Thursday, April 9, 2009

Passover Sweets - Flourless Chocolate Cake to the Rescue

For generations, Jews have relied on sponge cake and its variants to provide a sweet ending to their Passover meals. Yes, there was the occasional meringue, and there were always the exceedingly sweet macaroons, but something that could fill the shoes of a chocolate cake? No!

Traditionalists argue it is that absence of the everyday which helps emphasize the meaning of the holiday. Broader thinkers point out that the explosion of kosher for Passover cake mixes and brownie mixes (none of which are very good) have already reduced the number of everyday treats off-limits during the holiday.

Thank goodness for the flourless chocolate cake. This taste treat came to prominence in the late 1990's. Consisting of semi-sweet (or bittersweet) chocolate, eggs and butter, this dessert will satisfy the pickiest of chocoholics. My go to recipe is from Bon Appetite, January 1999, which is easily found on Epicurious.com.

This recipe includes a chocolate glaze frosting. To me this is overkill. I prefer the cake just dusted with confectioner's sugar and a garnish of strawberries. Enjoy.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Shanghai Soup Dumplings and Other Asian Supermarket Finds


I love exploring ethnic grocery stores. The shelves are filled with spices, mixes, vegetables and sauces I am absolutely clueless about! My favorite area to explore, however, is the freezer section. There, if I'm lucky, I'll find foods I'm familiar with from dining out.

The frozen food sections of Asian supermarkets are a treasure trove of all sorts of dumplings, pancakes and buns. Scallion pancakes become a quick snack when all you need to do is heat a pan with a few tablespoons of oil. Ditto for pan fried pot stickers (though those are easily found in mainstream supermarkets nowadays).

My new favorite freezer find are Shanghai Soup Dumplings. When I first saw them I wasn't positive of what they were. The english translation on the label says "Soupy Buns." I thought it was worth a try though; after all they are made in the U.S. and the directions were fairly detailed.

The frozen dumplings I purchased are uncooked and have a pork filling, so thorough cooking is important. I don't own a bamboo steamer, but my metal vegetable steamer worked perfectly. Fill the bottom of a pot with about 1/2" of water (make sure it is below the bottom of the steamer). Lightly oil the steamer with vegetable cooking spray or an oil mister. Arrange the frozen dumplings on the steamer, making sure they do not touch. The dumplings will expand as they cook. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer. Steam the dumplings for 15 minutes.

I like to eat my dumplings with a dipping sauce of sirrachi and soy sauce. Be careful biting into these hot dumplings - the "soup" inside will spray all over. Chinatown in the comfort of home. Enjoy!