EXPLORING JEWISH FOOD AND CULTURE with GIL MARKS
Archive for May, 2011
SHORTCAKES
0752 days
by gilmarks
in Uncategorized
By Gil Marks
This past Wednesday, I took a city bus cross town to the Upper East Side to be interviewed live in a restaurant for a radio show. During the trip, the young woman seated next to me took out her cell phone and proceeded to hold a loud discussion. I attempted to ignore her, but I did hear her mention strawberry shortcake.
This classic dish is made from a rich biscuit dough and its greatness lies in the contrasts of textures and flavors of the simple cake, fruit, and cream -— hard and soft, moist and dry, sweet and tart, acid and cake. Shortcake proves the ideal base, as it is firm enough to stand up to the juicy berries and damp cream and absorbing only some of them without losing its identity or becoming a mushy mess.
Strawberries, a member of the rose family, are actually swollen receptacles covered with the real fruits, tiny seed-like achenes. About a dozen species of wild strawberries, dispersed by migratory birds, occurred in temperate parts of Eurasia, North America, South America west of the Andes, and Hawaii. Humans were already enjoying wild strawberries during the Neolithic period and they were among the few luxuries available to peasants in much of medieval Europe.
European strawberries, also known as ‘wood strawberries,’ are smaller, more delicate, and less productive (bearing only a few berries per plant) than American berries. Around 1750 in an unknown horticultural garden in France, a North American strawberry (F. virginiana) accidentally hybridized with a Chilean strawberry (F. chiloensis), the latter unable to fertilize itself, to produce the garden strawberry or pineapple strawberry (F. ananassa), its name reflecting a pineapple aroma. When people realized how hybridization created larger and firmer berries, they began (and continue to this day) purposely breeding them to produce larger fruits with higher yields that are disease, frost, and pest resistant, could better withstand transport, and yield more than a single crop per year. Crossing F. virginiana with an F. chiloensis from California produced berries with an extended growing period. Suddenly, berries were available outside of their traditional season around June. Today, almost all cultivated species are descended from F. ananassa and similar crosses.
Due to cultivation, modern strawberries are radically different than those of the nineteenth century, while the original flavors of the wild strawberries have been all but lost. Many cultivated varieties — such as the current California leaders, Camarosa (33%), Diamante (23%), and Ventana (9%) — are less intensely flavored and much harder (and hardier) than heirloom varieties, such as the Banner which dominated California production until 1950, and are also too frequently picked before ripening. Unlike Europe, American retailers do not have to identify the variety.
The short in short cake does not refer to size or scope. Rather it derived from a fifteenth century usage of “short” akin to crumbly. Adding a large amount of fat (called shortening) to flour coats the proteins, thereby, inhibiting the gluten strands from forming and resulting in a crumbly and tender texture. Unlike sixteenth century English biskets, short cakes were sweetened with sugar making them even more tender.
The first record of the term “short cake” and the earliest recipe for it was in the anonymous Elizabethan cookbook The Good Huswifes Handmaid for Cookerie in her kitchen (London, 1588), the second printed English cookbook: “To make short Cakes. Take wheate flower, of the fayrest ye can get, and put it in an earthern pot, and stop it close, and set it in an Oven and bake it, and when it is baken, it will be full of clods, and therefore ye must searse [sift] it through a search: the flower will have as long baking as a pastie of Venison. When you have done this, take clowted Creame, or els sweet Butter, but Creame is better, then take Sugar, Cloves, Mace, and Saffron, and the yolke of an Egge for one doozen of Cakes one yolke is ynough: then put all these foresaid things together into the cream, & te[m]per the[m] al together, the{n} put the{m} to your flower and so make your Cakes, your paste wil be very short, therefore yee must make your Cakes very litle: when yee bake your cakes, yee must bake them upon papers, after the drawing of a batch of bread.” Because this yielded crumbly cookies, the dough was baked as small cakes on parchment paper.
Toward the end of the eighteenth century, Americans began adding potash and then baking soda to biscuit doughs resulting in delicate and fluffy biscuits instead of hard crumbly cakes, without the need for protracted beating. Later cooks learned how to cut the butter or lard into the flour to produce a flaky texture. Perhaps the earliest record of the evolutionary step of using a chemical leavening in biscuits was “pot-ash cake” or “handy cake,” the subject of a letter to the editor sent from “Cedar Grove, on Long Island” and dated “August 19, 1799” in the December 1799 issue of The Monthly Magazine (London), which emphasized its American origins. The New London Family Cook by Duncan MacDonald (London, 1808) and then The Cook and Housekeeper’s Complete and Universal Dictionary by Mary Eaton (Bungay, England, 1822) copied this recipe, calling them “American Pot-Ash Cakes,” and the latter noting: “American Cakes, though but little known in this country, form an article of some importance in domestic economy: they are cheap, easily made, and very nutritious.”
When Americans began substituting baking soda for potash, they referred to this adaptation as “Soda Cakes.” Several other names emerged for chemically-leavened quick breads: “soda biscuit,” first appearing around 1830; “shortcake”; and “shortening bread” -— as in the famous 1900 song by James Whitcomb Riley, “Mamma’s little baby loves shortnin’ bread.” When an oven was not accessible, these light leavened biscuits were cooked in a Dutch oven or on a griddle. Subsequently, soda biscuits or short cakes were found in nearly every nineteenth century American cookbook. In particular, soda biscuits, became a hallmark of Southern cooking, the area’s soft flour not conducive for making good yeast breads.
Meanwhile, a step occurred that would elevate biscuits from the status of a mere bread into the pantheon of America’s iconic dishes — bonding American shortcakes with strawberries.
The earliest version of “Strawberry Cakes” using fresh berries was found in the July 1845 issue of The British American Cultivator (Toronto) and then in the September 1845 issue of The Ohio Cultivator (Columbus), entailing a thick unleavened cookie, split, layered with macerated strawberries, and covered with a basic sugar and egg white icing rather than whipped cream. This was a transitional stage in the development of the modern strawberry shortcake.
By the time of Jennie June’s American Cookbook by Jane Cunningham Croly (New York, 1866), the modern form of “Strawberry Shortcake” had evolved, the author noting that it was then currently chic New York restaurant fare: “Mix dough as for soda biscuit; that is to say, one quart of sifted flour, piece of butter size of an egg, two tea-spoonsful of cream of tartar, one of soda, a pinch of salt, and sweet milk to form a soft dough. Put cream of tartar in the flour, and soda in dry also, and, when thoroughly mixed, roll out half an inch thick and bake in a shallow pan fifteen or twenty minutes; have ready two quarts of fresh, fine strawberries; split the cake, place half the strawberries between and cover thickly with white sugar and cream; put the other half on the top and cover in the same way; send to the table immediately. This is the method of making at the finest city restaurants.”
In the twentieth century, many Americans, especially Northerners with little familiarity or experience with soda biscuits, developed a preference for substituting pound cake, angel food cake, or hot-milk sponge cake as the base. In the 1960s, this style reached Japan, where strawberry shortcake consisting of three layers of puffy sponge cake sandwiched with strawberries and whipped cream became the most popular of all layer cakes. In America, groceries sold packaged sponge cake cups and fingers for easy “strawberry shortcakes.”
Shortening produces a flakier and lighter cake than butter, but the two are often combined to get the textural benefit of the former and the flavor of the latter. Soft wheat flour is best for making light, fluffy biscuits, as the extra gluten in regular all-purpose flour toughens as it forms, thus restricting the gas produced by the leavening. Soft wheat flour also absorbs less liquid and needs less fat than regular all-purpose flour (thus 2 cups of hard wheat flour will require about 1 cup liquid, while that amount of liquid for soft wheat flour leaves a soggy mass). Bleached flour produces a moister, more cake-like texture than unbleached. Cream produces a more tender cake; buttermilk a lighter one with an intriguing tang. Adding some egg results in a finer, scone-like texture. Some recipes call for hard-boiled egg yolks, yielding a more crumbly texture.
Make sure that the berries are in season and sweet, as they do not ripen after being picked and are generally tasteless out of season. The small, intensely red, locally-grown berries at a farmer’s market or roadside stand are usually the most delicious ones. Any other type of berry or sliced soft fruit can be substituted for the strawberries, including nectarines, peaches, and plums. Strawberries do not ripen after being picked. They are highly perishable and have a storage life of only a few days and up to ten days at 32°F. Farmer’s markets and roadside stands typically offer more flavorful and riper berries than supermarkets. Choose bright, plump, fully red berries with bright green caps. Size is no indication of quality. Check cartons for stains and signs of moisture, indications of spoilage. Rinse with cool water just before using. Do not hull the caps until after washing.
Assemble the various parts of this dish just before serving to ensure that the textures and flavors remain distinct until they meld in your mouth. Mashing a few of the berries and mixing them with the rest helps them to adhere and stay on the cake. For an interesting and more luscious variation, fill the cake with some pastry cream along with the strawberries and reserve the whipped cream to crown the top. Just remembering how this simple but incredibly delicious treat tasted makes me want to run to the kitchen and whip up a batch again.
Strawberry Shortcakes
(About nine 2½-inch biscuits; twelve 2-inch biscuits)
2 cups (10 ounces/280 grams/480 ml) soft Southern or bleached all-purpose flour or pastry flour, measured by dip-and-sweep (or 1¼ cups (6.25 ounces/175 grams/300 ml) all-purpose flour and ¾ cup (2.75 ounces/75 grams/180 ml) cake flour)
¼ cup (1.75 ounces/50 grams/60 ml) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon (15 ml) double-acting baking powder (or 2 teaspoons (10 ml) cream of tartar and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking soda)
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
½ cup (4 ounces/115 grams/120 ml) vegetable shortening or butter (or ¼ cup/60 ml each), chilled
About ¾ cup (6 fluid ounces/180 ml/6.375 ounces/180 grams) half-and-half or milk (or 1 large egg and ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon (135 ml) half-and-half or milk)
About 3 pints (36 ounces/1 kg/7 cups) hulled and sliced strawberries.
2 cups (16 fluid ounces/480 ml) sweetened whipped cream (1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream beaten with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) sugar and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla) for topping
1. Position a rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 425 degrees (220 C).
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in shortening or butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add half-and-half or milk (or liquid mixed with egg), stirring with a fork until dough clings together.
3. Place dough on a lightly floured surface, flour hands, and knead until just manageable (6 to 10 strokes). Do not overknead. Sprinkle lightly with flour and pat into ¾-inch thickness (about a 9- by 6-inch rectangle).
4. With floured 2- to 2½-inch biscuit cutter or other sharp-edged cutter, press straight down to cut out dough. Reroll and cut out remnants.
5. Place biscuits on an ungreased (preferably parchment-lined) baking sheet, an 8-inch round baking pan, or cast-iron skillet. Bake until golden brown (about 12 minutes). Transfer to a rack and let cool for 5 minutes.
6. Split in half horizontally. Place bottoms on serving plates, spoon about 1/3 cup fruit over top, place biscuit tops over berries, if desired, spoon another 1/3 cup berries over top, and top with 3 to 4 tablespoons whipped cream.
VARIATIONS:
Buttermilk Shortcake: Cream produces a more tender cake; buttermilk a lighter one with an intriguing tang. Substitute ¾ cup buttermilk for the cream, reduce the baking powder to 2 teaspoons, and add ½ teaspoon baking soda.
SAY CHEESECAKE
0759 days
by gilmarks
in Uncategorized
By Gil Marks
I vividly remember my first bite of a truly excellent cheesecake. It was at a now deceased vegetarian establishment on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. The restaurant was a favorite haunt of Noble Prize-winning author Isaac Bashevis Singer, himself a neighborhood resident and noted vegetarian, who happened to be dining there that day, making the experience all the more memorable. To be honest, the rest of the food was barely passable at best. The dessert, however, proved a true revelation, an encounter with culinary greatness. Hyperbole aside, it was light-years ahead of any dish I had ever sampled that claimed to be cheesecake. During a visit to San Francisco, I once tried a “New York cheesecake,” only to be sorely disappointed. Even worse were the famous national brands of cheesecake in the grocer’s freezers. Poorly made versions, and there are many, have a dry, chalky texture and either a bland or cloying taste. A genuine New York cheesecake, on the other hand, is sensually creamy as to melt in your mouth yet firm and has a slightly tangy flavor derived from cream cheese, lemon juice, and vanilla.
After tasting that authentic cheesecake, I spent the following several weeks experimenting with various recipes until I came upon the combination that equaled the ideal in my mind.
Cheesecakes are basically thick custards, usually with a bottom and sometimes also a side crust. Today there are three basic types of baked cheesecake: cream cheese (called New York or Jewish cheesecake); farmer cheese or cottage cheese (sometimes called Russian cheesecake); and ricotta cheese (sometimes called Italian cheesecake). The three types are further varied by the proportion of cheese and eggs, adding whole eggs or beating the egg whites and folding them in, and presence and amount of flour. In addition, there is an unbaked mousse-like version (also referred to as French cheesecake).
Cheesecakes are actually quite ancient. By the fourth century BCE, Greeks were preparing several types of griddlecakes incorporating fresh curd cheese, flour, and sometimes honey. Subsequently, Romans made cheese cakes, cooked on a griddle or directly on the hearth, called placenta (from the Greek plakous, “flat mass”), some types baked in a crust, and libum (from libare “poured,” as they were used in as ritual offerings), made from curd cheese, flour, eggs, and sometimes olive oil and honey. Similar cheesecakes were prominent in late medieval Italy, such as the torta bianca (white tart), made from curd cheese, milk, eggs, sugar, butter, and ginger. From the onset, medieval cheesecakes were actually more of a cheese tart with a crust providing a sturdy base and baking container for the soft custardy filling.
Considering the long English love of cheesecake, it is hardly surprising to find them in the American colonies. Martha Washington’s Booke of Cookery and Booke of Sweetmeats (c. 1625, given to her upon her wedding to Daniel Curtis in 1749) included three cheesecakes and a baked pudding, a cheesecake without a crust. Reflecting the nineteenth century German and Jewish styles of cheesecake, the original edition of The Settlement Cook Book by Lizzie Black Kander (Milwaukee, 1901) contained four version of cheese kuchen, made from cottage cheese. By the 1943 revision, one of the cheese pies included a “Graham Cracker Shell.” However, all of the fillings still called for cottage cheese. In the 1965 revision, three of the cakes call for cottage cheese and one is the New York style made with cream cheese and sour cream and including a Zwieback or Graham Cracker Crust.”
Until the early twentieth century, cheesecakes had a somewhat coarse, heavy texture. This would change due to a new product, cream cheese, created in 1872. In the 1930s, Jews in New York City substituted cream cheese and sour cream for curd cheese creating the Jewish cheesecake, also called New York cheesecake, on its way to becoming ubiquitous to well-known New York delis and America’s favorite type of cheesecake.
Among those claiming credit for the creation of New York cheesecake was Arnold Reuben (1883-1970), a German-Jewish immigrant who became the owner of a succession of Manhattan restaurants. In 1928, he opened Reuben’s Restaurant and Delicatessen on East 58th Street and in 1942 the Turf restaurant in the Brill Building (longtime center of American songwriting) at Broadway and 49th Street. Reuben recounted how, after sampling a cheese pie in 1929 at a dinner party, he asked the hostess for the recipe and proceeded to play with the ingredients, substituting cream cheese for the cottage cheese. If this story is true, Reuben is truly a major contributor to gastronomy, as he is also credited with creating the famous Reuben sandwich.
When Reuben’s cheesecake was served in the 1940s to high profile clientele at the Turf restaurant, it garnered a good deal of renown, leading to its imitation by other delis. Bakers in New York City began experimenting with the new cream cheese in their cheesecakes and found it, in conjunction with heavy cream or the eastern European sour cream, the latter producing the creamiest texture and interesting piquant note of flavor.
If Reuben created the New York cheesecake, Lindy’s Restaurant put it in the limelight. In August 1921, Leo “Lindy” and Clara Lindemann, eight years after he arrived in Manhattan from Berlin, Germany, opened a deli on Broadway near 50th Street in Manhattan, the heart of the Theater District. Lindy’s featured standard (kosher-style) Jewish fare, including super-sized sandwiches, blintzes, gefilte fish, and especially its creamy cheesecake topped with strawberries in a gel. Rumor claims that Lindy hired Reuben’s baker, thereby, procuring the famous recipe, although the two cakes were not identical. Damon Runyon frequented Lindy’s and incorporated it into some of his stories as “Mindys.” Little Miss Marker began: “One evening, along toward seven o’clock, many citizens are standing out on Broadway in front of Mindy’s Restaurant.” In 1950, when Runyon’s work “The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown” was transformed by Frank Loesser, Abe Burrows, and Jo Swerling into the musical “Guys and Dolls,” Lindy’s cheesecake was immortalized when Nathan Detroit attempts to entice Sky Masterson to wager on whether Mindy’s sold more cheesecake or apple strudel.
Originally, New York cheesecake was made with a pastry crust, akin to the medieval versions. Soon a simpler crust made from crushed zwieback became popular. By the late 1930s, they were supplanted by another American innovation, graham cracker crumbs.
In 1949, Charles W. Lubin (1903-1988) left a small baking business with his brother-in-law and founded his own company in Chicago, named after his then eight-year-old daughter, Sara Lee. His first product was a Jewish-style cheesecake, sold fresh to local supermarkets. Five years later, after discovering a way to quick-freeze his product, the company went nationwide as did the concept of New York cheesecake.
A genuine New York cheesecake is sensually creamy as to melt in the mouth, yet firm and has a slightly tangy flavor derived from cream cheese, lemon juice, sour cream, and vanilla. The basis of a classic creamy cheesecake is cream cheese. In this case, more expensive is not best. Fresh cream cheeses lack the stabilizers of commercial brands and tend to break up during baking, resulting in a grainy texture. Low-fat cream cheese produces a firmer texture as well as leaves a heavy feeling in the mouth, so it is not recommended. Yogurt cheese (labaneh), made by straining plain yogurt, makes an acceptable lower-fat substitute if absolutely necessary.
Sour cream adds a pleasant tang and contributes to a smooth texture. Too much sour cream, however, overwhelms the cream cheese’s flavor. Eggs add to the cake’s creaminess. Egg yolks contribute to the cake’s moistness; too many yolks produce a custard-like texture. Let the cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs stand at room temperature for at least thirty minutes before using. After adding the eggs, do not over beat or the air will cause a crack in the center. Baking at too high of a temperature also contributes to cracks. Baking in a water bath produces the creamiest texture.
Since cheesecake freezes well, it can be prepared far in advance, relieving any last-minute holiday hassles. Do not freeze the topping, but add it shortly before serving. To thaw cheesecakes, place in the refrigerator overnight. Dental floss held taut cuts cheesecake smoother than a knife. If using a knife, dip it into hot water.
Many aficionados insist on unadulterated cheesecake, while others enjoy adding various flavorings. Even purists like myself, however, allow for a topping, most notably fruit (cherries or strawberries) or sour cream.
New York-Style Creamy Cheesecake
(One 9-inch cake/10 to 12 servings)
1 recipe cheesecake crust (see below)
24 ounces (685 grams/3 cups/720 ml) cream cheese, softened
1½ cups (10.5 ounces/300 grams/360 ml) granulated sugar
2 cups (17 ounces/485 grams/480 ml) sour cream
About 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) salt
4 large eggs (¾ cup/6 fluid ounces/7 ounces/200 grams)
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (165 C). Place a large pan of water on bottom shelf and pour in an inch of boiling water. Grease sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Double wrap outside of pan with heavy-duty foil.
2. Prepare desired crust as described above. Let cool.
3. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar. Blend in sour cream, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. On low speed, beat in eggs.
4. Pour into prepared springform pan. Set in water bath. Bake until firm around the edges (2-inches in the center will jiggle slightly, but firms during cooling) and lightly browned or registers about 150 degrees on an instant-red thermometer (about 1½ hours). Do not test with a knife, which cracks the cake. Run a sharp, thin knife around the outside of cake to loosen from pan.
5. Turn off oven, open door, and let cool in oven for 30 minutes. Immediately move to refrigerator and let cool uncovered. If desired, spread with a topping. Cover with plastic wrap or an inverted bowl and chill overnight and up to 4 days. Or freeze for up to 2 months. Let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Graham Cracker Crust
(For 9-inch springform pan)
1½ cups (about 20 whole/6 ounces/170 grams/360 ml) graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons (45 ml) granulated or packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground cinnamon or vanilla extract (optional)
6 tablespoons (¾ stick/3 ounces/85 grams) unsalted butter or margarine, melted
Combine crumbs, sugar, and, if desired, cinnamon or vanilla. Stir in melted butter. Press onto bottom of greased 9-inch springform pan. Chill.
Vanilla Wafer Crust
(For 9-inch springform pan)
1½ cups (about 36/6 ounces/170 grams/360 ml) vanilla wafer crumbs
1 tablespoon (15 ml) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground cinnamon (optional)
6 tablespoons (¾ stick/3 ounces/85 grams) unsalted butter or margarine, melted
Combine crumbs, sugar, and, if desired, cinnamon. Stir in melted butter. Press onto bottom of greased 9-inch springform pan. Chill.
Pastry Crust
(For 9-inch springform pan or 9-inch square pan)
1 cup (4.5 ounces/130 grams/240 ml) all-purpose flour, measured by spoon-and-sweep
3 tablespoons (45 ml) granulated sugar
½ cup (1 stick/4 ounces/115 grams) shortening or chilled unsalted butter
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon (5 ml) finely grated lemon zest (optional)
¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) salt
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) vanilla extract
1. Combine flour, sugar, optional zest, and salt. Cut in shortening or chilled butter and stir in 1 egg yolk and vanilla. Knead until dough holds together. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for about 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (190 C).
3. Press crust into bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake until pale golden (about 10 minutes). Let cool.
Sour Cream Topping
1½ cups (12.25 ounces/350 grams/360 ml) sour cream
¼ cup (60 ml) confectioners’ sugar or 3 tablespoons (45 ml) granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon (3.75 ml) vanilla extract
Combine the sour cream, sugar, and vanilla and spread over top of the cooled cheesecake.
Strawberry Glaze
1 cup (240 ml) crushed strawberries
1 cup (240 ml) water
About 2/3 cup (160 ml) granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons (30 ml) cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water
Few drops red food coloring
2 cups (480 ml) fresh strawberries, halved (optional)
In a medium saucepan, bring the crushed strawberries and water to a boil. Press through a sieve. Return to the pot, add the sugar and salt, and return to a boil. Stir in cornstarch and cook, stirring, until bubbly and thickened, about 5 minutes. If using, stir in the red food coloring. Let cool to room temperature. If desired, arrange strawberry halves over cake and pour the glaze over top.
THE BREVITY OF CHERRY BLOSSOMS
0765 days
by gilmarks
in Uncategorized
By Gil Marks
I like to take a walk in Central Park on Saturday afternoons. Central Park is an incredible space, from Cleopatra’s Needle to Bethesda Fountain to Sheep’s Meadow. It is an incredible natural refuge in the urban jungle of Manhattan. There are plenty of flowers, including daffodils and tulips, if you know where to look or wander about enough. But I have a particular fondness for the cherry blossoms. Not so long ago, in my jogging days, it was something special to run around the reservoir in the spring with pink blossoms lining the pathway and every step releasing a burst of fragrance. In the afternoons, I would pass Jackie Kennedy Onassis trailed by her security detail on her daily stroll. It seemed that everyone was smiling a bit more in the shade of the blossoming trees.
For the past number of years, I was out of town in the spring and missed the annual display of the park’s cherry trees. This year I returned earlier, and last week, as I enjoyed my first walk of the season, the cherry blossoms were in bloom around the reservoir. So I was quite thrilled to revel in their natural beauty as I made my way around the water. It was quite a difference from when I left NYC and there was still ice in the water. This Saturday, I returned to the park, but the cherry blossoms were gone. In a single week, not one was left on the trees. Well at least I managed to catch the end of the season. And it got me thinking about edible cherries, which will be making their annual appearance in a few weeks.
Most botanists contend that the wild cherry tree, a member of the Rosaceae family and close relative of the plum, originated in Asia Minor near the Black and Caspian Seas around 6,000 years ago. Two principle types of domesticated cherries, which do not cross-pollinate with each other, emerged: sweet cherries (Prunus avium) and sour cherries (Prunus cerasus). Sweet cherries are primarily eaten fresh, while the smaller and very acidic sour cherries are most often used in cooking, baking, and liqueurs.
These are not the same as the cherry trees in Central Park, which are from Japan. The ornamental Japanese cherry (Prunus serrulata), which has more than 200 varieties, do not produce edible fruit. There are also about 500 of those cherry trees in Central Park, which were originally gifted to the city by Japan in 1912. The ones around the reservoir are primarily rosy pink Kwanzans and a few pale pink Yoshinos. The earlier-blooming Yoshinos are along the bridal path at 90th Street and further south at 66th Street. Japanese cherry trees also line the Tidal Basin in Washington DC but it has been a number of years since I witnessed the spring spectacle.
The Greeks brought the cultivated fruit cherry westward from the northeastern Anatolian port of Kerasous (modern Giresun), whence its Greek name kerasion, Latin cerasum, and English cherry. The earliest clear record of cherries was around 300 BC in the work of Theophrastus, the “Father of Botany.” Purportedly in 72 or 79 BC, cherries arrived in Rome, which knew eight varieties. Following the collapse of Rome, cultivated cherries disappeared from most of Europe. They were reintroduced to England by Henry VIII after the king sampled some during a trip to Flanders.
Cherries were among the first trees planted in North America by the Europeans, already cultivated in 1629 in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and shortly thereafter French colonists planted pits from Normandy in the Great Lakes region. In colonial Virginia, most farms and even many urban residences had at least one or a few cherry trees and cherries followed only apples and peaches in production. George Washington included cherries among his trees at Mount Vernon as did Thomas Jefferson at Monticello. However, the hot, humid weather of the South and East was not conducive for producing the best cherries. Then in 1847, Henderson Lewelling brought cherry trees to Oregon where he planted orchards and, twenty-eight years later, developed the Bing variety, which soon became America’s overwhelming favorite type. The cool climate of Oregon and Washington proved ideal for cherries, the area now accounting for more than 60 percent of America’s sweet cherries. Meanwhile, in 1852, Peter Dougherty planted cherries on Old Mission Peninsula in northern Michigan, the region also ideal for this fruit, primarily sour cherries.
The more than 600 varieties of sweet cherries and 300 varieties of sour cherries range in color from yellow to bright red to dark purple. The U.S. leads the world in sweet cherry production; sour cherries are more prevalent in Europe and Asia. Whereas all American sweet cherries were developed in the United States, all of the important sour cherries were imported from Europe.
There are two types of sour cherries: the darker colored griottes, most notably Morello, and the lighter colored amarelles, such as Montmorency. Morellos, also called Balaton, have a more complex and intense cherry flavor when cooked than Montmorency. Nevertheless, the majority of American sour cherries are Montmorency.
CHERRY CHART
NAME TYPE COLOR SHAPE COMMENTS
Bing sweet mahogany large, round Most popular U.S.
cherry. Firm,
meaty & juicy.
Lambert sweet reddish- heart- Firm & luscious.
purple shaped Preferred by
aficionados.
English sour deep red large Tender & juicy.
Morello Preferred in pies.
Montmorency sour light red; medium, round A French variety.
yellow flesh
North Star sour deep red small, round
Rainier sweet yellow with large, oval Firm & juicy.
red blush
Republican sweet- dark purple small, round Tender.
tart
Royal Ann sweet yellow with very large, Also called Napoleon.
red blush round Firm & juicy.
The cherry growing season is among the shortest of any fruit, lasting from early-June to late-July with most varieties available only in June. Cherries in general are a fragile fruit and, since most varieties are too delicate for shipping, only a few types show up in the market. If you do not have access to fresh sour cherries, use bottled Hungarian Morello cherries. Do not substitute canned cherry pie filling or maraschino cherries for fresh fruit. When cherries are cooked whole, the pits impart a slight almond-like flavor. To duplicate this effect, almond extract is frequently added when using pitted cherries.
The original maraschino cherries, initially produced in the eighteenth century in Croatia and introduced to America in the late nineteenth century, were sour marasca cherries fermented for about five days, then preserved in distilled cherry liqueur. The modern maraschino cherry was developed in 1931 by Ernest Wiegand of Oregon State University in which fresh cherries are bleached and firmed in brine with calcium salts, then soaked in a sugar syrup for about a month and dyed red or green.
Persians use sour cherries in rice dishes and various sweets. Persians also grind the soft bitter interior of the pit of the mahaleb cherry to make a spice called mahaleb. Syrians find the flavor of cherries complementary to meat, including meatballs and lamb roasts. Cherries are also popular in Europe, particularly throughout central Europe, where they are used in jams, soups, sauces, strudels, cakes, and liqueurs. The French serve cherries with duckling and other poultry and in desserts such as clafoutis. Italians, Sephardim, and Georgians use the fruit to fill double crusted tarts. In Alsace, sour cherries are used to make the well-known cherry brandy called kirsch, while in eastern Europe they are macerated with sugar and vodka for vishniak. Since cherries make their appearance in early summer, every so often in time for Shavuot, cherry dishes became traditional for that holiday, including cherry soup, compote, preserves, blintzes, kreplach (filled pasta), coffee cakes, and strudel. Most communities boil some of the summer sour cherry crop with sugar for flavorful jams and preserves.
TO SELECT: Choose plump, firm, and brightly colored cherries with stems attached. Avoid soft, shriveled fruit.
TO STORE: Store cherries unwashed in plastic bags in the refrigerator for up to a week. To freeze, wash and dry cherries, place on a baking sheet, freeze, transfer to containers, and freeze for up to a year.
TO PREPARE: Wash just before serving. There are several mechanical pitters available. To pit by hand, gently press down on the stem end to loosen the pit. Using the index finger and thumb of your other hand placed near the bottom of the cherry, press until the pit pops out of the top.
Anyway, the cherry season will begin in a few weeks, so those of you fortunate to have access to cherry trees, and save enough from the birds, here are a few of my favorite ways to enjoy cherries:
Meges Leves (Hungarian Cherry Soup)
(6 to 8 servings)
2 pounds (900 grams/4 cups/1 liter) pitted sour cherries
4 cups (1 liter) water
About ½ cup (120 ml) granulated sugar
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
1 slice of lemon rind
Pinch of salt
1 cup (240 ml) dry red wine or fruity dry white wine
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon (15 ml) cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water (or ¼ cup (60 ml) quick-cooking tapioca)
1. In a large pot, simmer 3 cups (720 ml) cherries, water, sugar, cinnamon, lemon rind and salt, covered, until tender (about 15 minutes). Discard the cinnamon stick and rind.
2. Puree the cherry mixture, then add the wine and lemon juice. Reheat.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the cornstarch mixture. Return to heat, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, stirring constantly, until slightly thicken (4 to 5 minutes). Add the reserved cherries. Serve warm or chilled.
VARIATIONS:
Creamy Cherry Soup: Add 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, heat through, and let cool.
Cherry and Fruit Soup: Just before serving, add 4 to 5 cups (1 to 1.2 liters) mixed coarsely chopped fresh fruit, such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, kiwis, nectarines, mangos, papaya, peaches, and plums.
Add 10 whole cloves and 10 whole allspice berries with the cinnamon stick.
Syrian Meatballs with Cherries (Kibbe ib Gheraz) M
(About 18 medium meatballs)
1 pound ground lamb or beef chuck or 8 ounces each
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ teaspoon ground allspice
About ¾ teaspoon salt
About 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
Sauce:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 medium yellow onions, chopped
16 ounces pitted sour canned or fresh cherries or 8 ounces dried sour cherries
½ cup sweet wine
2 tablespoons sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon ground allspice or cinnamon
1 tablespoon tamarhindi (tamarind sauce) or ½ cup chopped dried apricots
1. Combine the meat, parsley, allspice, salt, pepper, and, if using cinnamon. Shape into 1-inch balls.
2. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. In several batches, brown the meatballs on all sides, about 10 minutes a batch. Remove the meatballs.
3. To make the sauce: Add the onions to the pan and sauté until soft and translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the cherries, wine, sugar, lemon juice, allspice, and tamarhindi.
3. Return the meatballs to the pan and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over a low heat or bake in a 275-degree oven until tender, about 50 minutes. Serve warm with rice, orzo, or toast.
Cherry Pie
(Makes one 9-inch pie/6 to 8 servings)
Flaky pastry (pâte brisée) for double crust 9-inch pie (about 18 ounces/520 grams)
Filling:
1 egg white or 2 tablespoons melted cherry jam
4 cups pitted sour cherries (about 2 pounds/1 kg fresh unpitted/26 ounces/760 grams pitted frozen, canned, or jarred, drained)
About 1¼ cups granulated sugar, or ¾ granulated sugar and ½ cup light brown sugar (8.75 ounces/250 grams)
3 tablespoons (45 ml) cornstarch or potato starch, or ¼ cup (60 ml) quick-cooking tapioca, or 6 tablespoons (90 ml) all-purpose flour (or 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cornstarch and 3 tablespoons (45 ml) flour)
¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) salt
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) almond extract or 1 teaspoon (5 ml) finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons (30 ml) Kirsch, brandy, or cherry brandy (optional)
6 drops red food coloring (optional)
2 tablespoons (30 ml) unsalted butter or margarine
1. Position a rack in the lower third of oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees (220 C).
2. On a lightly floured piece of wax paper or flat surface, roll out 2/3 of dough to a 12-inch round about 1/8-inch thick. Fold into half or quarters and fit into a 9-inch pie pan or roll dough around a rolling pin and transfer to pan. Gently press into the pan. Trim the excess dough against the rim of the pan. Brush with egg white or jam. Refrigerate while preparing the filling.
3. Combine the cherries, sugar, cornstarch or tapioca, salt, almond extract or lemon zest, and, if desired, cinnamon or cloves. If using tapioca, let stand for 15 minutes.
4. Spoon the cherry mixture into pastry and dot with butter.
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the remaining 1/3 dough to about a 10-inch round. Arrange the top crust over the filling, trimming the excess to ½-inch beyond the rim of the pan. Fold the bottom dough over the top crust and crimp or flute the edges to seal. Cut several slits in top of the crust to vent the steam. Or cut the pastry into ½-inch wide strips and weave into a lattice pattern. Cover the edges of the pie with aluminum foil.
6. Place the pie on a preheated baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, reduce the heat to 350 degrees (175 C), and bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly (about 30 minutes). Let cool.
VARIATIONS
Reduce the sour cherries to 3 cups and add 1 cup (8 ounces/225 grams) dried sour cherries.
Reduce the sour cherries to 2 cups and the sugar to ¾ cup and add 2 cups pitted sweet cherries.
Substitute 4 cups pitted sweet cherries for the sour cherries, add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, and reduce the sugar to about ½ plus 2 tablespoons.
Use 2 pounds (910 grams/32 ounce canned/30 ounces frozen/5 cups/1.2 ml) pitted sour cherries and add ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) almond extract and, if desired, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) kirsch. If using tart cherries, increase sugar to about 1¼ cups (300 ml).
Cherry Cobbler (Medium)
(6 to 8 servings)
(For a 2-quart/2-liter casserole, 8-inch square pan, or 11- by 7-inch baking dish:)
Fruit Filling:
2 pounds pitted sour cherries (910 grams/32 ounce canned/30 ounces frozen/5 cups/1.2 ml)
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice or kirsch
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) almond extract
About 1¼ cups (300 ml) granulated sugar
1 to 1½ tablespoons (15 to 22 ml) cornstarch, potato starch, arrowroot, or quick-cooking tapioca
1/8 teaspoon salt
Biscuit Topping:
1½ cups (7.5 ounces/210 grams/360 ml) all-purpose flour, measured by dip-and-sweep method
About 3 tablespoons (45 ml) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons (10 ml) baking powder
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom (optional)
6 tablespoons (¾ stick/3 ounces/90 grams) unsalted butter, margarine, or shortening (or 4 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons shortening)
About ¾ cup (180 ml) milk, soy milk, or water
About 1 tablespoon (15 ml) additional sugar for sprinkling (optional)
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (190 C).
2. To make the filling: Toss the cherries with lemon juice and almond extract. Combine the sugar, cornstarch or tapioca, and salt. Add the cherries and toss to coat. (If using tapioca, let stand for at least 10 minutes.) Spoon into a 2-quart casserole, Dutch oven, 8-inch square pan, 11- by 7-inch baking dish, or 11- to 12-inch pie plate. You can taste the fruit mixture for sweetness, adding a little more sugar if necessary.
3. To make the topping: Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and, if using, spice. Cut in the butter or margarine until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the liquid to moisten. Do not overmix.
4. Drop 6 to 8 spoonfuls of the batter over top of the fruit, leaving space between each mound. If desired, sprinkle with the additional sugar. Bake until the topping is golden and firm and the fruit is soft and bubbly (45 to 55 minutes). Serve warm or at room temperature. If desired, serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
VARIATIONS:
Cocoa Biscuit Topping: Reduce flour to ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (210 ml) and add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) unsweetened alkalized (Dutch-processed) cocoa powder.
Clafoutis aux Cerises (French Cherry Custard Cake)
(6 to 8 servings)
1½ cups (360 ml) milk (or ¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream and ¾ cup (180 ml) milk)
2/3 cup (3.25 ounces/90 grams/160 ml) all-purpose flour, measured by dip-and-sweep
About 2/3 cup (160 ml/4.5 ounces/130 grams) granulated sugar
3 large eggs (scant 2/3 cup/5.25 ounces/150 grams)
2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract or ¾ teaspoon (3.75 ml) almond extract
½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
1 teaspoon (5 ml) grated orange zest or 2 tablespoons kirsch (optional)
3 cups (1½ pounds/700 grams) sweet cherries (preferably black), pitted
2 tablespoons (30 ml) confectioners’ sugar for sprinkling
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (205 C). Grease a 7- to 8-cup (1.75- to 2-liter) baking pan, 10-inch deep dish pie plate, 10-inch springform pan, or 8-inch square baking dish.
2. In a blender, food processor, or with a beater, combine the milk, flour, 1/3 cup (80 ml) sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, and, if desired, zest until smooth. Let the batter stand for 20 minutes.
3. Toss the cherries with the remaining 1/3 cup (80 ml) sugar, using more if the cherries are sour.
4. Pour one fourth of batter into prepared pan. Place in middle of oven and bake until batter is just set (about 5 minutes). Add cherries and pour remaining batter over top.
5. Bake until puffed and golden brown (35 to 45 minutes). Let stand for 15 minutes, but serve warm. (Cooled clafouti will slightly deflate.) Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
VARIATIONS:
Substitute 3 cups sour cherries for the sweet cherries and increase the sugar to about ½ cup.
Clafoutis a la Bourdaloue (Almond Clafouti): Puree ½ cup (120 ml) blanched almonds and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) almond extract with milk.
CSAs GROW IN ISRAEL
0781 days
by gilmarks
in Uncategorized
Some individuals, communities, and organizations across Israel have begun to emphasis sustainable food production and consumption (using the freshest natural and most flavorful ingredients possible with the maximum regard for the environment, local economy, and health), including organic agriculture, slow food and artisanal food, permaculture and eco-living, food co-ops, and CSAs (community supported agriculture).
For those of you unfamiliar with a CSA, it is a group of individuals who agree to support an individual nearby farm, while sharing the risks and benefits of its food production. The idea started in Japan and Switzerland in the 1960s, as small family farms increasingly disappeared. Through a CSA, farmers arrange to send a portion of their crops to nearby individuals throughout the course of the growing season in exchange for all of the money upfront. This ensures the farmer of operating capital without the burden of paying interest on loans.
Consumers do not generally order specific produce, but rather rely on the individual farmer to do what he or she does best. There is an element of risk involved, which is the nature of farming. Occasionally, bad weather, insects, and blight can damage or ruin crops. CSA members assume a share of the risk. (Most of us can afford it more than most small farmers.) But these accidents are very rare. Growing a diverse number of crops at the same time (instead of a single one), not only provides choices, buts also contributes to biodiversity and the health of the ecosystem.
The concept of CSAs spread to America in the mid-1980s, where there are now around 400 CSA farms, and more recently also to Israel. My parents in Gush Etzion signed up for a CSA, Chubeza. (http://www.chubeza.com/english.html) This organic farm consists of two acres on Moshav Kfar Ben-Nun situated between Latrun and Ramla (not the Palestinian Ramallah). Founder and co-owner Bat-Ami Sorek was exposed to organic and CSAs in California and decided to try her hand at one in Israel. Chubeza started with 15 members in 2003 and soon grew to 50 and is presently up to 450. This year, they will plant more than 100 different vegetables and herbs. Sorek today works behind the scene, including writing the weekly newsletter, while day-t-day operations are run by manager and co-owner, Alon Efrati, and field manager, Amir Lev, who both studied agriculture at Hebrew University. This is literally and figuratively a ‘green’ business.
Unlike most CSAs, Chubeza charges per week not per season, which allows the participation of lower income households and those with only one or two people in the households. It offers a large box for 105 NIS per week and a small one for 80 NIS per week. There is also a 20 NIS fee for home delivery, which is very convenient. Unlike American CSAs, which have a limited growing season, the weather in parts of Israel allows for a CSA to operate year round.
Each week (or if you want, every two weeks) a box arrives laden with 10 to 15 of the freshest, highest-quality seasonal produce. It’s like unwrapping Chanukah presents weekly. In the pre-Passover weeks, the boxes included late winter produce as well as a few early spring items. During my six-week stay, there were fresh beets with the greens attached (these are actually the healthiest and, in my estimation, the tastiest part of the plant, so please never throw the beet greens away), red leaf lettuce (some of it lasted in the refrigerator through Passover without wilting), kohlrabi (beauty is more than skin deep), leeks, carrots (they were the sweetest, tastiest carrots I had in a very long time), peas in the pods (these were the one item that I was disappointed in, as they remained hard and starchy even after cooking), radishes, cabbages (one became coleslaw and the other provided the wrappings for stuffed cabbage), celeriac (I sliced it and braised it with carrots), and parsley along with the roots (now I understand why the Arabs put so much parsley in their tabbouleh). One week there was also fresh garlic (something I’ve never experienced firsthand before, but I used it in Passover cooking, where it seemed milder than its dried cousin) and chard (I refuse to call it by the misnomer Swiss chard, as it is neither native to that country nor particularly well liked there). Some people are flustered when exposed to unfamiliar vegetables, but I enjoy the challenge and chance for discovery. Although most items are seasonal, Israelis tend to eat many more tomatoes and cucumbers than Americans, and Chubeza attempts to make them available year-round, even going into partnership with other organic farms. Alas I won’t be in Israel in the summer when the fresh melons arrive.
The items that I sampled from Chubeza were fresher than produce obtained from a store and, considering it is also organic, reasonably priced. One week the beet greens were nearly pristine and another they showed the affects of insect infestation. But that was better, at least to me, than the consuming of untold pesticides. Being Israel, Chubeza even has a supervising rabbi who instructs them on how to avoid kilayim (mixed planting on diverse species) and the removal of terumot and maserot (tithes), things American CSAs do not have to worry about.
For you Americans lacking access to Chubeza, there are a growing number of CSAs throughout the country. Contact Hazon (212-644-2332) for more information on locating or starting a CSA near you. Also if you want firsthand experience with alternative foods in Israel, Hazon in conjunction with the Heschel Center for Environmental Learning and Leadership conducts a six-day Israel Sustainable Food Tour (held in November). I went on the first tour two years ago and learned an incredible amount. When in Israel, I also recommend a tour of the amazing Chava V’Adam Ecological Farm located outside of Modi’in (halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, not far from Chubeza) to learn about permaculture and biodiversity in action.
You have to like vegetables, of course, in order to appreciate a CSA. As any good chef will tell you, the best tasting dishes come from using the freshest, highest-quality ingredients. Some of the best restaurants have arrangements with nearby farmers to provide fresh vegetables and herbs. CSAs certainly allow that for the average person. And you’ll certainly have access to those daily servings of vegetables.
Here are a few recipes using greens et al:
Pkhali (Georgian Beet Salad)
(6 to 8 servings)
2 pounds (910 grams/about 8 medium) whole beets, about 1-inch of stem left intact
1 cup (240 ml/4 ounces/115 grams) finely ground walnuts
1 small yellow onion, minced (2/3 cup/150 ml/2.5 ounces/70 grams)
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup (60 ml) chopped cilantro
¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) ground coriander
¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) ground fenugreek (optional)
1. Place the beets in a large saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a boil over high heat, cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until knife tender (30 to 45 minutes). Drain. When cool enough to handle, slip off the skins. Chop the beets.
2. Combine the walnuts, onion, garlic, coriander, ground coriander, and, if desired, fenugreek. Add the beets and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Borani (Persian Beets in Yogurt)
(6 to 8 servings)
2 pounds (910 grams/about 8 medium) whole beets, about 1-inch of stem left intact
2 cups (480 ml) plain yogurt
2 to 3 cloves garlic, mashed, or 2 tablespoons (30 ml) dried mint
Salt
1. Place the beets in a large saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a boil over high heat, cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until knife tender (30 to 45 minutes). Drain. When cool enough to handle, slip off the skins. Chop the beets.
2. Add the yogurt, garlic, and salt to taste.
Sautéed Chard
(4 to 5 servings)
Chard does not require any added cooking liquid since it releases its own juices.
2 pounds (910 grams) chard, washed well
3 tablespoons (45 ml) butter or oil
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
Salt and pepper
1. Separate the leaves from the stems. Cut the tender stems into ½-inch-wide pieces and the leaves into 1-inch pieces.
2. Heat the butter or oil in a skillet or saucepan over medium heat. If desired, add the garlic and sauté until lightly colored but not burnt (about 2 minutes).
3. Add the Swiss chard, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until tender (about 20 minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or cooled.
VARIATIONS:
Shlata Silka (Moroccan Chard): Add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) paprika, and 2 teaspoons (10 ml) ground cumin.
Silka bi Hummus (Syrian Chard with Chickpeas): Add 2 cups (480 ml) cooked chickpeas with the Swiss chard.
Silka: Add ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) dried thyme.
Marinated Chard: Add 4 teaspoons (20 ml) red wine vinegar with the salt.
Chard with Tomatoes: Add 2 seeded and diced plum tomatoes and sauté for 1 minute.
Keftes de Silka (Sephardic Chard Patties)
(About 16 patties)
About 7 large chard leaves
¾ cup bread crumbs or matza meal
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
About ½ teaspoon salt
About ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive or vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped (1 cup/4 ounces/115 grams)
Olive or vegetable oil for frying
1. Place the chard leaves in a large steamer over boiling water or in a large pot with a small amount of water, cover, and cook until wilted but still green (about 5 minutes). Chop or process the leave in a food processor fitted with a metal blade until finely chopped. Place in a medium bowl and stir in the bread crumbs or matza meal, eggs, salt, and pepper.
2. In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent (5 to 10 minutes). Stir into the chard mixture.
3. Heat about ¼-inch oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
4. Shape the chard mixture into 3-inch-long and 1-inch wide and ½-inch thick patties. In batches, fry the patties, turning, until golden brown on both sides.