To help get people inspired for the fifth annual Man-O-Manischewitz Cook-Off, Manischewitz is offering a recipe for Chanukah from chef Jacques Pépin.
Pépin, acclaimed author and host of an upcoming new PBS series titled “The Essential Pépin,” will be the head judge at the cook-off, which is scheduled for March 2011 in New York City.
The contest will feature five finalists as they prepare family-friendly, kosher recipes incorporating at least one of Manischewitz’s all-natural broths (chicken, reduced-sodium chicken, beef and newly added vegetable). The contest — which boasts $25,000 in prizes including a GE Profile Kitchen — encourages home chefs to experiment with kosher products while preparing family favorites that perhaps have been shared from generation to generation.
The entry period began in September and continues through Dec. 31, 2010. Four finalists will be chosen by a judging panel, with the last finalist to be selected in an open vote from Jan. 17 to 31.
“It is important for families to enjoy meals together, and creating great family recipes helps to grow that experience,” Pépin said. “I always encourage people to experiment with new types of ethnic cuisines and products.”
Pépin’s recipe for Mushroom Velouté with Almonds has been adapted from his acclaimed cookbook “Fast Food My Way.”
Mushroom Velouté with Almonds
Makes 4 servings
2 Tbs. unsalted no-dairy margarine
1 cup sliced shallots
1 Tbs. sliced garlic
11⁄2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
2 cups Manischewitz All-Natural
vegetable broth
2 cups Manischewitz All-Natural
chicken broth
1⁄4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
salt to taste
1 lb. cultivated white mushrooms
(preferably older specimens with open gills)
1 to 2 pieces dried tree ear mushroom (also known as “wood ear” and “cloud ear”)
1⁄3 cup sliced almonds
1 cup non-dairy creamer
Heat margarine in saucepan, and add the shallots and garlic. Sauté over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add flour, and stir well. Stir in the vegetable and chicken broths, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, wash the white mushrooms and cut them coarsely. (You should have about 7 cups). Add them to the saucepan with the dried tree ear mushroom. Bring back to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook, partially covered, for 30 minutes, removing the tree ear mushroom after 10 minutes. When it is cool enough to handle, remove and discard any tough roots from the tree ear, chop it coarsely, and set aside for use as a garnish. (You should have about 1⁄4 cup.)
Sauté almonds in a small, nonstick saucepan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until they are lightly toasted. Take them out of the pan immediately.
When soup is cooked, emulsify it until smooth with a hand blender or in a food processor. At serving time, add non-dairy creamer to the soup, and bring it back to a boil. (You will have about 6 cups.) Divide among four soup bowls, and serve hot with a sprinkling of the chopped tree ear mushroom and sliced almonds on top.
Man-O-Manischewitz Cook-Off entry information is available at www.manischewitz.com.