Comfort Food

Emily loaned us her copy.

Here are 5 that we chose to prepare:

Quick Potato & Carrot Latkes

vegetable oil, for frying
1 sack (24 ounces) shredded potatoes for has browns
1 large carrot 1 medium onion
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons matzo meal, cracker meal, or all purpose flour

Heat 1/2 inch oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. To test oil, add a piece of bread to the pan. It should turn golden brown i a count of 10. Adjust heat as necessary.Place potatoes in a large bowl. Using a hand grater, grate the carrot and onion into the bowl. Add beaten eggs, salt, baking powder, and meal or flour. Combine vegetables and meal with a wooden spoon. Drop mixture into oil in 3-inch mounds. Press down gently with spatula to form patties. Fry in batches of 4 to 6 patties, 1 inch apart, until golden, about 3 minutes on each side. Drain on a paper towel or parchment- lined tray.

Chunky Golden Applesauce

4 golden delicious apples, cored and chunked
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 cup apple juice or cider
3 tablespoons honey

Combine all ingredients in a medium pot and cook over medium to medium-high heat until apples begin to break down and raisins are plump. Serve with potato and carrot latkes.

Pumpkin & Black Bean Soup

1 teaspoon vegetable or canola oil
1 teaspoon butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 can (14.5 ounces) chicken or vegetable broth
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 & 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 pinches cayenne pepper (1/4 teaspoon)
Coarse salt, to taste

Heat a deep pot over medium heat. Add oil and butter. When butter melts, add onion and saute, 5 minutes, until tender. Add broth, tomatoes, black beans, and pumpkin. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and stir in cream, curry powder, cumin, cayenne, and a few pinches of salt. Simmer 5 minutes and adjust seasoning. Serve with chunky guacamole and tortilla chips.

Pork Chops with Golden Applesauce

Applesauce:
4 golden delicious apples, chopped
1 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 ounces golden raisins (a handful)
1 inch fresh gingerroot, peeled and grated
3 tablespoons light brown suger
2 cup natural apple juice or cider
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg

Pork chops:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
6 center-cut boneless pork loin chops, 1-inch thick (6-8 ounces each)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Make the applesauce: Combine apples, lemon zest, lemon juice, raisins, ginger, brown sugar, apple juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Cook until a chunky sauce forms, 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. If sauce begins to spatter, reduce heat a little. Once apples are soft and sauce forms, emove from heat.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to the pan. Season chops on one side with salt and pepper. Using a pair of tongs, add chops to ho oil, season side down. Season to side with salt and pepper, too. brown and carameliz 2 minutes on each side, then reduce heat to medium and cook until juices run clear, another 5 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally. remove from heat and let chops rest a couple of minutes, allowing juices to redistribute. Top with generous portions of warm golden applesauce to serve.

Chunky Guacamole
2 medium ripe avocados, pitted and diced
The juice of 1 lemon
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
Coarse salt, to taste

Mash avocado with lemon juice into a chunky paste. Stir in jalapeno, onion, and slat, to taste. Serve with tortilla chips for dipping.