Blech - Jewish Cooking

Quick Walnut Penuche

Penuche, Quick Walnut (D/P, KLP, TNT)
Source: "Better Homes and Gardens Junior Cook Book" (1974)
Yield: 1 8" square pan

Butter
1-3/4 to 2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup milk
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Take out:
waxed paper
8"x8"x2" pan
flour sifter
measuring cups
1-1/2 quart saucepan
wooden spoon
potholder
rubber spatula

Butter square pan lightly, using waxed paper. Sift and measure powdered sugar. Melt 1/2 cup butter in pan.

Stir in brown sugar. Cook and stir over low heat for 2 minutes. Stir in the milk. Cook until the mixture is boiling.

Cool to room temperature. Beat in powdered sugar until like fudge. Stir in nuts; pour in pan. Chill and cut.

Golden Fudge

Golden Fudge,(D)
Yield: 64 candies

1 cup evaporated milk or whipping cream
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup light corn syrup
3 tablespoons butter
3 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Butter an 8" square baking pan; set aside.

In a heavy 4-quart saucepan, combine milk, water, corn syrup, butter, sugar, and salt. Place over medium-high heat and stir with a wooden spoon until mixture comes to a boil.

Clip on candy thermometer. Stirring constantly, cook to 238°F (115°C) or soft-ball stage. Remove from heat.

Without stirring, pour vanilla over mixture. Leaving thermometer in the pan, cool mixture to 110°F (45°C).

Remove thermometer. Using a wooden spoon, stir mixture for several minutes until it starts to thicken and lose its gloss. Scrape into prepared pan.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. Cut into 1" squares.

Poster's Notes: VARIATIONS: Cherry Fudge - Cut 32 candied cherries in half. Mark fudge into 1" pieces. While fudge is still warm, place 1 cherry half on top of each piece.

Nut Fudge - Stir in 1 cup walnuts, pecans or peanuts before pouring into pan.

Cherry Nut Fudge - Stir in 1/2 cup chopped candied cherries and 1/2 cup unsalted nuts before pouring into pan.

Coconut Fudge - Stir in 3/4 cup coconut before pouring into pan.

Pineapple - Coconut Fudge - Stir in 1/3 cup chopped candied pineapple, 1/2 teaspoon pineapple extract and 1/2 cup coconut before pouring into pan.

Lemon or Orange Fudge - Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon or orange extract and 4 drops of food coloring before pouring into pan.

Honey cake

Honey cake

3 cups unbleached flour (whole wheat pastry or spelt just as good)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons cinnamon

4 eggs
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup honey
1 cup oil
1 cup very strong warm tea (2 tea bags steeped in 1 cup hot water)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix the first set of ingredients in a bowl and set aside. In a food processor beat the eggs with the sugar, the honey and the oil. Add the flour mixture alternately with the tea, pulsing each time 2-3 times, only until combined, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
Pour into a greased tube pan. Bake 1 hour, or until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Invert the cake onto a rack and let cool.

Lavanva's Table Kosher Cooking for everyone

JewishRecipes.org

Chicken Soup

Chicken Soup (Meat)

1 or more packages of chicken bones (way cheaper than using a whole chicken with less waste. . who really likes tons of boiled chicken?)
Dill (must be fresh, at least two store-sized bunches, maybe more depending on how many bones you are using- never too much, too little is not good, so don't be afraid to add more)
a few carrots (I used a handful of baby carrots)
A few ribs of celery
a shake of salt
a grind of pepper
water
pasta flakes, optional

Into a large pot with a lid, put the chicken bones, carrots, celery and dill. Add water until ingredients are covered plus an inch. Set on med-high to bring to boil.

Allow a full boil for about 1/2 hour, reduce heat to med-low/med and simmer for about 2 more hours.

Refrigerate at least one day.

Scrape solidified fat from top of soup, discard. Strain out the bones, meat and vegetables from the broth. Pour the broth through a strainer into a smaller pot, and heat to simmering on med heat.

Rinse off vegetables and set in one container. Rinse off bones, pick off the meat, shred, and set in other container. Discard mushy remains and bones from strainer.

Add flakes to simmering soup 5-10 minutes before serving.

To serve: Place a few pinches of the shredded meat and some of the surviving carrots and celery to a bowl. Ladle soup and flakes over. Be sure to warn people that although you used a little salt, it will probably need more, and even though you took pains to strain the fat out, it may still be a little greasy. Of course, it is actually perfect. = )

Notes: Alas, in the tradition of my mothers cooking, and her mother's before that, I have taken to cooking using a bit of this here and a dab of that there, until "it just looks right." Here is what I think I did to recreate my mom's chicken soup.

http://www.jewishsoups.com

Jewish Cooking

Jewish Cooking

The New Jewish Family Kitchen

The New Jewish Family Kitchen: 40 Kosher Recipes for Jewish Holidays + Every Day

Fresh from a kosher kitchen, the forty delectable recipes in this conveniently sized box are keyed to ten major Jewish holidays: Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur , Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Chanukah, Tu B'Shvat, Purim, Passover, Lag B'Omer, and Shavuot. The front of each durable, laminated card presents a full-color photograph and indicates whether the recipe is pareve or contains dairy or meat-you'll find the perfect dish in a snap and have a delicious, wholesome kosher meal on the table in no time.

Jewish Cooking

In this definitive volume of Italian Jewish recipes

Classic Italian Jewish Cooking
Author: Machlin, Edda Servi (A)

Publisher: Ecco
Format: Hardcover

List Price: $29.95

ISBN-13: 9780060758028
ISBN-10: 0060758023
Language: English
Pages: 418

This book is part of our Judaica collection.

Overview:

In this definitive volume of Italian Jewish recipes, Edda Servi Machlin, a native of Pitigliano, Italy, a Tuscan village that was once home to a vibrant Jewish community, reveals the secrets of this delicate and unique culinary tradition that has flourished for more than two thousand years. Here you'll find recipes for the quintessential Italian Jewish dishes - from Goose "Ham," Spicy Chicken Liver Toasts, and Jewish Caponata to Sabbath Saffron Rice, Purim Ravioli, and Tagliatelle Jewish Style (Noodle Kugel). Selected from Edda Servi Machlin's three books on Italian Jewish cuisine and filled with memories from her birthplace, this rare collection of more than three hundred recipes is a tribute to a rich cultural heritage and a rare gift to food lovers.

Jewish Cookbooks

Blech

Blech: size: 18" x 26" [approx] covers four burners on a conventional stove. Adjust a single range burner to its lowest flame, fill with water, and cover. Since this a "K'deirah" not a blech", Yad Soledet Bo' does not restrict you from using the entire top surface of the un-Blech to heat your meal.

Search for best price for Blech

Blintz Soufflé w/Cherry Sauce (D)

Blintz Soufflé w/Cherry Sauce (D)
Source: "Here's Cookin' At You" (Sisterhood Beth Tikvah New Milford Jewish Center)
Serves: 6

• 1/4 pound butter
• 1 dozen frozen cheese blintzes
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Dash of salt
• 2 tbsp. orange juice or Grand Marnier

Sauce:

• 1 can cherry pie filling
• 1/2 cup orange marmalade
• 1/2 cup sherry

Melt butter in large baking dish. Add blintzes.

Beat eggs, sour cream, vanilla, sugar, salt, and juice. Pour over blintzes. Allow to stand in refrigerator 1 hour or overnight.

Bake in 350°F oven for 40 minutes or until set and brown.

Mix sauce ingredients together and serve over soufflé, if desired.

Poster's Notes: I like to serve the sauce warm so that it doesn't chill the soufflé.

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Blintz Soufflé with Blueberry Sauce

Blintz Soufflé with Blueberry Sauce (Dairy, Tried 'N True)
Serves: 8

Filling Ingredients:

• 1 8-oz. package cream cheese
• 1 pint ricotta cheese
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Blintz Batter Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1-1/2 cups plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup orange juice

Blueberry Sauce:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp. flour
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1/2 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, optional

In small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add Ricotta cheese, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly and set aside. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. In third bowl, mix flour and baking powder. Add to egg mixture alternately with yogurt and orange juice. Stir only until moistened.

Pour half of batter into a buttered 9x13" glass baking pan. Spread cream cheese filling evenly over batter. Filling will be thick. Cover with remaining batter.

Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until done and slightly golden on top. Slice into 8 serving portions.

In a saucepan, combine sugar, flour, water, salt, and lemon juice. Cook until mixture thickens slightly.

Add the blueberries and cook over moderate heat, stirring for one minute.

Remove from heat, add butter, and stir until melted. Add cinnamon (if desired) and stir. Spoon sauce over each portion.

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Garlic Spaghetti Sauce

Last night I tried a recipe for Garlic Spaghetti Sauce that was so simple and delicious that it will become a "keeper" in our house. I wasn't watching the clock but I don't think it took me longer than 1/2 an hour to have dinner on the table. Here is the recipe:

Garlic Spaghetti Sauce

• 1/2 pound spaghetti or other pasta
• 4 cloves garlic, minced or chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/8 cup butter or margarine
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• Grated Parmesan cheese

To cook spaghetti sauce, in a heavy skillet slowly heat the olive oil and butter, add garlic, onion and saute until dark golden. Meanwhile cook spaghetti in large pot of slow to medium boiling water until tender. Drain, do not rinse. Pour sauce hot over cooked spaghetti, toss lightly to coat and top with parmesan cheese. Serve with french bread and green salad.

This recipe will cover about 1/2 pound of spaghetti. For a variation, sprinkle with fresh-dried basil before serving.

I doubled this recipe and found there wasn't quite enough sauce on the pound of spaghetti so I would recommend cooking about 3/4 pound of spaghetti for a double recipe.

More pasta recipes

Jewish Recipes

CARROTS AU GRATIN

Courtesy of the Corn Flake crumbs box

• 2/3 cup Kellogg Corn Flake Crumbs
• 3 Tablespoons margarine, melted
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 cups low-fat milk
• 2/3 cup reduced fat shredded American Cheese
• 4 1/2 cups cooked, sliced carrots, drained (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1 tablespoon parsley flakes

  1. In small bowl or shallow pan, combine Kellogg's Corn Flake Crumbs and 1 tablespoon of the margarine. Set aside.

  2. Add onion to remaining margarine. Sauté' over low heat. Add flour, salt and pepper. Stir in milk. Increase heat to medium; cook until bubbly and thickened, stirring constantly. Add cheese. Stir until smooth.

  3. Stir in carrots and parsley flakes. Spread in shallow 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with corn flake crumbs mixture.

  4. Bake in 350 F about 20 minutes or until bubbly and crumbs are golden brown. Serve warm.

  YIELD: 9 servings

  I use a corning dish to make this and it is a Shavuot favorite. I also usually just take regular American Cheese slices and shred them by tearing them into strips and crumbling them further (not particularly high tech).

Falafel

Ingredients:

Run the following through a food processor:

• One container of falafel measure
• 1 bunch of parsley
• 1 spoon salt
• 1 bunch of cilantro
• 2-spoon cumin
• 2 jalapeños
• 1 spoon cardoon
• 1 red pepper
• 1/2 spoon black pepper
• 10 cloves of garlic
• 6-7 oz sesame seed
• 1/2 onion
• 1/4-teaspoon baking soda
• Water as needed.

Directions:

Heat oil to maximum (before it starts to smoke), and deep fry 1 to 1-1/2 inch falafel balls until they bob to the surface. Drain and serve.

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Kosher Homemade candy

I just got some candy molds and intend to make candy for Purim and would like to make some for Passover. The molds came in Stars of Davids, groggers, Purim masks and suckers which say Happy Passover.

Does anyone know what I could use to make the suckers that would be kosher for Passover.

All the recipes I have use corn syrup.

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Pueblo Pecan Bread -- Jewish Recipes

Ingredients: Three eggs, lightly beaten One cup light or dark corn syrup One cup sugar Two tablespoons pareve margarine, melted One teaspoon vanilla One-eighth teaspoon salt One cup pecans

One unbaked 9-inch deep dish or 10-inch regular pie crust Preheat oven to 450. Combine eggs, syrup, sugar, margarine, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl. Fold in pecans. Pour into pie crust and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 and continue baking until knife inserted in center comes out clean (about 45 minutes). Cool and service.

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Emergency Substitutes

If you don't have:

1 tsp. baking powder Use 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar plus 1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar Use 1 tbsp. cider vinegar or red wine vinegar plus 1/2 tsp. sugar

1 cup Buttermilk Use 1 tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar plus enough milk to equal 1 cup (let stand 5 minutes before using) or 1 cup plain yogurt

1 cup self-rising flour Use 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 cup Half-and-half or light cream Use 1 tbsp. melted butter or margarine plus enough whole milk to make 1 cup

1/2 cup chopped onion Use 2 tbsps. dried minced onion or 1/2 tsp. onion powder

2 cups tomato sauce Use 3.4 cup tomato paste plus 1 cup water

Posted by Jewish Recipes

Rosh Hashanah Recipes

On Rosh Hashanah, our table is a feast of optimism celebrating the sweet and abundant year to come. Instead of salt, we dip our challah in honey. On the first night Sept 22, 2006, we follow this by dipping an apple in honey. Some will place the head of a sheep or fish on the table. Pomegranates and sweetened carrots are also customary.

Below are listed the top 10 fresh and some of the healthiest foods:

1. Asparagus: Rich in vitamins A and C, calcium, iron and folate (the world's most common vitamin deficiency), asparagus has been prized for its culinary and medicinal purposes since ancient times. Choose asparagus stalks that are rounded, with firm, thin stems and dark green or purplish closed tips. Just one cup of cooked asparagus provides 67 percent of the daily requirement for folate, essential for heart health and prevention of birth defects.

2. Green Beans: Harvested while still immature when the inner bean is just beginning to form, they are one of the few bean varieties that can be eaten fresh. With a healthy supply of beta-carotene and vitamins A and C, green beans help protect the body's water-soluble parts from oxygen-free radical damage.

3. Spring Chinook Salmon: The health benefits of eating fatty, cold-water fish are widely known, but salmon contains the highest volume of omega-3 fatty acids, essential for maintaining good heart health. Choose wild over farmed salmon whenever possible.

4. Spinach: A Mediterranean favorite since the 16th century, spinach is a rich source of vitamin A (for cardiovascular health) and vitamin K (for bone health). Just one cup of cooked spinach provides 294 percent and over 1,000 percent, respectively, of the daily value for each. Spinach contains at least 13 different flavonoid compounds that serve as powerful antioxidants and anti-cancer agents.

5. Apricots: The true fruits of spring, apricots were first discovered in China and have been cultivated for more than 3,000 to 4,000 years. Not only do apricots help satisfy a sweet tooth, but the vibrant red, orange and yellow hues signal a plentiful supply of antioxidants. They are also rich with beta-carotene and lycopene, two carotenoids important in reducing the artery-clogging LDL cholesterol and maintain a healthy heart.

6. Spring Onions: Also known as scallions or green onions, these tasty vegetables are available year-round but are at their peak when they make their debut in those first few weeks of spring. Onions have been the subject of new research linking them to lower incidence of certain cancers. They also provide vitamins A and C, calcium and iron.

7. Green Peas: Although they date back to biblical times, it was not until the 17th century that green peas were made popular by France's King Louis XIV. Green peas are a rich source of folate and a wide range of B vitamins, essential for the proper metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Green peas are also chock-full of lutein and zeaxanthin-both powerful antioxidants.

8. Basils: A popular herb that can enhance the flavors of your favorite pasta sauce or spring salad, basil is a wonderful source of vitamin A.

9. Avocados: Previously avoided by dieters due to their high fat content, avocados have made a comeback as a great source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats to help lower cholesterol. By volume, avocados are also 50 percent higher in potassium than bananas.

10. Spring Greens. Choose from arugula, romaine, mesclun, bok choy and watercress to mustard, collard and dandelion greens. All are rich in lutein, beta-carotene, vitamin C, folate, minerals and fiber and excellent for digestion.

Blech

A blech (from Yiddish) is a sheet of metal used by many observant Jews to cover stovetop burners (and for some, the knobs/dials too) on Shabbat (The Jewish Sabbath), as part of the precautions taken to avoid violating the halachic prohibition against cooking on the Sabbath by stirring the fire.

size: 18" x 26" [approx] covers four burners on a conventional stove.
Adjust a single range burner to its lowest flame, fill with water, and cover.

Since this a "K'deirah" not a blech", Yad Soledet Bo' does not restrict you from using the entire top surface of the un-Blech to heat your meal.

Heavy Gauge Aluminum ... Never Rusts!!! Uniform Temperature Throughout

You can safely and easily keep your food hot on Friday evening. There is enough room to feed your family or an army of guests. Reheat Fully cooked foods on Shabbos. Foods that do not contain liquids may be reheated to temperature that is not halachacally possible on a standard sheet metal blech since "Yad Soledet". After Shabbos allow to cool, drain the water, allow to dry.

There are many different thoughts and traditions associated with food warming on Shabbos.

Some people do not rewarm any food that have removed from standard blech and have been allowed to cool down, regardless of the fact that the food is full cooked and dry.

If you follow this more stringent halachic principle you can use the K'deirah Blech as a safety valve to avoid inadvertently cooking on Shabbos. For example, if you accidentally remove a pot from the blech to serve dinner, there is no question about replacing the pot onto the K'deirah Blech, although , it would not be permitted to do so with a standard blech.

Others freely remove and replace dry foods onto a standard blech, often without regard to the principle of YAD SOLEDET BO. For them, the K'deirah Blech is the only useable blech. It permits foods to be heated HOT, not just warm in a way that is well within the boundary of accepted halachic principles.

Still others rewarm food using a standard blech but are careful to avoid the temperature limit set by YAD SOLEDET BO. at best they can expect a room temperature meal. With the K'deirah Blech there is not limitation of YAD SOLEDETS BO. The fear of bishul is reduced with the K'deirah Blech.

HOW IS THE K'deirah Blech MORE EFFECTIVE THAT A STANDARD BLECH?

A good blech that is hot to the touch at all of its corners is actually a bad blech for use on Shabbos since cooled foods may not be returned to it on Shabbos. A poor blech that is cool to the touch at corners is useable but your food stays cold. Therefore, if you are careful about following Halacha, you must pay good money for a blech to eat a cold meal. The other choice is to pay good money for a good blech and eat a cold meal since the blech is not useable on Shabbos.

Does this mean that only chulent of other foods that are left on a standard blech since before Shabbos are permitted to eaten?

Happily, the answer is NO!!!! Foods may be reheated on Shabbos if proper techniques and precaution are used.

INTRODUCING THE K'deirah UN-Blech

Although it is called a blech it is actually not a blech, it is The UN-BLECH The K'deirah UN-Blech is an engineered solution to Shabbos food warming problems.

The lower tray of the K'deirah Blech contains hot water and is therefore a K'deirah. This means that the food to be warmed can be placed anywhere on the K'deirah Blech regardless of the temperature. Yad Soledet Bo does not apply when the principle of K'DEIRAH is applicable.

The Halacha ~ Definitions

1: Blech - literally means metal. It refers to the metal cover plate that is placed on an open flame in order to cover it on Shabbos
2: Cooking
A: Heating any uncooked or partially cooked solid or liquid food to a Temperature of 113 degrees F, Yad Soledet Bo, or higher is termed "Cooking"

3: Ein Bishul Achar Bishul - "There is no cooking after cooking/" Fully cooked solids are not able be cooked again. However, liquids can cook again and may not be reheated.

4: K'deirah Al Gavy K'deirah - a vessel on top of another vessel, e.g.. a pot containing food on top of another pot containing food.

5: Yad Soledet Bo - Laterally means, "a hand can be placed on it". That is, if you can put your hand on a heat source without burning you hand, you may use that as warming tray or blech because no cooking will occur. This temperature is generally agreed to be 113 degrees F.

Halaching Principles Related to Warning Foods

1: Cooking as, defined above, is not permitted on Shabbos. Placing fully cooked foods directly over a flame, or any source of heat that can be used for the purpose of cooking is forbidden.
a: "Putting food onto a flame resembles cooking and may lead to actual cooking." This is related to the

principles of N'Shinah L' Chatchilah

b: Placing full cooked foods onto a source of heat in a way that resembles cooking is not permitted.

c: Melting fat, or heating cool liquids [even if previously boiled] by placing them on source of heat, is forbidden, even if a K'deirah is used.

d: Food may kept on a stovetop if the flame is covered. Covering the flame indicates that you are not concerned with adjusting the flame. Therefore, some authorities also require that the knobs be covered or removed for the same reason.

2: Returning food to a blech.
Foods may not returned to a blech unless the following conditions are met:

a: The food is fully cooked before Shabbos.

b: The food must still be warm at the time of returning it.

c: The pot must still be in your hand, i.e., it was not released from your grip.

d: Your intention was to return the pot to the blech before you removed it.

3: Foods that have cooled down

a: may be placed near [not directly on] a source of heat, to remove the chill, if there is no possibility of it reaching Yad Soledet Bo 133 degrees F.

Or, unless, a K'deirah is used.

4: Foods may be returned only to the areas of stand blech where the surface temperature is cooler than Yad Soledet Bo, 113 degrees F. This bearly warm to the touch.

THINGS TO REMEMBER

The Un-Blech is both hotter and colder than a standard blech. To make sure that your food gets hot use short wide dishes like a casserole to warm foods.

Use a crockpot for chulent.

The entire surface is permitted for use.

Drain the fat from the meat or chicken that you intend to rewarm on Shabbos before Shabbos, so the problem of melting fat is not an issue.

Bake or broiled foods may be rewarmed on Shabbos.

Food like rice which are boiled, raise questions. Some feel that they may not be reqarmed others do not see a problem since the Un-Blech can not be used to cook foods. Ask your Rov.

Food can be left on the Un-Blech for long periods of time in short wide dishes. the temp of the food must be at leat 125 degrees to prevent spoilage. If your Rov is not familiar with the Un'Blech, it is best to bring it to him when you ask your questions. As your Rov about warming specific goods.The k"deirah is, to mu knowlege, the only new blech that has been examined by Rabbinic authorities.

A partial list follows: Rav Dovid Feinstein, Rav Herschel Schecter of YU, Rav Kenneth Auman of Young Israel of Flatbush, Rav Dovid Cohen.

INSTRUCTIONS

First time users - note--before using your Un-Blech for the first time you should calibrate the burner that you intend to use with the K'deirah.

This should be done during the week so you can get the best setting for you range. This is a most important step. Too high a flame will cause the water to boil out before the end of Shabbos.

1. Bring about 6-8 cups of water to a boil in a pot or use instant hot from the sink.

2. Remove the teakettle from the burner and reduce the flame so that it is about 1/4 inch high. (On many ranges this will conform to the first detent or click that you feel as you turn the knobs to adjust the flame.)

a. Electric ranges work perfectly well with a K'deirah Blech. However, since electric coils are much hotter the a gas flame, adjust the temperature so the the coils do not glow red hot. Red hot coils can melt aluminum pots if they are empty. If the water boils out and the coils are glowing the lower compartment will melt or lose its shape. This will damage the base tray.

3. Place the tray of the K'deirah Blech onto the burner.

4. Pour in the hot water.

5. Place the cover onto the K;deirah

6. After an hour or so check the Un-Blech. If you see steam escaping, your setting is too high, lower the flame a little and repeat the above procedure. Check the tem0erture of the surface, it should be very hot.

When you think that you have the correct setting leave the K'deirah on for the night. In the morning check the temperature of the surface again.

Note: you may hear a low sizzling noise coming form the K'deirah Blech. This is normal. If you hear a rapid sizzling sound, your flame may be too high. Adjust the flame until the sound is softer.

7. Mark the control knob with a pencil and turn off the flame. After a few minutes remove the top and check the water level. If you have about as much water as you started with mark the control knob permanently using a marker. You are ready for Shabbos.

BEFORE SHABBOS

1. Light only only burner on the stovetop. first time users see note above.

2. Adjust the flame to the calibration mark that you made previously. See not for first time users above.

3. Place the K'deirah Blech base tray on the stove top.

4. Pour 6-8 cups of water into the base container and over it. Hint- boil water in your teapot and use the hot water to set up the K'deirah Un-Blech. It will be hot immediately.

Drain off all excess fat and oil from the meat that you intend to reheat. It is best to clean the pot to remove all of the excess liquid.

Liquids that are on the blech before Shabbos may remain on the blech. (See halacha)

Chulent can spoil on a k'deirah because the surface is not hot enough to maintain a cooking temperature. Do not attempt to finish cooking your chulent on the Un'Blech. Use a crock pot for chulent. Remember a chulent, or casserole, contains free liquid. It may not be replaced onto any blech once it has cooled down.

Some rabbonim only allow the rearming foods that were roasted or broiled not boiled. Others do not make this distinction on the Un-Blech.

ON SHABBOS

1. The K'deirah Blech's large flat evenly heated surface is ideally suited for placing a number of tins, dishes or pots anywhere on the surface. There are no restricted areas. To heat your food efficiently and quickly it is best to use flat wide tins or pots. Casserole pots are the ideal shape, but don't forget to allow enough time for both the pot and then the food to hear up. Because the K'deirah Blech and relax for an hour to get a wonderful hot meal.
2. Solids may be rewarmed on the K'deirah Blech
3. Liquids may not be replaced onto the K'deirah Blech once they have cooled.

After Shabbos

1) Shut off the flame
2) Wait until you can touch the surface without burning yourself.
3) Allow the Un-Blech to cool down remove the water
a) Get a small wide mouthed container or dish to use as a scoop.
b) Or, use a siphon
c) Note-If you have a very steady hand, like my wife, you can move the entire base container without scooping out any of the water.

5) Dry the K'deirah Blech before storing it.

The most important thing to keep in mind when you use K'deirah Blech is that it is hotter than a conventional blech over the entire surface except one area. A conventional blech is cool to touch at the end furthest away from the fire, but extremely hot right above the fire. There is no hot spot on the K'deirah Blech. this fact has most profound affect on you Shabbos meal.

An unblech or K'Deira Blech (Water Blech) is not technically a blech but can be used for similar purposes. An unblech consists of a shallow metal pan filled with hot water and covered by another metal pan. An unblech can be used in more flexible ways than a true blech for halachic reasons. However, the temperature of an unblech is limited by the boiling point of water and is not as hot as a typical blech.