From Sybil’s kosher kitchen

(photo by Cynthia Ramsay)

It’s summer – time to enjoy the fresh local produce and some cool meals, treats and drinks. Here are several of my favourite (kosher) recipes, from soups to salads to cakes and cobblers, plus a few icy desserts and drinks.

GAZPACHO
8 servings

12 small or 16 cherry tomatoes
6 kirby cucumbers
2 small onions
2 green peppers
2 red peppers
2 garlic cloves
4 cups tomato juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp chopped parsley
6 ribs celery
salt and pepper to taste

1. Place half the tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, peppers, garlic, tomato juice, oil, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, parsley and celery in a food processor or blender and blend. Pour into a large jar.
2. Place remaining ingredients in food processor or blender and blend. Add to jar and refrigerate until ready to serve.

 
MOM’S BEET BORSCHT
3-4 servings

1/2 tsp sour salt or 1 to 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp sugar
4 cups water
2 cups grated beets
1 egg yolk

1. In a saucepan, bring to a boil sour salt or lemon juice, salt, sugar and water.
2. Add beets and boil 10 minutes.
3. Beat egg yolk with a little cold water and add slowly to soup.
4. Cool and serve.

 
COLD CUCUMBER AND SPINACH SOUP
I adapted this from a recipe I found from a café in Evanston, Ill. It serves 4.

1 tbsp margarine or oil
2/3 bunch chopped scallions
2 diced cucumbers
2 cups pareve chicken soup
1/3 pound cleaned spinach
1/3 cup sugar-free whipping cream
3 tbsp non-dairy creamer
1 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

1. Melt margarine or heat oil in a soup pot. Cook scallions until tender.
2. Add cucumbers and sauté five minutes. Add chicken soup and bring to a boil. Simmer 15 minutes. Add spinach and cook four to five minutes.
3. Add whipping cream and non-dairy creamer. Cool.
4. Purée in food processor. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper. Chill.
5. To serve, pour into bowls and garnish with sliced cucumbers, radishes or scallions.

 
ZUCCHINI SALAD
4 servings

2 cups zucchini, cut in matchsticks
1/2 cup green pepper, cut in matchsticks
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded yellow cheese
1/4 cup minced parsley
4 cut-up black olives
1 large minced onion

dressing
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp anchovy paste (optional)
1/2 tsp chopped dill
pinch oregano

1. In a salad bowl, combine zucchini, green pepper, tomatoes, cheese, parsley, olives and onion.
2. In a jar, combine lemon juice, olive oil, wine vinegar, dill and oregano. Close and shake well.
3. Refrigerate salad until ready to serve. Pour dressing on top and toss.

 
PEACH SALAD
4 servings

4 large peaches, sliced in half
cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
2 tbsp confectioners sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp almond extract

1. Place two peach halves in each salad bowl. Add a dollop of cottage cheese.
2. Combine sour cream, confectioners sugar, nutmeg and almond extract.
3. Pour into a small bowl or pitcher and serve on the side.

 
WALDORF PEACH SALAD
4 servings

1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup sliced grapes
1/2 cup chopped apples
1/4 cup chopped nuts
4 sliced peaches
4 pieces Romaine lettuce
1 tbsp brown sugar

dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup whipped cream or pareve whip
1 tsp grated orange rind

1. In a mixing bowl, combine celery, grapes, apples and nuts. Toss lightly.
2. Place one piece of lettuce on each plate and add a sliced peach. Spoon one-quarter of the salad on top of each peach. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Place plates in refrigerator.
3. In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, whipped cream and orange rind.
4. Remove peach salad from refrigerator before serving and spoon dressing on each.

 
CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE
This recipe came from Laurel, an old friend from my Kansas City, Mo., and Overland Park, Kan., days.

3/8 cup margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
5/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup shredded, unpeeled zucchini
1/4 cup milk or non-dairy creamer
1/2 cup chopped nuts

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a loaf pan with vegetable spray.
2. Cream margarine and sugar. Beat in eggs.
3. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and cocoa and add to creamed mixture.
4. Add vanilla, zucchini, milk or non-dairy creamer and nuts. Spoon into greased loaf pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

 
REVERSE STRAWBERRY COBBLER
Can be made with peaches, plums, cherries and apples.

4 cups hulled strawberries
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp oil
1 cup milk or non-dairy creamer
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a glass round pie plate.
2. Pour oil into pan. Add milk, flour, baking powder, sugar and cinnamon and stir until mixed.
3. Stand up strawberries, tips pointed up, around batter; fill in centre.
4. Bake 25 minutes.
5. Serve warm with whipped cream on top.

 
QUICKY STRAWBERRY PIE

1 cup mashed strawberries
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp lemon juice
1 cup mashed strawberries
pie shell

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Place one cup strawberries with sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Cook for five minutes.
3. Stir in lemon juice and additional cup of strawberries. Pour into pie shell and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350°F and bake another 40 minutes.

 
PAREVE PEACH PUDDING CAKE
4-5 servings

5/8 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup pareve margarine or 3 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp almond extract
1/4 cup non-dairy creamer or pareve almond milk
1 egg
3 peaches
1/2 cup pareve whipping cream
1/2 package vanilla instant pudding mix

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a pan.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix flour, baking powder and 1/4 cup sugar.
3. In a saucepan, melt margarine (if using oil, place it in a bowl). Add vanilla and almond extracts, 1/4 cup sugar and egg and blend. Add to flour mixture and pour into pan. Bake 20-25 minutes until top springs back when touched with finger. Remove from oven and cool.
4. Peel and coarsely chop one peach. Toss with 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar.
5. Beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Prepare vanilla pudding using 1/2 cup non-dairy creamer or almond milk. Fold whipped cream into pudding. Fold in chopped peach.
6. Make a well in the cake and spoon pudding, whipped cream, peach into the well.
7. Slice remaining two peaches and toss with 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar. Arrange slices on top of pudding mixture.

 
STRAWBERRY-LEMON WHIP DRINK
4 servings

2 cups sliced strawberries
3/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup lemon syrup
2 cups water
ice cubes

1. In a blender or food processor, blend strawberries, cold water, lemon juice, lemon syrup and ice cubes until mixture is smooth.
2. Pour into tall chilled glasses.

 
BLENDER PEACH ICE CREAM
8 servings

7 medium peaches, sliced and pits removed
2 tbsp lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 cup sour cream

1. Place peaches, lemon juice, sugar and extract in blender. Whirl until pureed.
2. Add sour cream and whirl until smooth. Pour into a metal pan. Freeze about two hours. Turn into a bowl. Beat until smooth. Return to pan, cover tightly and freeze until firm.

 
FROZEN PEACH YOGURT
3-4 servings

1 cup sliced ripe peaches
1/3 cup sugar or sugar substitute
dash of salt
1/8 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt

1. Puree peaches in blender or food processor.
2. Mix with sugar or sugar substitute, salt and almond extract.
3. Stir in yogurt. Pour into a tray with a lid, cover and freeze for two hours.
4. Remove 15-20 minutes before serving.

 
STRAWBERRRY YOGURT POPSICLES
6 servings

6 wooden sticks
6 waxed paper cups
1 cup sliced strawberries
2 cups plain yogurt
1/4 cup honey

1. Combine strawberries, yogurt and honey in a bowl.
2. Spoon into paper cups and freeze for 20 minutes.
3. Add sticks and freeze until firm. Peel off cups before serving.

Sybil Kaplan is a journalist, lecturer, book reviewer and food writer in Jerusalem. She created and leads the weekly English-language Shuk Walks in Machane Yehuda, she has compiled and edited nine kosher cookbooks, and is the author of Witness to History: Ten Years as a Woman Journalist in Israel.