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Chef Gilligan’s cheese blintzes

CHEF MICHAEL GILLIGAN

IrishCentral.com

Published Monday, September 28, 2009, 9:02 AM

Updated Monday, September 28, 2009, 9:19 AM

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Read more: Culture and Lifestyle, Food and Cooking, Recipes, Ethnic and Regional Cuisines, Russian Food and Cooking, Judaism, Religion

Chef Gilligan's cheese blintzes

Today is Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement, the most solemn of the Jewish holidays. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with an approximately 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue services. Yom Kippur completes the annual period known in Judaism as the High Holy Days.

After fasting for over a day you will need to break the fast with these amazing cheese blintzes.

CHEESE BLINTZES

Cheese

Blintzes with Three-Berry Compote

Filling

4 pounds hoop cheese or 2 pounds nonfat cottage cheese

1 tablespoon sugar

2 extra-large eggs

teaspoon (scant) salt

Crepes

Cups water

3 extra-large eggs

cups sifted all purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

¾ teaspoon salt

Vegetable oil

Compote

Cups frozen unsweetened boysenberries (about 11 ounces)

Cups frozen unsweetened blueberries (about 11 ounces)

1 12-ounce basket strawberries, hulled, halved

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

tablespoons cornstarch

Fresh lemon juice (optional)

Assembly

Vegetable oil

Sour cream

Lemon peel strips (optional)

Method

Filling

If using cottage cheese, place in center of kitchen towel, gather towel around cheese and squeeze to remove excess moisture.

Measure 2 cups packed cottage cheese (reserve remainder for another use). Combine 1 pounds hoop cheese or 2 cups packed dry cottage cheese and sugar in processor; blend well.

Add eggs and salt; process until almost smooth, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally.

Transfer to bowl. Cover and refrigerate. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Crepes

Combine 1 cups water and eggs in blender.Add flour, sugar and salt.

Blend on low speed until very smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of container.

Pour batter into medium bowl. Let stand at room temperature at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Heat 10-inch nonstick skillet over high heat.

Brush very lightly with oil. Transfer 3 tablespoons batter to small cup. Working quickly, pour batter into center of skillet; tilt and shake skillet to spread batter into 7-inch round. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook crepe until bottom is speckled brown, about 45 seconds. Loosen sides of crepe with spatula and turn out onto paper towel, cooked side up. Cover with paper towel.

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Soda bread is one of the most popular types of Irish food. In soda bread, baking soda is used for leavening instead of yeast. Soda bread is traditionally made up of flour, bread soda, salt, and buttermilk. Other possible ingredients are raisins, egg or various forms of nuts. Soda bread can dry out quickly and is typically good for two to three days; it is best served warm or toasted. Irish food features other traditional bread as well such as blaa, which is a doughy, white bread bun. Blaa is a versatile Irish food, since it may be eaten at breakfast with butter (the usual form) or at other times of the day with a wide range of fillings, such as ham. Another traditional Irish food is boxty, a potato pancake. There are many versions of boxty, but all contain raw potatoes that have been finely grated. The most popular version uses flour, baking soda and buttermilk, and sometimes an egg. Almost all versions of boxty are served fried. Historically, the potato has been very important to Irish food, since it came to be the main crop of the poor, which meant that if there was a bad harvest, the poor would not have enough to eat. Potato blight caused the Great Irish Famine of the late 1840s. Some Irish food is meant to be eaten for dessert. Goody is made by boiling bread in milk with sugar and spices. Goody is eaten on St. John’s Eve, which occurs around the time of the summer solstice. In recent years, shellfish dishes have become a bigger part of Irish food. An oyster festival is held in Galway every year. One example of an Irish shellfish dish is Dublin Lawyer, which is lobster cooked in whiskey and cream. In recent years, Irish food has also come to include fresh vegetables and handmade cheeses. These days, Irish beer no longer necessarily means Guinness, since 63% of the beer now sold in Ireland is lager. Stout, including Guinness stout, accounts for 32%, while ale makes up the remaining 5% of Irish beer. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, Irish beer was made at over 200 breweries in Ireland. Today, there are about twelve breweries. Irish beer historically did not have hops, since hops are not native to Ireland. The famous Irish beer Guinness stout is made from water, malt, barley, hops and brewer’s yeast. Guinness gets its dark color and taste by flaking some of the barley, Flaking means steaming and rolling. The color of Guinness is a dark shade of ruby. This Irish beer claims to have fewer calories than skim milk or orange juice. Guiness was stronger in the nineteenth century. Another Irish beer is Harp Lager. Harp was first produced in 1960. One of Harp’s advertising slogans was “Harp stays sharp.” Smithwick’s is Irish beer in the red ale style. The original brewery for Smithwick’s was on the site of a Franciscan abbey where monks had brewed ale since the 14th century. One variation of this Irish beer is Smithwick’s Draught, which has a ruby red tone with a stable, slightly thin head. Smithwick’s Draught is produced using hops and special roasted, malted barley. Its texture is smooth and refined, with a bitter and complex finish. Another variation of this Irish beer is Kilkenny Cream Ale, which is similar to Smithwick’s Draught, but with a stronger, more bitter taste and a cream head reminiscent of Guinness.

Chef Gilligan’s cheese blintzes

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