Archive for August, 2010

     I have to admit something -— I’m excited. After more than three years of obsessive work, my new book, Encyclopedia of Jewish Food, is at last going to see the light of day. The initial release of the EJF is now only a week away. It will be available via Amazon and other online accounts and some retailers by 8/30, although the technical publication date (when it will be available everywhere) is 3 weeks later, 9/20. That means in one week, after a lengthy gestation period, I will at last hold a copy in my hands. Sorry for the birth analogies, but, in many ways, a book is like a baby. And this baby is definitely on its way. The realization of this imminence struck me after I checked with my editor at Wiley Publishing, Linda Ingroia, to confirm the release date. Linda ended the email to me with the emotion “I can’t believe the book is almost published. What a long road, for you in particular…!”

     And now I’m trying to keep my mind distracted by other things as I await publication. I’ve working on the next book (I’ll tell you about that some time in the future) and working with my publicist, Carrie Bachman, to promote the book. (If you want me to speak to your group or give a cooking demo, we can make arrangements.) And I spend time with the blog and Twitter. But as each day  passes, I find myself growing more and more excited. 

     The Encyclopedia of Jewish Food is my fifth book and second at Wiley (which also published Olive Trees and Honey). It is (will be) more than 650 entries in nearly 700 pages. It tells the story of Jewish food.

     Food is more than just sustenance. It is a reflection of a community’s history, culture, and values-—and this is especially true for the Jewish people-—a community that spans the globe. From Brooklyn to India and everywhere in between, Jewish food is represented by a fascinating array of dishes, rituals, and traditions.

     Jewish cuisine is truly international. In every location where Jews settled, they brought culinary traditions with them and adopted local dishes, modifying them to fit their dietary laws, lifestyle, and tastes. Unique traditions and dishes developed within the cuisines of North Africa, Europe, Persia, Asia, and the Mediterranean, but all are recognizably Jewish.

     The Encyclopedia of Jewish Food explores the foods and culinary traditions of individual communities, such as the honey-nut sfratto cookies beloved by Italian Jews in Tuscany, as well as those that unite Jews everywhere, like the key elements of the Passover Seder plate. Alphabetical book entries—from Afikomen and Almond to Yom Kippur and Za’atar—present recipes, ingredients, and holidays that are significant to the story of Jewish food, spanning three thousand years.

     Even those with a well-developed knowledge of Jewish food will find plenty of new and compelling information here—dishes and ingredients they may never have heard of, surprising and delicious variations on favorite traditional recipes, and plenty of historical and cultural tidbits that explore how, when, and why Jewish foods developed into what they are today.

     For anyone interested in Jewish cooking, culture, or history, Encyclopedia of Jewish Food is an enlightening and engaging tour through the culinary heart and soul of a people. But I still have to wait a week for this baby.

Shalom!

Gil

     Here are some more traditional Rosh Hashanah recipes:

Fruited Challah

(2 large or 3 medium loaves)

     The large amount of egg, fat, and sugar gives this bread a rich flavor, golden color, soft crust, and tender, fine crumb.  Challah for Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot is traditionally kneaded with raisins or other dried fruits, a symbol of sweetness and the harvest.  Traditional Rosh Hashanah shapes include a round (symbolizing continuity with no beginning and no end), a spiral (symbolizing a persons eventual ascent to heaven), and a crown (symbolizing the King of the universe).  On Rosh Hashanah, the challah is traditionally dipped in honey rather than salt, a custom that many families continue during Sukkot.

2 packages (1/4-ounce each/5 teaspoons total) active dry yeast or 1 (1-ounce/35 gram) cake fresh yeast

2 cups warm water (105 to 110 degrees for dry yeast; 80 to 85 degrees for fresh yeast)

2/3 cup sugar or honey

3 to 4 large eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon table salt or 5 teaspoons kosher salt

About 8 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups raisins (or 3/4 cup raisins and 3/4 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots or dates)

Egg wash (1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water)

About 3 tablespoons poppy or sesame seeds (optional)

1. Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup water.  Add 1 teaspoon sugar or honey and let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Add the remaining water, remaining sugar or honey, eggs, oil, salt, and 3 cups flour.  Stir in enough of the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the mixture holds together.

3. Place on a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.  Knead in the fruit.  Place in a greased large bowl, turning to coat.  Cover and let rise at room temperature until double in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours, or in the refrigerator overnight.

4. Punch down the dough and divide in half or thirds.  Firmly pat the dough into rectangles, roll up jelly roll style, then shape into balls.  Place on greased baking sheets and flatten slightly.  Cover and let rise at room temperature until double in bulk, about 45 minutes, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.  (Let it stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking.)

5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

6. Brush the challah with the egg wash and, if desired, sprinkle with the poppy or sesame seeds.  (The egg produces a soft, shiny crust as well as helps the seeds to adhere to the surface.)  Bake until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped, about 35 minutes for medium challahs and 45 minutes for large ones.  Transfer to a rack and let cool.

                                                                   Sephardic Leek Soup (Sopa de Prasa)

¼ cup olive or vegetable oil

10 medium (about 2 pounds) leeks, trimmed, sliced, and well-washed

(or 5 leeks and 2 large yellow onions)

2 large baking potatoes or 3 medium carrots, peeled and grated

1 bunch parsley, chopped

8 cups chicken broth or water

About 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

About 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Dash of grated nutmeg (optional)

1.  Heat the oil in a 6-quart pot over medium heat.  Add the leeks and potatoes or carrots and sauté until softened, 5 to 10 minutes.

2.  Add the parsley, broth or water, salt, pepper, and, if desired, nutmeg.  Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until tender, about 40 minutes.  Adjust the seasonings.  Serve the soup as is or puree in a food processor.  Serve warm or chilled.

                                                                            Spinach and Fruit Salad

     Spinach salads, long popular in the Mediterranean region and Near East, are ideal fare for Rosh Hashanah.  The similarity between silkah, the Aramaic word for spinach and beet greens, is similar to the Hebrew silake (to remove), expressing the wish that our enemies be removed.  According to tradition, each pomegranate contains 613 seeds, corresponding to the number of commandments in the Torah.  Other seasonal fruits contribute additional symbolism.

20 ounces fresh spinach, torn into bite-size pieces

2 to 3 apples, cored and diced

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

1/2 cup raisins, chopped figs, or chopped dates

Sunflower or pumpkin seeds, hulled (optional)

Dressing:

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar, or white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

About 1/2 teaspoon salt

About 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon curry powder (optional)

1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil

Combine the spinach and fruit in a large bowl.  Combine the lemon juice or vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper, and, if desired, curry powder.  In a slow, steady stream, whisk in the oil.  Drizzle over the salad, tossing to coat.  If desired, sprinkle with the sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

Shalom! It’s been an edifying week for me. My television died. It was only about six years old or so and a name brand, so it should have lasted much longer. Planned obsolescence must be getting shorter. Anyway, I walked over to a nearby electronics store hoping to purchase a relatively inexpensive replacement and was shocked by what awaited. The tvs that I was familiar with no longer exist. They are as extinct as dinosaurs and the dodo. Everything is now flat screen and rather expensive. No longer the bulky behemoths of yesteryear, they are now sleek and lightweight and expensive. What a culture shock! I had to learn about pixels and prices. I consulted with my cousin (thanks David) and searched the usual suspects on line (including Amazon, Tiger Direct, and Nextag.com). I finally ordered a flat screen on line, where they can be found for several hundred dollars less than in most stores. I’m only slowly becoming accustomed to using the internet for shopping, but I can see where it could become addictive.
I’m being dragged, not quite kicking and screaming but almost, into the 21st century. Next up is my first cell phone. Yes, I am one of those very rare people who have yet to have one. Since I work at home and generally don’t want to be bothered when I am out, I never saw the need for one. However, in the face of my upcoming book tour for my new book, Encyclopedia of Jewish Food (due out from Wiley Publishing in mid-September), I have decided to go where seemingly nearly everyone has gone before me-—the cell phone. Of course, I need to figure out which company and plan is right for me. Oy!
And I am also entering the brave new world of Twittering. Social networking is the way to be and I need to be there. Even my mother is on Facebook. I just need to come up with a good handle for Twitter. Jewishfood is already taken. (If anyone has any suggestions, let me know. Thanks!)

I’m sure that I’m not the only one who finds all these technological advances intimidating. Sure I‘ve been using a computer for decades and wrote all of my books and before that my magazine, Kosher Gourmet, on them. I do remember using a pencil back in college (when the only computer was a mysterious massive mainframe only touched by the science geeks). I recall writing and rewriting on sheet after sheet of yellow paper. (How many trees were sacrificed for all the crumpled sheets of paper?) To be sure, my father was an early advocate of computers and before most enterprises installed one in the family linen business down in Virginia. It took me a bit longer. The first computer I ever saw was when I was doing my field work for social work school at a federation in New Jersey. It filled a large air-conditioned room and had massive spool-like contraptions, like old-fashioned movie reels, and punch cards. (My current laptop has more capacity that that old massive machine. Amazing!) Then the Apple people invented the personal computer in a family garage and changed the course of history. When I started Kosher Gourmet magazine back in 1986, I purchased by first computer and taught myself how to use it. I remember the time it crashed and I lost an entire issue. (Fortunately, my brother knew how to go in the hard drive and retrieve most of it. Thanks Arthur!) Now I couldn’t imagine working without a computer. At this point, I’m addicted to it. Rare is the day I’m not using the word processor or on line. With emails, I rarely set foot in the post office. (That I consider a major blessing.)
Still I’m slow and tend to procrastinate when new technological changes arrive. In the face of all these changes and developments, I do find some comfort in tradition. And in traditional food. Rituals are reassuring, telling us that things are the same as they always were, although different. The predictable presence of Jewish foods on the table, the clear-cut repetition from week to week and from holiday to holiday, provides a new generation with steady links to the past and future as well as a security blanket for the present constructed from the sense of who we are and where we fit in a frequently unpredictable world. And even as Jewish foods are redefined and hybridized, the value and meanings invested in them endure, becoming relevant to the present generation and passed on to the next. They remain an intrinsic part of our individual and communal identity, helping us deal with change and loss and to transmit our values and hopes to the future.
Although each Jewish holiday has its own unique fare, none has developed as many symbolic foods as Rosh Hashanah. At this time of the year, the performance of symbolic acts is of special value and food plays a vital role in reflecting on the past and pondering the future.
Here are a few Rosh Hashanah recipes for you. This time I decided to offer all desserts, to start the year off on a sweet note:

(Oh, and don’t forget to follow my Jewish food information on Twitter—as soon as I settle on a handle. I’m sure you’ll find it edifying (and interesting). And tell your friends.)

Honey Cookies
(About thirty 4-inch or seventy 2½-inch cookies)
For Rosh Hashanah I like to cut these cookies into the shapes of shofars (ram’s horns), scales of justice, fish, and apples.

½ cup vegetable shortening
½ cup honey
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves

1. Bring the shortening and honey to a boil over medium heat and boil for 1 minute. Let cool.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Stir into the honey mixture. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic, and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
4. Divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a 1/8-inch thickness, cut into desired shapes, and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Or shape tablespoons of the dough into balls, place on a baking sheet, and flatten with the bottom of a glass.
5. Bake until lightly colored, about 12 minutes. Let the cookies stand until firm, about 1 minute, then remove to a rack and let cool completely.

Bimuelos de Calabaza (Sephardic Pumpkin Pancakes)
(about 24 small pancakes)
The presence of pumpkin in a Mediterranean dish is frequently a sign of Sephardic cuisine. This sweet version, symbolic of fertility and the harvest is traditional on Rosh Hashanah and Sukkot among Sephardim from Turkey and Greece.

2 cups cooked mashed pumpkin or winter squash (about 22 ounces raw)
¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1/3 to ½ cup granulated or brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
Pinch of salt
Vegetable oil for frying

1. Combine the pumpkin, flour, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
2. Heat a thin layer of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Drop the batter by tablespoonfuls into the oil to form 2-inch pancakes and fry, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm. The pancakes can be kept warm in a 200-degree oven for up to 1 hour. If desired, serve with yogurt or sour cream.

Versunkener Apfelkuchen (German Apple Cake)
One 10-inch Bundt cake; 8 to 10 servings
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter or margarine, softened
1¾ cups sugar
3 large eggs, separated
½ cup milk
8 medium (about 3 pounds) cooking apples, such as Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Gravenstein, Greening, Jonathan, Macoun, Pippin, Starr, Winesap, Yellow Transparent, or any combination, cored and diced (peeling is optional)
Glaze (optional):
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, or ½ cup confectioners’ sugar and ½ cup light brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
1 to 2 tablespoons milk or water

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a kugelhopf or 10-inch Bundt pan.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat the butter until smooth, about 1 minute. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time. Stir in the flour mixture and milk.
3. Beat the egg whites on low speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to high and beat until stiff but not dry. Fold one-fourth of the whites into the batter, then gently fold in the remaining whites.
4. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Spread with half of the apples. Top with the remaining batter, then the remaining apples.
5. Bake until golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then transfer to a rack and let cool completely.
6. To make the glaze, if using: Combine all the glaze ingredients, stirring until smooth and of pouring consistency. Drizzle over the cake and let stand until set.

VARIATIONS
Spiced German Apple Cake: Sift 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon and 1 teaspoon ground allspice with the flour.

Omit the glaze. Dot the cake with 2 tablespoons butter or margarine. Combine 1 tablespoon sugar and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon and sprinkle over the top.

Sfratti (Italian Nut-Filled “Sticks”)
About forty two 2-inch cookies
Sfratti means “sticks” in Italian, as well as “evicted,” for at one time landlords were allowed to persuade unwanted and delinquent tenants to leave by force of a rod. A similar practice was employed to chase away Jews during all-too-frequent periods of expulsion. This nut-filled cookie, a popular Italian Rosh Hashanah treat, got its name from its resemblance to a stick.

Pastry:
3 cups pastry or bleached all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter or margarine, chilled
About 2/3 cup sweet or dry white wine
Filling:
1 cup (12 ounces) honey
2½ cups (about 12 ½ ounces) walnuts, chopped
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (optional)
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 to ¼ teaspoon freshly grated black pepper

Egg wash (1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water)

1. To make the pastry: Combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the butter to resemble coarse crumbs. Sprinkle a little wine over a section of the flour, then mix with a fork to moisten. Push the moistened dough aside and continue adding enough wine until the dough just holds together. Divide in half. Using your fingertips, lightly press and knead into balls. Flatten into discs, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. Let stand at room temperature until malleable but not soft.
2. To make the filling: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the honey to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Be careful; it may foam up. Add the remaining filling ingredients and cook, stirring constantly, for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is cool enough to handle but not set. Pour onto a floured surface, divide into 6 equal portions, and shape the portions into 14-inch-long sticks.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or grease.
4. On a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap or on a lightly floured surface, roll each piece of dough into a 14- by 12-inch rectangle, then cut each rectangle lengthwise into three 14- by 4-inch rectangles. Place a nut strip near a long side of each rectangle and roll up from the filling side. Cut into 2-inch sticks. Place seam side down on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 1 inch between the cookies, and brush with the egg wash.
5. Bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool. Wrap in aluminum foil until ready to serve. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for at up to 2 weeks.

VARIATION
Oil Pastry: Substitute 2/3 cup vegetable oil for the butter and combine it with the wine.

Baklava (Middle Eastern Nut-Filled Multi-Layered Pastry)
(about 36 small diamond-shaped pastries)
Blanched almonds are traditional on Rosh Hashanah to produce a light color so that the year should be dulce y aclarada (“sweet and bright”).
Syrup:
3 cups sugar (or 2 cups sugar and 1 cup honey)
1½ cups water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons light corn syrup (optional)
2 (3-inch) sticks cinnamon or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
4 to 6 whole cloves or ½ teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
Filling:
1 pound blanched almonds, pistachios, walnuts, or any combination, finely chopped or coarsely ground (about 4 cups)
¼ cup sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves or cardamom (optional)
1 pound (about 24 sheets) phyllo dough
About 1 cup (2 sticks) melted butter or vegetable oil

1. To make the syrup: Stir the sugar, water, lemon juice, if using, the corn syrup, cinnamon sticks, and/or cloves over low heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Stop stirring, increase the heat to medium, and cook the mixture until slightly syrupy, about 5 minutes (it will register 225 degrees on a candy thermometer). Discard the cinnamon sticks and whole cloves. Let cool.
2. To make the filling: Combine all the filling ingredients.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12- by 9-inch or 13- by 9-inch baking pan or 15- by 10-inch jelly roll pan.
4. Place a sheet of phyllo in the prepared pan and lightly brush with butter. Repeat with 7 more sheets. Spread with half of the filling. Top with 8 more sheets, brushing each with butter. Use any torn sheets in the middle layer. Spread with the remaining nut mixture and end with a top layer of 8 sheets, continuing to brush each with butter. Trim any overhanging edges.
5. Using a sharp knife, cut 6 equal lengthwise strips (about 1¾ inches wide) through the top layer of pastry. Make 1½-inch-wide diagonal cuts across the strips to form diamond shapes.
6. Just before baking, lightly sprinkle the top of the pastry with cold water. This inhibits the pastry from curling. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 300 degrees and bake until golden brown, about 15 additional minutes.
7. Cut through the scored lines. Drizzle the cooled syrup slowly over the hot baklava and let cool for at least 4 hours. Cover and store at room temperature for up to 1 week. If the baklava dries out while being stored, drizzle with a little additional hot syrup.