In a Nutshell

Caramelized Liver

This delicious caramelized liver is perfect either as an appetizer served over a slice or two of toasted baguettes or as another dish served during the main course. Sauté 3 sliced onions until fully translucent. Add 3 Tbsp brown sugar, a generous sprinkling of paprika, 1½ tsp onion powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Sauté for another few minutes and then add 8 oz (225 g) fresh chicken livers, cut into 1-inch pieces. Cover the pan for about 3 minutes. Reheat covered.

—Esti Vago

FT, help me!!

Hi, Family Table! Thanks for all that you do for my Shabbos menus! Here’s my question: I want to make kreplach ahead of time. How should I freeze them — raw, boiled, or parboiled? If parboiled, how many minutes?

—Michal Schapira

I don’t usually freeze my kreplach, so I asked Henna Goldberg, a good friend of mine, what to do. She shared her techniques:

“I freeze them raw on a lined baking pan and then transfer them to a bag once they’re frozen. A few hours before I need them, I boil a large pot of water with oil and salt (so they shouldn’t stick together). Once boiled, I throw in the kreplach. Sometimes you have to wait for the water to reboil; otherwise they might stick to the bottom of the pot and then break when you try to release them. After cooking, strain and let cool in a bowl until ready to serve.”

—Brynie Greisman

Must Try

I dislike the smell of fresh raw onions, and despite all Jewish recipes starting with an onion, sometimes I cheat.

The tools in my cheat box are a bag of frozen chopped onions and Oneg (dried) Crunchy fried onions. I actually use these more often than I do the frozen onion cubes. I use it in soups, kugels, chicken dishes, meatballs, and in omelets!

—Chanie Nayman

Just Sayin’

Tell us about three less-common spices in your kitchen and how you use them. 

Turmeric is supposed to be really healthy and adds a golden color to food. I swirl a little into the oil when browning chicken for braising.

Trader Joe’s umami spice is yummy in soups and burgers, including veggie burgers.

I started making homemade falafel from chickpeas and find that ground coriander adds to the authentic flavor.

—Barbara Bensoussan

Ok, Quick:

What do you feed your kids on Yom Kippur?

Since my oldest is five, the sky’s the limit. Yogurt, macaroni, round crackers with chummus, cereal and milk, prepared tuna salad... Basically whatever they want to eat that doesn’t take too much effort.

—Devorah Cohen

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 812)