Jew-Maki

It’s a Kashrut thing... And Not Just For The 70’s Anymore...

So I was scheduled to have dinner with friends after a Friday Shabbat Service and couldn’t decide what my contribution would be. In a phone conversation with my sister, she randomly mentioned Elwell Farms and how she missed it. Do you Orange County-ites remember Elwell Farms? It was a store on Grand Ave near McFadden St in Santa Ana. They sold poultry products, specifically Boneless Cornish Game Hens stuffed with just about anything!! They were delicious. My mom used to buy hundreds of ‘em!! But what I remember as a kid when accompanying my mom to that store, were the free samples for tasting in the store. They had Teriyaki Chicken Wings and Teriyaki Rumaki. Now I didn’t know what was in Rumaki, I just knew it tasted good!!

NOW I knew what I was going to make for that dinner. But I changed the ingredients a little because not everyone eats bacon-bacon. So, I tried it with turkey bacon and my go-to easy teriyaki sauce, and you know what? It was darn good!!! You remember in the movie “Ratatouille,” when the jerk food critic tastes the Ratatouille dish and is transported back to his childhood? This appetizer will do the same and I dare you not to eat ALL of them!! This is a simple recipe that if you are hosting family for Erev Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur Break the Fast, it’ll be a hit.

And the post-service dinner turned out to be a “Retro 70’s Food” dinner with awesome food I hadn’t had in years!!! The only thing missing was the Green Goddess dressing and my Parachute Pants...

Shana Tova and Chag Sameach everyone!!!

Ingredients

Glaze

• 3 tbsp. soy sauce

• 1 tbsp. brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon chopped ginger

Appetizer

• 14 chicken livers, cut into thirds

• 3 water chestnuts, quartered

• 4 strips turkey bacon, cut into thirds

Instructions

1. Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, and ginger in a small bowl. Add chicken livers and water chestnuts and toss to coat; place in refrigerator to let marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

2. Heat oven to 425°. Strain liver and chestnuts, reserving the marinade. Pour marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes to thicken; set aside.

3. Place 1 slice of turkey bacon on a cutting board, then top with 1 piece of liver and 1 water chestnut chunk. Wrap turkey bacon around liver and chestnut; skewer bacon in place with a toothpick. Repeat process with remaining livers, water chestnuts, and turkey bacon.

4. Transfer to a foil-lined sheet tray, baste with the glaze, and bake until turkey bacon is brown and glaze is caramelized, about 25 minutes.

NOTE

I make a double portion of the glaze for brushing on after cooking.