Tu B'Shvat 2012

Along with all the fabulous fruits and nuts that we are going to enjoy on Tu B'Shvat this year, I tried to slant our menu to have an Israeli feel in honor of our beloved land.

Beit Henderson Tu B'Shvat Menu

Honey Mustard Chicken

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Greens & Salat Katsutz with Tahini dressing

Lemon Sorbet & Champagne

Honey Mustard Chicken, By Giora Shimoni
Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Ingredients
4 pounds chicken pieces
2-4 Tbsp. canola oil or 1/4 cup melted margarine
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup mustard (I used Plochman's Natural Stone Ground)
1 tsp. curry
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt

Preparation
1. In a small bowl, mix together melted margarine, honey, mustard, curry, garlic and salt.
2. In a shallow baking pan, place chicken pieces skin-side down. Pour dressing over the chicken. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 350°.
4. Place chicken in oven, covered, for 30 minutes.
5. Uncover the chicken and turn skin-side up. Baste.
6. Bake at 350° for an hour or until cooked through and browned. Baste once or twice during the hour.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes
by another of my Food Network heroes, Alton Brown
Prep: 20 min, Cook time: 30 min, Yield: 10 to 12 servings
(note: replace these mashed potatoes with Garlic Roasted Potatoes to omit dairy in this menu.)

Ingredients
3 1/2 pounds russet potatoes
2 tablespoons kosher salt
16 fluid ounces (2 cups) half-and-half
6 cloves garlic, crushed
6 ounces grated Parmesan

Directions
Peel and dice potatoes, making sure all are relatively the same size. Place in a large saucepan, add the salt, and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce heat to maintain a rolling boil. Cook until potatoes fall apart when poked with a fork.

Heat the half-and-half and the garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and set aside.

Remove the potatoes from the heat and drain off the water. Mash and add the garlic-cream mixture and Parmesan; stir to combine. Let stand for 5 minutes so that mixture thickens and then serve.

Greens & Salat Katsutz (Israeli Chop Salad)

Perfectly chopped tomato, cucumber, green/red peppers, red onion, grated carrot, tossed with fresh greens and black pepper. Instead of the traditional olive oil and lemon juice, I'm serving it with Tahini dressing on the side.

Tahini Dressing

1/3 cup well-stirred tahini (Middle Eastern sesame paste, salted)
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar (optional, I used about 1/2 tsp honey)
3/4 tsp Perfect Pinch Mediterranean Herb  Seasoning (optional)

Find out more about Tu B'Shvat