Ayala Abramson
Cedarhurst, NY
We always start with dips with roasted chickpeas, which I roast in a variety of Mediterranean spices and crushed garlic. For the fish, we usually have salmon which I make differently each week. Sometimes I’ll make it pickled or poached; other times, I’ll bake a side of salmon with a sprinkle of lemon juice, white wine, olive oil, kosher salt, pepper, and fresh herbs. After that, we always have chicken soup and noodles.
For the main, I try to serve foods that are not my typical weekday suppers, so I may do chicken steaks, stuffed capons, a slow-cooked Delmonico roast, or a whole spatchcocked chicken. For the sides, I make a rice or quinoa dish with cubed roasted vegetables — mushrooms, zucchini, peppers, sweet potato, sometimes eggplant. Potato kugel, carrot muffins for the kids, and apple crisp are our side staples. I may add strawberries, blueberries, or peaches to the crisp for variety.
We’re usually too full for dessert, but if we’re in the mood of something sweet, I serve Trader Joe’s soy vanilla ice cream with mini sugar-free chocolate chips for a nice crunch.
Baking is my favorite part of Shabbos prep. I always make sure to have a counter cake and homemade cookies or biscotti to nosh on or to serve for a spontaneous kiddush. I’m not afraid of trying more complicated recipes; it gives me an opportunity to experiment. The trick is to read through the recipe at least two to three times to envision the steps and to get organized. Then I take out all the ingredients before I start so that I don’t forget to use any of them, and I put them away as I use them, which makes for an easier cleanup at the end.
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