Interview: Levana Kirschenbaum

Lévana Kirschenbaum was co-owner of Levana Restaurant on Manhattan’s Upper West Side (alas, recently closed after thirty two years), and the pioneer in Kosher upscale dining. She is a cooking teacher and cookbook author, and gets countless devoted fans for her fearless, practical and nutritious approach to cooking. She gives weekly cooking demos, and gets cooking demo engagements around the country. She has published "Levana's Table: Kosher Cooking for Everyone", "Levana Cooks Dairy-Free!”, and a book-dvd set based on her demo series called "In Short Order”. She is currently at work on her next cookbook, scheduled to be published in June 2011: “The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen: Glorious Meals Pure and Simple”. She is launching a line of all-natural spelt desserts, called, what else, Lévana. Her weekly cooking demos take place at her apartment on Manhattan’s Upper West Side: Get ready for dinner and a show! Go onto her website to find out more about her demos, cookbooks, desserts, and entertaining stories at www.levanacooks.com

IRS: When did you become interested in cooking? What were your early influences?

LK: My earliest and longest-running influence is my mother's, the diva of glorious quick healthy meals, as I like to call her. Growing up in Morocco and watching her do her magic with pennies and in minutes, I couldn't help but being hooked: such plebeian ingredients, such great results!

IRS: In the course of your career, you have had to transform non-kosher dishes to kosher dishes by substituting ingredients. For example one of your books, “Levana Cooks Dairy-Free!: Natural and Delicious Recipes for Your Favorite Forbidden Foods” features recipes that do not include any dairy products in their ingredients. What were some of the challenges that you experienced while adapting these recipes to the Jewish Halakhik framework?

LK: I didn't only have to combat the Jewish Halakhik framework, but indeed the whole secular gastronomic world who for the most part thinks (sometimes there is here and there a glimmer if hope that this is getting better) any dessert made without cream or butter is not worth bothering with. In the Kosher world, I also had to steer them away from the non-dairy whipping cream, margarine etc... And it is well worth the effort: more and more people, not only observant Jews who want to serve a dairy- free dessert after a meat meal, but dairy-intolerant diners as well, are delighted to find dairy free and natural renditions of dishes that have been off-limits to them for so long, both savory and sweet. Just try my cheese cake, my tiramisu or my chicken Tandoori and you will see what I mean.

IRS: What are some of the health benefits of maintaining a kosher diet?

LK: Even though kosher diet was prescribed to us for spiritual reasons, the health benefits are obvious: no shell fish or other scavenger animal. Likewise no diseased animal. Above all, only domesticated peaceful animals. No hunting, no trapping, only ritual and humane slaughtering of perfectly healthy animals (no mad cow disease!) We have a much more meaningful relationship with food. Also, labeling on kosher products is much more stringent, so there's no chance of accidentally ingesting something you might be allergic or intolerant to.

IRS: Do you maintain a strict kosher diet? If not, for which non-kosher foods do you have a weakness?

LK: I do maintain a strictly kosher diet:-)

IRS: As its name implies, the International Recipe Syndicate blog features recipes of signature dishes from countries around the World. What are two of your favorite dishes that are quintessentially Israel?

LK: Oooooh that's easy: their schawarma, and their outrageous cheeses and cheese omelets.

IRS: As a former restaurant owner in Manhattan, you are well acquainted with the industry in New York City. If you had to recommend a few delicatessens in New York City to our readers, which ones would you choose?

LK: I have always heard Second Avenue Deli is fantastic, but alas I can't check it out, because even though all their meats are kosher, they have no kosher supervision. So when I have a yen for deli, I just go to Mr Broadway!

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Be sure to visit the International Recipe Syndicate next week to see Levana's recipe for Apple Raisin Farfel !!

Moroccan Sweet Potato Puree Recipe

Moroccan sweet potato puree is easy to make and takes just over an hour to prepare since the sweet potatoes require between 45 minutes to an hour of baking time. You can use it as a side dish with almost any kind of entree. In addition to its versatility, Moroccan sweet potato puree is also a very healthy choice since sweet potatoes have substantial quantities of beta-carotene which increases the body's immune function and reduces cholesterol accumulation in the arteries.

Recommended Equipment:
food processor

Ingredients:
3 or 4 medium sweet potatoes
1/2 tspn ground ginger
1/4 tspn cinnamon
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Put sweet potatoes on a baking sheet. Put baking sheet in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Potatoes are done when you can easily insert a fork into the top of the potato.
3. Remove potatoes from the oven and place them in a large bowl to cool.
4. Remove the skins from the potatoes.
5. Add the olive oil, cinnamon, and ginger to the bowl. Mash all of the ingredients together until they form a creamy puree. You may want to use a food processor for this step.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
   

Morocco

Curried Rice with Green Beans Recipe

The combination of garlic, onion, and curry powder gives this simple dish classic Indian flavor. It is easy to prepare and only takes about 40 minutes from start to finish. I used green beans but you can substitute your favorite steamed vegetable instead.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large handful of fresh green beans
1 1/2 cups basmati rice
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
1 cube of vegetable bouillon
1 tspn curry powder
4 cups of water

Preparation:

1. Using a steamer, steam the green beans so that they are tender but still crisp, about 5 - 7 minutes. Set aside for later.
2. In a small saucepan, heat 1/2 cup of water over medium heat. When the water is warm, add the vegetable bouillon cube and dissolve. Remove from heat.
3. In a large pot, add the olive oil and heat over medium heat.
4. Add the onions, curry powder, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes until the onions become clear and translucent.
5. Stir in the basmati rice, the vegetable bouillon, and another 3 1/2 cups of water.
6. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and cover the pot.
7. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes without removing the pot's lid.
8. Pour the rice into a serving bowl and mix with the green beans.
   

India

Yogurt Pancake Recipe

This recipe for yogurt pancakes is a healthy alternative to processed frozen pancakes and pancake recipes
that use butter. Yogurt pancakes taste better than traditional pancakes and they are better for you too. I
prefer to under cook them slightly so that you can taste more of the creamy pancake batter. You can top them with your favorite types of fruit that are in season. I added frozen blueberries to these before I flipped them.

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tspn baking soda
1 tspn baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/8 tspn nutmeg
1 tbsp canola oil
1 egg
+ your choice of fresh fruit. I used fresh frozen blueberries.

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients except the fruit.
   
2. Bake pancake on a hot, oiled skillet or griddle.
3. Serve with fresh fruit.

United States [ print this recipe for Yogurt Pancakes ]

Book Review: Green Market Baking Book by Laura C. Martin

The Green Market Baking Book not only includes 100 delicious, healthy recipes, it just may change the way that you cook. Author Laura C. Martin is a strong proponent of slow food cooking - the replacement of highly processed ingredients such as sugar with natural alternatives. Like most chefs today, Martin also advocates using locally grown ingredients that are in season.

Martin is a prolific author with 24 books written over 30 years. The titles of these books are a testament to the author's many interests including cooking, arts and crafts, and gardening. Her knowledge and skill in all of these fields is evident as you read the Green Market Baking Book. In addition to providing information about gardening and food preservation methods such as freezing and canning, Martin also did all of the illustrations. The book's art work is extraordinary. In fact, you may want 2 copies of this book: one for the
coffee table and one that you can "trash" in the kitchen.

Green Market Baking Book includes Laura's own recipes along with a host of talented chefs and bakers. These recipes are organized according to the season in which their main ingredients are naturally available. In addition, certain recipes include icons with dairy-free, wheat-free, vegan, and low-calorie designations for those with special dietary concerns.

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to try the 12 Grain Muffin, Honey Strawberry Jam, and Graham Cracker recipes from the spring section of the book. Although I had some difficulty finding a store that carried ingredients such as whole wheat pastry flour and 12 grain cereal, the recipes were fairly easy to prepare and they all tasted great. The most challenging recipe was the Honey Strawberry Jam which required me to do some canning (something
that I had never attempted in the past). However, the section on food preservation was very helpful in this regard.

Overall, I give Laura C. Martin's Green Market Baking Book five stars out of five. All of the recipes that I tried were delicious, healthy, and easy to make. The book is interesting, informative, and a pleasure to read.

Honey Strawberry Jam

This is a great way to make the best use of a lot of berries during the peak season. The honey lends a unique flavor to the jam. Put the jam into small jars and you'll have Christmas gifts done in June! The jam can also be used in many other recipes.

Makes 6 - 7 small jars

Ingredients
6 cups chopped strawberries
1 1/2 boxes pectin
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups honey


Preparation
See Canning 101

1. Wash and sterilize six small jelly jars.
2. Mash the berries. Add the pectin, place in a large saucepan, and bring to a rolling boil.
3. Stir and boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add honey and lemon juice. Bring to
4. a boil again and continue to boil for 5 minutes, stirring continually.
5. Using oven mits, ladle the mixture into hot jars.
6. Put lids on jars and immerse in hot water bath for 8 minutes.
7. Place on a counter and allow to cool thoroughly.

Recipe courtesy of Laura C. Martin from her Green Market Baking Book [review]
United States

Graham Crackers

I love graham crackers, and homemade, naturally sweetened graham crackers are the best. This is an easy, inexpensive recipe. It uses whole wheat pastry flour instead of graham flour. These are fantastic served with honey-sweetened goat cheese and are great slathered with peanut butter and naturally sweetened jelly(see Honey Strawberry Jam) for a traditional after-school snack.

Ingredients
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup stone-ground whole wheat flour
1 tspn baking powder (non-aluminum)
1/2 tspn baking soda
1/4 tspn ground cinnamon
1/2 tspn salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into slices
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tspn vanilla extract

Preparation

1. In a mixing bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and butter. Mix until the dough resembles coarse meal.
2. Mix together the honey, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Blend in with the dry ingredients and mix until you can form a ball.
3. Place the ball between the two sheets of parchment paper and gently roll it out to about 1/2 inch thick. Place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to chill.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Divide the dough into two pieces. Take one piece, put it between two pieces of parchment paper and roll out to 1/8 inch thick, being careful to roll it evenly.
6. Cut the rolled dough into 2 inch squares or cut with cookie cutters. If you want them to look like store-bought graham crackers, prick with a fork. Transfer to a greased cookie sheet (or line with parchment paper).
7. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until firm. Serve at room temperature.

Recipe courtesy of Laura C. Martin from her Green Market Baking Book [review]

United States