The Best of Kosher Cooking – a Future Classic

Nov 15, 2022 by Chef David

By Chef David

When it comes to kosher cooking, there are a few names that stand out. Now imagine these fifteen iconic chefs collaborating to produce one volume The Best of Kosher. The collection includes 84 of their most popular recipes and 45 new favorites. What’s best, these recipes are designed for the home cook, straightforward and family-friendly.

The cookbook itself is a beautifully bound bookshelf-worthy volume. It will delight readers with stories sharing information about the women behind these kosher culinary classics. No surprise, the pictures of the dishes are magnificent, photography by Esti Waldman, yet you will not find any photos of the chefs themselves.

Retrospective of Kosher Cooking

Over the past twenty years, ArtScroll Mesorah Publications has published cookbooks from an elite group of iconic women, who together redefined and refined the art of kosher cooking. This volume contains 129 of ‘the best’ kosher recipes, citing the author, and the cookbook that the recipe originates from.

It is organized by course beginning with the appetizer which contains salads and soups, then fish, which is followed by poultry and meat. Dairy stands proudly alone. Last, we have sides, baked goods, and desserts (which is where we have selected a recipe to share). Setting the stage for this volume, each of the women shares two pages about herself, encapsulating her journey to become an acclaimed cookbook author.

Meet the Authors

This initial section introduces the collaborators: Susie Fisheben [known for the Kosher by Design series], Daniella Silva [Silver Platter cookbooks], Miriam (Pascal) Cohen [Real Life Kosher Cooking], Naomi Nachman [Perfect for Pesach], Chanie Apfelbaum [Millennial Kosher], Rivky Kleinman [Simply series], Danielle Renov [Peas, Love & Carrots], Between the Carpools (a collaboration between Renee Muller, Leah Schapire and Victoria Dwek [Made Easy series] along with Esti Waldman and Shaindy Menzer), Sina Mizrah [Good Food] as well as Rorie Weisberg [Food for Love].

Even if you are not familiar with these names, you will recognize the recipes, and hopefully, some will find their way into your cooking repertoire. The recipes in this collection are low fuss and typically use simple ingredients to create classic flavors.

We were delighted by the wide variety of simple sauces included in the recipes such as an Asian dipping sauce and creamy Caesar dressing, to name a few. They contribute a unique flavor profile to the dish while using common ingredients. Each can be paired with your go-to kitchen creations.

A Good Read or Gift

The Best of Kosher is a collaboration, between over a dozen iconic kosher cookbook writers, each contributing their unique tips and tricks, even including Shabbos serving suggestions. Readers are offered a wider perspective and a larger variety of options than they would get from any single author, which is refreshing, allowing you to flip to find healthier options or classical creations. The book can be ordered online 

We selected a recipe from Miriam (Pascal) Cohen to feature (included below) because of her self-acclaimed reputation for designing recipes that are ”easy and doable”. Cohen  says “The secret is that I create them because I am (almost) always feeling tired, lazy, or pressed for time when I cook.”

We also thought it looked delicious.

Bakery-Style Chocolate Muffins – By MIRIAM (PASCAL) COHEN [from Best of Kosher]

If you’ve been following me for a while, you might know that I bake … a lot. There aren’t many baked goods that I’ll see in a bakery that I’ll want to buy vs. make myself. But for some reason (I don’t really know why!), bakery muffins, with their high domed tops, have always tempted me. Ironically, muffins are among the easiest baked goods to make, so I was determined to make a version at home that is as tempting as the ones you’ll find at a bakery.

Ingredients

• •                  3    eggs
  •         ¾ cup    oil
  •     1½ cups    sugar
  •           1 tsp    vanilla extract
  •           1 tsp    baking powder
  •           1 tsp    baking soda
  •          ½ tsp    sea salt
  •       2⁄3 cup    cocoa powder
  •        2 cups    flour
  •          1 cup    buttermilk or 1 cup non-dairy buttermilk substitute (see Tip!)
  •             9 oz    chocolate chunks or chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin pans with paper liners; set aside.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined.
3. Add cocoa powder, flour, and buttermilk. Stir until combined.
4. Add most of the chocolate chunks to the batter, stirring to combine.
5. Fill muffin pans until almost full. Sprinkle reserved chocolate chunks over the top.
6. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the top feels set.

Tip! In place of chocolate chips or chunks, chop up a bar of your favorite high-quality chocolate to enhance the flavors in this muffin.

Tip! If preparing your own buttermilk, add lemon juice to a measuring cup. Add non-dairy or dairy milk to the 1-cup mark. Let sit for 5 minutes, until it appears curdled.