Moroccan Sfinge (Doughnuts) & Burika! My Number One Bite at Shuk HaCarmel.

Photography © ShulieMadnick

These doughnuts are egg and dairy free with large air bubbles, spongy yet slightly crispy outside. I first published it with a story about my hometown here. This Sfinge, Moroccan Doughnuts, photo was taken at the Burika stand in the Carmel Market in Tel Aviv, where he not only makes burika but also Sfinge every day not only for the holiday. 

Sfinge – A Moroccan Doughnut

About 40 small doughnuts

Ingredients:

I kg (2.2lbs) all purpose flour

25 grams (28 grams = 1 oz, about 3 ½ 1/4 oz packets) active dry yeast

3 1/3 cups lukewarm water

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Canola oil for deep frying

Bit of canola oil for forming the dough

Sugar for coating

Directions:

    Add the flour, water, yeast, water and 2/3 cups of sugar to a mixer attached with a dough hook. Mix then add the salt and continue kneading with the dough hook for about five minutes. The dough will be very smooth but will appear wet, that is fine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm environment for an hour or until dough doubles in volume. 

    Since the dough is wet, deflate the dough and punch the bubbles out of the dough with a rubber spatula and let rise again, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm corner for an hour or until it doubles its volume.

    Heat up 1 1/2-2 inches deep oil in a large surface pot on medium heat. To test the temperature of the oil, put a small piece of dough in the oil and if it bubbles gently around the dough, then the temperature is perfect. If it bubbles to a golden/brown too quickly, turn down the heat to low. If it doesn’t bubble, let the oil heat up further on medium and test again.

    Take a golf size ball of dough and with slightly oiled fingers, invert it and pinch the seams and gently roll in between your palms into a smooth ball. At this point you can fry the doughnut balls to get small doughnut holes. This method is easy. Another method is to proceed to the next step.

    Make a hole in the middle of the ball with the index finger finger and expand the doughnut hole, while the index finger still inside and thumb outside, turning and stretching the doughnut in a circular motion in order to expand the hole. Work with both hands. Turn and expand gently until the doughnut hole is about 1 ¼ - 1 ½ inches in diameter (3-4 cm).

    Fry immediately for about two minutes on both sides until lightly golden. Drain on paper towel and dip in granulated sugar and serve warm immediately.

Tales from Crawford Bazaar; My Favorite Mumbai Market

Tel Aviv & Southern Israel Food & Travel; Photographic Tour & Some Words

My 24 year old niece with her favorite Strawberry Banana Date Pri (fruit) shake, Shenkin St., Tel Aviv/Nikon

Our last trip to Israel end of August 2014 (already seems so long ago) inspired me to write this and this story. Please click, I am very proud of both writings.  The ten days we spent in Israel were so much more than I have shared yet. This is the third out of four installments. Fruit shakes (above) and pure ruby red pomegranate juice, among other freshly squeezed juices, are very popular stands, strewn throughout Israel.

In Season - Grape Kiwis at Next Step Produce

As I mentioned in my Edible DC: Bread Furst post, I've been writing and photographing some articles and posts for a few online and hard copy magazines, newspapers and clients. If you missed them, two of them were published here (I'm verklempt!!) and a super fun story, with my voice coming through here.

Silent Sunday: In Season - Red & Pink Currants

Wordless Wednesday - In Season; Tomatoes

Simply Roasted Asparagus in Olive Oil, Lemon & Za'atar

I wreck my brain about asparagus. I know you must be puzzled, why?! Asparagus, you must think (You must! :), is a majestic, European native, perennial ingredient, why the frustration?! Truth be told I just want to fancy it up, but I always come back to square one, roasting it in the simplest form with a touch of olive oil, salt and lemon. Not even freshly ground black pepper. This method and bare bone seasoning purely highlights the tenderness of the ingredient. Especially now that it's in season and the green, purple and white spears appear all over at farmers markets.

Seattle Eats & IFBC: Final Post

The highlight of IFBC two weeks ago was meeting my old social media buddies IRL and making new friends. Dorie Greenspan's keynote speech was super inspiring. Andrew Scrivani's photography sessions were very helpful. I have watched him online before, but it was nice to get the reinforcement in a real, not a virtual, room. Present. What brought this conference full circle for me, oddly enough, was the last session. As the conference was wrapping up on Sunday, I scurried back for Kim O'Donnel's session from a cappuccino, pastry and photographing at Pike Market. It's appalling to think that I almost missed the session. Pike Market was winking at me to linger just a moment longer. What left me in awe was the enormity of the talent these very friends I made over the weekend possess. You had to hear some of the exquisite writings. I also left encouraged to write even when un-inspired and when I have ten minutes at the doctor's office, waiting.

Pike Market, Seattle

Almost two weeks ago I attended my first ever food bloggers conference organized by Foodista and Zephyr Adventures. The conference couldn't have had a better backsplash than Seattle for the food loving crowd that attended, myself included. Every chance I got, every spare moment, I put my flat walking shoes on, sometimes flip flops and zipped over to Pike Market, just a few walking blocks from the W hotel, where IFBC 2013 (International Food Bloggers Conference) was held. I often arrived before the stalls were opened, or as the vendors were just about to unpack their wares, so I wouldn't miss out on sessions held at the hotel.

Dehydrated GoldRush Apple Chips & Life, Not For The Faint At Heart

I had promised awhile back to post this dehydrated apple recipe, but it has taken me some time to deliver. As you can tell from this, I have been obsessed (a reoccurring theme) in recent years with the GoldRush apples. Golden Delicious has now taken the back seat. In the DC area, I have only seen the GoldRush at Farmers Markets. It makes the outing on a weekend worthwhile, even if only to pick up some apples, mushrooms and local cheese.

For dehydrating apples I found over the years that most apples will work with an exception of one, the Granny Smith. I love the Granny Smith apples in baking, I won't substitute it with any other variety, but when it comes to dehydrating, they are my least favorite, one dimensional tart notes only. The dehydrated apples can have a softer rubbery feel but if you keep them in the oven longer they turn into chips. The apple chips shatter like thin glass at the faintest touch, it's really neat.

Scenes from a Friday Morning in Tel Aviv Seaport & HaCarmel Markets

Dim Sum very trendy in Israel lately. Many Asian restaurant openings and Dim Sum stalls in both Shuk HaNamal (Tel Aviv Seaport) Market and HaCarmel Market.

Lachuch לחוח: A Yemenite Spongy Bread/Yeast & Hilbe (Fenugreek) Pancake

As I promised in my Shuk (Market) HaCarmel Tour post, I am sharing a recipe Irit taught me while we were at her little restaurant at the market. I volunteered Inbal of Delicious Israel as our model as I was snapping the images. Isn't she perfect?! 

Shuk (Market) HaCarmel Tour Tel Aviv

Prior to traveling to Israel, Jonathan was a tad apprehensive about me working on food stories while there. We hadn't been back in awhile so I don't blame him. He didn't wish to chauffeur* me around, he knows me, I could get used to it way too easily. He also dreaded me dragging him from one fancy, white linen covered tables restaurant, to another. All his apprehensions unraveled. Exhale! I took him to Shuk HaCarmel (The Carmel Market) in Tel Aviv. An incredible tour lead by the lovely Inbal @DeliciousIsrael, the owner of Delicious Israel, a culinary tour company, introduced to me by my twitter friend Sarah @Foodbridge of Foodbridge. Inbal, a former attorney, is an American out of the DC area, who now lives in Israel, a destination for the ever increasing gastroculinary tourism.

Wandering Mahane Yehuda Market, Jerusalem & A Super Authentic Hummus Recipe: Guest Post by Katherine Martinelli

Katherine Marinelli is a super pleasant and talented food and travel writer, photographer and a self proclaimed wanderer. Only this native New Yorker's wanderings took her across the Atlanic east of the USA while I went the opposite direction. Hailing out of the Israeli Southern dessert city called Beer Sheva she is a welcome addition to the Israeli series. Katherine's  bourekas photo was recently featured in Nov. 2011 Food and Wine magazine's The World’s Best Cities for Street Food she was also featured in Women's Health magazine and a fellow The Jew and the Carrot contributor you can read about all of her credentials here. Please follow Katherine on twitter @MartinelliEats and like her page on FB so happy to have her on board!

Mache, Blood Orange and Pomegranate Salad in Citrus, Sumac and Champagne Vinaigrette

Speaking of resolutions, another one I made was to re-instate Meatless Mondays and Farmers Market postings. This post combines both in one. The mache in this post is from a local farmers market. I love the idea of soup and salad or panini and soup, Panera style. Sometimes, I like my own version of it. Healthy, organic when possible and beautiful in season ingredients make lunching an elated experience.

I have my go to vinaigrette you can find here but for months now I've been playing and experimenting with different combinations for vinaigrettes. When I saw these gorgeous firm crimson blood oranges their skin all blushed at whole Foods, first in years that looked like they were just plucked from the trees in the orchard, my game plan shifted to citrus vinaigrette. We grew up on citrus and Jaffa oranges. Blood oranges we peeled and ate just like any other citrus that came into our house. Not much cooking with it. This blood orange was delicious on its own, I forgot how distinct and unique its flavor and aroma are relative to other citrus. While Meyer lemons were all the rage with me last year and will be classic for years to come, this year I choose blood oranges. You can find a list of my Meyer lemon posts here.

MeatLessMonday Medley of Cherry Tomatoes Salad

This Medley cherry tomatoes salad is always a departure for me, from the almost daily staple Israeli salad we have with every meal.  I make a hugh batch of this medley salad for parties, barbecues or just a small batch for intimate dinner gatherings.  It has a huge wow effect, even when you have scraps left at the bottom of the bowl (see pics:).  It is absolutely critical to have fresh, sweet cherry tomatoes.  As tomato season is approaching, ask the farmer at the farmer's market to taste one.

FRESHFARM Dupont Circle, it's Spring!!

 

Beautiful day at FRESHFARM Dupont today, everyone is out with their cycling, running and Spring gear.  Got a late start to my dash into the farmers market. On the way in caught glimpses of young families, strollers and all, having their improvised picnic lunch, at the little patch of grass with their findings at the market.  I even met a beagle pup mutt called Bella. Got a soft spot for beagles!! See pic of our Wizzy-Wizard lusting after the multi grain multi seed bread. First stop was Atwater's, started at the market clockwise today, usually I go counter clockwise!! The line as I suspected was long, about twelve or more people ahead of me.  Happily I snagged one of, what looked like, remaining multi grain and multi seed bread and a half loaf of Kalamata.  Half loaf, can you believe it?! Love that!! Next week I will try half of Struan, that came highly recommended by a nice couple behind me.  They said last week they waited in line only to find that it was sold out.  It's their favorite!! Seems like loaded up on carbs this trip to the market, wholesome wholegrain and organic carbs!! Then stopped by the mushroom lady.  The Palestinian lady from Accra was not there today but the other one was, talking to a customer about her much anticipated trip to Egypt next week.  Got some Portabellas and baby button mushrooms.  I guess portabella steak sandwiches for lunch today are in order.  Portabellas seared on high heat or grilled with a touch of olive oil and salt.  I will probably make some nut free basil pesto to go with it. Got some organic arugula, mache and sweet potatoes, at Next Step, as we are heading out.  I really desired coffee with hearts in it (wouldn't know I have a 17 year old) and suggested we head to Chinatown Coffee Co., but Jonathan was neither eager for hearts in his coffee, nor giving up just yet, his perfect parking spot right in front of 2000 Massachusetts Ave.  It was gorgeous outside. We ended up at Le Pain Quotidien, just around the corner, for coffee. I walked out with organic olive oil and couple of jams, one of which is my favorite, (organic) apricot jam.

Recipe ideas: Olive bread, pesto (homemade or store bought) and seared or grilled portabella. A little mache/arugula salad on the side, with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. You can always use the Moroccan roasted bell peppers and eggplant salad instead of the pesto from an Italian twist to a Moroccan one!
For those of you who do not consume carbs: Slice portabella steak into thick slices and follow this recipe for Sagie's favorite mushrooms.  Substitute the button mushrooms with the portabellas.  Fan out portabella slices on a plate and serve along arugula/mache salad from above or this arugula salad with seasonal fruit/veggies on top.
For a complete nutritional value add the protein, and fiber might I add, in the form of yellow split pea soup you can dress up or down for every occasion.

FRESHFARM Dupont Circle bounty lunch today

On a sunny beautiful day at FRESHFARM Dupont Circle market I found a vibrant, bountiful market today.  With a bag full of organic produce, artisanal breads and cured meats, and a quick in and out of Kramersbooks, my morning was complete. The guys lunch today was a sandwich made entirely of the delicious and mostly organic findings at the market.  Arugula, mache and two kinds of radishes from Next step organic farm, Nathan Anda's cured beef pastrami and bresaola, whole grain multi seed bread from one of the bakeries at the market, a vinaigrette of olive oil, lemon and a touch of salt to brush the bread with and lunch was complete.