You may have noticed that our biblical ancestors (wise people) did not travel very far unless it was absolutely necessary. Some people say it was because traveling was a difficult, dangerous business in those primitive days. But we know better. The real reason people tended to stay home was then, as it is today, the terrible quality of travel food.
There's a lot of traveling in this coming Shabbat's Torah portion. Yosef's brothers travel back to Kna'an. Ya'akov and his whole household travel to Egypt. Yosef travels to Goshen to meet his father after years of separation. Ya'akov travels from Goshen to (presumably) the capital to see Pharaoh. Then he travels back to Goshen. Everyone in Egypt keeps traveling to see Yosef as the famine does not let up year after year. Even the animals travel as Ya'akov brings his cattle with him and the Egyptians end up selling theirs to the state in return for food.
So there is plenty of back and forth going on. And much of it has to do with food (or lack thereof). What do they eat on the way? We know that Ya'akov is taken care of. Yosef sends food with his brothers specifically to support them on their way to and from Kna'an. What does everyone else eat? Probably not much seeing as the whole point of their travel was to find food.
What do we eat when we travel? Many people are traveling this week. My Mother in law and both sisters in law (and their families) are traveling to Israel. I know they will eat really well once they get there. Fresh pitas, plump and warm from the oven. Street vendor's falafel, with all-you-can-stuff-in-your-pita salads and pickles. Wonderful produce. Really awesome dairy products. Shawarma. Yum.
But what will they eat on the way? We may feel sorry for the poor Egyptians of old (personally, I feel sorry for Egyptians right now, too), starving as they travel the land in search of food. But at least they did not have to put up with airline food, vending machines, rest areas' fast food stands and all those additives and preservatives. Granted, starving is worse, but, a case can be made, not by much.
If you must travel - pack you own food if you can. And do not pack chips and candy. They make you (and your kids) sick and grumpy. Get fresh fruit, baby carrots, grape tomatoes, dried fruit, simple roasted or raw nuts (not the sugared or heavily salted ones) and water, water, water. I know you can't get this stuff unto an airplane but check with your airline to see if you can bring small packages of dried fruit and nuts. You can also get packages of dried vegetables (surprisingly delicious) at whole food stores. Bring an empty water bottle and fill it up at the water fountain beyond the security check point. And yes, it is worth the trouble. You'll arrive less dehydrated and without a sugar crash.
Of course, if you want good food, the best way to go is stay home and make it yourself. This week's Torah portion talks about grains. The famine caused a lack of grains. Everything else stemmed from that initial lack. How many types of grains are in your pantry right now? How many do you use on a regular basis? Having a vegetarian child forces one to explore strange new foods. Some interesting stuff comes out of it.
Really simple Quinoa dish
In a medium bowl mix:
2 cups cooked quinoa (cook according to package instructions, cool and fluff grains)
1/3 cup dried cranberries
one half avocado (cubed)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (or parsley)
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1/3 cup slightly toasted almonds (or pine nuts).
Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (you can add another tablespoon if the end result is too dry for your taste but if you add too much, the dish will become gummy and will not keep for more than a day). Mix gently. Serve cold or at room temperature.
This will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge but why keep it? we eat the whole thing as a main course.
Wheat berry and pomegranate salad
I really should not give out this recipe since it is one of my best sellers, but what the heck, let this be my gift to you for a healthy new year.
You can buy wheat berries in whole food stores, in bulk. Cook them in plenty of water with a little salt until they are soft but keep their shape (an hour, maybe). Drain and let cool. You'll need 4 cups of cooked berries so start with about one and a half cups uncooked).
Meanwhile, separate the seeds from one medium pomegranate. You will need about 1 cup of seeds.
Mix in a large bowl:
4 cups wheat berries
1 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
1 cups sliced scallions
1/2 cup dried cranberries,
1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds
For dressing, mix:
7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon pomegranate syrup (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Combine salad and dressing and mix well. Serve cold or at room temperature.
This makes 7 cups of salad.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Friday, December 23, 2011
Latkes all the way
Remember my sister in law who does not eat potatoes? Well, this one's for you, love.
Thursday night's latkes were a smashing hit. Even my vegetarian daughter, who does not eat zucchini unless it's hiding in a quick bread, devoured them with joy (younger daughter, as expected, ate schnitzel and looked at us as if we have lost our minds. I mean "Zucchini? what's up with that, people?"):
Zucchini latkes*
3 cups grated zucchini (if it's watery, squeeze it dry)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
3 Tbs flavored bread crumbs
3 Tbs flour
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix well. Fry latkes over medium low heat in relatively little oil (less than you would use for regular latkes). They take a bit longer to cook and you have to watch them carefully so they don't over brown. But the taste! Oh man, the taste. We had 4 left (how that happened I do not know) and I toasted them a bit and had them with smoked salmon for breakfast the next day. Talk about gourmet food.
* Last night's dinner debate: are they still called latkes if they do not contain even a shred of potato?
Pirsumey Nissa:
I am passing along an awesome thought I got from my friend Debbie: Just like the little jar of oil, each of us may think we are too small, insignificant or unimportant to make a difference, but if we do our share, we may find that we can do much more than we thought we are capable of and we can make all the difference in the world.
Be a light.
Thursday night's latkes were a smashing hit. Even my vegetarian daughter, who does not eat zucchini unless it's hiding in a quick bread, devoured them with joy (younger daughter, as expected, ate schnitzel and looked at us as if we have lost our minds. I mean "Zucchini? what's up with that, people?"):
Zucchini latkes*
3 cups grated zucchini (if it's watery, squeeze it dry)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
3 Tbs flavored bread crumbs
3 Tbs flour
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix well. Fry latkes over medium low heat in relatively little oil (less than you would use for regular latkes). They take a bit longer to cook and you have to watch them carefully so they don't over brown. But the taste! Oh man, the taste. We had 4 left (how that happened I do not know) and I toasted them a bit and had them with smoked salmon for breakfast the next day. Talk about gourmet food.
* Last night's dinner debate: are they still called latkes if they do not contain even a shred of potato?
Pirsumey Nissa:
I am passing along an awesome thought I got from my friend Debbie: Just like the little jar of oil, each of us may think we are too small, insignificant or unimportant to make a difference, but if we do our share, we may find that we can do much more than we thought we are capable of and we can make all the difference in the world.
Be a light.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Drowning in eggplants
Does anyone else have this problem? My husband loves to shop in bulk. That's not too bad when he comes back from Costco with enough toilet paper for a small army or detergent for the new millennium (the whole millennium) , but recently he found a new place where he can get perishables in huge quantities. Now, I admit the price and quality are unbeatable but what in the world does one do with 20 Lbs of.....turnips.
As far as the turnips go, I am still stumped (no one in our home even likes turnips) but then he also bought a very big box filled with eggplant. Now, eggplant I can do. My daughter loves eggplant (she has a very eclectic palate) and I am not opposed to it myself. The younger daughter will not come near it (takes after her uncle, that one) but she doesn't eat much anyway.
Dish one
I started by broiling about 6 of them. You cut a few slices in each, arrange them on a pan and broil until they are very soft. If they char a bit - even better. If you can grill them - best. Once they are cool enough to touch (and if you're busy, they will patiently wait until you have time for the next step, so no rush) , scoop out the flesh, put in a food processor with 2 cloves of garlic per eggplant (or more, if you're brave), salt and pepper to taste, and 1-2 teaspoons of Tahini (raw sesame paste) per eggplant. Process until smooth (or you can stop at the chunky-ness level you prefer). You may have to add a little water to get things going but keep it to a minimum (a tablespoon or two at most). Voila!, Babaganoush A-la the middle east.
My friend Mara, while bravely trying my weird foods, feels much more comfortable with milder (i.e. "normal") versions. For her I omit the Tahini and mix in some mayo instead (the amount depends on your taste. Start with half a tablespoon per eggplant) . This also makes the dish appropriate for Pesach (and saves any matzah from its ho-hum status).
Dish two
To remind you, we still have eggplants aplenty. Next, I halved a few, scooped out the flesh (leaving about 1 inch thick "walls" all around), stuffed them with a mixture of cooked grains (brown rice, wheat berries, barley) and cooked legumes (a few varieties of beans and lentils, whatever I had on hand), to which was added one onion, chopped and sauteed in oil, and the following spices: salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric and granulated garlic. The eggplants were then put in a large baking pan, surrounded by a good tomato sauce that contained similar spices, covered and baked at 325F for 2 hours (yes, two hours. I believe in cooking food until it melts in your mouth).
Dish three
Those of you with sharp detective skills must have noticed that after scooping out the flesh of the eggplants in the previous dish, I did not specify what I did with it. G-d forbid I should toss it out. Never fear. I heated a little olive oil in my latke pan (which has straight sides) and piled all the "discards" into it. Covered well and cooked over low heat, stirring occasionally to make sure everything was uniformly cooked. When it was all soft, I de-glazed (love that word) the bottom of the pan (to which some eggplant was stuck) with a small (and I do mean small) amount of apple cider vinegar (I had the insides of 6 eggplants and I used less than a tablespoon of vinegar), scraping vigorously, then dropped a few garlic cloves, minced, into the space that was just de-glazed, let it cook for a minute then put in about 4-5 canned whole tomatoes that I hand chopped first. Salt and pepper, cook for a few minutes longer. Serve cold. You can add some chopped fresh parsley, if you wish. This is an awesome salad and you notice the calorie content is low. Unfortunately, it goes so well with bread that it's fattening anyway.
Dishes four, five and six
Next, we plan to make eggplant parmigiana, fried eggplant (this one is too easy to count as cooking) Here's the recipe: you slice eggplants into rounds about a finger thick, fry them on both sides in oil (olive is best but canola will work too) until so soft they fall apart when you try to take them out (don't worry if they turn brownish, that's the best part) , drain on paper towels and then layer with crushed garlic, salt, pepper, a little lemon juice and lots of chopped fresh parsley, Serve cold.), another kind of fried eggplant (this one, instead of the garlic and such, I will dot with feta cheese and broil a little until the cheese melts. Just a quick light meal for my vegetarian girl). And then I will really have a problem because I think all these dishes will make no more than a small dent in my purple mountain.
I heard eggplants make good missiles, being somewhat aerodynamic. Hmmm....
Suggestions welcome. We are desperate.
BTW - Those 20 Lbs of turnips may yet come in handy. My mother in law says turnips are good for what ails you: cold, flu, pneumonia, whatever. It seems you can feed a dish of turnips to a dead person and it will make him feel better. I say she wins the "Ess, Bubbeleh" contest hands down.
As far as the turnips go, I am still stumped (no one in our home even likes turnips) but then he also bought a very big box filled with eggplant. Now, eggplant I can do. My daughter loves eggplant (she has a very eclectic palate) and I am not opposed to it myself. The younger daughter will not come near it (takes after her uncle, that one) but she doesn't eat much anyway.
So, what do you do with a mountain of eggplant?
Dish one
I started by broiling about 6 of them. You cut a few slices in each, arrange them on a pan and broil until they are very soft. If they char a bit - even better. If you can grill them - best. Once they are cool enough to touch (and if you're busy, they will patiently wait until you have time for the next step, so no rush) , scoop out the flesh, put in a food processor with 2 cloves of garlic per eggplant (or more, if you're brave), salt and pepper to taste, and 1-2 teaspoons of Tahini (raw sesame paste) per eggplant. Process until smooth (or you can stop at the chunky-ness level you prefer). You may have to add a little water to get things going but keep it to a minimum (a tablespoon or two at most). Voila!, Babaganoush A-la the middle east.
My friend Mara, while bravely trying my weird foods, feels much more comfortable with milder (i.e. "normal") versions. For her I omit the Tahini and mix in some mayo instead (the amount depends on your taste. Start with half a tablespoon per eggplant) . This also makes the dish appropriate for Pesach (and saves any matzah from its ho-hum status).
Dish two
To remind you, we still have eggplants aplenty. Next, I halved a few, scooped out the flesh (leaving about 1 inch thick "walls" all around), stuffed them with a mixture of cooked grains (brown rice, wheat berries, barley) and cooked legumes (a few varieties of beans and lentils, whatever I had on hand), to which was added one onion, chopped and sauteed in oil, and the following spices: salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric and granulated garlic. The eggplants were then put in a large baking pan, surrounded by a good tomato sauce that contained similar spices, covered and baked at 325F for 2 hours (yes, two hours. I believe in cooking food until it melts in your mouth).
Dish three
Those of you with sharp detective skills must have noticed that after scooping out the flesh of the eggplants in the previous dish, I did not specify what I did with it. G-d forbid I should toss it out. Never fear. I heated a little olive oil in my latke pan (which has straight sides) and piled all the "discards" into it. Covered well and cooked over low heat, stirring occasionally to make sure everything was uniformly cooked. When it was all soft, I de-glazed (love that word) the bottom of the pan (to which some eggplant was stuck) with a small (and I do mean small) amount of apple cider vinegar (I had the insides of 6 eggplants and I used less than a tablespoon of vinegar), scraping vigorously, then dropped a few garlic cloves, minced, into the space that was just de-glazed, let it cook for a minute then put in about 4-5 canned whole tomatoes that I hand chopped first. Salt and pepper, cook for a few minutes longer. Serve cold. You can add some chopped fresh parsley, if you wish. This is an awesome salad and you notice the calorie content is low. Unfortunately, it goes so well with bread that it's fattening anyway.
Dishes four, five and six
Next, we plan to make eggplant parmigiana, fried eggplant (this one is too easy to count as cooking) Here's the recipe: you slice eggplants into rounds about a finger thick, fry them on both sides in oil (olive is best but canola will work too) until so soft they fall apart when you try to take them out (don't worry if they turn brownish, that's the best part) , drain on paper towels and then layer with crushed garlic, salt, pepper, a little lemon juice and lots of chopped fresh parsley, Serve cold.), another kind of fried eggplant (this one, instead of the garlic and such, I will dot with feta cheese and broil a little until the cheese melts. Just a quick light meal for my vegetarian girl). And then I will really have a problem because I think all these dishes will make no more than a small dent in my purple mountain.
I heard eggplants make good missiles, being somewhat aerodynamic. Hmmm....
Suggestions welcome. We are desperate.
BTW - Those 20 Lbs of turnips may yet come in handy. My mother in law says turnips are good for what ails you: cold, flu, pneumonia, whatever. It seems you can feed a dish of turnips to a dead person and it will make him feel better. I say she wins the "Ess, Bubbeleh" contest hands down.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
8 days of frying
My sister in law doesn't eat potatoes. Not even french fries. We often wonder if she is real or just something we got from G-d because we were really good.
On Chanuka, she agrees to eat latkes but I suspect it's only out of politeness.
If you have someone in your family who sighs at the sight of yet another plate of potato latkes, sigh no more. It turns out - you can fry so many other things. Who knew?
Here's the deal: Latkes were born in a small shtetl in eastern Europe one cold Chanuka night. The rabbi told everyone about the miracle of the oil and how tradition calls for us to eat foods fried in oil in honor of that miracle. Old Gitteleh, a poor widow, wanted very much to be a good Jew and honor tradition but she had nothing in the house except potatoes. You see, in Europe, in poor little shtetls, there wasn't much more than potatoes to eat during the winter (why do you think European Jews dip potatoes in salt water on Pesach while Jews from other continents get to dip all kinds of fresh green leafy vegetables? ). So, back to Gitteleh (it's really cold and we can't leave her standing there, starving). She had nothing but potatoes and the rabbi did not specify which foods are to be fried. So she fried potato pancakes. Very common food in that part of the world. The smell (as we all know) was amazing and pretty soon, the whole town was at her door. You can guess the rest.
Fast forward to America of today. Latkes are still the number one favorite and no Chanuka will be complete without them. But there are so many other things to fry. As long as it's fried - you are keeping the tradition alive and well.
So here are some ideas for when you run out of potatoes:
So there, 8 days of latkes-free frying.
Next time: A Weight Watchers meeting near you.
Happy Chanuka
Osnat
PS Beef Patties
(My mother in law calls these Kotlets and wiggles out of sharing the specifics of the recipe so this is an approximation based on eating so many of them that I qualify for a lifetime membership in Weight Watchers. It's still awesome even if not exactly like hers)
Use 1 part ground onion to 2 parts ground (not grated) raw potatoes and 2 parts finely ground beef (remember to send up a prayer of thanks for food processors). Salt and pepper to taste. Add enough eggs (about one for every pound of beef) to make a mix that can be easily shaped. Shape into elongated patties and fry in about 2 inches of oil.
I don't know how many patties come out of this recipe since people tend to steal them before you finish frying all of them. I also have no idea how long they last in the fridge because they never reach the fridge. When my MIL makes them for company she uses all her creativity to find hiding places that her sons haven't discovered yet. Sometimes it even works.
On Chanuka, she agrees to eat latkes but I suspect it's only out of politeness.
If you have someone in your family who sighs at the sight of yet another plate of potato latkes, sigh no more. It turns out - you can fry so many other things. Who knew?
Here's the deal: Latkes were born in a small shtetl in eastern Europe one cold Chanuka night. The rabbi told everyone about the miracle of the oil and how tradition calls for us to eat foods fried in oil in honor of that miracle. Old Gitteleh, a poor widow, wanted very much to be a good Jew and honor tradition but she had nothing in the house except potatoes. You see, in Europe, in poor little shtetls, there wasn't much more than potatoes to eat during the winter (why do you think European Jews dip potatoes in salt water on Pesach while Jews from other continents get to dip all kinds of fresh green leafy vegetables? ). So, back to Gitteleh (it's really cold and we can't leave her standing there, starving). She had nothing but potatoes and the rabbi did not specify which foods are to be fried. So she fried potato pancakes. Very common food in that part of the world. The smell (as we all know) was amazing and pretty soon, the whole town was at her door. You can guess the rest.
Fast forward to America of today. Latkes are still the number one favorite and no Chanuka will be complete without them. But there are so many other things to fry. As long as it's fried - you are keeping the tradition alive and well.
So here are some ideas for when you run out of potatoes:
- Vegetable tempura. Advantage: you can pretend it's healthy because it has vegetables in it.
- Fried chicken. Advantage: you can pretend it's a balmy 70 degrees outside, just like down south.
- Fried fish. Advantage: you can pretend it's heart-healthy. I mean: FISH, right?
- Falafel. Advantage: it's Israeli food so you're being a good Jew.
- Fried wantons. Advantage: my daughter says Jews have to eat Chinese food on Christmas (which this year falls smack in the middle of Chanuka).
- Zeppoles. Advantage: anything Italian is yummy.
- French toast. Advantage: uses up the bread that no one ate this week because they were eating latkes.
- Beef patties. Advantage: You can be grateful that you have more than just potatoes (remember Gitteleh?). This will balance the guilt of eating red meat. See a suggested recipe below.
So there, 8 days of latkes-free frying.
Next time: A Weight Watchers meeting near you.
Happy Chanuka
Osnat
PS Beef Patties
(My mother in law calls these Kotlets and wiggles out of sharing the specifics of the recipe so this is an approximation based on eating so many of them that I qualify for a lifetime membership in Weight Watchers. It's still awesome even if not exactly like hers)
Use 1 part ground onion to 2 parts ground (not grated) raw potatoes and 2 parts finely ground beef (remember to send up a prayer of thanks for food processors). Salt and pepper to taste. Add enough eggs (about one for every pound of beef) to make a mix that can be easily shaped. Shape into elongated patties and fry in about 2 inches of oil.
I don't know how many patties come out of this recipe since people tend to steal them before you finish frying all of them. I also have no idea how long they last in the fridge because they never reach the fridge. When my MIL makes them for company she uses all her creativity to find hiding places that her sons haven't discovered yet. Sometimes it even works.
Friday, December 16, 2011
Where does it say in the Torah?
My mother in law used to nag me (there's a redundant sentence) about our Friday night meals. So did my oldest daughter. Between these two, I could do no right.
Opinion one: Where does it say in the Torah that we have to eat chicken on Friday night?
Opinion two: You should serve your kids foods they love on Friday so that they will look forward to Shabbat.
Solution: for the last 2 years, my family has been having pizza on Friday nights.
Response one: You are the best Imma in the whole world.
Response two: Pizza????? Pizza????? Are you nuts?????
Friday night meal is probably the best meal of the week. The house is clean, the kitchen fragrant with something delicious, there is dessert to look forward to (Li'Khvod Shabbat) and as the sun goes down and dusk turns everything soft and gentle-like, a sense of peace descends on the family. Shabbat Shalom.
We light the candles, say the blessings, the girls laugh at my husband's rendition of the kiddush (how many words per second can you say and still sound good?), the challah is golden and yummy, all is well.
Then I serve the meal I have worked so hard to make.
Number one daughter (the vegetarian) "Why can't we have dairy once in a while? Does being Jewish mean that we must have meat at every meal?".
Number two daughter (who likes beef with a side of chicken) "Chicken? again? I'm not hungry."
Husband (trying gallantly to save the day): "Maybe if you did not cook it so long...".
There goes my peaceful Shabbat.
The thing is, I have read the Torah cover to cover and it really does not say anywhere that you must have chicken on Friday. It is simply a way to make Shabbat special by eating the foods that you wish you could eat every day but can't afford during the rest of the week [usually because of either price (in the old days) or calories (nowadays)]. So my MIL was (gulp) right (don't you just hate when this happens?): I should serve my family the foods they love and crave in order for them to look forward to Shabbat.
Quick polling of the family shows that their preferred food, the one they love and crave and want to eat above all else, is pizza. As my friend Lisa says "Your child is a pizza-tarian". No problem. I can do that.
Horrified look from MIL : "Pizza? You are serving pizza on Friday night? You should not do that. This is not right. You should serve proper food on Friday night. Pizza is not an actual food." I point out that it was her advice to serve foods that the kids will look forward to. Her expression seems to indicate that I have failed as a mother if the food my kids like best is pizza. She may be on to something.
So I compromise. I serve pizza but I improve it. Here's the thing: Much as I agree with the idea that the work of preparing for Shabbat has merit, preparations that leave me exhausted or annoyed do not agree with me. I have tried making pizza from scratch and the results were not worth the effort. I apologize to all you awesome bakers out there who can make pizza with your eyes closed. My hat's off to you, but I just can't do that. It is important to know your own limitations and this is one of mine. So here's what I do:
I buy the simplest cheese pizza I can find. About 45 minutes before candle-light time, I preheat the oven to whatever temperature it says on the box and, while the oven preheats, I brush the edges of the pizza with olive oil (and drizzle a little over the pie itself), sprinkle it with very thinly sliced toppings (red onion, mushrooms, ripe tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapenos, olives, extra cheese of whatever kind I have on hand) and season with granulated garlic and Italian seasoning. By the time the pizza is ready, it's time to light the candles and the family is happy. Number one daughter is still not quite satisfied. It seems I am handicapped in the area of arranging the toppings in an orderly fashion on top of the pizza (which, apparently, greatly affects the flavor). But, being a generous soul, she forgives me every week anew. They do say the spirit of Shabbat makes people better than their everyday nature.
MIL learned to live with the great disappointment that I am to her.
Shabbat Shalom
Osnat
PS
Best part of the Pizza for Friday night deal is: you can have dairy desserts. You gotta admit that in the department of desserts, dairy is the way to go. Here is the easiest dessert in the world, which I learned from my friend Lisa, who can cook a Rosh Hashana meal for 30 people while working full time (and then some) and make it not only yummy but beautifully presented, too. It's called Yogurt pie and sounds unlikely to be palatable but it tastes like sweet clouds: Mix one 8oz container of thawed cool whip with one 8oz container of flavored yogurt (berry flavor is best but I had good results with almost any flavor). Spoon into a prepared graham cracker pie shell. Cover and refrigerate until serving time. It's a little difficult to serve, being so fluffy, so be ready with a large spoon.
Thanks Lisa.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Fear Of Frying
Chanuka (you may spell it differently. everyone has their own spelling. It's OK) is almost here. Did you take out your extra large frying pan? Did you buy extra oil? Did you renew your membership in Weight Watchers? Why do we fry? Because of the miracle of the oil. Sure, you knew that. But then why do we use an oil that in all probability, was not in use back than, certainly not in the holy temple? Wouldn't it make better sense to use olive oil? and just put it into salads? W-a-y healthier and still within the parameters of tradition.
My friend Debbie usually bemoans the latkes by the third day. I can relate. I love potatoes but eventually you can get sick of anything (My daughter does not agree. "You can't get sick of pizza" says she). I try to be a good friend and provide services as needed and so, here is an idea for those of us who can't stand the thought of yet another night of latkes.
Let's take a short pause here and talk about something that seems unrelated: Maoz Tzur. You know this one? "Rock of Ages" (not a very good translation, but what can you do?). You DO know that the song has 5 more verses, right? So this is a song about how 4 different nations have tried to destroy the Jews and failed because G-d saved us. The first verse is about G-d building a house of prayer where we can offer thanks (one of my favorite themes in life). Then the song goes on to describe events we should be thankful for: being saved from the Egyptians, Babylonians, Persians and Greeks. The last verse is about the future, bringing salvation (yehshooa) and a spiritual leader worthy of the title. All good things but how does it relate to food?
Hello, we're Jews. Everything relates to food. As you know, all Jewish holidays can be summarized by "They tried to kill us. We won. Let's eat". If you look at Maoz Tzur, that's exactly what it's about, except for the "eat" part.
This is where Kitchen-to-Kitchen comes in.
Back to the song:
First verse (first night): Sing your heart out and have latkes like a good Jew.
Second verse (second night): the Egyptians enslaved us but we were saved. Let's have an Egyptian meal.
There is an interesting dish called Ful. It is fava beans, cooked until they are very soft (preferably overnight with plenty of water) and served over hummus, with hard boiled egg, thick slices of fresh yellow onions, fresh coarsely chopped parsley, lemon wedges and a healthy drizzle of olive oil (and, of course, pita). Some people are allergic to fava, so if you are - you can use some other large bean (like Butter Beans).
Third verse (third night): The Babylonians exiled us to Babel and it took 70 years to return. Let's have an Iraqi meal (modern day Iraq is the accepted site of ancient Babel).
See a recipe at the end for Sambusak. These are sort of Iraqi calzones, filled with mashed garbanzo beans. Serve with a fresh salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, scallions,green peppers and parsley, with a dressing of olive oil and lemon juice.
See a recipe at the end for Sambusak. These are sort of Iraqi calzones, filled with mashed garbanzo beans. Serve with a fresh salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, scallions,green peppers and parsley, with a dressing of olive oil and lemon juice.
Fourth and fifth night are Friday and Saturday when most people will have their Shabbat meals and/or be invited to parties so we'll take a break from the Maoz Tzur cooking.
Fourth verse (sixth night): The Persians tried to kill us (funny, they still do, don't they?) but we were saved (again). Let's have an Iranian meal (Iran is the modern name of ancient Persia).
There is a wonderful dish in the Iranian cuisine called "kookoo sabzi". It is a baked souffle-like dish of eggs and green leafy vegetables. Just chop about six cups worth of a variety of dark green leafy vegetables (scallions, parsley, spinach, leeks, whatever. Just make sure there is more than one kind and as many veggies from the onion family as you can get), mix with 7 or 8 eggs, salt and pepper, a tablespoon of flour and 1/3 cup of oil and bake at 325 for an hour until the top is crisp and brown. Serve with yogurt (you can mix the yogurt with crushed garlic, salt and chopped spinach, if you like).
There is a wonderful dish in the Iranian cuisine called "kookoo sabzi". It is a baked souffle-like dish of eggs and green leafy vegetables. Just chop about six cups worth of a variety of dark green leafy vegetables (scallions, parsley, spinach, leeks, whatever. Just make sure there is more than one kind and as many veggies from the onion family as you can get), mix with 7 or 8 eggs, salt and pepper, a tablespoon of flour and 1/3 cup of oil and bake at 325 for an hour until the top is crisp and brown. Serve with yogurt (you can mix the yogurt with crushed garlic, salt and chopped spinach, if you like).
Fifth verse (seventh night): Finally, we get to the Greeks. That's why we have this holiday to begin with. Let's have a Greek meal.
Spanakopita (spinach and feta cheese pie in filo dough) with Greek salad (chopped veggies with chunks of feta and black olives) and you're all set.
Spanakopita (spinach and feta cheese pie in filo dough) with Greek salad (chopped veggies with chunks of feta and black olives) and you're all set.
Last verse (last night): The Ge'ula. For this night I recommend a modern Israeli meal, since at the end of days, Israel will be the center of events.
There are many misconceptions about Israeli cuisine. One of the biggest is that it exists. To develop a "cuisine" - one needs about 500 years of traditional, regional cooking. Israel is simply too young for that. But, there are some staples which represent the local cuisine rather well.
For an Israeli meal I would make a fresh salad of avocado, orange and red onion slices with a dressing of extra virgin olive oil (always use extra virgin. why bother with any other kind?), red wine vinegar, a touch of coarse grain mustard, salt and pepper. Accompanied by chicken baked in Silan (date syrup), served on a bed of lentils cooked with Za'atar and a barley pilaf, this is a meal that combines modern and biblical ingredients, symbolizing the ge'ula that will come in the modern era, in the biblical land.
There are many misconceptions about Israeli cuisine. One of the biggest is that it exists. To develop a "cuisine" - one needs about 500 years of traditional, regional cooking. Israel is simply too young for that. But, there are some staples which represent the local cuisine rather well.
For an Israeli meal I would make a fresh salad of avocado, orange and red onion slices with a dressing of extra virgin olive oil (always use extra virgin. why bother with any other kind?), red wine vinegar, a touch of coarse grain mustard, salt and pepper. Accompanied by chicken baked in Silan (date syrup), served on a bed of lentils cooked with Za'atar and a barley pilaf, this is a meal that combines modern and biblical ingredients, symbolizing the ge'ula that will come in the modern era, in the biblical land.
And if you still want to fry some latkes, go right ahead. They will go with everything listed above, because latkes go with everything.
Have a happy Chanuka,
Osnat
PS here's the recipe for Sambusak:
(for 20 pieces)
Ingredients:
3/4 ounce dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1 Tbs sugar
4 cups flour
3 Tbs melted margarine
1-2 cups water
1 egg white
1 1/2 cups garbanzo beans (home cooked or from a can)
2 Tbs vegetable or canola oil
2 finely chopped medium onions
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp hot paprika
1/8 tsp each of: ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice
1. Dissolve yeast in the warm water and sprinkle sugar on top. Leave in a warm place until it bubbles (about 20 minutes)
2. Put flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Put melted margarine and yeast mix into the well. Knead while adding water (as needed) until a smooth dough forms. Let rise (covered) in a warm place for halfan hour.
3. Make filling: process garbanzo beans in a food processor, fry the onions in oil and add to beans. Add all the spices and mix well.
4. On a floured counter top, roll dough into a rectangle 3/4 of an inch thick. Cut into circles with a cookie cutter or upended glass, put a teaspoonful of filling in the center of each circle. Brush edges with egg white,fold over and seal. Let rise 20 minutes.
5. Deep fry the sambusaks until golden. Serve warm.
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