Silk Soy Creamer
I first learned about soy creamer from a blog called A Vegan Ice Cream Paradise. My local supermarkets don’t carry it, but I recently stopped by a store in a different neighborhood and found that it carries Silk brand creamer, which is marked “100% vegan.” Alas, it is also marked OU-D. Those who follow such matters know that the OU http://outest.org/index.php/faqs/no longer uses the “DE” (dairy equipment) designation, instead marking all dairy equipment products “D,” and this was clearly one such case. Normally, when I encounter an OU-D on a product that I suspect isn’t actually dairy, I just grumble and go on my way, but this time I was so sure that the creamer was really parve that I bought it anyway. When I got home, I went to the Silk Website and found the following in the FAQ:
Are Silk products dairy-free?
All Silk products including Silk Creamer and Silk Live!™ Soy Yogurt are completely dairy-free and safe for people with dairy allergies. None of our ingredients are made from animal products, by-products or derivatives. Our natural flavors do not contain any dairy or other animal products.
And then there was this:
Are Silk products kosher?
All Silk brand products in all flavors are certified Kosher OU-D. Kosher OU-D certifies that a dairy-free product was heated on equipment also used for dairy, and designates that dairy-free products heated on equipment also used for dairy may not be eaten together with a meat product. It may be eaten immediately after a meat product, but not together [my emphasis].
Finally:
Since Silk products are dairy-free, why is the Kosher certification OU-D?
All Silk products including Silk Creamer and Silk Live!™ Soy Yogurt are completely dairy-free and safe for people with dairy allergies. While Silk soy products do not contain dairy ingredients, they may be produced on equipment that also produces dairy products. Silk follows strict allergen cleanup procedures to ensure products made on shared equipment are dairy-free.
Silk is certified Kosher OU-D, meaning they are dairy-free products made on dairy equipment.
In case you didn’t get it:
The D designates that the dairy-free product was heated on equipment also used for dairy and may not be eaten together with a meat product. It may be eaten immediately after a meat product, but not together [emphasis mine].
So there you have it. You can eat it immediately after a meat product, but not together.
I e-mailed the OU just to be 200% sure, and they confirmed that all Silk products are parve but made on dairy equipment. The e-mailer added the following:
You will not find the DE designation on a product certified by the OU. The OU designates dairy-free products made on dairy equipment with the ‘OU-D’ symbol and not ‘DE’ (Dairy Equipment). This due to the fact that the OU has seen that in industrial applications, very rarely is a proper cleanup performed after a dairy run before the Pareve run. As a result there is a problem of dairy residue entering the so-called Pareve product.
This seems reasonable to me, but I would not worry about it in the case of Silk products, since the company is adamant about its products being safe for those with dairy allergies, which requires an extremely high level of cleanliness. And of course, the OU says that you can have them after meat. So you can have them after meat.
According to R. Eidlitz, D.E. products are considered nat bar nat, so hot creamer should not come into contact with meat equipment. Therefore, you should not pour silk creamer into steaming hot coffee in a meat cup, but you can pour it into steaming hot coffee in a dairy cup and drink it after a meat meal (but not together). You can also make this ice cream* and eat it after a meat meal. Just be sure to do the cooking in a dairy saucepan and let the mixture cool before pouring it into your ice cream maker (which the manufacturers recommend, anyway).**
*I’m sure that some people find the very idea of vegan cheesecake ice cream disgusting, and I have to admit that it’s not for everyone, but I think it’s delicious. I’m excited to try more recipes from the site.
**I suspect that there are varying opinions on this subject, so consult a trusted halakhic advisor if you are inclined to investigate it further. There may also be a difference between Sephardi and Ashkenazi practice. (I am no expert on this subject. This is just guesswork based on what I’ve read. Ask someone who knows.)
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Farmer’s Market Finds
We foodies tend to get excited when summer comes around and farmer’s markets start popping up everywhere. Summer’s almost over, though, and so far, I’ve found very little at my local farmer’s markets that seemed blog-worthy. Maybe it’s because it’s been a drought year, or maybe I’ve been making lousy choices. Either way, most of the the produce I’ve picked up has been no better than what we get at the supermarket. A few times I bought “interesting” items, such as shungiku, which the sign at the market said was “good in stir-fries.” When I got home to my computer, I learned that shungiku is also known as “edible chrysanthemum,” and that’s what it tastes like — a flower. (Sorry, but eating flowers has never been my thing.)
Then, recently, the yield started to improve, culminating in this batch of heirloom tomatoes, which I bought on Monday:
They were a mixed bag, but the good ones were very good. As I collected the tomatoes at the market, I scribbled down their names with little descriptions (such as “big bumpy red”); if my notes are accurate, the ones in the picture are (from top, left): Green Zebra, Black Plum, Red Zebra, Speckled Roman, Brandywine, Pineapple, and Costoluto Genovese. The Speckled Roman was decidedly the sweetest and most flavorful (though this probably has more to do with the individual crop and even the particular tomato I selected than the cultivar). The Black Plum and Green Zebra tomatoes were also very good. In general, the greener tomatoes were crisper and easier to slice, but otherwise they tasted very similar to the red ones.
Continue reading Farmer’s Market Finds »
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Ice Cream Maker Update
I have, in fact, been using my ice cream maker quite regularly. I just haven’t posted many recipes, partly because so few of the desserts I’ve made have stuck around long enough to have their pictures taken. It’s a pity, since some of them were quite pretty, but so be it. I may as well post the recipes, anyway. (Several can be made without an ice cream maker; I’ll mention that wherever applicable.)
One of my first dairy desserts was a maple-pecan ice cream from Joy of Baking. It was very good, rich and custardy, with a prominent maple syrup flavor. I served it with bread pudding, but it could easily stand alone.
Lots more after the jump!
Continue reading Ice Cream Maker Update »
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Pareve Parmesan Cheese Substitute
Here’s a recipe I came across for a parmesan cheese substitute that’s kosher, pareve and even vegan (I’m told). I’ve looked far and wide for a product that I could use in my meatloaf or meatballs. This one fits the bill - and it gave my dishes amazing flavor. Parmesan cheese is very umami-rich, so it makes sense to use miso & yeast, which are both umami-rich foods.
1/2 cup almond flour or well ground, blanched almonds
2 tablespoons Red Star nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons chickpea miso (Miso Master brand is certified by the Atlanta Kashruth Commission)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Blend all ingredients well in a food processor.
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Berry Sorbet
Here’s a dessert that I made a while ago but never got around to posting. It was my first successful sorbet, and I think I’ll stick with the formula, although I’m looking forward to switching from frozen berries to fresh when the local crop is ripe.
I looked at quite a few berry sorbet recipes before making this, and it turns out that they’re all pretty similar. In addition to berries, the ingredients usually include water, sugar syrup, lemon juice, and a small amount of alcohol (usually vodka) to keep the sorbet from becoming too icy. I liked the recipes in The Healthy Hedonist becuase they call for maple syrup rather than sugar syrup and juice instead of water. (The juice is apple-raspberry, because they wouldn’t be Myra Kornfield recipes if they didn’t call for at least one ingredient that you can’t get in an ordinary supermarket.) The sorbet in the picture above was based on the Healthy Hedonist recipes and was made with a combination of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. I recently tried the same formula with only raspberries, and it was equally delicious. The maple syrup adds depth of flavor without being immediately recognizable.
Here’s the recipe:
Berry Sorbet
makes about 1 quart
1 pound (about 4 cups) strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries, or a combination
3/4 cup apple juice
3/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
pinch of salt
grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tablesppon vodka
Blend the berries with the apple juice in a blender or food processor. Strain the mixture through a fine-meshed strainer into a bowl, to remove the seeds.* Stir in the maple syrup, lemon juice, salt, lemon zest, and vodka. Freeze according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. Let the sorbet sit in the freezer for a few hours before serving.
Variations I’d like to try:
* Lime instead of lemon
* Freshly squeezed orange juice and orange zest instead of apple juice
* 1/4 cup wine instead of vodka (I guess I’d reduce the amount of juice)
* You can get away with skipping this step if you’re using strawberries or blueberries, but I seriously regret not buying a fine-meshed strainer before trying the recipe with raspberries. A regular strainer lined with cheesecloth will not do the trick.
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Kugel Recipe Correction
Last year, I posted a couple of Passover kugel recipes, one of which was a farfel kugel recipe from my mother. Due to a miscommunication with my source, I neglected to include the instruction to sautee the onions. The recipe been corrected.
I know that at least one person tried the recipe last year, and I apologize if the kugel was disappointing. I myself prepared it without sauteeing the onions and thought it was all right, although not up to the usual quality.
A chag kasher v’sameach to everyone!
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Purim Recipes and Stuff
It has occured to me that I should perhaps post my real Purim recipes before, say, Pesach. Above is a picture of the food at our vegetarian, buffet-style Purim Seudah. (The drinks and desserts were at other tables.)
On the menu:
Challah Rolls: From my usual challah recipe, which I’ll share some time, bli neder.
“Asian” Orzo Salad: Based on this recipe, from Sadie’s Luncheonette. I used tofu and halved the vegetable oil, compensating with extra soy and teriyaki sauce. You can see other changes I’ve made to the recipe in the comments on Sadie’s post. (By now, it’s pretty far removed from the original Paula Dean version.)
Bow Tie and Broccoli Salad: This is a recipe that I learned from my friend and former roommate, Jill. It consists of bowtie noodles, steamed broccoli, mayonnaise, golden raisins, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds. The raisins, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds are sauteed in sesame oil until the raisins are plump and the sesame seeds are golden, and then everything is mixed together. I don’t bother to be consistent with the proportions.
Lentil Salad: Based loosely on this recipe from Alanna of A Veggie Venture. Alanna lowered the olive oil to vinegar ratio in her dressing from more than 3:1 to 1:2; I stuck with 1:1 and added some fresh lemon juice. I used the same veggies as Alanna, minus the radishes and chives and with the addition of sliced green olives.
Chickpeas with Charmoula Vinaigrette: There is a custom to eat chickpeas on Purim that dates back to the Middle Ages, according to Gil Marks. The practice is based on the midrash that Esther kept kosher while in Ahashuerus’s palace by eating only legumes and seeds. We tried a new chickpea recipe this year, from Myra Kornfeld’s The Healthy Hedonist. (I made some adjustments, since I was in a hurry, but it still came out great.) Here’s the recipe:
1 1/2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds [I used a reduced quantity of ground cumin]
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice [from about 1 large lemon]
4 garlic cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
3/4 cup fresh parsley
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
salt
freshly ground black pepper
3 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 15-oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed [I used canned]
3 tablesppons extra-virgin olive oil
If using whole cumin seeds, toast them in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat for about 2 minutes, or until fragrant, then grind with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. [Obviously, I skipped this step.]
Now, throw everything in a food processor, beginning with the garlic and herbs, followed by the cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper, and ending with the liquid ingredients. Process well, taste for seasoning, and pour over chickpeas.
All right, so that last step wasn’t quite in accordance with the book, but it works perfectly well.
And now for my favorite new recipe of the holiday: Bourbon Ice Cream!
I got the recipe from CDKitchen, though I’ve seen nearly identical ones all over the internet. The main distinguishing feature of this version is that it uses 1/2 cup bourbon per gallon rather than 1/4 cup. (That’s about 10% ABV, I think, so it’s not for children, pregnant women, etc.)
And as a bonus, DH making kiddush:
Until next year. . .
(Cross-posted to Apikorsus)
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Soup’s On!
Alanna of A Veggie Venture is helping us all stay warm this winter by inviting readers to submit recipes for soup (preferably with plenty of veggies). My contribution is a hearty vegetable barley soup that I learned to make from my grandmother. It’s very simple but quite delicious as well as healthful. You can use a food processor to chop the vegetables.
Vegetable Barley Soup
6 cups water
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1/4 cup lima beans, soaked overnight or covered with water and microwaved 5 minutes
1/4 cup split peas
1/4 cup barley
1 tablespoon oil (I prefer olive; Grandma likes canola)
1 teaspooon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Chopped fresh dill or dried dill, to taste
Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2–2 hours.
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Baked Barley with Shitake Mushrooms and Carmelized Onions
I tried a great new side dish this past Shabbat, from Cooking Light. (Don’t worry; it doesn’t taste particularly “light.”) My only adjustment to the recipe was to make it parve by substituting canola oil and a little bit of water for the butter. (Butter is about 20% water, which helps to properly brown onions and other veggies.) Next time I’ll probably use more pepper and thyme and maybe add some garlic, but really, no complaints.
Hat tip to Alysha of The Savory Notebook (who has a great pic), and to DH, for washing and slicing all those mushrooms.
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Potato Latke Master Recipe
I usually only make potato latkes once a year, for Chanukah, and every year I search online to find the right proportions of ingredients. Last year, I had had enough, and actually documented my process for posterity. It’s nothing earth-shattering, but at least it’ll be here for years to come. And it’s meant to be multiplied: I quintupled this recipe for a crowd — freezing/reheating instructions follow the recipe.
Continue reading Potato Latke Master Recipe »
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