OLD & NEW CELEBRATE ROSH HASHANA WITH ISRAELI FARE TRADITIONAL, MODERN.When it's time It's Time was a successful political campaign run by the Australian Labor Party (ALP) under Gough Whitlam at the 1972 election in Australia. Campaigning on the perceived need for change after 23 years of conservative (Liberal Party of Australia) government, Labor put forward a to celebrate Rosh Hashana, which begins at sundown Monday, give traditional fare a contemporary twist. Jewish cooking experts and authors Joan Nathan and Faye Levy share several creations popular in Israel as well as with friends and relatives here. Nathan's ``The Foods of Israel Today'' (Alfred A. Knopf; $40) features some 300 recipes and stories. Some are old favorites while others are updated, new, more sophisticated fare. But most feature the kind of cooking that appeals to today's cooks - quick, healthy, flavorful. Filled with all kinds of Middle Eastern fare, this volume is geared to everyday cooking, not just holidays, points out Nathan. However, there are lots of chicken dishes and salads that lend themselves to Rosh Hashana and lots of latkes - Israelis make them year round - for Hanukkah. ``Of all my cookbooks (this is her seventh), this one has a special place. I love the recipes - my mouth waters when I think of a lot of them. To me the cookbook represents the real fabric of Israel because you have the best of Jewish, Christian and Moslem recipes from the country in it. ``In Israel, the food is inspired by every corner of the world but with an increasing emphasis on native ingredients,'' writes Nathan, who lives in Washington, D.C., with her attorney husband and three children. ``With constant waves of immigration immigration, entrance of a person (an alien) into a new country for the purpose of establishing permanent residence. Motives for immigration, like those for migration generally, are often economic, although religious or political factors may be very important. , Israel is rapidly incorporating the native cuisines of its new populations. The story of Israeli food is not just a Jewish story - its recipes cross borders more easily than people do.'' Thus the cuisine is a rich mixture of tastes. You get an interesting story of the history of Israel through food and its connections with people, she adds. Nathan spent five years writing her book and testing the recipes for it. ``Everything has a story. ``This is the first book I've written with the Internet,'' adds Nathan, noting that when people heard of her quest for Verb 1. quest for - go in search of or hunt for; "pursue a hobby" quest after, go after, pursue look for, search, seek - try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of; "The police are searching for clues"; "They are searching for the good cooks in Israel, several people (some she didn't even know) came through with names to check out, among them regular people, chefs and people in the food business. The book includes a re-creation of a signature rich goulash gou·lash n. 1. A stew of beef or veal and vegetables, seasoned mainly with paprika. 2. A mixture of many different elements; a hodgepodge. soup from Fink's - the Harry's Bar Harry's Bar is a bar and restaurant located in Venice, Italy. History Harry's Bar was opened in 1931 by bartender Giuseppe Cipriani.[1] According to the company history, Harry Pickering--a rich, young Bostonian--had been frequenting Hotel Europa in Venice, of Jerusalem - which Nathan and others have been trying to get for years. Although the recipe is still a guarded family secret, Nathan was able to pry the ingredients used in it from one of the current owners and come up with a reasonable facsimile. Nathan even tracked down the retired owner of Melech Hahatsilim, a Bulgarian restaurant known as the ``king of eggplants'' that has been closed for years. She obtained the recipe for an eggplant soup with yogurt that she fondly remembered eating. ``I found things Israelis couldn't believe I found,'' says Nathan. Levy's 21st and latest cookbook, ``Jewish Cooking for Dummies'' (IDG IDG International Data Group IDG Integrated Drive Generator IDG Installation Design Guide IDG Internet Discussion Group IDG Inset Dielectric Guide IDG International Dangerous Goods (mail, shipping) Books; $19.95), is designed to explain the basics and take the mystery out of keeping kosher in a straightforward, easy-to-understand style. ``The title is not meant to be insulting,'' writes Levy, adding, ``I assume that you are interested in cooking festive Jewish meals, but you may not know the difference between matzo meal and farfel far·fel or far·fal n. Noodles shaped like small grains or pellets. [Yiddish farfl, from Middle High German varveln.] .'' A compact volume, it covers lots of ground - including the 10 commandments of Jewish cooking, definitions of well-known Jewish foods, history of Jewish foods, tips on kosher cooking and an overview of the Jewish holidays with information on customs as well as recipes. It's also filled with simple-to-prepare weekday dishes ranging from appetizers to desserts that appear on Jewish tables around the world. To help cooks create kosher menus, each of the 100 recipes has been labeled dairy, meat or pareve pa·re·ve also par·ve adj. Judaism Prepared without meat, milk, or their derivatives and therefore permissible to be eaten with both meat and dairy dishes according to dietary laws: pareve margarine. . Jewish cooks will no doubt find this a handy reference. Designed to appeal to the casual Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, lifestyle, Levy's nontraditional choices for Rosh Hashana include a Two-Way Eggplant Spread, a Grilled Sweet Pepper Salad and Sephardic Grilled Chicken. The spread, a favorite on her relatives' tables, is wildly popular in Israel year-round, notes Levy, a Woodland Hills resident who has been writing cookbooks for more than two decades. For variation, stir in strips of roasted red peppers, diced tomatoes In the simplest definition, diced tomatoes are just that, tomatoes that have been diced. In the United States retail environment, however, the term refers to a relatively recent arrival in the processed tomato market, generally consisting of canned chunks of plum tomatoes in tomato and cucumbers, and chopped onions. The Grilled Sweet Pepper Salad takes only minutes to prepare once the peppers are grilled and peeled. If time is short, substitute jarred roasted red and yellow peppers. Although grilled chicken is not traditional for Rosh Hashana (roasting is), because the holiday is not an outdoor meal, Levy says grilling poultry pieces is a good choice for a fuss-free casual celebration entree. That way you don't have to mess with mess with Verb Informal, chiefly US to interfere in, or become involved with, a dangerous person, thing, or situation: he had started messing with drugs carving a whole chicken. Levy prepares the chicken the way cooks do throughout Israel with a light Mediterranean oil and lemon juice marinade with cumin cumin or cummin (both: kŭm`ĭn), low annual herb (Cuminum cyminum) of the family Umbelliferae (parsley family), long cultivated in the Old World for the aromatic seedlike fruits. . Serve alongside rice pilaf prepared from a favorite recipe with raisins folded in and toasted almonds sprinkled on top. Accompany with cooked carrot coins to wish for prosperity and good luck in the coming year, if desired. Nathan suggests two salads - Cooked Tomato and Pepper and Israeli Carrot - for Rosh Hashanah Rosh Hashanah Jewish New Year. Sometimes called the Day of Judgment, Rosh Hashanah falls on Tishri 1 (in September or October) and ushers in a 10-day period of self-examination and penitence that ends with Yom Kippur. along with Jaffa Orange-Ginger Chicken With Baharat, an Apple-Noodle Kugel ku·gel n. A baked pudding of noodles or potatoes, eggs, and seasonings, traditionally eaten by Jews on the Sabbath. [Yiddish kugel, ball (from its puffed-up shape), from Middle High German. and American Colony Chocolate Cake. Both the salads can be made a day in advance of the holiday and kept refrigerated re·frig·er·ate tr.v. re·frig·er·at·ed, re·frig·er·at·ing, re·frig·er·ates 1. To cool or chill (a substance). 2. To preserve (food) by chilling. . The kugel is a recipe from Hana Greenfield, who got it from a family maid in a town near Prague, writes Nathan. The chicken entree features chicken breasts, honey, ginger, orange juice and orange sections and uses an eastern Mediterranean spice combination - baharat. For dessert, Nathan offers her version of the chocolate cake that is a specialty of the American Colony Hotel The American Colony Hotel is a luxury hotel located in a historic building in East Jerusalem. It was the palace of a Turkish pasha, Rabbah Effendi, who lived there with his harem of four wives. Soon after his fourth marriage, the pasha died. in Jerusalem. Although it's not as sweet as the hotel original, Nathan served it at her wedding more than 26 years ago. Honey or apple cakes are traditional finales, so you might offer diners a couple of choices. TWO-WAY EGGPLANT SPREAD 2 1/2 pounds eggplants (2 medium OR large) 2 large cloves garlic, finely minced 1/3 cup mayonnaise OR 1/2 cup Tahini-Sesame Sauce OR more of either one to taste 2 to 3 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste Hot sauce to taste Chopped Italian parsley OR parsley sprigs (optional garnish) Prick eggplant a few times with a fork. Put eggplant on an outdoor grill or in a shallow broiler broiler a young (about 8 weeks old) male or female chicken weighing 3 to 3.5 lb. pan under a preheated broiler. Turning eggplant often, grill 1 hour or broil 40 minutes or until tender when pierced. Eggplant will look collapsed when it's done (jargon) When It's Done - A manufacturer's non-answer to questions about product availability. This answer allows the manufacturer to pretend to communicate with their customers without setting themselves any deadlines or revealing how behind schedule the product really is. . Cut off eggplant caps. Leave eggplant until cool enough to handle. Cut eggplant in half lengthwise length·wise adv. & adj. Of, along, or in reference to the direction of the length; longitudinally. Adj. 1. lengthwise . If eggplant is very soft, simply scoop flesh out of peel with a spoon. Otherwise, cut away peel with a paring knife. Chop eggplant fine with a knife, almost to a puree pu·rée or pu·ree tr.v. pu·réed or pu·reed, pu·rée·ing or pu·ree·ing, pu·rées or pu·rees To rub through a strainer or process (food) in a blender. n. ; or put it in a food processor and chop it with on/off pulses to a chunky or smooth puree. Place eggplant puree in a bowl. Add garlic and mix well. Stir in mayonnaise and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Season generously with salt, pepper and hot sauce. Taste and add more mayonnaise or lemon juice if you like. Serve cold or at room temperature garnished with parsley with fresh pita bread. Makes 6 to 8 servings. TAHINI-SESAME SAUCE: Spoon 3/4 cup tahini ta·hi·ni n. A thick paste made from ground sesame seeds. [Turkish t (sesame paste) into a medium bowl. Make sure tahini is well blended (stir if necessary) before measuring. Slowly whisk in 3/4 cup water or more if needed. Add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup strained fresh lemon juice OR more to taste, 4 large cloves garlic, minced, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (optional) and cayenne pepper to taste (optional). Mix well. Add more seasonings, if desired. Serve cool or at room temperature. Makes 1 1/2 cups. Can be used as above or as a sauce or dip for pita bread. Some even use this as a salad dressing. From ``Jewish Cooking for Dummies,'' by Faye Levy. SEPHARDIC GRILLED CHICKEN 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 large garlic cloves, crushed 3 small sprigs fresh thyme, broken in pieces OR 1 teaspoon dried 1 teaspoon dried oregano oregano (ərĕg`ənō), name for several herbs used for flavoring food. A plant of the family Labiatae (mint family), Origanum vulgare, Ground black pepper Pinch cayenne pepper 2 1/2 to 3 pounds chicken pieces Salt to taste (optional) 2 teaspoons ground cumin, preferably freshly ground To make marinade, in a shallow baking dish large enough to hold chicken, mix lemon juice, oil, garlic, thyme, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and cayenne. Put chicken in dish and turn pieces over to coat all sides with marinade. Cover and marinate mar·i·nate v. mar·i·nat·ed, mar·i·nat·ing, mar·i·nates v.tr. To soak (meat, for example) in a marinade. v.intr. To become marinated. chicken in refrigerator, turning from time to time, for at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove chicken from marinade, removing any pieces of thyme or garlic adhering to chicken; discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken with salt, black pepper and cumin on both sides. Prepare barbecue for indirect heat. Heat charcoal barbecue until coals are glowing; or heat gas barbecue to medium. Set chicken on rack about 4 to 6 inches above heat source. Grill breast pieces 20 minutes per side, and leg and thigh pieces 30 minutes per side, or until thickest part of meat near bone is no longer pink; cut to check. Serve hot. Makes 4 servings. From ``Jewish Cooking for Dummies,'' by Faye Levy. ISRAELI CARROT SALAD 2 cloves garlic 8 sprigs (1/2 bunch) fresh parsley, stems removed 1 pound carrots, peeled 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons orange juice 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt Several grinds of pepper Place garlic and parsley in bowl of a food processor equipped with a steel blade and chop or julienne ju·li·enne n. Consommé or broth garnished with long thin strips of vegetables. adj. also ju·li·enned Cut into long thin strips: julienne potatoes; julienned pork. . Add carrots, lemon juice, orange juice, oil, salt and pepper
NOTE: Garnish salad with orange slices and/or radish radish, herbaceous plant (Raphanus sativus) belonging to the family Cruciferae (mustard family), with an edible, pungent root sliced in salads or used as a relish. slices, if desired. From ``The Foods of Israel Today,'' by Joan Nathan. COOKED TOMATO AND PEPPER SALAD 4 green bell peppers 1/4 cup vegetable oil OR extra virgin olive oil 3 pounds very ripe fresh tomatoes (about 8), peeled, seeded and diced OR 1 (32-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained 6 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon sugar 2 teaspoons sweet paprika paprika: see pepper. 2 teaspoons salt OR to taste Freshly ground pepper to taste 1 tablespoon argan oil OR extra virgin olive oil for drizzling Put whole peppers on a baking sheet and place under preheated broiler, turning frequently with tongs tongs long-handled, about 3 feet, shaped like pincers with knobs on the ends of the grasping blades. Applied by standing behind the subject in a confined space and closing the jaws to grasp the animal's head just below the ears. , until charred on all sides, about 20 minutes. Place in a tightly closed plastic bag 10 minutes to allow skins to loosen. Peel charred skin from peppers, discard skins and seeds and cut into 1-inch squares. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a heavy skillet and add peppers, tomatoes, garlic, sugar, paprika, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally and mashing vegetables with a fork until liquid begins to evaporate. Continue cooking until salad has a thick, sauce-like consistency. Mash vegetables with a potato masher before serving OR leave as is. Drizzle with argan Argan character who suffers imaginary ills; determined to be an invalid. [Fr. Lit.: Le Malade Imaginaire] See : Hypochondria or olive oil and serve at room temperature. Makes 6 servings. From ``The Foods of Israel Today,'' by Joan Nathan. CZECH APPLE-NOODLE KUGEL 1/4 cup raisins 1/4 cup orange OR apricot liqueur liqueur (lĭkûr`), strong alcoholic beverage made of almost neutral spirits, flavored with herb mixtures, fruits, or other materials, and usually sweetened. The name derives from the Latin word to melt. 8 ounces egg noodles noo·dle 1 n. A narrow, ribbonlike strip of dried dough, usually made of flour, eggs, and water. [German Nudel. 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter OR pareve margarine 2 pounds Granny Smith OR other flavorful apples (about 6), cored, peeled and grated 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 3/4 cup apricot jam 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional) 1 teaspoon salt 4 large eggs Put raisins in a small bowl with orange liqueur. Let stand about 30 minutes, until raisins are plumped. Meanwhile, prepare kugel. Grease a 9x12-inch baking pan. Cook noodles according to package directions and drain. Meanwhile, heat butter in skillet. Add apples, brown sugar and jam. Saute until apples are soft. Remove from pan, reserving a few tablespoons of liquid. Place noodles in a large bowl with apples, walnuts, salt, raisins and any liqueur not absorbed. In a separate bowl beat eggs well; mix with noodles, then pour into prepared baking pan. Brush top with reserved liquid from apples. Bake on middle rack of preheated 350-degree oven 35 minutes or until golden. Makes 8 to 10 servings. From ``The Foods of Israel Today,'' by Joan Nathan. GRILLED SWEET PEPPER SALAD 4 large bell peppers, any combination of red, green and yellow, grilled and peeled 3 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons lemon juice OR wine vinegar OR to taste Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste Cayenne pepper to taste (optional) 12 green OR black olives OR 6 of EACH Italian parsley sprigs Remove pepper cores and seeds and discard. Cut each pepper in 4 to 6 pieces lengthwise. Halve any long pieces. Put peppers in a shallow dish. Add garlic. To make marinade, whisk 2 tablespoons oil with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, salt, pepper and cayenne. Pour marinade over peppers and turn pieces to coat them. Let peppers stand at room temperature 30 minutes or cover and refrigerate re·frig·er·ate tr.v. re·frig·er·at·ed, re·frig·er·at·ing, re·frig·er·ates 1. To cool or chill (a substance). 2. To preserve (food) by chilling. overnight, turning a few times in marinade. Before serving, remove garlic. Arrange peppers in a shallow serving dish. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon lemon juice to marinade. Taste and adjust seasonings. Pour over peppers. Garnish with olives and parsley sprigs. Serve at room temperature. Makes 4 to 6 servings. From ``Jewish Cooking for Dummies,'' by Faye Levy. JAFFA ORANGE-GINGER CHICKEN WITH BAHARAT 4 whole boneless Bone´less a. 1. Without bones. Adj. 1. boneless - being without a bone or bones; "jellyfish are boneless" , skinless chicken breasts Salt to taste 1 tablespoon baharat OR to taste (see Note) 1 tablespoon ground ginger OR to taste 4 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup white wine 1/3 cup orange liqueur 1 cup chicken broth 1/4 cup honey 1 1/2 cups orange juice 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger 2 teaspoons grated orange peel 2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger 2 oranges, peeled and sectioned Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise. Mix together salt, baharat and ground ginger in a small bowl. Sprinkle each side of chicken breasts with spice mixture. Heat oil in a heavy skillet with a lid and saute chicken gently a few minutes on each side, just to brown outside. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Add wine, orange liqueur, chicken broth, honey, orange juice and fresh ginger to pan. Bring to a boil and simmer about 15 minutes to reduce slightly, until a light syrup has formed. Return chicken to sauce in skillet and add orange peel and crystallized ginger. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes. Then turn breasts, and continue cooking another 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Add orange sections and heat just until warm. Serve chicken with orange segments on a bed of couscous cous·cous n. 1. A pasta of North African origin made of crushed and steamed semolina. 2. A North African dish consisting of pasta steamed with a meat and vegetable stew. or rice, with sauce drizzled on top. Makes 8 servings. NOTE: Baharat, meaning ``pepper,'' varies from cook to cook but often includes paprika, chili, cumin, coriander coriander (kōr'ēăn`dər), strong-smelling Old World annual herb (Coriandrum sativum) of the family Umbelliferae (parsley family), cultivated for its fruits. , cinnamon, black pepper, allspice allspice: see pimento. allspice Tropical evergreen tree (Pimenta dioica) of the myrtle family, native to the West Indies and Central America and valued for its berries, the source of a highly aromatic spice. , nutmeg, cardamom cardamom (kär`dəməm): see ginger. cardamom Spice consisting of whole or ground dried fruit, or seeds, of Elettaria cardamomum, a perennial herb of the ginger family. , cloves and salt. If you can't find the mixture at a Middle Eastern market, combine your favorites of the spices mentioned, making sure you include pepper. From ``The Foods of Israel Today,'' by Joan Nathan. AMERICAN COLONY CHOCOLATE CAKE CAKE: 8 large eggs, separated 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter OR pareve margarine, at room temperature 1 cup granulated sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 cup unsweetened imported cocoa powder Dash salt 1 1/4 cups finely ground almonds 1/2 cup fine bread crumbs FILLING AND FROSTING frosting the slight graying of the haircoat around the face, particularly muzzle, in dogs with aging and as a regular feature of some breeds such as the Belgian shepherd dog. : 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter OR pareve margarine, softened 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 2 tablespoons rum 2 teaspoons vanilla 1/4 cup slivered almonds for decoration For Cake, line 2 (8-inch) round cake pans or a 9x13-inch baking pan with foil, greasing bottom and sides. In bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine egg yolks, 1 cup butter, granulated sugar, baking powder, 1/2 cup cocoa and salt; process until smooth. Add ground almonds and bread crumbs and pulse just to combine. In bowl of an electric mixer (fitted with a whisk), beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into chocolate mixture. Pour batter into prepared pans and spread evenly with a spatula spatula /spat·u·la/ (spach´u-lah) [L.] 1. a wide, flat, blunt, usually flexible instrument of little thickness, used for spreading material on a smooth surface. 2. a spatulate structure. . Bake in preheated 375-degree oven 20 to 25 minutes or until a knife inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool cakes about 15 minutes in pans. Then carefully remove from pans, and peel off foil. To make Filling and Frosting, blend 1/2 cup butter, powdered sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa, rum and vanilla in a food processor fitted with a steel blade until smooth. Place one cold cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with part of Filling and Frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides with remaining frosting. (For 9x13-inch cake, using a sharp knife, cut cake crosswise into 3 equal layers and place 1 layer on a plate. With a spatula, spread 1/3 of frosting on top and sides of first layer. Then cover with second layer. Spread with some of frosting, then add third layer. Cover top and sides with remaining frosting.) Toast slivered almonds in a toaster See intranet toaster and Video Toaster. (jargon) toaster - 1. The archetypal really stupid application for an embedded microprocessor controller; often used in comments that imply that a scheme is inappropriate technology (but see elevator controller). oven or hot skillet a few minutes. Cool and use to decorate top and sides of cake. Makes 8 to 10 servings. From ``The Foods of Israel Today,'' by Joan Nathan. CAPTION(S): drawing, 4 photos Drawing: (1 -- cover -- color) Jewish New Year Rosh Hashana fare from Israel - with a modern twist Illustration by Jorge Irribarren/Staff Artist Photo: (1 -- color) no caption (``The Foods of Israel Today'') (2 -- color) no caption (``Jewish Cooking for Dummies'') (3 -- 4 -- color) Serve nontraditonal fare for Rosh Hashana including Two-Way Eggplant Spread, Sephardic Grilled Chicken and Grilled Sweet Pepper Salad, above, and American Colony Chocolate Cake, left. |
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