Make it real; make it dairy

By Naomi Nachman aka The Aussie Gourmet

Issue of May 29, 2009 / 6 Sivan 5769

I love anything to do with food. Cooking, baking, supermarket shopping, eating out –– anything at all –– which could explain why I’m a personal chef. But in particular, I love dairy cooking. Don’t get me wrong. I love eating and cooking meat, too, but I believe observant Jews don’t often enough get to eat really great dairy side dishes, salad, or desserts. Whenever we cook or bake for Shabbat it starts off with a stick of margarine –– which is awful from both a health and a taste perspective.

Therefore, Shavuot gives us leeway to experiment with tasty and healthier dairy dishes (yes, the calcium is a bonus).

This holiday, why not experiment with dishes you’ve always wanted to try in the dairy section of your cookbook or even Google a new dairy recipe. Imagine Tiramisu made from Italian Mascarpone cheese (available at out local kosher supermarkets). Instead of regular spinach kugel, throw in some feta cheese –– or you can try my Fried Goat Cheese Salad with raspberry vinaigrette.

Last week I gave a cooking demonstration for Ossie’s Fish in Gourmet Glatt and we gave out some samples of dairy fish to try. Feel free to stop by their counter to pick up some new recipes.

Fried Goat Cheese Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

Cheese mixture

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1/2 tablespoon black sesame seeds
• 1 8-ounce log plain goat cheese
• 1/2 cup canola oil

Set up three dishes on the counter: Fill the first with flour, the second with the egg and the third with the breadcrumbs and the sesame seeds.

Slice the goat cheese into rings. Coat each ring in flour, then in egg, then in the breadcrumb mixture. Once they’re all coated, set them aside while your pan heats up.

Place a pot over high heat and bring 1/2 cup oil to 360 degrees using an oil thermometer.  Once the oil is hot, place the coated discs of goat cheese into the pot and cook until golden brown, about 1 minute. Drain on paper and cool.  Set aside and prepare dressing.

Dressing

• 1 tablespoon shallots, finely minced
• 3 Tablespoon raspberry preserves
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• Salt and ground black pepper

Place shallot in food processor and mince finely. Then add preserves and vinegar. Then in a steady stream while machine is running add the olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. You can do this by hand with a whisk but it is a smoother consistency in a food processor.

Salad

• 3 cups mixed greens
• 1/2 red onion slices, optional
• 1/2 cup honey glazed pecans, halved

Place salad greens on a large platter, scatter red onions and pecans over the top.

Add the cheese rings around them and drizzle with dressing.

Tiramisu

• 7 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup sweet Marsala, plus 2 tablespoons
• 8 ounces mascarpone, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup coffee (1 teaspoon of instant coffee with 8 oz hot water
• 1/4 cup rum
• 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
• 48 ladyfingers
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Cream together egg yolks and sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Add 1/3 cup of the Marsala and continue to whisk until mixture is thick and doubled in volume. This is basically a zabaglione. Remove from heat. Stir in the mascarpone until completely blended.

In a chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture, to lighten.

In a small bowl, combine coffee, rum, vanilla, and remaining 2 tablespoons Marsala. Quickly dip each ladyfinger in the coffee mixture and arrange in a single layer on a 9 by 13-inch glass baking pan. Do not soak the cookies or they will become too moist. Spread 1/2 the mascarpone cream evenly with a spatula on top of the dipped ladyfingers. Repeat with a second layer of dipped ladyfingers and pour remaining mascarpone cream over the top. Sprinkle top with cocoa powder. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

Known as The Aussie Gourmet, Naomi Nachman is a kosher personal chef who lives in Woodmere with her husband and four children. Naomi gives cooking classes and demos across the country. Visit www.theaussiegourmet.com for recipes and more information.