The Healthy Jewish Kitchen
Fresh contemporary recipes for every occasion

Review By: Linda Kissam
Photos Courtesy of Sterling Publishing except as noted

I enjoy eating healthy… especially when something looks tasty and smells delicious. So when I received a copy of  The Healthy Jewish Kitchen by Paula Shoyer to review, I quickly thumbed through it, knew it had merit and was ready to dive in for a long leisurely look .

 I generally go for the spicy Asian and Mexican dishes but this book expanded by horizons. I’ll try most anything that sounds good and cooks under 30 minutes.

 

I loved the variety of recipes. There’s a Cambodian Spring Roll on page 15 that is speaking to me. Darn, if that Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup isn’t also calling my name.

Of course the Baked Schnitzel with Nut Crust (I am yearning for another visit to Germany) on page 55 is looking pretty darn good right now with a side of fries. You’ll find that recipe below.

Notable recipes besides the ones I already mentioned above include

Asian Sweet Potato Salad

Salmon and Avocado Tartare

Potato and Scallion Latkes with Pickled Applesauce

Whole Wheat Onion Challah

Japanese Lamb Chops

Fish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Rice

I am a big fan of cookbooks with lots and lots of photos. I need a visual guide.  I think you’ll like the photography, as it is not overly staged, yet still tells the story of what success looks like.

 

The chapters are arranged by courses, such as appetizers and soups, and there are separate chapters for main dishes with meat or poultry and those without. The section of menu suggestions listing dishes for various Jewish and secular holidays such as Rosh Hashanah, Shabbat Lunch, Shavuot, and barbecue (my personal favorite) is a big plus.

I  think beginning each recipe with a summary of time involved, equipment needed, and whether the dish is gluten-free or prepared without meat, milk, or their derivatives and therefore permissible to be eaten with both meat and dairy dishes according to dietary laws. You’ll find simple dishes for quick everyday meals. There are also more sophisticated ones for experienced cooks who keep a variety of equipment and ingredients on hand.

Paula Shoyer is quite accomplished. She is the author of several books including The New Passover Menu (Sterling 2015),  The Holiday Kosher Baker (Sterling Press 2013). Her recipes have been featured in newspapers, magazines, websites, blogs and on radio and TV shows all over the United States, Canada, Israel and Asia.

 

Paula is a French-trained pastry chef who teaches cooking and baking classes all around the world. Appearances include high profile shows like  Food Network’s Sweet Genius, Home & Family on the Hallmark Channel San Diego Living. You can also check her out her out on YouTube and her website https://thekosherbaker.com.  Something you may want to checkout as well is her Facebook group called Kosher Baker.

This is your lucky day!  Take this cookbook for a test drive. Enjoy this recipe compliments of Paula and her publishers. PREP  TIME: 10 minutes • COOK TIME: 15 minutes • That’s my kind of recipe, just sayin’…

BAKED SCHNITZEL WITH NUT CRUST
Pair with a 2019 Demarie Roero Arneis, Piedmont, Italy

Meat, Gluten-free, Passover   • Serves 4 to 6 (8–10 slices)

 

Author Note: My goal with this recipe was to bake it first, rather than frying it, and then see if I could come up with a gluten-free coating that everyone would love. This schnitzel is great cold after the first day. It should be made after Passover when, if you’re anything like me, you’ll have leftover ground nuts in your pantry. You can also use the same baking method with your favorite schnitzel breadcrumbs.

PREP  TIME: 10 minutes • COOK TIME: 15 minutes • ADVANCE PREP:  May be made 3 days in advance or frozen

• EQUIPMENT: Measuring cups and spoons, cutting board, knife, 2 jelly roll pans, food processor, 2 shallow bowls, gallon-size freezer bag or shallow bowl, large plate, tongs

2 to 2½ pounds (910g to 1.2kg) chicken scaloppini

(thin slices), about 10 pieces

3 tablespoons sunflower oil, divided

1 cup (120g) shelled pistachios

1 cup (120g) slivered almonds

½ cup (45g) ground hazelnuts (filberts)

1½ teaspoons ground turmeric

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons paprika

2½ teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons garlic powder

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

2–3 large eggs, as needed to coat all the pieces

1 cup (110g) chickpea flour (or potato starch)

Sprigs of Italian parsley, for garnish (optional)

• Preheat the oven to 475– 480°F (245– 250°C).
• Place 1½ tablespoons of oil on each of 2 jelly roll pans and spread to coat. Place the pistachios, almonds, and ground hazelnuts into the bowl of a food processor. Add the turmeric, cumin, paprika, ginger, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Process until the nuts have been reduced to very small pieces, but not ground into a powder. Place them in a shallow bowl.
• Crack two of the eggs into a shallow bowl and beat them well. Place the chickpea flour into a gallon-size freezer bag or a shallow bowl (the freezer bag works well). Cut the chicken into as many pieces as you like and, using your fingers, dip each into the chickpea flour to coat it completely, shaking off any excess. Then dip the pieces into the beaten eggs and press them into the nut mixture to completely coat the chicken. Place the chicken on a large plate and set it aside. Wash your hands with warm soapy water.
• When the oven is preheated, place the oil-coated pans into the oven and heat for 5 minutes. When the jelly roll pans are hot, very carefully remove one pan at a time and add the chicken, leaving a little room between each piece so that they don’t touch each other. Put the pans back in the oven and bake the chicken for 10 minutes. Using tongs, turn over the pieces and bake them for another 5 minutes. Rotate the pans halfway through the cooking time so that each pan has a turn on the bottom rack to ensure maximum crunchiness.

Serve immediately.

Wine Pairing

Pairs nicely with a 2019 Demarie Roero Arneis, DOCG, Piedmont, Italy. At about $14, it is a steal. It presents with a lovely pale golden color.

On the nose expect pleasant floral aromas. It is a medium body wine with subtle flavors of pear, lemon, apricot, tangerine and stone.

Honestly, it goes with many different foods and makes a fabulous aperitif.

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If you would like  to add this cookbook to your collection, here’s a link to the book on Amazon. It comes in both book and Kindle format.

Although this book was sent to me by the publisher, the review reflects my own opinions.