I saw on MasterChef but will definitely do again. I may just add a little less sugar next time round.

Ingredients:
125ml sugar
60ml butter
30ml water
30ml white wine vinegar
8-10 red onions, halved
3 sprigs thyme
250g puff pastry
1 egg yolk

Method:
Preheat oven to 200ºC
Melt together the sugar, butter, water and vinegar in a tarte tatin pan. Allow to come to the boil, and cook to a deep caramel colour
Arrange the onion halves along the base of the pan
Cover the layer of onions with the puff pastry, tucking the edges in underneath the onions
Brush the pastry with the egg yolk, and bake for 25-30mins, or until the pastry is golden brown
Remove from the oven, and flip the tarte tatin over onto a serving plate. Garnish with thyme and serve warm

Brisket

I'm not sure whether Brisket is something every Jewish person grows up eating, and enjoys... I however do, even though I am not a fan of stews. As the smell (salivating as it was) filled the room, I was thinking that I love prunes in mine! Turns out that is Tsimmes, and I may have to try making that too some time. I guess I am a sucker for good old fashioned, traditional Jewish food. Even though the recipe is for the oven, we made this brisket in a slow cooker which we left over night. Thoroughly delicious, enough to want to lick your plate : )

Ingredients:
1kg beef brisket
1 cup tomato sauce
1 packet onion soup (or chicken stock)
400ml ginger ale
3 large carrots cut into long pieces
1 onion, sliced
3-4 sweet potatoes
3-4 potatoes (optional)

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180ºC
Place the brisket in a roasting pan, fat side down
Stir together the tomato sauce, soup and ginger ale and pour over the brisket
Place the vegetables around the edge and cover with a lid or tinfoil
Bake for 2 1/2 hours covered and another 45mins to an hour uncovered

Carrot Salad

This carrot salad is honestly one of the best things I have eaten. I was given the recipe during the year I volunteered in Israel and it is something I will hold on to for life. I can't say I've ever come across the Chinese pecans (caramelised with honey and baked) that are used in this salad anywhere else, but I do think they really make this dish what it is.

Carrot Salad
5 large carrots, grated
1/4 packet chopped dill
1/3 packet chopped Chinese pecan nuts

Mix together:
1/2 cup oil
1/3 cup white vinegar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 clove garlic / 1 teaspoon crushed bought garlic

Mix everything together and put it in the fridge for an hour or two before serving to allow the flavours to sink in.

Be'tay A'von!

Mock Chopped Herring

I love a good helping of chopped herring (and when it's eaten on Kigel it's even better) but it's not always the easiest thing to get a hold of. When I tasted this and was told it was mock chopped herring I had to have the recipe. Thoroughly delicious with crackers too and very easy to make. I substituted the Matza meal with breadcrumbs.

Ingredients:

400g drained tuna
3-4 peeled green apples
1 medium onion
4 hard boiled eggs (2 go into the mixture, 2 for decoration)
1/2 - 1 cup Matza meal
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 - 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 - 3/4 cup vinegar

Method:
Grate or blend the apples, onion and eggs and mix together with the tuna
Slowly add the other ingredients
Keep tasting and add the liquids according to taste and texture