SEASONAL SIDES

Chef Avner Guzman was born in Venezuela and is a classically-trained chef from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France. His knowledge of global cuisine spans Asian, Spanish, South American, French and more. After leading Shifra and Shlomo on an epic food crawl last month in Paris, Chef Guzman explained how inspired he is by — more than meat — fresh produce, where there is so much opportunity to allow the ingredients to shine. Chef Guzman contributed to the Pesach issue last year with a simple yet elegant salmon tartare and when we heard he was going to be in town during the Pesach shoot this year, we knew it was meant to be. Since his availability was on short notice, Avner made a quick pit stop at Gourmet Glatt. When he arrived at the Fleishigs test kitchen with one bag in tow and only a few hours until his flight to Paris, we weren’t sure what he was going to create. A short time later, we were blown away by the plates before us, as if they came straight out of an all-star restaurant kitchen. Besides for his calm nature and ability to delicately delegate, Chef Guzman’s precision and technique in elevating the simplest of ingredients were a wonder to watch. Follow Chef Avner’s adventures on Instagram @guzmannerwin. AVNER GUZMAN By Elisheva Taitz Be inspired. Improvise Use what you have to its - greatest potential.

MUSHROOM VELOUTÉ With Fresh Spring Vegetables and Sous Vide Egg

Serves: 4

Though the perfect sous vide egg takes a lot more time to cook than poaching, soft boiling or frying, it is well worth the wait.

¼ cup + 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 6 shallots, diced 2 (8-ounce) packages assorted

mushrooms (we used cremini, baby bella and shiitake) 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided, plus more to taste 1-1½ cups non-dairy milk 1 (3-ounce) package enoki mushrooms 3 tablespoons potato starch Assortment of raw radishes and beets Fresh parsley or dill, leaves only, for garnish Sous Vide Egg (pg. 38) Balsamic Caramelized Shallots (recipe follows) Crispy Beef Fry, optional (recipe follows)

Heat ¼ cup oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and fry until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil, shallots and mushrooms; sauté until softened and lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Transfer to a blender with 1 cup non-dairy milk and blend until creamy and silky smooth. Add up to another ½ cup milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Season to taste, if necessary. Set aside.

Lightly dust enoki mushrooms in potato starch and fry until golden. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately season with remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Thinly slice beets and radishes on a mandoline. For an elegant presentation, use metal piping tips to cut circles out of the vegetables.

Divide the velouté into bowls and place a sous vide egg in the center. Arrange the balsamic shallots, raw radishes and beets, fried garlic slices, beef bacon (if using) and fried enoki mushrooms around the egg. Garnish with fresh herbs.

Chef Avner ’ s Tips:

Know your ingredients. When cooking with mushrooms, never soak them in water. Mushrooms are extremely absorbent and naturally let out moisture during the cooking process, so they will become water-logged if soaked. Brushing them with a damp cloth is all that’s needed to clean them. Additionally, because salt draws out moisture, try to refrain from seasoning mushrooms early on in the cooking process. Wait until the end and then season with abandon! Safety first. Place a damp dish towel or paper towel under your cutting board to prevent the board from moving around while chopping. Also, always make sure you are working with sharp knives. A dull knife is far more dangerous than a sharp one. Improvise in the kitchen. For this dish, Avner found metal piping tips and used them to cut circles out of thinly sliced radishes and beets. Yes, a julienne cut with a sharp knife would have worked out just fine, but Avner feels strongly about having fun in the kitchen and doing the unexpected. Use what you have to the greatest potential. A sous vide machine is not just for meat. We’ve never had a more perfect egg than the one that was prepared in the sous vide. Additionally, use all of your produce fully. For instance, don’t throw away those beet greens or carrot tops; use them to make a delicious pesto. In the dish Avner prepared, he used different varieties of mushrooms, both as a silky purée and a fried garnish. Be inspired. Spring is all about an abundance of fresh produce. You don’t have to grow your own vegetables or even live near a farmers’ market to be inspired. Walk the produce aisles of your local supermarket and gain inspiration there. A good meal doesn’t have to involve expensive ingredients and complicated technique. Crispy Beef Fry:

Lay strips of beef fry in a single layer in a cold pan. Turn heat on to medium and cook until crisp, about 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Repeat as necessary. Use remaining fat in place of oil in salad dressing or for roasting vegetables.

Balsamic Caramelized Shallots

¼ cup olive oil 4 shallots, sliced 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons sugar Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add shallots and salt; sauté until golden, about 12 minutes. Add balsamic and sugar. Cook another few minutes, until sugar is caramelized.

PERFECT SOUS VIDE EGGS Set sous vide machine to 148°F. Lower eggs into water and cook for 1 hour.

Sous Vide:A Breakdown

Years ago, sous vide cooking was reserved for the most high-end commercial kitchens. Today, you can purchase a sous vide machine that is as compact as an immersion blender and just as easy to use. Pesach is a wonderful opportunity to try out sous vide cooking as it ensures perfect fish, chicken, eggs and meat every time, thereby easing the pressure of cooking. Sous vide literally means “under vacuum” in French. It refers to the process of vacuum-sealing food in a bag, then cooking it to a very precise temperature in a water bath with a device that keeps the temperature of the water steady throughout the entire cooking process. This technique produces precise results that are impossible to achieve through any other cooking method. The advantage of sous vide cooking is the precision. The disadvantage is the searing or roasting that needs to be done once food is cooked through in the sous vide. The Anova Precision Cooker is compact enough to fit in a drawer and is a reliable machine that has the added perk of being able to be set without the app, making it perfect for those who are not technologically savvy. It easily clips into any container or pot. $199 www.anova.com The Joule Sous Vide by Chef Steps is even smaller and sleeker, but only operates via an app. $250 www.amazon.com

Mellow offers some revolutionary perks, all with 30 seconds spent on its app. It’s known for its cooling system, which keeps food as cold as it would be in your fridge. This allows you to put in a few eggs or steak in the morning, leave the house and set it to be cooked to perfection by evening without worrying about spoiled food. It comes with a built-in container, which means it can’t be stored as compactly as other sous vide machines on the market. Mellow comes with a one year warranty and 20 bags are included with purchase. $399 www.cookmellow.com

“Now that the

Cabernet vines have

grown older and

our knowledge has

improved, one can

say that the Cabernet

Sauvignon Reserve is

reaching new heights

every year.”

Golan Flam, Winemaker

ZUCCHINI CAULIFLOWER KUGEL

Serves: 4-6

RECIPE BY NAOMI NACHMAN

I am always looking for interesting ways to use ingredients, which is what I did with cauliflower rice and spiralized zucchini, the trendiest vegetables as of late. They come to- gether in a delicious kugel, so simple yet elegant enough to serve at the Seder or any holiday meal.

6 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided 2 onions, thinly sliced 2 zucchini, spiralized 4 eggs ½ cup almond flour 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 (14-ounce) bags cauliflower rice, defrosted and squeezed dry with a kitchen towel

Preheat oven to 400°F. Add 2 tablespoons oil to a large sauté pan and heat over medium heat; add onion and sauté until softened, about 10 minutes.

Add remaining ¼ cup oil, zucchi- ni, eggs, almond flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and cauliflower rice to a large bowl; mix to combine. Spray an 8x8-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray and pour in batter.

Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, then broil until top is golden, about 3-5 minutes.

MEATY EGGPLANT MOUSSAKA

Serves: 8-10

RECIPE BY SHIFRA KLEIN

This is a lighter take on moussaka, a Middle Eastern dish that is tradition- ally topped with mashed potatoes.

2 medium eggplants ¼ cup olive oil 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3 cups Basic Meat Sauce (pg. 20) 1 cup Almond Hummus (pg. 20) ⅓ cup finely chopped slivered almonds Fresh herbs, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400°F. Thinly slice eggplants lengthwise and lay on a baking sheet.

Brush eggplant with oil and season with salt. Roast until slightly golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.

Place 1 cup of meat sauce on the bottom of a 9-inch baking dish. Top with eggplant, almond hummus and meat sauce, layering until everything is finished, with meat sauce as the top layer. Top with chopped almonds.

Cook for 20 minutes. Serve with fresh herbs.

HERBED CAULIFLOWER RICE

Serves: 6

RECIPE BY SHIFRA KLEIN

Cauliflower rice is all the rage and comes together in no time as a no-brainer side dish. Note: If using frozen cauliflower rice, don’t defrost it beforehand. When added to the pan frozen, it will cook quickly in the stock. If it’s defrosted first, it will become slightly mushy.

1 onion, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste 1 (14-ounce) bag cauliflower rice 1¼ cups chicken stock 1 cup fresh dill, finely chopped ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions and salt and cook until onions begin browning, about 15 minutes. Lower heat and sauté for an additional 15 minutes, stirring every so often to prevent onions from sticking to the pan.

Add cauliflower rice to pan and sauté for 2 minutes. Add chicken stock and raise heat to high to bring stock to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Add more salt, as needed.

Remove from heat. Stir in dill and black pepper. Serve warm.

CAULIFLOWER PURÉE

Serves: 4

RECIPE BY GABE GARCIA Adapted from www.kosher.com

This purée is unlike any we have ever made or tasted. Unlike a typical purée, Gabe cooks the vegetables in oil, confitstyle, to give them an intensely rich flavor. Serve under steak or fish for a sophisticated plate or top with some garnishes, like an onion relish, for a side dish your guests will love.

Note: Use a combination of vegetable oil and olive oil for the best results in flavor and texture. Almond, walnut, grapeseed and avocado oil are all good substitutes for vegetable oil.

1 head cauliflower

(or a 24-ounce bag frozen) Peel of 1 lemon, cut into strips (reserve the lemon for another use) 3-4 cups oil Kosher salt, to taste Caramelized Onion Relish, for garnish

Add cauliflower to a pot with 3 strips of lemon peel and cover with oil; set over low heat.

Cover pot. Slowly raise heat until oil lightly bubbles. Cook until fork tender, about 10-18 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon or strainer, reserving about ¼ cup leftover oil for the purée. Reserve remaining oil for roasting vegetables or searing steak. Add cauliflower to a blender and blend until smooth. Slowly add just enough reserved oil to smooth out the purée. Season with salt to taste.

CARAMELIZED ONION RELISH

Yields: 1 cup

RECIPE BY GABE GARCIA

2 tablespoons oil 4 cups sliced onions ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ cup toasted hazelnuts, finely chopped ½ cup golden raisins

Add oil to a sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 15-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until caramelized. Set aside to cool. Rehydrate raisins in boiling water for 10 minutes, then strain and finely chop. Finely chop the sautéed onions and combine with raisins and hazelnuts. Chef Gabe Garcia is the head chef of Tierra Sur at Herzog Wine Cellars, California’s premier fine-dining kosher restaurant. With delicious combinations of beautifully presented ingredients, Chef Gabe has raised the bar for kosher dining. As a Southern California native, Chef Gabe has developed a deep respect for local agriculture. Using only fresh, locally-sourced ingredients for a true farm-totable experience, Chef Gabe is known for his bold dishes of American-inspired cuisine. Chef Gabe has traveled the nation for public and private events, adding a five-star touch to every meal. He currently hosts the show “Under the Hood” and “Skillet” on Kosher.com and delights fans with his culinary art, a wide range of seasonal recipes and tricks of the trade.