Recipes

From Cooking Jewish: 532 Great Recipes from the Rabinowitz Family (Workman) by Judy Bart Kancigor
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Rosh HashanahMy mother got this recipe from her friend Corinne in Nova Scotia. I remember visiting with them the summer before I turned fourteen, when I absolutely refused to go to sleep-away camp anymore. I traveled with my parents as they sang their way through the Catskills and Berkshires and then ferried up to Nova Scotia. The most memorable part of the trip for me was the arrival of Princess Margaret, who almost killed herself stepping out of her shoe as she exited the helicopter. For my mother, the most impressive moment was when Corinne sent her mother out into the yard to dig up potatoes for our dinner.

from "The Essential Book of Jewish Festival Cooking" by Phyllis Glazer and Miriyam Glazer

Serves 6

If your stovetop is electric, the next-best thing is to broil the eggplants on an oven rack close to the broiler element until blacked, turning occasionally. Place a parchment-lined pan under them to keep the oven clean. Serve with challah, hot pita, toast, or crackers.

4 pounds eggplant (about 3 large)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste
Seeds of one pomegranate
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves (optional)
3 to 4 tablespoons chopped green onions and/or sliced radishes

Wash and dry eggplants. Cut a hole in middle of three large squares of aluminum foil to form “collars” for three stovetop gas burners. (This will help alleviate cleanup.) If you have them, place a rack over each burner to hold the eggplant. (Cooling racks may also be used).

Put an eggplant on each one of the burners and roast over medium heat, turning occasionally, until blackened on all sides. Use two large kitchen spoons to transfer one eggplant at a time to a cutting board. Let cool until easy to handle.

Slice each eggplant in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scrape out insides. Discard skin. Hand-chop eggplant flesh with a chopping knife until there are no coarse lumps or strips, then transfer to a bowl. (Don’t be tempted to use a blender or food processor for this recipe – they destroy the texture.)

Using a fork, mix in the lemon juice and pomegranate seeds, then gently whisk in the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour onto a large plate and garnish with chopped mint in the middle and chopped green onions or radish slices over the rest.

from "The Essential Book of Jewish Festival Cooking" by Phyllis Glazer and Miriyam Glazer"

Makes one 12-inch loaf or two 9-inch loaves

If there is one food on everyone’s Rosh Hashanah menu, it’s honey cake. One of the Seven Species of the Bible, honey symbolizes the wish for a sweet New Year. “Inspired by the Romanian-Jewish honey cake – which is light rather than dark – this version is light as a feather and really delicious. It’s certainly the best honey cake we’ve ever tasted,” write Phyllis and Miriyam Glazer.

1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups honey
6 large eggs, separated
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of ground cardamom
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup sugar

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 12-inch loaf pan or two 9-inch loaf pans. Line bottom and sides with parchment paper to facilitate removal after baking. Set aside.

Place chopped nuts in a baking pan and roast in oven for 10 minutes, shaking pan occasionally. Remove from oven and let cool.

Lower heat to 300°F.

In bowl of a standing electric mixer, beat oil, honey, egg yolks, and spices. Sift flour and baking powder and blend into honey mixture until smooth.

In separate bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add sugar gradually, continuing to beat until egg whites are stiff. Fold a small amount of egg whites into honey mixture, then fold in the rest gradually, mixing gently each time until incorporated Stir in nuts.

From “Jewish Holiday Feasts” by Louis Fiszer and Jeannette Ferrary

4 cups cored and coarsely chopped ripe pears (5-6 pears)
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped blanched almonds
Confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 10-inch round cake pan.

Combine pears and sugar in medium bowl and let stand 15 minutes.

Combine oil with eggs and add to pears.

In another bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon zest, baking soda and salt. Stir into pear mixture. Add vanilla and almonds.

Pour into prepared pan and bake until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool on a rack about 20 minutes before turning out. Invert onto a serving platter and dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Serves 12

from Sweet Myrtle and Bitter Honey: The Mediterranean Flavors of Sardinia
(Rizzoli International) by Efisio Farris with Jim Eber.

Makes 12 to 16 pastries

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 whole egg and 2 egg yolks, divided
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups fresh sheep's milk ricotta cheese (or other creamy ricotta cheese, about 3/4 pound)
1/2 cup sugar
Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
Zest of 1 orange, finely grated
1/2 cup bitter honey
Vegetable oil for frying
Powdered sugar for dusting

On a clean workspace, mound the flour with a well in the center. Sprinkle the salt evenly over the flour. Add the whole egg and 3/4 cup warm water into the well and gradually mix into the flour with your Hands. When the mixture begins to come together, add the olive oil and knead to fully incorporate. Cover dough with a cloth and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, sugar, egg yolks, and zests.

On a lightly floured workspace, roll out the dough to a rectable about 1/4 inch thick. Using a sharp paring knife or a large cookie cutter, cut into 3-inch-diamter rounds. Reroll the scraps and cut again as necessary. You should end up with between 24 and 32 rounds.

Set aside half of the rounds. With the remaining rounds, lightly mound about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture into the center of each. Top with the other dough rounds and lightly press edgees together, crimping edges with a fork to seal. Lightly dust the ravioli with flour to prevent sticking and set aside.

In a saucepan over low heat, warm the bitter honey.

from "A Feast from the Mideast" by Faye Levy
as seen in the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles
story by Judy Bart Kancigor

Makes 4 servings.

1 to 2 tablespoons honey
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime or lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
1 banana
2 peaches or ripe pears
2 cups halved or quartered fresh figs
1 cup plump, good quality dates, such as Medjool or very soft, fresh Barhi
1 to 2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted

1. Mix 1 tablespoon honey with 1 tablespoon lime juice and water in serving bowl. Peel and slice bananas; add to bowl.
2. Cut peaches or pears in wedges and add them. Add figs and dates. Mix gently. Add remaining honey and lime juice if you like. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. Serve topped with almonds.

from "A Feast from the Mideast" by Faye Levy
as seen in the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles
story by Judy Bart Kancigor

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

8 to 12 whole dried apricots, plus 1/2 cup diced dried apricots
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, minced
1 1/2 cups white basmati rice, rinsed and drained
2 1/2 cups hot water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup slivered or whole blanched almonds, toasted

1. Put whole apricots in bowl and cover with water. Leave them to soak while rice cooks.
2. To cook rice, heat 2 tablespoons oil in large saucepan. Add onion and cook over low heat for seven minutes, or until soft but not brown, stirring occasionally. Add rice, diced apricots, 2 1/2 cups hot water, salt and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and cook over low heat, without stirring, for 18 minutes, or until rice is just tender and liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat. Cover rice and let it stand for 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, transfer apricot soaking liquid to very small saucepan. Add sugar and stir to blend. Cut the whole apricots in two if they are large and add to saucepan. Add enough water to barely cover the apricots. Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat for three minutes, or until apricots are just tender.
4. Fluff rice very gently with a fork. Mound on a platter and garnish with toasted almonds. Remove poached apricots from liquid with a slotted spoon and set them on rice. Serve hot.

from "A Feast from the Mideast" by Faye Levy
as seen in the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles
story by Judy Bart Kancigor

Makes 4 servings.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 1/2 pounds chicken pieces, rinsed and patted dry
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 to 2 cups walnuts
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (optional)
1 1/2 to 2 cups pomegranate juice or 1/3 to 1/2 cup pomegranate paste
1/2 cup water or chicken broth (if using pomegranate juice), or 1 1/2 cups water or broth (if using paste)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons tomato paste or 3 to 4 tablespoons tomato sauce (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cardamom, or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, or to taste
1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice, or to taste
1 to 2 teaspoons sugar, or to taste
1/3 to 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley (optional)
A few toasted walnuts (optional)

1 pound broad or medium noodles
1 cup sugar
1 pound cottage cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup white raisins
7 eggs, beaten
3 cups milk
1 pint sour cream
1/4 pound melted butter or margarine

TOPPING

1/2 cup corn flakes, crumbled
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon sugar

1. Cook noodles according to package directions.
2. Combine the remaining ingredients well in a large bowl. Add the
   noodles and combine. Poor into a large baking pan and refrigerate at
   least 4 hours or overnight. It will appear loose before refrigeration,
   but will set when chilled.
3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Mix topping ingredients and sprinkle over pudding. Dot with butter
   and bake for 1 1/2 hours or until golden brown. Serves 15 to 20.
   Freezes well.

Source: Sarah Entin

1 pkg. yellow cake mix, pareve (nondairy) for meat meals
1/2 C. water or apple juice
1/4 C. vegetable oil or applesauce
1/4 C. honey
4 eggs
1/2 C. chopped nuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan. Beat together all ingredients except nuts in large bowl at low speed for 30 seconds, then at medium for two minutes. Fold in nuts.
3. Pour into pan and bake according to package directions.

Golden Sauce For Honey Cake

1/2 C. packed brown sugar
1/4 C. honey
1/2 C. orange juice
2 T. margarine

Simmer all ingredients in saucepan for five minutes or until sugar dissolves.

Source: Laura Milhander