Chilean Sea Bass

I spray a nonstick pan with olive oil spray, and then sprinkle spices directly into the pan and heat them up. Once the spices are hot, I add the Chilean sea bass fillets and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side, depending on thickness. This can be done with tilapia, too, and it’s simple and perfectly delicious!

(I started buying bags of Chilean sea bass at Costco — they recently started carrying this type with a hechsher. I defrost as many pieces as I need overnight in the fridge.)

—Sarah Faygie Berkowitz

Okay, quick!

Your go-to hamburger toppings or sauce: 1, 2, 3, go!

Dijon mustard, mayo, salt, romaine lettuce, pickles, and cucumbers.

—Rivki Rabinowitz

Review it!

I’ve been using this simple, no-bells-and-whistles knife sharpener for years, and I just don’t have a good excuse to buy a new one because it’s been doing its job just fine. Knife Sharpener from Ikea, $4.99.

—Chanie Nayman

Product or gadget that’s expensive but worth it?

Good knives! I bought a Shun knife for cutting challah a bunch of years ago and it’s still amazing — it even cuts well through sourdough challah!

—Shevy Shanik

FT, help me!!

Since one of my kids had to go off gluten, I began using brown rice in my cholent instead of barley. The taste is great — nobody could tell the difference! But I’m having issues with the texture. The cholent often sticks to the bottom of the Crock-Pot, and all the liquid sits at the top! Any ideas?

—R. Y.

One option is to put the rice into a cloth or cooking bag in your cholent. If you do this, add beans to your cholent so they’ll thicken the consistency somewhat. Or you can line the bottom of your Crock-Pot with sliced onions. This prevents the rice from sticking to the bottom.

—Brynie Greisman

Halacha:

Do you have to toivel something that you plan on only using once?

Absolutely — according to all opinions. Although many people are under the assumption that a utensil used only once does not require tevilah, this is patently false — and there is no distinction if the utensil is made from metal or glass.

In all probability, the confusion about this halachah stems from a different halachah — that a utensil that is designed and manufactured to be used only once, such as a disposable pan, does not require tevilah before being used (for this reason, some poskim hold that disposable aluminum foil pans do not require tevilah). But a utensil that is designed and manufactured to be used more than once must be immersed, even if the person who bought and owns it plans to dispose of it after one usage.

-Answered by Rabbi Doniel Neustadt

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 744)