Jewish Recipes Archives | My Jewish Learning https://www.myjewishlearning.com/category/eat/jewish-recipes/ Judaism & Jewish Life - My Jewish Learning Tue, 08 Apr 2025 10:36:04 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.1 89897653 Rosh Hashanah Traditional Foods and Recipes https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/rosh-hashanah-foods/ Wed, 12 Jan 2011 17:15:23 +0000 https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/rosh-hashanah-foods/ Many people know about the custom of eating apples dipped in honey on Rosh Hashanah, but there are many more food-related customs for the Jewish New Year.

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Many people know about the custom of eating apples dipped in honey on Rosh Hashanah, but there are many more food-related customs for the Jewish New Year. Sweet foods are popular, to symbolize the sweet year we hope will follow. In the Sephardic community, many families hold a Rosh Hashanah seder where a series of symbolic foods are eaten before the meal.

Each of the chosen foods —generally a pomegranate, date, string bean, beet, pumpkin, leek, and fish head — symbolize a wish or blessing for prosperity and health in the coming year.

Find more Rosh Hashanah recipes here and on our lively Jewish food blog, The Nosher!

Want to learn more about the High Holidays? Sign up for a special High Holiday prep email series.


Rosh Hashanah Recipes

Challah

Honey Whole Wheat Challah

Chocolate Cranberry Challah Rolls with Citrus Sugar

Balsamic Apple Date Challah

Rosh Hashanah Appetizers and Entrees

Brisket, a traditional cut of meat on Rosh Hashanah

Seitan Brisket, a vegetarian alternative to brisket

Pomegranate Brisket with Cranberry Succotash

Pomegranate and Honey Glazed Chicken

Crockpot Sweet and Sour Brisket

Molly Yeh’s Apple Cider Brisket

Pomegranate Chicken

Cocktail Meatballs with Pignolis and Currants

Instant Pot Georgian Pomegranate Chicken

Sheet Pan Tzimmes-Roasted Chicken Thighs

Crockpot Carne con Papas

Rosh Hashanah Sides

Tzimmes, a hot sweet carrot dish

Sephardic Jeweled Rosh Hashanah Rice

Classic Potato Kugel

Gluten-Free Apple Kugel

Mock Chopped Liver

Saffron Rice with Raisins and Pine Nuts

Italian Sweet and Sour Fish

Couscous with Seven Vegetables

Rosh Hashanah Desserts and Drinks

Apples-and-Honey Punch

Tayglach, dough boiled in honey

Honey Cake

Apple Cake

Sour Cream Apple Coffee Cake

Gluten-Free Apple Cake

Apple and Honey Pie Pops

Salted Honey Apple Upside-Down Cake

Sfratti, honey walnut stick cookies

Apple Kugel Crumble Cake

Easy Vegan Apple Turnovers

Honey Pomegranate Cake

honey-pomegranate-cake-1

Recipes Featuring Symbolic Rosh Hashanah Foods

Orange and Pomegranate Salad

Syrian Candied Gourd

Black-Eyed Peas with Turmeric and Pomegranate

Beet Chips with Spicy Mayo

Braised Leeks with Thyme and Pomegranate

Green Beans and Honey Tahini

Roasted Beets with Pesto

Braised Leeks

Pumpkin Cranberry Cupcakes

Date Coconut Rolls

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Sephardic Cuisine https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/sephardic-cuisine/ Mon, 26 Aug 2002 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/sephardic-cuisine/ Sephardic Cuisine refers to the foods eaten by a large and diverse group of Jews from Spain, North Africa, the Middle East, the Balkans, and Turkey.

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Sephardic cuisine refers to the foods eaten by a large and diverse group of Jews that bear the unique stamp of their regions of origin, which include Spain, North Africa, the Middle East, Egypt, and Turkey. Italian, Indian, and other non-European Jewish foods are also sometimes included in this mix.

Find Sephardic recipes here.


There is logic to this broad grouping: Almost all of these lands were part of the Islamic world. The Arab conquest of the 7th and 8th centuries united land from the Iberian peninsula and the Atlantic Ocean to China and India. Active trading went on between these lands, spreading new food all over the region. Eggplant from India, spinach from Nepal, and spices from the Near East are examples of foods that spread throughout the Islamic empire.

Jews participated actively in Islamic society. They were successful in cultural, political, and financial arenas. Thus Sephardic cuisine often represents refined, even aristocratic, food. Besides the quality of the food, the Jews of the Islamic world stressed quantity as well. Asceticism was not valued, and lifecycle celebrations such as circumcisions and weddings were lengthy and luxurious.

RECIPE: Sephardic Jeweled Rosh Hashanah Rice

Cookbooks that cataloged medical advice alongside recipes were a common genre of literature in the Muslim world. The 13th-century Cookbook of the Maghreb and Andalusia, one of the most important of these books, lists five Jewish recipes. All of these are full of spices and aromas and are detailed in their ingredients and preparation. One such dish, a chicken with giblets, was made with, among other things, fennel stalks, coriander, oil, citron leaves, eggs, flour, and chicken liver. The dish is first roasted and then left to sit in murri — a fermented condiment used in medieval cooking — vinegar, rose water, onion juice, and spices. All the dishes in the book, including the Jewish ones, exhibit delicate attention to flavor, texture, and presentation. Jews also authored recipe and dietetics books. Isaac Israelicus’ 10th-century Book of Foods was translated into Latin in the 15th century and used in medical schools until the 17th century.

Sumac chicken and rice1When the Jews were expelled from Spain in 1492, most made their way to North Africa and Ottoman lands such as Turkey and the Balkans. Half of the North African Jews lived in Morocco, and the Jewish style of food that was common there is still considered  one of Morocco’s four national food styles. The Jews who settled in the Ottoman lands were typically upper class, and their foods resembled the foods of the urban nobility. The kebabs, pilafs and dolmades (stuffed vegetables) of Turkish Jewry are still some of the most recognizable Sephardic dishes.

RECIPE: Sumac Chicken and Rice

Fruits, vegetables, spices, and grains were plentiful in the Mediterranean climate, and thus plant foods figured heavily into Sephardic cuisine. Indeed, Jews were responsible for spreading the use of certain plant foods. Italian Jews prepared artichoke in an innovative way. Leeks and fennel, first used in Jewish cooking, were also later used in non-Jewish cooking in the area. Meats were eaten by Mediterranean Jews, but–except for Shabbat (the Sabbath)–fish was more often on the menu.

stuffed grape leaves

The Sephardic Jewish communities began to decline in the 18th century. Colonialism and natural disaster hit these communities hard and, on the whole, the Sephardic communities became impoverished. Nonetheless, Sephardic cuisine still retains the character of its unique heritage, a panoply of foods from many different lands that reflect an intense intermingling of cultures that were often well-to-do and sophisticated.

RECIPE: Stuffed Grape Leaves

It is difficult to identify particular Sephardic foods as Spanish or Greek or Arab. The movement of the Sephardic community and the unique blending of cultures gave rise to an assimilated and variegated cuisine.

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Classic Potato Kugel https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/classic-potato-kugel/ https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/classic-potato-kugel/#comments Wed, 12 Aug 2015 15:55:53 +0000 https://www.myjewishlearning.com/?p=90833 Potato kugel is such a classic Ashkenazi holiday and Shabbat dish, but I never grew up eating it. We had sweet and ...

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Potato kugel is such a classic Ashkenazi holiday and Shabbat dish, but I never grew up eating it. We had sweet and savory noodle kugels at my grandmothers house on Rosh Hashanah, but it wasn’t until I started dating my now-husband that I tasted and fell in love with potato kugel during the first Sukkot I spent with his family.

It wasn’t just any potato kugel, it was his grandmother’s potato kugel, Baba Billie of blessed memory. I ate my weight in rich brisket and kugels that holiday and learned my lesson about moderation of Ashkenazi food, no matter how delicious it may be. I still have flashbacks of that stomach ache.

I cannot take any credit for this recipe, it is 110% Baba Billie, and my husband who has worked to recreate the dish and write it down. I hope it will bring other kugel-less homes as much joy as it has brought mine.

Don’t get scared about the amount of oil in this dish, just embrace it. This is the kind of  kugel you make only a few times during the year, and if you cut out the oil, it just won’t be the same.

This potato kugel recipe can be prepared a few days ahead of time, and also freezes well. Just make sure it is cooled completely before freezing.

Print
classic potato kugel
Photo credit Doug Schneider

Classic Potato Kugel Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.6 from 12 reviews

Prepare to fall in love with this classic Ashkenazi holiday and Shabbat dish.

  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: 8-10 servings

Ingredients

  • 8 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and coarsely shredded
  • 2 medium-large onions, coarsely shredded
  • 5 large eggs
  • ¾ cup matzah meal
  • ½ Tbsp salt
  • 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • paprika for sprinkling
  • thick sea salt
  • ⅓ cup olive oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. When oven is preheated, add ⅓ cup olive oil to a 9×13 Pyrex dish and put into the oven to heat up.
  3. Whisk eggs together in a large bowl.
  4. Add shredded potato, onion, matzah meal, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Mix until combined.
  5. When oil has been heating about 10 minutes, remove from oven.
  6. Add a small spoonful of the potato mixture and if it starts sizzling, it is hot enough. If not, put it back in the oven for a few minutes.
  7. When oil is ready, add the entire potato mixture and spread in a even layer using an offset spatula or large spoon.
  8. Sprinkle sweet or hot paprika on top and a sprinkle of thick sea salt.
  9. Bake for 40-50 minutes until crispy around the edges and golden brown on top.
  10. Allow to cool slightly before cutting into squares. Serve warm or room temperature.
  • Author: Shannon Sarna
  • Prep Time: 40 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40-50 minutes
  • Category: Side dish
  • Method: Roasting
  • Cuisine: Askenazi
  • Diet: Vegetarian

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Beyond Apples and Honey: Symbolic Foods for Rosh Hashanah https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/rosh-hashanah-symbolic-foods/ Thu, 26 Aug 2010 05:00:01 +0000 https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/rosh-hashanah-symbolic-foods/ How to cook them for your holiday meal.

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Apples and honey may be the symbolic stars of Rosh Hashanah, but for some Jewish families they are just the beginning. The custom of holding a Rosh Hashanah seder, where a series of symbolic foods are eaten before the meal, is becoming an increasingly common practice in Sephardic and Mizrahi families where the tradition originated, and even in some Ashkenazic households.

Each of the chosen foods — generally a pomegranate, date, string bean, beet, pumpkin, leek, and fish head— symbolize a wish or blessing for prosperity and health in the coming year. The food’s significance is most often based on a pun of that food’s name (find out more here.) During the Rosh Hashanah meal, each food is held up, blessed, and eaten as if to personally ingest or take in those good wishes.

Rosh Hashanah’s symbolic foods can make an appearance on the holiday table, regardless of whether one decides to incorporate a full Rosh Hashanah seder into their celebration. For a creative twist on the traditional seder, make dishes inspired by each food (like the ones linked below) and serve them throughout the evening to infuse the entire meal with symbolic meaning as well as delicious flavors.

Pomegranate Brisket with Cranberry Succotash

Beet Chips With Spicy Honey Mayo

Orange and Pomegranate Salad

Pomegranate Truffles

Green Beans with Honey Tahini Glaze

Roasted Beet and Leek Rissotto

Honey Pomegranate Cake

Syrian Candied Gourd

Pomegranate And Honey Glazed Chicken

Roasted Beets with Cilantro-Basil Pesto

Black-Eye Peas With Turmeric and Pomegranate

White Wine Braised Leeks

Pumpkin Cranberry Cupcakes

Date Coconut Rolls

Want to learn more about the High Holidays? Sign up for a special High Holiday prep email series.

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Baklava with Honey and Cardamom Recipe https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/baklava-with-honey-and-cardamom-recipe/ https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/baklava-with-honey-and-cardamom-recipe/#comments Tue, 27 Sep 2016 11:00:54 +0000 https://www.myjewishlearning.com/?p=102849 You won't miss refined sugar or butter with this sweet treat featuring cinnamon and cardamom-spiced nuts covered with honey syrup.

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Of all the sweet and honey-kissed desserts, baklava is hands-down my favorite. My first memory of it comes from my time as a student in Madison, WI, where I was a frequent visitor to Mediterranean Cafe, a cozy, tapestry-draped hideaway that serves falafel platters, moussaka, pasticcio, burekas and more. Lunch at “Med Cafe” was never complete without baklava, a flaky, nutty sweet treat for just 75 cents–pistachio, cashew or walnut.

In July, I finally went back to Mediterranean Cafe since leaving Madison four years ago. I ordered the falafel sandwich, which they wrap several times with a thin pita (like lavash), and a slice of pistachio baklava for dessert. On my way out, I thanked Faycal, the owner, who, every day, cooks his Algerian specialties right there behind the counter. “Where have you been?” he asked.

With that, I told him I’ve been on the other side of the country, trying to re-create his cinnamon-eggplant moussaka and pistachio baklava. He told me to call him up if I needed help–an offer I’ll never forget.

Of all the Med Cafe dishes I’ve tried to imitate, I’ve had the most success with baklava. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that cinnamon and cardamom-spiced nuts covered with honey syrup never tastes wrong. With Rosh Hashanah just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to share this sweet, honey-drenched dessert.

My recipe is unique because it’s made with neither refined sugar nor butter. For Rosh Hashanah, I wanted to use only honey and avoid dairy products so as to make it pareve. Next time, I’ll try replacing honey with silan, or date syrup, for deeper flavor.

ingredients final

Don’t be afraid of phyllo dough! Here are some tips:

Phyllo dough is found in the frozen food section, near pie crusts and puff pastry. Buy it, freeze it, and take out of the freezer by placing in the fridge a day before you plan to use it.

When you’re ready to use it, take the phyllo dough out of the box, unroll it, and place on the plastic sheet that comes wrapped around the dough. Place a dampened paper towel on top to prevent the baklava from drying out.

It’s ok if your phyllo sheets tear or break. You won’t be able to tell in the end. Just piece them back together like puzzle pieces and lightly brush with oil.

Your phyllo dough will likely be wider than the pan. Just fold over the long edge and brush with oil. Do this on different sides, alternating, so that the phyllo sheets stack evenly atop one another.

Note: Baklava can be enjoyed the day of, but its flavors really sink in after a day. You can store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Print
Photo credit Aly Miller

Baklava with Honey and Cardamom Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

You won’t miss refined sugar or butter with this sweet treat featuring cinnamon and cardamom-spiced nuts covered with honey syrup.

  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 6-8

Ingredients

  • 16 oz raw pistachios, walnuts, blanched almonds or hazelnuts (or a mix)
  • 2 tsp cinnamon, ground
  • 2 tsp cardamom, ground
  • ¼ cup honey or brown sugar
  • 1 pack frozen phyllo dough sheets, thawed
  • 1 cup oil (coconut or olive oil work well) or melted butter

For the syrup:

  • 1 ½ cup honey
  • ¾ cup water
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • rind of 1 lemon, peeled
  • cinnamon stick
  • 5 cardamom pods
  • 2 Tbsp rose water

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. First, add the nuts to a food processor. Pulse until the nuts are chopped finely but not ground into powder. Transfer to a bowl, and add cinnamon, cardamom and honey. Stir to combine.
  3. Next, prepare the dough. Gently take the roll of phyllo dough out from its package, taking care not to rip or tear the sheets. Unroll the dough and place a damp tea towel or paper towel over the top sheet to keep the dough from becoming dry and flaky.
  4. Place your bowl of melted butter or oil and the bowl of chopped nuts next to the stack of phyllo dough. Place your baking pan (9x12x2 inches) nearby.
  5. Using a pastry brush, oil the bottom and sides of the pan. Then carefully remove the top sheet of phyllo dough and place it in the pan. Lightly brush oil over the entire top of this sheet. Place another sheet of phyllo dough on top of the first sheet, brush oil on top, and add another sheet. Continue layering phyllo dough and oil until you have a stack of 10 sheets.baklava steps
  6. On the next sheet, spread 1/2 of the nut mixture on top with your hands. Try and make sure that the nuts are covering the entire sheet.
  7. Cover the nuts with another layer of phyllo, and brush oil on top. Continue layering phyllo and oil until you have 5 more sheets. On top of the 6th sheet, add the rest of the nuts.
  8. Add 10 more layers of oiled phyllo dough. Brush oil across the top sheet, too.
  9. With a chef’s knife, make 6 long rows across the long side of the pan. Then cut diagonally across the pan from one corner to the other, and make cuts parallel to that diagonal line across the rest of the pan. Set in the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes, until the top is crisp and golden.IMG_4817
  10. Meanwhile, make the syrup. Combine all syrup ingredients except for rosewater in a saucepan and boil for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Take off the heat, and stir in the rosewater. Let cool for at least 10 minutes, then strain.
  11. When the baklava is done baking, let it cool for at least 30 minutes. The baklava will hold its crisp layers better if you let it cool down a bit before adding the syrup. When both the syrup and baklava have cooled, drizzle the syrup over the baklava. Don’t be afraid to use it all! Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Notes

Baklava can be enjoyed the day of, but its flavors really sink in after a day. You can store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

  • Author: Aly Miller
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern

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The Evolution of Israeli Cuisine https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/israeli-food-after-1948/ Thu, 08 May 2003 14:57:38 +0000 https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/israeli-food-after-1948/ Once Israel was established in 1948, it had a daunting task on its hands: feeding hundreds of new citizens, many of whom were refugees. Israeli Cooking, Israeli Recipes

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After the Second World War, the British government, worn down by daily tensions and increas­ing pressure from abroad, decided to abandon its Palestine mandate, leaving the task of deciding its fate to the newly emerged United Nations. In the United States, wide sympathy was generated for the idea of a Jewish homeland as an answer to the plight of displaced Jewish persons, victims of the Holocaust who were stranded throughout Europe. When in May 1948 David Ben-Gurion, head of the Jewish Agency, declared Israel’s independence, American president Harry S Truman, and shortly thereafter the Soviet Union, enthusiastically recognized the new state.

A New Culinary Picture Emerges

The face of the new nation changed, and gradually a new culinary picture emerged. But first the infant state found itself surrounded by enemies, and absorb­ing 100,000 immigrants a year. This time the wave was comprised not only of displaced survivors of the Holocaust, but of Jews from all over the Middle East. With each ethnic group came different styles of eating and cooking.

The massive immigration was a strain on the economy, so the period from 1948 to 1958 was a time of government-regulated zena (food rationing) and ma’abarot (makeshift dwellings). Women cooked with khubeiza (wild greens) from the fields; new foods, like Ben-Gurion’s “Israeli couscous,” were intro­duced to satisfy the needs of the multicultural population; and surplus vegetables, like eggplant, were ingeniously used to simulate meat. Israel’s canning industry increased production, supplying canned tomato paste and puree, hummus, tahina, and mayonnaise in tubes.

READ: Recipe for Israeli Couscous-Stuffed Acorn Squash

israeli couscous salad

One of the many issues to be resolved in this new Jewish country was the official position on the dietary laws [kashrut]. Ben-Gurion decided to remain with the “status quo” agreement, maintaining rabbinical supervision of kashrut in all government organizations, military service, schools, and hospitals.

Even the rabbis, however, had to compromise. The U.S. government, through the Agency for International Development, sent millions of pounds of preserved foods, such as dried eggs, dried skim milk, butter, dried codfish, and cheddar cheese. Maury Atkin, who worked at the newly created Israeli embassy in Washington at the time, recalled how the rabbis in Israel asked if the cheese was kosher. “We told them that cheddar cheese was the most wholesome cheese sold in America, even if it includes a small amount of non-kosher animal rennet. Because there were so many starving children, the Chief Rabbi of Israel issued an edict that the cheddar cheese sent over would be kosher for children up to the age of 14.”

READ: How to Make Israeli Hummus

Kosher meat was scarce as well. Before the war it was often imported to Pales­tine from Romania. After the war, it was eventually supplied from Uganda, Argentina, and Brazil. The only kosher beef in the early years of the state came from male calves produced from the rapidly growing herds of dairy cows. Under a Jewish Agency program, thousands of heifers were being sent to Israel from the United States by plane and ship. It was not until the late Fifties, however, when water sources had improved, that large herds of beef cattle were introduced into the Israeli agricultural economy.

Diversity of Israeli Food

As the fertility of the land increased, so did the excitement of creating food to meet the needs of the growing population. “Israel is unique,” said Shaul Homsky, author of Fruits Grown in Israel. “Within a small area, for example, a subtropical climate exists — near the Sea of Galilee, where mangoes, kiwis and bananas can grow — alongside a temperate climate in the mountains of Galilee and the Golan, where cherries and apples grow.”

Diversity of Israeli agriculture also has been affected by the constantly changing population; the European population that developed in the 1920s, ’30s, and ’40s was accustomed to eating apples, plums, and cherries, while later immigrants from Middle Eastern countries liked to eat and grow grapes, olives, and dates.

“Because of the lack of a deep agricultural tradition,” Mr. Homsky wrote, “farmers on the kibbutzim [agricultural collectives] were ready to accept new techniques and experiment with new fruits and vegetables, unlike in a coun­try like Greece, where for generations farmers have been tilling the soil in the same way and people have had the same diet.”

READ: Recipe for Israeli Salad

Pomegranates_and_watermelons_-_Tel_Aviv_-_Carmel_Market_-_Shuk_HaKarmel_(5101657234)

Sometimes the experiments did not work. In 1961, Moshe Dayan, minister of agriculture, decided to replace Israel’s favorite Marymont — a large, oval, and juicy tomato — with a thicker-skinned, cylindrical, and almost juiceless tomato, slightly larger than a cherry tomato. Dagan thought this “Moneymaker” would be heartier and cheaper to produce, and would appeal to the export market. In the transition from one strain of tomato to the other, 5,000 tons of Mon­eymaker tomatoes were to be grown in the first season, half for local consumption and half for export. Farmers were encouraged to grow only Moneymakers. But he experiment was a failure both inside and outside the country, and the local press dubbed it Dayan’s “assault” on agriculture.

READ: Recipe for Falafel

Still, new fruits and vegetables had an increasing presence in the local market, and ambitious young chefs began to take advantage of their novelty. Chef Uri Guttman, who from the late ’60s on was considered the ambassador of the Israeli kitchen, came up with innovative concoctions like a hot avocado soup; “St. Peter’s fish” with mango and pomegranate; and crepes stuffed with pears, nuts, dates, and figs. Schooled in the French culinary tradition, Guttman traveled around the world representing Israel in cook­ing competitions and adapted unusual recipes to what was available in the country. He also developed menus for army bases and restau­rants, using local products. “One of my dreams was to establish an Israeli cuisine,” he said. “It is hard, though, with Jews coming from so many countries.”

Golan Heights Wine and Grapes

When the Golan Heights were annexed in 1967, apples — one of the few fruits that the Israelis were not adept at growing — were planted there and thrived in the cold nights and the high, dry altitude. Israelis also had the same success with grapes at the Golan Heights Winery, close to the Syrian border. These new varietals were of a much higher quality than Baron de Rothschild’s plantings had been at his low-lying coastal wineries a hundred years earlier. The Golan Heights Winery, jointly owned by the nearby kibbutzim that supplied the grapes, introduced its first vintage in 1983, from grapes planted ten years earlier. These kosher wines have been winning sil­ver and gold medals in international competitions ever since.

golan heights agriculture including vineyards

In 1973, Dr. Itzhak Adate, a scientist with the Vulcani Institute in Rehovot [an Israeli city] went on a professional tour to New Zealand where he tasted the kiwi, which had been introduced from China. Bringing a few cuttings and seeds back, he asked the kibbutzniks at Kibbutz Ammiad, located down the road from his home, to plant them. By 1980 the first kiwis had come to the market. With the abundant crop, Scottish-born Jeff Marks, a wine hobbyist and a member of the kibbutz, suggested that kiwi wine might taste as good as cordials made from pears, berries, and plums. Today, the kibbutz exports kiwi wine to countries throughout the world. Ironically, although Israel’s agricultural industry is at the forefront of the global marketplace, kibbutz involvement has become proportionally less, with less than 2 percent of Israel’s population now living on the kibbutzim.

Throughout the Middle East, where emotions run high, politics also plays a major role in the complicated global market. Since the 1980s, for example, when all trade with Iran was blocked, Israel has become the main exporter of Iranian variants of mint, parsley, and other herb seeds for Iranian-American growers.

READ: “Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking” Wins James Beard Book of the Year Award

In the past two decades, with a general rise in disposable income and the elimination of travel taxes imposed on the struggling economy, Israelis have become open to new experiences in travel and food. After their two-year mandatory service in the Israel Defense Forces, many young Israeli soldiers go abroad, most frequently to travel in East Asia or Latin America and to spend some time working in the United States. Many of these young people return home with new culinary tastes, as did American Peace Corps volunteers in the 1960s. A number of them have become chefs, schooled in international cuisine and influential in the development of modern Israeli cooking.

Biblical Foods

Despite their global lifestyles, the new Israeli chefs still cultivate a link to the foods of the Old Testament. Grapes, dates, lentils, and chickpeas are but a few of the ancient ingredients that have captured their imaginations in producing signa­ture dishes. With constant waves of immigration, 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. It is also the story of a land that has overcome harsh natural deprivation to bring forth new agricultural produce. Because it constantly incorporates so much from the rest of the world, Israel may never boast of one “cuisine,” but it will always retain a rich mixture of fine tastes. It reflects the modern mosaic of the country, embracing the culinary influences of its Arab neighbors and accommodating the varied tastes of the world’s Jews.

This article is reprinted from The Foods of Israel Today.

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You Can Actually Make Your Own (Delicious) Gefilte Fish https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/you-can-actually-make-your-own-delicious-gefilte-fish/ https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/you-can-actually-make-your-own-delicious-gefilte-fish/#comments Tue, 05 Sep 2017 16:27:36 +0000 https://www.myjewishlearning.com/?post_type=nosher&p=117297 I grew up in a home where homemade gefilte fish was de rigueur for major Jewish holidays and many a ...

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I grew up in a home where homemade gefilte fish was de rigueur for major Jewish holidays and many a Shabbat: whitefish, pike, carp, grated onion and the fish bones and head to flavor the broth in which the fish balls were cooked. It was a recipe that was passed down from my Polish, Warsaw-based grandmother to my mother and then to me.

The recipe wasn’t hard to make. Make a broth of the bones, onion, carrot and celery, infused with kosher salt, a palm’s worth of sugar and lots and lots of black pepper. Boil it up until flavorful and then cook the fish in the roiling broth. Give it an hour or two and voila! Gefilte fish — round, ground fish balls — were yours for the taking, white and light, fluffy and sweetly seasoned, to be coupled with hot red chrain, the beet horseradish condiment that served as a counterpoint to the mildly flavored Eastern European delicacy.

Sounds easy, right? Well, it was. Probably as difficult as making meatballs in a bath of tomato sauce. What wasn’t easy was the smell it left in your home, the horrible, heavy scent that made your home NOT smell like home-sweet-home. It was a smell that, when you walked in the front door, forced you to say: “Open the windows!”

As Rosh Hashanah nears, and thoughts grow of the round fish balls that signify a full and plentiful year, I went in search of a 21st-century gefilte fish, a classic with a lightly scented twist. I wanted something equally as simple as the old school variety with a lighter, more pleasing flavor and perfume.

I found it in this updated American-style gefilte fish, made with sweet, white halibut and salmon – and no fish bones! It’s traditional but modern, a nod to the past and an embrace of how we eat and cook today.

The following recipe is printed with permission from “The Community Table and Stories from The Jewish Community Center in Manhattan & Beyond” by Katja Goldman, Judy Bernstein Bunzl and Lisa Rotmil. 

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history of gefilte fish passover food jewish story
Photo credit Brett Stevens via Getty Images

Homemade Salmon-Halibut Gefilte Fish

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

A traditional, yet modern, recipe that’s surprisingly simple to make.

  • Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 6-8

Ingredients

For the court bouillon (cooking broth):

  • 4 quarts water
  • ½ bunch fresh thyme
  • ½ bunch fresh flat leaf parsley
  • ¼ tsp whole black peppercorns
  • ¼ tsp whole fennel seeds
  • 2 ½ cups dry white wine
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch rounds
  • ½ lemon, cut into ¼-inch slices
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 Tbsp coarse salt

For the fish:

  • lb skinless filleted halibut
  • lb skinless filleted salmon
  • 2 medium onions, grated (about 1 cup)
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely grated (about ½ cup)
  • finely grated zest of 1 organic lemon
  • 1 Tbsp minced celery or minced fennel fronds
  • 3 extra-large eggs
  • 6 Tbsp matzah meal
  • 6  Tbsp water
  • 13 Tbsp sugar
  • 1½ Tbsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. For the court bouillon (cooking broth), fill a stockpot with the water. Place the thyme, parsley, peppercorns and fennel seeds in a small piece of cheesecloth, knot to enclose, and add to the stockpot. Add the wine, onion, carrot, lemon, bay leaves and salt.
  2. Cover the pot and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Remove the lid, and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Remove and discard the cheesecloth package.
  3. For the fish, cut the fillets into 1-inch pieces. Working in batches, pulse the fish in a food processor until roughly ground.
  4. Place the ground fish in a large bowl and add the onions, carrots, zest, celery or fennel fronds, eggs, matzah meal, water, sugar (to taste), salt and pepper. Mix until just combined. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  5. Fill a medium bowl with ice water. Wetting your hands in the water as you work, form ½-cup portions (3 to 4 ounces each) of the fish mixture into ovals or round balls. Bring the court bouillon to a gentle simmer.
  6. Add enough fish cakes to make one layer in the pot and poach until the fish turns opaque and its shape is set, about 3 minutes. Add the rest. Simmer, continuing to poach the fish until cooked through, 30 minutes.
  7. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the gefilte fish to cool in the bouillon, about 20 minutes.
  8. Remove the fish from the bouillon and transfer to a storage container. Ladle 2 Tbsp bouillon over the fish, cover the container and chill. Serve with your favorite horseradish.
  • Author: Katja Goldman, Judy Bernstein Bunzl and Lisa Rotmil
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes + 50 minutes chill
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Quick
  • Cuisine: Ashkenazi

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This Vegetarian Brisket Recipe Actually Tastes Like Meat https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/this-vegetarian-brisket-recipe-actually-tastes-like-meat/ https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/this-vegetarian-brisket-recipe-actually-tastes-like-meat/#comments Mon, 28 Aug 2017 20:37:39 +0000 https://www.myjewishlearning.com/?post_type=nosher&p=117107 Jackfruit is a vegetarian meat replacement with a loyal following. This is what it looks like: And this is what ...

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Jackfruit is a vegetarian meat replacement with a loyal following. This is what it looks like:

And this is what the flesh of the fruit looks like when it is removed from its thick, green, dragon-egg-like shell:

Jackfruit was originally cultivated in India, but is grown throughout tropical regions including Southeast Asia, South America, Australia and the Caribbean. But you don’t have to travel to the topics to find it — you can buy it in cans from Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. You can even find it fresh at many specialty fruit shops. And when it is cooked, it has an incredibly meaty, hearty taste and texture. It’s also low in calories, high in fiber and is considered an environmentally friendly food, since it is drought resistant.

After reading and researching about this wonder fruit, I thought jackfruit would make a great vegetarian (or vegan, if you omit the honey) brisket option.You can serve this entree for summer picnics and BBQs alongside buns and coleslaw, or save it for Shabbat dinners and holidays. It’s easy, satisfying meat-free deliciousness.

Note: This can be prepared 2-3 days ahead of time and heated through when ready to serve. 

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jackfruit brisket

Vegetarian Brisket Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.5 from 2 reviews

The plant-based don’t need to miss out this Passover!

  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 6-8

Ingredients

  • 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp honey (can also use maple syrup or agave if making dish vegan)
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup red wine (can also use grape juice or sweet kosher wine like Manischewitz)
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced, grated or pressed
  • 2 (20-oz) cans jackfruit, drained

Instructions

  1. Combine crushed tomatoes, brown sugar, honey, apple cider vinegar, water, wine, onion and garlic in a large pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil then add jackfruit.
  2. Reduce heat to low-medium and cover pot.
  3. Cook for 30 minutes over low-medium heat.
  4. Remove cover and test whether you can break up the jackfruit using the back of a wooden spoon. If the jackfruit isn’t tender enough to pull yet, cook it for another 15-20 minutes, or until tender.
  5. Serve warm.

Notes

This can be prepared 2-3 days ahead of time and heated through when ready to serve. 

  • Author: Shannon Sarna
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Category: Holiday
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Vegan

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25 Roast Chicken Recipes for Friday Night Dinner https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/25-roast-chicken-recipes-for-friday-night-dinner/ Thu, 03 Aug 2017 18:31:09 +0000 https://www.myjewishlearning.com/?post_type=nosher&p=116484 Having chicken on Friday night is an ingrained tradition for Eastern European families. Good roasted chicken doesn’t require many ingredients, and ...

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Having chicken on Friday night is an ingrained tradition for Eastern European families. Good roasted chicken doesn’t require many ingredients, and it feeds a crowd, making it an obvious choice. And back in Eastern Europe, red meat was expensive and not as readily accessible; it was generally reserved for more special occasions like holidays. Food writer and cookbook author Ronnie Fein shares, “Shabbat was one of the few times the Jews, who were poor, could indulge in chicken. The rest of the week would be potatoes, vegetables and grains.”

According to Joan Nathan, while Jews have been serving chicken for Friday night dinner since the Middle Ages, it is a relatively recent occurrence that Friday night chicken has become roasted chicken.

Historically, Jews simmered the chicken with rice or made a tagine or fricassee of it. Ashkenazi Jews would boil it, serving the soup as a first course and cutting off the breasts to make cutlets for the Shabbat main dish.

Today chicken is still common (and delicious) to serve on Friday night, and while even the best of us love a good, simple roast chicken, we also crave some variety. So here are 25 totally delicious, different wonderful recipes to try all year round.

Photo credit Emily Goodstein

  1. One Pan Roast Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots
  2. Roast Chicken with Lemon and Thyme from Kosher Camembert
  3. Roast Chicken with Fresh Pineapple
  4. Cranberry Balsamic Roast Chicken from Cotter Crunch
  5. Pomegranate BBQ Chicken from Kitchen-Tested
  6. Honey Harissa Roast Chicken
  7. Beer Can Roasted Chicken from Cooking Glory
  8. Roasted Chicken with Autumn Vegetables
  9. Simple Spatchcock Chicken
  10. Braised Barley Wine Chicken from Nosherium
  11. Coconut Pot Roasted Chicken from Recipe Tin Eats
  12. Citrus Herb Roast Chicken (with video!)
  13. Peri Peri Roast Chicken from Delicious Magazine
  14. Pomegranate and Honey Glazed Chicken
  15. Honey Horseradish Roasted Chicken
  16. Shabbat Chicken with Dried Fruit
  17. Ina Garten’s Engagement Roast Chicken
  18. One Pot Greek Oven-Roasted Chicken from Super Golden Bakes
  19. Seasoned Spatchcock Chicken with Za’atar Potatoes from What’s for Dinner Esq. 
  20. Baked Chicken with Fig Orange Balsamic Sauce from Ronnie Fein
  21. Oven Roasted Sweet and Sticky Chicken from Don’t Waste the Crumbs
  22. Beer Roasted Chicken with Chipotle Chimichurri from The Artful Desperado
  23. Maple Mustard Roasted Chicken from Tales of an Overtime Cook
  24. Roasted Shabbat Chicken with Spring Vegetables from What Jew Wanna Eat
  25. Za’atar Sheet Pan Chicken with Cauliflower and Chickpeas

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How to Make Chopped Liver https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/how-to-make-chopped-liver/ https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/how-to-make-chopped-liver/#comments Thu, 23 Mar 2017 15:50:34 +0000 https://www.myjewishlearning.com/?post_type=nosher&p=113118 This classic recipe is surprisingly easy to make from scratch.

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Chopped liver is a staple on holiday tables during Passover and Rosh Hashanah, as well as served up deliciously at Jewish delis across the country. It is a beloved, old-world dish born out of the desire to use every part of the animal — even the livers. And so its origins are quite humble. Still, the result of the livers with fried onions, oil or schmaltz, and either eggs or vegetables is a super rich spread fit for a king. (Also, it’s really quite easy to make!)

I think the secret to great chopped liver is lots of fried onions, a little bit of schmaltz and not over-broiling the livers. According to rules of kashrut livers, must be fully cooked. But if you cook them exactly the right amount of time, or just slightly under, the liver result is much richer than if you over-broil them and dry them out.

You can buy schmaltz (chicken fat) in most grocery stores or butcher shops, but it is also very easy to make. The basic method is to cook pieces of chicken skin and fat in a pan with a little water and lots of onions very low and slow until the fat is release. Strain the fat, and it’s ready for chopped liver! The bits of onion and fried chicken skin are known as gribenes and are absolutely delicious eaten on the side. Think of them like Jewish pork rinds.

Follow this simple, classic recipe and you’ll be schmearing chopped liver before you know it. We love it on pletzl, an Ashkenazi flatbread topped with onion and poppy seeds.

If you have non-meat eaters in your midst, this vegan chopped liver with mushrooms and miso is just as rich and flavorful as the real deal. And this simple mock chopped liver recipe with mushroom and walnuts is a cinch to whip up.

Note: The chopped liver can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to four days.

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chopped liver recipe jewish passover Rosh Hashanah
Photo credit Shannon Sarna

Chopped Liver

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.2 from 5 reviews

This classic chopped liver recipe is surprisingly easy to make from scratch!

  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4-6

Ingredients

  • 1 lb raw chicken livers (or buy already broiled from butcher)
  • 23 Tbsp olive oil or schmaltz
  • 2 onions, sliced
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • -½ cup sweet wine or brandy
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
  • fresh thyme
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. If livers are raw, set oven to broil. Place livers on a baking sheet lined with foil in a single layer.
  2. Broil until livers are just no longer pink in the middle, about 3-4 minutes each side. Allow to cool slightly.
  3. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add 2-3 Tbsp olive oil or schmaltz. Add onions and cook for 15-20 minutes, until onions are browned.
  4. Place livers, half the onions, ¼ cup olive oil,  cup sweet wine or brandy and the leaves of 2-3 fresh thyme sprigs into a food processor fitted with blade. Pulse a few times.
  5. Taste, adding around ¼ tsp salt and  tsp pepper. Add more to taste. You can also add more wine or brandy at this point depending on desired consistency and taste. Pulse a few more times.
  6. Scoop liver mixture into a large bowl. Fold in chopped hard boiled eggs and the other half of the fried onions. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh thyme, if desired.

Notes

The chopped liver can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to four days.

  • Author: Shannon Sarna
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Ashkenazi

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Kreplach Recipe: Jewish Dumplings You Can Make at Home https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/kreplach-recipe-jewish-dumplings-you-can-make-at-home/ Tue, 07 Mar 2017 19:40:23 +0000 https://www.myjewishlearning.com/?post_type=nosher&p=112210 I have always loved kreplach but was too intimidated to try and make them from scratch on my own. Lucky ...

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I have always loved kreplach but was too intimidated to try and make them from scratch on my own. Lucky for me (and you) one of our writers, cookbook author Ronnie Fein, has a kreplach expertise and was kind enough to show us, along with our fellow blogger Liz Rueven, how to do it on video.

Watch below for her tips and tricks, or see the full recipe below. You can also try this recipe from Joan Nathan.

 

Ronnie Fein’s Meat Kreplach Recipe

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Meatballs with Tahini and Tomatoes Recipe https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/meatballs-with-tahini-and-tomatoes-recipe/ https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/meatballs-with-tahini-and-tomatoes-recipe/#respond Tue, 21 Feb 2017 14:23:22 +0000 https://www.myjewishlearning.com/?p=107734 Tahini is a remarkably versatile ingredient. Its rich, nutty flavor adds unique character to everything from cookies, to roasted veggies, ...

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Tahini is a remarkably versatile ingredient. Its rich, nutty flavor adds unique character to everything from cookies, to roasted veggies, raw veggie salads and simmer sauces. For tahini newbies, be patient when you’re mixing tahini with water and lemon. Go for the right texture first, adding more water and lemon until the sauce is pourable. The paste will turn from beige to white-ish, letting you know that you are heading in the right direction. Season with fresh minced garlic and whichever green herb you like best.

This tahini sauce can be stored in a sealed container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Add more water or lemon juice if it thickens up.

It’s not uncommon to find meatballs or fish fillets simmered in tahini when dining in Israel. To avoid having the sauce seize up, I’ve cooked these meatballs on the stovetop and layered them with tahini in an oven-to-table casserole. Stick the casserole under the broiler just long enough to relax the tomatoes and reheat the meatballs. Be sure to garnish generously as this dish needs a pop of color to brighten the creamy sauce.

A note about this recipe: The tahini will turn a bit golden and appear thickened after being exposed to the broiler. Fear not! Once you spoon the sauce it will be deliciously runny. Serve these meatballs over brown rice or couscous and enjoy the broiled tomatoes. For a complete meal, serve with chopped Israeli style salad or wok your favorite green veggie (broccoli, bok choy or spinach) and serve alongside these delicious meatballs.

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Meatballs with Tahini

Meatballs with Tahini and Tomatoes

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No reviews

An easy but flavorful weeknight dinner.

  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 36 meatballs

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

  • 2 lbs chopped beef or combination of beef and lamb
  • 2 eggs, whisked
  • 1 medium onion, minced or grated
  • ½ cup fresh parsley, stems removed and chopped. Reserve 1 Tbsp for garnish.
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • ¼ tsp allspice
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 68 twists of black pepper (ground)
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced. Reserve 1 tsp for tahini sauce (see recipe below).
  • ½ cups bread crumbs
  • 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or chopped tomato
  • 3 Tbsp canola oil (for frying)

For the tahini sauce: 

  • 1½ cups tahini
  • 4 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed (save some zest for garnish)
  • 1 cup cold water
  • 1 Tbsp (reserved) fresh garlic
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. First, make the meatballs. Place chopped beef in a large bowl. Add grated onion, eggs, parsley, garlic, all dried seasonings and bread crumbs. Mix meat gently until well-integrated. Do not over-mix. (Grated onion integrates better into meatballs than chopped onion. Be sure to use the juice that collects when grating.The extra liquid helps to keep meatballs soft.)
  2. Form into meatballs, rolling between your palms and dampening your hands if the meat sticks. Flatten meatballs with back of a tablespoon to facilitate more even cooking.
  3. Heat oil to medium/high in large cast iron or nonstick pan.
  4. Fry meatballs 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn and brown second side. Do not crowd meatballs in pan. Fry in 2-3 batches as needed. Remove meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate.
  5. Next, make the tahini sauce. Whisk all ingredients together in a large bowl until well blended. The texture should be very loose, almost watery.
  6. Next, preheat the broiler.
  7. In an ovenproof casserole (Pyrex 10×16 or 2 casseroles) pour 1 cup blended tahini into bottom of pan (or pans) and nestle meatballs into pans. Meatballs should be in one layer. Pour remaining tahini over the meatballs.
  8. Place chopped tomatoes on top of meatballs and scatter into the tahini (this doesn’t have to be perfect). Place under broiler for 3-4 minutes until tomatoes begin to sizzle.
  9. Serve meatballs directly from the oven, sprinkled with remaining parsley and some lemon zest (if desired).
  • Author: Liz Rueven
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: Israeli

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The Most Outrageous Matzah Ball Soup Recipe https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/the-most-outrageous-matzah-ball-soup-recipe/ Wed, 15 Feb 2017 18:32:09 +0000 https://www.myjewishlearning.com/?p=107384 A few years ago when I was out in Los Angeles visiting my family, my brother insisted we head to ...

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A few years ago when I was out in Los Angeles visiting my family, my brother insisted we head to Canter’s Deli, an iconic Jewish deli that has been around since 1931. I am never one to turn down some good Jewish comfort food, and was thrilled to order a big bowl of matzah ball soup on a cool, rainy December night to share with my then 2 year old daughter. The bowl was filled to the brim with not only a larger-than-life matzah ball, but kreplach, rice and noodles. That’s right – it was a matzah ball carb fest, and it was glorious.

Since that visit, I have been loading up my matzah ball soup with rice and matzah balls, sometimes alphabet noodles or ramen noodles per my daughter’s request, and even awesome store-bought dumplings. If you are feeling adventurous, you can certainly try making your own meat kreplach. Although I have been opting for these store-bought Kosher’us veal or beef pelmeni I buy at Shop Rite or our local kosher butcher.

The key to making a good loaded matzo ball soup is to keep all the ingredients separate until serving. After making soup, remove the veggies and the chicken and store them in separate containers until ready to serve.

Or if you decide to use store-bought chicken broth, cook your rice, noodles and matzah balls separately, and then build the bowl of soup for each individual.  This is truly the ultimate Jewish comfort food on a cool night, or any time you need a little chicken soup love.

Loaded Matzah Ball Soup

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Vegetarian Yemenite Soup Recipe https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/vegetarian-yemenite-soup-recipe/ https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/vegetarian-yemenite-soup-recipe/#comments Wed, 04 Jan 2017 12:00:25 +0000 https://www.myjewishlearning.com/?p=106073 One of the things I like most about Sephardic food is the enveloping aroma of warm spices that just screams ...

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One of the things I like most about Sephardic food is the enveloping aroma of warm spices that just screams comfort food. It’s like a cure for everything, from physical to mental.

Besides the Jewish-Lebanese-Syrian food we ate at home, we were exposed to a variety of different Sephardic cuisines. The first time we tasted a Yemenite soup was seven years ago, and we still remember the warming comforting spiced broth, that we could not get enough of.

Yemenite soup is typically made with hawaij, a spice mix that combines black pepper, cumin, cardamom, cloves, turmeric and coriander.  For the Yemenite Vegetarian soup we made today, we used a mixture of turmeric, cumin, coriander and black pepper. We added a whole bunch of veggies and some enoki mushrooms for texture.  The result is a warming, comforting and satisfying soup perfect for any occasion.

If you have a particular spice you love, or feel like getting creative, you can absolutely play around with the basic hawaij and make it your own!

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Vegetarian Yemenite Soup.

Vegetarian Yemenite Soup Recipe

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No reviews

Yemenite soup is typically made with hawaij, a spice mix that combines black pepper, cumin, cardamom, cloves, turmeric and coriander.  We added a whole bunch of veggies and some enoki mushrooms for texture.  The result is a warming, comforting and satisfying soup perfect for any occasion.

  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: Serves 6-8

Ingredients

  • 1 medium celeriac (celery root), cubed (about 3 cups), divided
  • 45 medium carrots, sliced (about 2 cups)
  • 1½ cups cubed butternut squash
  • 1 medium onion, cut into eight pieces (about 1 cup)
  • 1 medium parsnip, sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, cubed (about 1 cup)
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • 10 oz enoki mushrooms, roots removed

Instructions

  1. Combine half the celery root, the carrots, onions and garlic in the food processor and pulse until chopped very small.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Add chopped vegetables and cook over medium high heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently.
  3. Add tomato paste, salt, turmeric, cumin, coriander and pepper and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
  4. Add 8 cups water, bring to a boil and add the rest of the celery root, butternut squash and the potatoes.
  5. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 35-40 minutes.
  6. Remove from heat. Add enoki mushrooms and let it sit, covered for 5-10 minutes. Enjoy!
  • Author: Vicky Cohen and Ruth Fox
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Yemenite
  • Diet: Vegetarian

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9 Latke Recipes That Don’t Use Potatoes https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/9-non-potato-latkes-for-hanukkah/ Thu, 22 Dec 2016 12:00:37 +0000 https://www.myjewishlearning.com/?p=105592 From the beginning, latkes were always open to interpretation. Need proof? In Yiddish, the definition of latke is ‘little oily ...

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From the beginning, latkes were always open to interpretation. Need proof? In Yiddish, the definition of latke is ‘little oily thing,’ which widens up our latke schema considerably.

In fact, it wasn’t until the late 1500s that potatoes arrived in Europe from South America. Thus, the history of creative, non-potato latkes recipes runs deep. So if you’re interested in latkes but you can’t stomach any more Yukon Gold, just grate some beets, cauliflower, or carrots, or fry up some cheese!

title image

Plantain latkes with avocado crema (above)

Indian-spiced cauliflower latkes with cilantro chutney

Broccoli stem latkes

Ramen latkes with Sriracha mayo

Cheese latkes

Colorful veggie latkes

Gingered sweet potato latkes

Curried sweet potato latkes

Healthy spinach latkes

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Apple Potato Latkes Recipe with Tahini Silan Sauce https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/apple-potato-latkes-recipe-with-tahini-silan-sauce/ Fri, 16 Dec 2016 17:00:05 +0000 https://www.myjewishlearning.com/?p=105700 Can you think of a better marriage between two traditions? An Ashkenazi Hanukkah favorite paired with the Middle Eastern Sephardic ...

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Can you think of a better marriage between two traditions? An Ashkenazi Hanukkah favorite paired with the Middle Eastern Sephardic flavors of dates and tahini. Talk about a match made in heaven!

But the truth is, everyone loves latkes, regardless of their background. There’s something about the crispy, shredded potatoes that no one can resist. And even though we didn’t grow up eating them (it was all about sufganiyot for us), we make them for our family every year…and not only during Hanukkah!

This year we wanted to go the sweet route, since we’ve always made savory latkes. We added Gala apples, cinnamon and cardamom to the batter. The simple yet delicious dipping sauce combines tahini and silan, a sweet, dark amber-colored syrup made from dates and water.

The inspiration for this sauce comes from a tahini-silan spread our parents used to eat when we were kids. They would serve it on a plate with big pieces of pita or French baguette. Consider it the Middle Eastern PB&J!

Apple Potato Latkes 2

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How to Make Grilled Cheese Latkes https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/how-to-make-grilled-cheese-latkes/ Wed, 14 Dec 2016 16:19:59 +0000 https://www.myjewishlearning.com/?p=105623 Around these parts we love latkes that think outside the box: ramen noodle latkes, plantain latkes and even cauliflower latkes just ...

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Around these parts we love latkes that think outside the box: ramen noodle latkes, plantain latkes and even cauliflower latkes just to name a few.

But there are few things more indulgent and drool-worthy than a grilled cheese latke sandwich. And since it is traditional to eat dairy and fried foods for Hanukkah, making one of these melty masterpieces is practically a mitzvah.

Check out our short video on how to create your own cheesy Hanukkah sandwich. For the full recipe for this ooey gooey goodness check out Melinda’s full recipe here. Also make sure to check out Melinda’s blog Kitchen-Tested to check out some of her other drool-worthy dishes.

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5 Chicken Soup Crockpot Recipes https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/5-chicken-soup-crockpot-recipes/ Mon, 07 Nov 2016 14:53:33 +0000 https://www.myjewishlearning.com/?p=104484 Sit back and relax, forget slaving over a hot stove and set your slow cooker for one of these delicious chicken soup recipes.

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Is there anything more satisfying or comforting than a hearty, homemade bowl of chicken soup? Well yes, and it’s when your chicken soup was made in a crockpot and you didn’t have to do any of the hard work.

So sit back and relax, forget slaving over a hot stove and set your slow cooker for one of these delicious chicken soup recipes.

Crockpot matzo ball soup from Tablespoon

The best crockpot chicken noodle soup from Family Fresh Meals

Slow cooker chicken tortilla soup from The Pioneer Woman

Crockpot chicken zoodle soup from Dashing Dish

Crockpot chicken veggie quinoa soup from Chelsea’s Messy Apron

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Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread Recipe https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/aunt-jeannies-chocolate-chip-mandel-bread-recipe/ https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/aunt-jeannies-chocolate-chip-mandel-bread-recipe/#comments Mon, 07 Nov 2016 11:00:25 +0000 https://www.myjewishlearning.com/?p=103930 Bite into these heavenly biscuits with melty chocolate for an instant mood-lift.

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I was the only person in Miss Duckler’s kindergarten class without a sibling. I had wished so long for a sister. But I had also wished on a star for a Baby Alive doll, and that never came true. So when my Aunt Jeannie picked me up from school and shared the birth of my sister April, I couldn’t really believe it. I started cheering, and skipping in circles. “I have a sister, I have a sister!”

As we drove off in her silver El Dorado Cadillac, I was dying with anticipation. I wanted to see what April looked like, hold her, and be one of the first voices she heard. Breaking the news that we would have to wait till morning before we could go to the hospital, Jeannie pulled out a bag of her just baked chocolate chip mandel bread. “They’re still warm,” she said, trying to comfort me. 

Biting into the heavenly biscuits, still warm, with puddles of melted chocolate, my mood lifted.

When we arrived at her house, she led me to her secret freezer — “The Just In Case.” The just in case was hidden in the back of the basement and it was only to be opened on very, very special occasions. It was stocked with decorative cookies and cakes that we feasted on. When my belly was full, she taught me how to measure, whip and separate eggs so we could re-stock for future festivities.

She also taught me the magic of transforming recipes using swaps from her bag of tricks, even though I never saw an actual bag. “If you are missing a couple of ingredients and can’t get to the store, or if you wanted to lighten the sugar, butter or dairy content in a recipe to make it a little healthier and a little more waistline friendly, I have all the tricks!” my aunt boasted. When I left Aunt Jeannie’s house, I not only had a new baby sister, but several baking secrets — many of which were top secret and could be used for baking desserts on nights that meat was served.

Recipe reprinted with permission from “My Fat Dad, A Memoir, of Food Love and Family with Recipes” by Dawn Lerman.

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Mandel bread Mandelbrot jewish cookie

Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread Recipe

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The perfect bite.

  • Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
  • Yield: 28

Ingredients

  • 3 cups of flour (plus more for kneading)
  • 1½ tsp aluminum-free baking powder
  • ¼ tsp of salt
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup melted butter or oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp almond extract or orange juice
  • ½ cup of chocolate chips, semi-sweet
  • butter, oil or parchment paper for the baking sheet

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. In another bowl, combine the beaten eggs and sugar until smooth. Whisk in the butter or oil, the vanilla extract and the almond extract or orange juice and then pour into the dry ingredients until in turns into dough. Then stir in the chocolate chips. Make into a large ball and chill in a glass bowl covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
  2. Grease a baking sheet or cover with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350°F.
  3. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and wait 5 minutes so the dough is more pliable. Coat your hands with flour and remove the dough from the bowl. Knead the dough, and divide into two pieces. Form each piece into a roll about 3 inches wide. Place the rolls side by side onto the prepared baking sheet. They should stretch the length of the sheet.
  4. Bake 20 minutes at 350°F, until the rolls have started to turn brown. Then reduce the heat to 250°F and bake for another 15 minutes.
  5. Remove the rolls from the oven onto a rack. Let cool about 10 minutes, until cool enough to handle. Then slice them diagonally about every ½ inch. Return the cookies to the baking sheet and lay them flat. Return to the oven and bake until lightly golden, about 30 minutes at 250°F. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before serving. The cookies will get crunchier as they cool.
  • Author: Dawn Lerman
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes + 2 hours chill time
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Ashkenazi

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One-Pot Chicken Soup with Seasonal Vegetables Recipe https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/one-pot-chicken-soup-with-seasonal-vegetables-recipe/ https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/one-pot-chicken-soup-with-seasonal-vegetables-recipe/#respond Thu, 13 Oct 2016 13:53:22 +0000 https://www.myjewishlearning.com/?p=103821 My mother-in-law, Lee, introduced me to this wonderful recipe, and it’s the perfect thing to serve for Sukkot. I put ...

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My mother-in-law, Lee, introduced me to this wonderful recipe, and it’s the perfect thing to serve for Sukkot. I put everything into one pot, let it cook slowly on the stovetop, and enjoy the delightful aroma until the soup is done. There is no easier or more delicious way to eat.

I always use vegetables that are in season. Here, I included sweet potatoes, fennel, onions and chicken drumsticks. The fennel lends a mysterious, rich flavor. I also added a splash of wine, a big bunch of fresh dill, and lots of salt and pepper.

Make this recipe your own. Use any chicken parts you prefer, or even a whole bird. Add zucchini, tomatoes, spinach, or mushrooms to make the soup as heavy or as light as you wish. If you love garlic, throw some into the pot. If you don’t have fresh herbs, use dried ones. You can’t go wrong.

This recipe is excerpted from “The New Kosher” by Kim Kushner.

Note: You can freeze this soup for up to six weeks. To serve, thaw in the fridge overnight, then transfer to a pot, place over medium heat and heat until hot.

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chicken soup
Photo credit Sheri Silver

One-Pot Chicken Soup

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This chicken soup requires minimal clean up and utilizes seasonal veggies.

  • Total Time: 2 hours
  • Yield: 8-10

Ingredients

  • 6 skin-on, bone-in chicken drumsticks or other pieces of your choice, about lb (750 g)
  • 2 yellow onions, cut into chunks
  • 1 large Garnet yam, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored and cut into chunks
  • 1 bunch fresh dill, roughly chopped
  • splash of white wine (optional)
  • kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, combine the chicken, onions, yam, fennel, dill and wine, and season with salt and pepper. Add enough cold water to cover. Place over high heat and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until the vegetables break up easily with a fork, 1½-2 hours.
  2. Remove the chicken from the pot. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones, discarding the skin and bones, and cut the meat into bite-sized pieces. Return the meat to the pot. If you’d like the soup a little thicker, place the pot over high heat, bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until thickened to your liking, 10-15 minutes. Taste and season as necessary.
  • Author: Kim Kushner
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: One-Pot
  • Cuisine: Ashkenazi

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