The Second Avenue Deli Cookbook (48 page)

1. Pour boiling water over the poppy seeds and set aside for 15 minutes. Drain and grind (or put them in your food processor with the honey, brown sugar, raisins, and lemon rind). Transfer mixture to a bowl, and thoroughly blend in finely chopped nuts.

FOR THE APRICOT FILLING

1. Purée all ingredients except nuts in a blender or food processor. Transfer mixture to a bowl, and thoroughly blend in finely chopped nuts.

FOR THE APPLE FILLING

This is a basic strudel filling that is also delicious in hamantaschen.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Put in a blender or food processor and pulse for a few seconds to make mixture a little moister and easier to use.

MAKES
9

For a pareve version, use margarine in place of unsalted butter.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, sauté almonds and raisins in 1 tablespoon of butter; stir very frequently, and be careful not to burn them. Set aside in a small bowl.

2. In a large bowl, combine melted butter and sugar. Mix in egg, followed by apples, vanilla, almonds, and raisins.

3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually add this flour mixture to the apple-nut mixture, stirring to combine thoroughly.

4. Turn into a greased 9-inch square (or similar) pan, and bake for 45 minutes, or until a baking pin inserted in center comes out clean. Serve chilled (cut squares from pan), sprinkled with confectioners' sugar (best done through a sieve or sifter).

SERVES
6
TO
8

Bread pudding originated as a peasant dish designed for using up leftovers. This is a lavish upscale version, featuring rich ingredients.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine milk, eggs, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl, and mix thoroughly.

2. With a sharp knife, cut challah into 1-inch slices, and butter each slice with softened butter on one side. Dice buttered challah into 1-inch cubes, put them into the milk-egg mixture, and mix them thoroughly to soak up moisture. Let bread cubes soak for at least 15 minutes, tossing them occasionally.

3. In another bowl, combine raisins, sugar, pecans, sliced apple, cinnamon, and lemon rind, and mix thoroughly. Toss into bowl with soaked bread cubes and mix thoroughly.

4. Butter a 10-inch square (or similar) baking dish, at least 3 inches high, and transfer the bread pudding into it. Crumble brown sugar on top, and, using a flatware tablespoon, drizzle melted butter evenly. Bake for 45 minutes. Serve hot.

SERVES
8

Rice pudding goes from everyday ordinariness to impressively elegant when you make it with a brûlée topping. And it's so easy to do!

1. Place rice, heavy cream, milk, and sugar in a large saucepan, and stir to combine ingredients. Cook on medium heat for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. While rice is cooking, sauté raisins in butter for 1 or 2 minutes (brown, but don't burn), and leave in pan.

3. In a bowl, combine eggs (including extra yolk), vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Using a flatware tablespoon, add 8 spoonfuls, one spoon at a time, of the liquid from the cooking rice, and stir in immediately to keep the eggs from solidifying.

4. Pour egg mixture into rice pot, add raisins (retaining the cooking butter), and stir to combine ingredients. Pour mixture into individual ovenproof serving dishes or one large dish. Let cool at room temperature until the pudding begins to solidify and a film forms on the top.

5. Set oven to broil. Sprinkle top of pudding with sugar (cover entire surface), and place in broiler for 2 to 3 minutes until it caramelizes and forms a golden-brown crust. Check once or twice to make sure it doesn't get too burned. Refrigerate, and serve cold.

MAKES
12

Pareve brownies are a favorite dessert with our Deli customers. You'll find these as rich, moist, and chocolaty as any brownies you've ever tasted. Of course, you can also make them nonpareve by substituting butter for margarine and milk for the ¼ cup water.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium-sized mixing bowl.

2. Melt margarine and chocolate in the top of a double boiler (use a small saucepan on very low heat if you don't have one). Stir thoroughly.

3. While chocolate and margarine are melting, in a large bowl, add sugar to beaten eggs and stir thoroughly.

4. Pour margarine and chocolate into sugar-egg mixture, and blend thoroughly. Fold in flour mixture. Add water, vanilla, and nuts, and mix well.

5. Grease an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan. Pour in batter, and bake for 35 minutes, or until a baking pin inserted in center comes out dry. Let cool on counter. Cut squares directly from pan.

SERVES
8