Oy! I Can’t Believe It’s Kosher! (Gourmet Italian and French)

(Gerry Furth-Sides, Kayco and Tuscanini Foods images courtesy the company.)  Kosher bacon? Kosher Tuscan pasta?  Why not?  Although kosher food follows strict dietary laws for cleanliness and health, it adds, if anything to the taste and freshness and takes away nothing.   The concept is, in fact, part of a budding movement, sometimes called “eco-kosher,” that combines traditional Jewish dietary laws and addressing new concerns about the environment. Eco-kosher, in turn, is part of the greening of American religion — the rapid infusion of environmental issues into the mainstream of religious life.

At Harissa Restaurant, the Housemade Charcuterie Board emulating Italian styles of Prosciutto and Genoa Salami, uses Kosher beef instead – a process that takes the restaurant at least 4-5 months for each iteration.  Also on the platter: the popular Chicken Liver pate’ in the French style and Chicken Liver Pate’ with Cognac; Cornichon pickles and Home-marinated Tunisian green and black olives with Lemon and Herbs.  “Chef/Owner Alain Cohen was born in Tunisia, then moved with his family to Paris at the age of 6, starting in the restaurant business there. This explains French touches such as decorating a charcuterie board with grapes and walnuts and adding an extensive wine list (all Kosher),” according to Barbara Hansen, who brought the Harissa burger to the “Best of” LA WEEKLY issue, picked up by the Tunisian media in North Africa.

ext, a “Sea Food Plate” with home-cured kosher salmon gravlax with boukha & dill, a slice of salmon mousse, bottarga (pressed cod roe), more roe in the form of Tunisian Taramasalata (spread on toasted crostini it was superb) and a delectable whitefish salad.

 

(www.harissala).Location: 8914 W. Pico Blvd. (1 block west of Robertson), Los Angeles, California 90035, (310) 858-1920. Catering, Airline, vacation, delivery.

Tuscanini Foods  rolls out a brand new lineup of gourmet food products from the rolling hills of Italy, famously identified for its traditions and age-old recipes.  Products are sourced from curated artisans that specialize located in areas from the mountainous Dolomite region to Sardinia Island.

Distributed by well-respected  NJ-based Kayco (www.kayco.com), Tuscanini (www.tuscaninifoods.com) products, designed with the serious home cook and restaurant chef in mind,  meet the highest standards of quality, craftsmanship and gourmet cuisine.  All products are produced with natural ingredients, nothing artificial and are certified OU kosher.   These authentic Italian imports are coming to grocery shelves in 2019:

Balsamic Glaze (MRP $7.99 / 8.5 oz.)  Rich and complex, these condiments hail from Modena, Italy, one of only two places in the world where true balsamic vinegar is produced under PDO classification. Tuscanini’s gourmet balsamic products are meticulously prepared from locally grown grapes and aged in traditional wood casks. Balanced with 6% acidity, they are geared for the serious home restaurant chef.  Balsamic Vinegar ($7.99 / 8.45 oz.) is unique for its complex flavor and beautiful glass bottle and cork closure.

Italian pastas ($3.99 / 16 oz.)  Dried pasta, mainstay of Italian cuisine for centuries takes the form of  100% Durum Semolina pastas.  Pastas are bronze cut to create a porous, home-style texture to showcase the sauce in every bite. The high-end collection includes a variety of shapes: Gigli (ruffle-edged cones), Pennoni (a somewhat more substantial version of Penne), Trottole(“spinning top”), tricolor Conchiglie(seashells), and tricolor Fusilli(corkscrews).

Pasta Sauces ($4.99 / 24.3 oz. jars)  These four authentic toppings evoke warm, sun-kissed Italian summers. Every jar of Tuscanini pasta sauce features 40 fresh tomatoes from the Parma region, harvested at the peak of ripeness. Traditional Pizza Sauce, Naopoletana Pasta Sauce, Classic Marinara Sauce, and Zesty Marinara Saucepair perfectly with Tuscanini’s home-style Italian Pastas.

7.05 oz.)  begins with ripe, luscious tomatoes grown in Tuscany, triple-concentrated for an intense burst of fresh flavor and is conveniently packaged in, re-sealable tubes. All-natural and non-GMO project certified.

Organic Sparkling Beverages ($6.99 / 4-pack of 9.3 oz. bottles)  Tuscanini introduces two elegant new sparkling soft drinks inspired by leisurely Italian afternoons at an outdoor café. Made with only the choicest fruits hand-picked at peak harvest, these crisp Italian sodas are cold-pressed for maximum natural flavor. Available in Lemon and Blood Orange. These all-natural refreshers can be served straight from the bottle or over ice in a glass. USDA Organic certified.

Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar ($5.99 / 16.9 oz.) originates in the picturesque mountain region of Dolomite is brewed with “the mother culture” – a beneficial mix of proteins, acids, and bacteria prized for their healthy properties. This ancient condiment is made up solely of organic Italian apples, so it delivers a great, well-balanced acidity in glazes, dressings, marinades, and more.

A wealth of recipes can be found on the Tuscanini website, and on the Kosher.com website.  The follow is a sample of the rich, colorful and unusual dishes.

//www.kosher.com/recipe/balsamic-roasted-potatoes-and-shallots-6348