In a Nutshell:

Aussie Avo Smash

My favorite lunch: Mash 1 medium avocado and smear onto
2 toasted slices of sourdough bread. Top with 1 sliced plum tomato
(my summer tomato plants are still squeezing out beautiful produce!), 1 peeled and sliced watermelon radish, feta cheese to taste, and salt and pepper to taste.

—Naomi Nachman

Just Sayin’

What’s the best vegetarian stand-in for a filling protein?

When people hear we eat mostly vegetarian, they always ask how we get protein. Many people don’t realize that leafy greens and vegetables (particularly spinach and broccoli) include plant-based proteins which are so much more nutritious, and can be very filling and satisfying! We also include legumes in our soups, salads, and sides — think chickpeas, lentils, black beans, Northern beans, kidney beans, etc. And mushrooms are a filling vegetarian staple that we use in so many different ways — as portobello “steaks,” roasted stuffed baby bellas (guacamole and a drizzle of techinah, or chopped tofurkey, bread crumbs, and marinara), and diced as a “meaty” substitute.

—Sarah Faygie Berkowitz

Please Note!

Many people make their sourdough bread in cast-iron pots. I wanted to bring to people’s awareness that if these pots are pre-seasoned and not enameled, they can cause a major kashrus problem. Make sure your pot is either enameled or not pre-seasoned before using it.

—T. Fuchs, Lawrence, New York

Kitchen Fave

This is the lemon juicer I use, it’s a great one. And the best part? Your hands stay dry!

—Chanie Nayman

FT, help me!!

What’s the right way to slice a steak, especially when the grain changes in the middle?

Use your sharpest non-serrated knife and cut thinly across the grain, even if that means turning it midway if it’s a cut that changes at some point. You know you’re cutting across the grain when you see short fibers of meat as opposed to long stringy muscle fibers.

—Michal Frischman

What’s the most successful Shabbos appetizer you’ve ever made?

We’re pretty traditional in that every Shabbos meal starts with fish. Family favorites are salmon tacos — purple cabbage slaw and flaked salmon topped with spicy mayo — or salmon nachos, which are fried wontons topped with diced tomatoes, diced avocado, sliced olives, sliced radish or anything else you can think of, then flaked salmon on top and drizzled with spicy mayo or sweet sushi sauce.

—Faigy Grossmann

(Originally featured in Family Table, Issue 762)