By Chef Laura Frankel

I couldn't just write any old sweet tea recipe, not for KosherEye! Coming from the North, I would be at an extreme disadvantage. So, I went with a gorgeous ruby colored Hibiscus tea.
Hibiscus flowers are dried and are used commonly in Mexican, Polynesian, Korean and many other cuisines. The flowers are a natural diuretic, loaded with vitamin C and can help lower blood pressure. The flavor of Hibiscus is tart without being sour and slightly herbaceous. Hibiscus tea is very thirst quenching and refreshing. Serve the tea garnished with sliced fruit and Fruit Ice Cubes.

Ingredients

48 ounces water
3 tablespoons hibiscus flowers (organically grown)
1/4 cup sugar
1 small orange, sliced into wheels
1 lemon, sliced into wheels

Directions

Bring water to light boil, turn off heat add the hibiscus and sugar. Cover and steep for 20 minutes.
Strain tea into a pitcher and add lemon and orange slices and serve over ice.

Notes

Recipe: Kosher, parve

By Chef Laura Frankel

This is my go-to cube all year round. I like to have pretty cubes floating in clear pitchers.
I need to add interest to plain water or I will tend to dehydrate myself. I just don't like to drink water! This attractive and refreshing cube makes water interesting and refreshing.

Ingredients

2 cups fresh cucumber, peeled and seeded
1 lemon, peeled, seeded and Supremes removed*
¼ cup torn basil leaves

Directions

Puree the cucumber in a blender or food processor. Fold in the basil and lemon supremes by hand, and pour the mixture into ice cube trays.
Freeze completely before using.
Cucumber-Basil cubes are prefect for water, lemonade and cocktails.

*The beautiful citrus sections or supremes-in French, look picture perfect on a plate and are easy to cut.
Start with a sharp paring knife and cutting board. Cut off a small section from the top and bottom of the fruit. This will give the fruit stability and keep it from rolling around.
Cut down the rind from top to bottom following the curve of the fruit. The goal is to remove the rind and the pith (white bitter part) but not the fruit. Continue until all of the rind has been cut off.

Notes

Recipe: Kosher, parve

By Chef Laura Frankel

Chic and refreshing fruit cubes are a delight to the eye and the palate. I do not add sugar to my cubes. I am not adding sweetness to a beverage, just garnish.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups ripe strawberries
1 cup kiwi, peeled and chopped
¼ cup torn mint

Directions

Puree the fruit separately, in a blender or food processor.
Pour a bit of the strawberry puree in ice cube trays, top it off with kiwi puree and a few pieces of mint.
Freeze completely before using.
Strawberry-Kiwi ice cubes are prefect for water, lemonade, iced tea, chilled white wine, Prosecco

Notes

Recipe: kosher, parve

By Chef Laura Frankel

My new obsession is lavender. I have played with it on and off for years, but am absolutely in love with lavender. The flavor is haunting and more complex than thyme and mint (which lavender is related to) and adds a floral and slightly sweet flavor. No, lavender does not taste like grandma's cologne, the flavor is more subtle.
Lemonade is refreshing and delicious and with the addition of lavender, lemonade is something that makes you pause and take notice.
I like to garnish my lemonade with lots of thinly sliced lemon wheel and a few crushed lavender buds.

Ingredients

3 cups granulated sugar
3 cups water
3 tablespoons dried lavender (found in most grocery stores and online)
4 cups fresh lemon juice (about 20)
Ice, for serving
Lemon slices and fresh lavender sprigs, for garnish
Bring sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Stir in lavender. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for 30 minutes.
Strain, discarding lavender. Let cool flavored syrup cool before stirring in the lemon juice. (Lemonade can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.) Serve over ice, and garnish with lemon slices and fresh lavender sprigs.

Directions

Bring sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Stir in lavender. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for 30 minutes.
Strain, discarding lavender. Let cool flavored syrup cool before stirring in the lemon juice. (Lemonade can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.) Serve over ice, and garnish with lemon slices and fresh lavender sprigs.

Notes

Recipe: kosher, parve

By Chef Laura Frankel

Ingredients

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup rice flour
¾ cup club soda
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 pound FRESH okra
Extra virgin olive oil for frying

Directions

Place a large bowl with ice a small amount of water in it. Place a smaller bowl in the ice water and whisk together the tempura batter.
Heat a medium sauté pan with 1 inch of extra virgin olive oil in it over medium high heat.
Dip the blossoms into the batter and allow the excess batter to drip off. When the oil is at 350 degrees, gently place the dipped blossom into the batter and fry it until it is crispy and golden brown (about 1-2 minutes). Turn the blossom and fry the other side. Transfer the blossom to a paper towel lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

Notes

Recipe: kosher, parve

By Chef Laura Frankel

Sweet and smoky baked beans are a summertime classic. Homemade beans are not difficult and taste way better than the canned products on the market.
I add a triple whammy of smoky-sweet molasses, brown sugar and smoked paprika. YUM! You can add extra smoky UMPH by cooking your beans in a sturdy casserole over a low fire in your BBQ grill. No grill? No problem the beans are equally delish prepared in a slow cooker or oven.

Ingredients

2 large red onions, cut into small dice
olive oil
1 whole bulb of garlic, roasted*
½ cup molasses
¼ cup dark brown sugar
½ cup ketchup (I prefer Heinz-organic)
1 cup beer or apple juice
3 tablespoons Dijon style mustard
2 tablespoons hot pimenton*
3 28-ounce cans Navy beans or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
Salt and Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 or preheat slow cooker to high
Heat a large sauté pan over high heat. Lightly coat the pan with olive oil. Caramelize the onions until they are DARK brown and have softened slightly (about 7 minutes). Transfer the onions to a large casserole or slow cooker.
Combine all of the ingredients in the casserole or slow cooker. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes until the sauce is bubbly. Or cook in the slow cooker for 2 hours until the sauce is bubbly.
Serve with chicken, fish, burgers and dogs or veggies.

Notes

*Pimenton can be purchased on line at www.thespicehouse.com. Pimenton comes either Sweet or Hot.

Recipe: kosher, parve

By Chef Laura Frankel

This brisket is slow dry roasted instead of the usual braised method of cooking. The final result is a tender, flavorful brisket that is beefy and acts like a blank canvas for the delicious BBQ sauce. Because the brisket is slow roasted, it does not shrink as much as the classic braising method and will stay juicy as well.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons mustard powder
2 tablespoons dried thyme
1 tablespoon ground ginger
¼ cup brown sugar
1 5-pound first cut brisket
2 large Spanish onions, diced
3 medium carrots, diced
3 ribs of celery, diced
1 head of garlic, unpeeled, cut in half horizontally

Directions

Place a large sauté pan lightly coated with olive oil over medium high heat. Salt and pepper the brisket on both sides. Brown the brisket in the pan on one side until it is deep dark brown. Turn the brisket and brown the other side. Remove the brisket and cool.
Combine the ingredients for the rub in a bowl.
Rub the brisket with a little olive oil. Generously coat the brisket on both sides with the rub. Place the vegetables in the insert for the slow cooker. Lay the brisket, fat side up on top of the vegetables. Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or until a fork inserted in the brisket slides out with no resistance. Or, place a bed of chopped vegetables in a shallow pan (this will keep the brisket from stewing in its juices; this recipe is a dry roasted brisket). Place the rubbed brisket on top and cover tightly with parchment paper and then foil. (I do not like foil touching my food directly) Place in a 250-degree oven and cook for 8 hours or until a fork piercing the meat can be removed with no resistance.
Discard the vegetables but save the pan juices. Cool the brisket completely before pulling. Toss with pan juices to keep moist.
While the brisket is still warm, place it on a cutting board. Insert a fork into one end and pull the meat with another fork. The brisket will shred into nice pieces.
Toss the brisket with the BBQ sauce and keep warm in an oven until ready to serve.

Notes

Recipe: Kosher, meat

By Chef Laura Frankel

This sauce is Yummy! Sweet, sour and loaded with spices, this will become your go-to favorite sauce for brisket, chicken, fish and vegetables. I make large batches and freeze some so I always have some.

Ingredients

¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 cups Coca Cola, (I use the product made with sugar and not corn syrup)
1 cup ketchup
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup fresh orange juice
¼ cup bourbon or apple cider if you prefer non-alcoholic
1 ½ tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon light molasses
½ teaspoon lemon zest
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
½ teaspoon ground ginger powder
6 cloves of garlic, grated on a microplane
1 large onion, grated on a microplane
2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper

Directions

Place all of the ingredients in the insert of the slow cooker and cover. Cook on HIGH for 6 hours. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Or, Place a stainless steel pan over medium heat and add the ingredients. Simmer for 1 hour. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Notes

Yields approximately 1 quart

Recipe: kosher, parve

Recipe: Kosher, kosher, parve

By Rabbi/Rebbetzin Shoshana Ohriner of couldntbeparve. (Adapted from this cake)

Ingredients

1 pound almond paste
2 cups (15 oz) sugar
1 1/3 cups (5.75 oz) cake flour + 2 tablespoons, divided
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted margarine)
8 eggs
1 1/4 cup (10 oz) margarine
2 packed tablespoons finely grated Meyer lemon zest
1 1/2 cups (7.5 oz) wild blueberries (frozen is fine, do not defrost)
2 tablespoons Meyer Lemon Juice
1 tablespoon finely grated Meyer lemon zest
1 1/3 c (5.3 oz) confectioner's sugar

Directions

Grease, then flour an 11 cup bundt pan generously and carefully. Preheat oven to 350-degrees and place rack in lower third of the oven.
Sift together 1 1/3 cup cake flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.In a small bowl, whisk the eggs together just to combine yolks and whites.
Place almond paste in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer. With the flat paddle, beat it on low for 30 seconds. Add sugar in a steady stream and beat until incorporated — about a minute.
Add margarine one tablespoon at a time. Increase mixer speed to medium and cream until mixture is smooth, light in color and fluffy –about 3-4 minutes. No lumps of almond paste should be visible.
With the mixer still on medium speed, pour in the eggs, cautiously at first, tablespoon by tablespoon, as if you were adding oil when making mayonnaise, and then slightly faster. Once all the eggs are incorporated, add the lemon zest. Continue beating until the mixture again attains a light color and fluffy texture.
With a spatula, stir in the flour mixture and mix until smooth. Place the blueberries in medium bowl and toss them with the remaning two tablespoons of flour. Carefully fold the blueberries into the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out dry. Place the cake on a rack to cool for about 5 minutes and then turn it out onto the rack to cool completely.
Once the cake is completely cool make the glaze. Combine the lemon juice, zest and confectioner's sugar in a medium bowl and stir until smooth. It will look like there is not enough liquid but keep stirring and the glaze will come together. Pour the glaze over the cake and let it harden.

Notes

Recipe: Kosher, parve, dessert

By Rabbi/Rebbetzin Shoshana Ohriner of couldntbeparve

My signature for every Shabbat meal is to serve an assortment of homemade candies with tea before dessert. The assortment varies depending on my mood, but no matter what, there are always at least two flavors of homemade marshmallows. These are one of my favorites.

Ingredients

Ingredients For Raspberry Puree
1 (10 oz) bag frozen no-sugar added raspberries, thawed

Ingredients For Marshmallows
2/3 cup raspberry puree
3 tablespoons (27 grams) powdered gelatin*
¾ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, strained
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 ½ cup confectioners' sugar
*It is important to use real gelatin, such as Kolatin, in this recipe. Vegetable based gelatins will not work.

Directions

Directions to make the puree:
Puree raspberries in a food processor or blender. Pour the puree into a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl and use a spoon to force the puree through the strainer, leaving the seeds behind. Alternatively, run the raspberries through a food mill to remove the seeds. There may be more puree than is needed for the marshmallows. Store the remainder in the refrigerator. (Lightly sweetened,it makes a delicious sauce)

Directions to make the marshmallows:
Lightly spray an 11 x 15 jelly roll pan or 9×13 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray, then rub gently with a paper towel to distribute the spray and leave just the merest sheen of oil on the sheet. Similarly, lightly spray a large offset spatula and set beside the prepared tray.
Combine the raspberry puree and the gelatin in a medium bowl and whisk until well blended and smooth. Set aside. Combine the lemon juice, corn syrup, salt and sugar in a 6-quart saucepan and place over medium heat. When mixture boils, brush down the sides of the pan above the upper surface of the syrup with a clean, moistened pastry brush, or cover the pot with a lid for two minutes to allow the condensation to dissolve any lingering crystals.
Place a candy or instant read thermometer into the syrup and continue to cook, without stirring, until syrup reaches 240F. Do not stir the mixture once you remove the lid. Once it reaches 240F remove the pan from heat and carefully stir in the gelatin mixture.
Pour the mixture into the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Quickly cover bowl with loosely draped plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel in order to avoid splatters, and gradually increase the mixer speed to "high". Whip mixture for 12 minutes. Add the lemon zest and whip for an additional 30 seconds.
Scrape mixture into prepared pan and spread out smooth with oiled offset spatula. (A wet spatula or wet hands work well too) Set marshmallow aside, uncovered, at room temperature for at least 4 hours or over night before cutting.
Before cutting the marshmallows, combine the cornstarch and confectioners sugar in a large bowl. Cut marshmallows with a lightly oiled knife or pizza cutter and break into individual pieces. It may be necessary to wash and re-oil the knife if it gets sticky. Alternatively, coat the knife with the cornstarch mixture before cutting and when it starts to get sticky re-coat it. Toss the cut marshmallows with the cornstarch mixture to completely coat. Transfer marshmallows to a fine mesh strainer and shake as much of the excess starch off as possible.

Notes

Makes approximately 90 1-inch marshmallows.
Store marshmallows in an airtight container with the lid slightly ajar for up to two weeks.

Recipe: Kosher, parve