Chapter 4
Modern Classics
Modern Classics
Here you will find many of the dishes you would expect in a kosher cookbook. From blintzes to borsht and kugel to Challah, these are the recipes of Jewish heritage passed down through the generations, primarily via the matriarch of the family. No two families’ recipes are the same, as they were never written down and each cook used their own ‘secret’ ingredients. Measurements were vague and often included ‘using a little bit of this and a little bit of that’.
I have taken the food that we like to eat, particularly at festivals and on Shabbat and, whilst remaining loyal to the classic versions, I have added modern ingredients and techniques to reflect changing food fashions.
It is so important to teach your children to cook so that these family heirlooms do not disappear. The family that cooks and eats together stays together and, for Jewish families around the world, this is still a very important aspect of our culture.
Modern Classics
• Shredded roast lamb and rosemary salad
• Chicken goujons with BBQ sauce
• Chicken tagine with citrus couscous
• Duet of fish balls – boiled fish balls/salmon fried fish balls
Hot or Cold Borsht
V GLUTEN-FREE
Borsht is a favourite Ashkenazi soup, and as with chicken soup every family has its own version. My uncle tells great stories about how my great-grandparents, who lived in the East End of London, used to make borsht with the leaves and stalks cut up, and during the summer it was served with cream but in the winter it was left outside the kitchen door to chill.
I suggest that you use fresh beetroots for the sweetest results although vacuum-packed non-vinegar beetroots will also do.
Beetroot is considered a ‘super food’; it contains betaine, a substance that relaxes the mind, and tryptophan, which is also found in chocolate and contributes to a sense of wellbeing. So enjoy the special qualities of this burgundy coloured hot or cold soup topped with some sour cream.
Info
• Preparation Time: 30 minutes
• Cooking Time: 50 minutes, if serving cold, add 4 hours cooling time
• Serves: 6
Ingredients
• 500g/1 lb raw beetroot, peeled
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 200g/7 oz red cabbage, finely shredded
• 1 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
• 4 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 6 salad tomatoes, peeled and deseeded
• 1 litre/1¾ pints/4 cups vegetable stock
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Garnish: 250ml/9 fl oz/1 cup sour cream, sprigs of fresh dill
Method
• Grate the beetroot in a food processor. Be careful as the juices do stain.
• Heat the oil in a large pan and sauté the beetroot, cabbage, onion, and garlic for about 10 minutes to soften.
• Add the potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, stock and lemon juice. Bring to the boil and simmer for 40 minutes or until the vegetables are all soft.
• Purée in a liquidiser until smooth.
• Add the sugar and check seasoning.
• Serve straight away or leave to cool for a minimum of 4 hours or refrigerate overnight and serve cold.
To serve the stylish way: Ladle the soup into deep bowls and garnish with a generous spoonful of sour cream and a sprinkling of fresh dill.
Purim Challah
PAREV V
For Purim there are many festival recipes which relate to the story of Esther and her Uncle Mordechai – Purim challah is one of them. It is known as ‘keylitsh’ (Kulich) in Russian and this particular style of challah tends to be over-sized and extensively plaited. The plaits/braids are said to remind us of the rope used to hang the evil Haman. On a lighter note, I like to include raisins in the dough and to decorate it with colourful sprinkles.
Chef’s Tip: All bread can be frozen.
Info
• Preparation Time: 10 minutes plus 2 hours to rise, plus 20 minutes for proving
• Cooking Time: 20 minutes
• Makes: 2 large loaves
Ingredients
• 2 × 7g/¼ oz packets dried yeast
• 2 tsp salt
• 250ml/9 fl oz/1 cup warm water (100ml/3½ fl oz, followed by the rest)
• 675g/1½ lb strong white bread flour
• 2 tbsp clear honey
• 100ml/3½ fl oz vegetable oil
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 50g/2 oz/¼ cup raisins
• 2 eggs
To glaze
• 2 eggs yolks, ½ tsp water
• To decorate: 2 tbsp honey mixed with 1 tbsp boiling water, 2–3 tbsp colourful sprinkles
Method
• Mix together the yeast, salt and 100ml/3½ fl oz of the warm water and leave for 5 minutes.
• Add the yeast mixture to the flour.
• Mix together slowly, either by hand or in the mixer using a dough hook if available.
• Add the honey, oil, cinnamon, raisins, eggs and the remaining warm water to the flour mixture.
• Continue to knead the mixture until it is smooth and shiny (you may need a little extra warm water depending on the size of the eggs.)
• Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover and leave to rise for 2 hours in a warm place.
• Knock back the dough (collapse the air out of the risen dough using your knuckles).
• Divide the dough in half and then separate each one into four equal pieces.
• Knead the dough gently before rolling out each piece to form a thin sausage.
• Divide the dough into four equal parts. Knead each part into a smooth ball and roll each ball into a rope-like strand. Lay the strands side by side and pinch together at the top.
• Grasp the leftmost strand and pass it to the right, under the two strands adjacent to it, and then back toward the left, over one strand (the one closest to it now).
• Grasp the rightmost strand and pass it to the left, under the two strands adjacent to it (which have already been braided), and then back to the right, over one strand.
• Alternately repeat the last two steps.
• When the plaiting is complete, pinch the ends of the strands together.
• Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
• Place the challahs on the tray. Glaze with the egg glaze.
• Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas mark 6.
• Leave to prove for 20 minutes. (Proving is the second rising of the dough.)
• Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped on the base.
• Cool on a wire rack.
• Brush the cooked challah with a little honey glaze and decorate with colourful sprinkles.
Matza Granola
P PAREV V
It can be a challenge at Pesach to provide the family with satisfying breakfasts, because so many of our regular foods such as cereals are not allowed But now you can relax because I have created this nutritious matza cereal and it will certainly help to delay the onset of hunger pangs until at least 11 a.m.
It is delicious with milk or used as a topping for crumble or fruit pies, but it is also super-portable for when you’re rushing out the door to visit family or doing activities with your kids. Just bag it up and go.
For those with nut allergies substitute more dried fruit for the nuts: for example dried apricots, sultanas and apples.
Matza can also be used as the base for other popular dishes, especially during Pesach when regular flour options are prohibited. So matza balls are widely used to accompany soups; Sephardim soak the matza and use it to make lasagne and pastry and make pies known as scacchi (Italian) or mina (Turkish).
Chef’s Tip: Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator. It will keep for several weeks.
Info
• Preparation Time: 10 minutes
• Cooking Time: 20 minutes
• Makes: 15–20 servings
Ingredients
• 1 large box matza (300g/11 oz), broken up into small pieces
• 300g/11 oz pecan pieces
• 200g/7 oz/1 cup desiccated flaked coconut
• 200g/7 oz/1 cup slivered almonds
• 200ml/7 fl oz/1 cup honey
• 175ml/6 fl oz vegetable oil
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt
• 100g/4 oz/¼ cup raisins
Method
• Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas mark 4.
• Line two baking trays with non-stick baking parchment.
• Combine the matza pieces, pecans, coconut and almonds in a large bowl.
• Stir the honey, oil, cinnamon and salt in a medium-sized saucepan. Heat over a medium heat until boiling.
• Pour this over the matza mixture and toss until evenly coated.
• Spread the mixture evenly on the prepared baking trays.
• Bake for 15–20 minutes, tossing occasionally, so that the mixture browns evenly.
• Toss the matza mixture with raisins and allow to cool completely.
Tzimmes Chicken
M DAIRY-FREE GLUTEN-FREE SHABBAT RH SUCCOT
At Rosh Hashanah there are frequently extra guests for dinner and I am always looking for a tasty family meal that everyone will enjoy. This recipe is my personal take on classic Tzimmes, a traditional Russian recipe of honeyed carrots baked in the oven. Combining it with chicken makes it a complete and easy to cook main course.
Tzimmes recipes vary considerably but all of them are sweet and contain the essential ingredient of carrots. On Rosh Hashanah carrots are even more popular than normal and appear in many recipes because when they are sliced they look like golden coins and so symbolise our hope that we have a prosperous new year and that our pockets should never be empty in the year to come.
The Jews of Russia historically have had a terrible existence. Anti-Jewish riots (pogroms) occurred frequently in the early nineteenth century and were followed by anti-religious laws aimed primarily against the Jews. Many fled to Poland and from there on to the United States and the UK, including some of my own ancestors.
State oppression of the Jews continued after World War Two. Ironically, these restrictions led to a resurgent interest in Jewish living and many started to look towards the newly created state of Israel as a possible homeland. However, despite protests from the West, emigration to Israel was severely restricted until President Gorbachev came into power in 1988 when there was a general relaxation of the rules on religious practice.
Today there are active communities in all of the main cities of Russia with many Jewish day schools, yeshivas and community centres. Despite a strong government stand against anti-Semitism most Jews continue to prefer to keep a low profile and identify more with their ethnic background than religious practice.
Info
• Preparation Time: 15 minutes
• Cooking Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Serves: 6–8
Ingredients
• 1 large chicken (2.3 kg/5 lb)
• 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
• 3 cooking apples, sliced but unpeeled
• 450g/1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced into discs
• 250g/9 oz/1 cup pitted prunes, cut in half
• 300ml/½ pint/1¼ cups chicken stock
• 150ml/5 fl oz red wine
• zest and juice of 1 orange
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 cm/1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Garnish: 2 oranges, sliced
Method
• Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas mark 4.
• Place the chicken in a large ovenproof dish.
• Mix together the potatoes, apples, carrots and prunes and place round the chicken.
• Combine the stock, wine, orange zest and juice, honey, sugar, cinnamon and ginger. Pour over the chicken.
• Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Cover with aluminium foil and roast for 1 hour 45 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes. Carve the chicken as desired.
To serve the stylish way: Dust each plate with a sprinkling of ground cinnamon and garnish with sliced oranges.
Shredded Roast Lamb and Rosemary Salad
M DAIRY-FREE GLUTEN-FREE RH
This is a substantial main course salad that is perfect for a Yom Tov meal, either lunch or dinner. The lamb is roasted with garlic and peppers and is then shredded once cooked. The beauty of this is that it can be served hot or warm and can be left in the oven to keep warm. It can also be made and prepared in advance. Slices of challah are great to mop up the juices.
The only time that there is a restriction on serving roast lamb is at the first night Passover Seder meal. Jewish law says an entire lamb may not be roasted as it resembles the Passover sacrifices and so it is not put on the menu as it would be too similar.
Chef’s Tip: Serve this with Date Quinoa from the Free From section.
Info
• Preparation Time: 20 minutes
• Cooking Time: 3 hours plus 30 minutes resting time
• Serves: 6–8
Ingredients
• 2.7 kg/6 lb shoulder of lamb on the bone
• 10 sprigs of rosemary
• 200ml/7 fl oz/1 cup red wine
• 1 garlic bulb
• 2 red peppers, cut in quarters and deseeded
• 2 yellow peppers, cut in quarters and deseeded
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 250g/9 oz baby spinach, washed
• 200g/7 oz/1 cup frozen soya beans, defrosted
• Garnish: sprigs of fresh rosemary
Method
• Pre-heat the oven to 170ºC/325ºF/Gas mark 3.
• Place the lamb in a roasting tin with the rosemary, wine, garlic cloves, peppers and olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper, cover with foil and roast for 2 hours or until very tender.
• Remove the foil and roast uncovered for 30 minutes.
• Leave the lamb to rest for 30 minutes. Take out the peppers and discard the skins. Remove the rosemary sprigs. Slice the meat into thick strips and shred into bite-size pieces.
• Squeeze the garlic cloves into the cooking juices, (discard the skins of the garlic) and mash with a fork.
• Place the shredded lamb, peppers, spinach, soya beans and cooking juices in a deep covered serving dish and cook in the hot oven for a final 15 minutes.
• Remove and serve immediately or reduce the heat to 150ºC/300ºF/Gas mark 2 to keep warm, or leave on a hot plate.
To serve the stylish way: Garnish with sprigs of rosemary.
Stuffed Brisket
M SHABBAT RH SUCCOT
Roast brisket features highly on the Jewish menu as it is one of the dishes that works well if prepared in advance – a common requirement for the Sabbath and festivals when no new cooking can be done. For your convenience, this recipe can be cooked, cooled and refrigerated. Simply remove any excess fat from the surface of the stew, slice thinly using a very sharp knife or an electric knife and then reheat. It will never dry out as the gravy keeps it moist and tender and the slow cooking prevents the meat shrinking.
Info
• Preparation Time: 40 minutes
• Cooking Time: 3 hours 35 minutes
• Serves 8–10
Ingredients
For the stuffing
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions, peeled and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 slices of stale bread, roughly torn into pieces
• 1 large egg, beaten
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the brisket
• 1.8 kg/4 lb flat-cut fresh brisket
• 4 onions, peeled and thinly sliced
• 600ml/1 pint chicken stock
• 100ml/3½ fl oz red wine
• 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into cubes
• 3 sticks of celery, sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2–3 bay leaves
Method
• To make the stuffing: Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat.
• Add the onions, garlic and parsley and sauté until the onions soften – about 5 minutes.
• Mix in the bread, egg and season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer to a food processor and whiz together to produce a thick paste.
• To make the brisket: Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC/350°F/Gas mark 4.
• Cut a deep pocket in 1 side of the brisket, leaving a 2 cm/1 inch border of meat uncut on the remaining 3 sides.
• Fill the pocket with stuffing. Skewer or sew the pocket closed. Sprinkle salt and pepper all over the brisket.
• Arrange half the onions in the bottom of a large oven tray. Place the brisket, fat side up, on onions.
• Top the brisket with the remaining onions. Pour 3 tbsp of the chicken stock and all the red wine into the oven tray.
• Bake the brisket uncovered until the meat and onions begin to brown, about 1 hour.
• Add the carrots, celery, garlic and bay leaves to the pan around the brisket. Pour over the remaining chicken stock.
• Cover with foil, reduce the oven temperature to 150°C/300°F/ Gas mark 2 and bake the brisket until tender – about 2½ hours or longer.
• Remove from the oven. Uncover the pan and allow the brisket to stand for 30 minutes, or cool and refrigerate. Thinly slice the brisket across the grain.
To serve the stylish way: Overlap the brisket slices on a platter. Surround with the vegetables from the pan and serve the brisket with the pan juices.
Jerusalem Kugel
PAREV V
Having recently returned from a trip to Jerusalem I was fascinated by the warm Yerushalayim spicy kugel. It is made by caramelising sugar with oil and then combining this with lokshen vermicelli. If you have never tasted it before it is quite different from classic savoury or sweet kugels. It is often served for Kiddush or at the beginning of the Shabbat lunch with a slice of pickled dill cucumber. The spice comes from a good pinch of black pepper and the tradition comes from the Eastern Hasidic Jews of the eighteenth century. I like to mellow the flavours with a touch of aromatic cinnamon purchased from the Jerusalem market.
Once cooked it can be left on a hot plate overnight.
The Old City of Jerusalem is a fascinating area of living history. You can wander around enjoying the colourful food market with an abundance of hummus, falafel, breads and pâtisseries sold on every street corner. Za’atar, the Middle Eastern dried spice made from thyme, oregano and wild marjoram is widely available and used on bread, salads and as a dip with olive oil and pitta bread. And for Jews, the focal point is the Western Wall, the only remaining section of the Temple built by King Herod in the first century.
However, it is in Mea Shearim, meaning ‘A Hundred Gates’ that this dish is most popular today. The area is the ultra-religious part of Jerusalem and the streets retain the ‘flavour’ of Eastern Europe shtetl lifestyle with strict adherence to Jewish learning, modest dress and segregation amongst men and women. And over Shabbat it becomes a car-free zone to maintain religious observance.
Info
• Preparation Time: 15 minutes
• Cooking Time: 45 minutes
• Serves: 6–8
Ingredients
• 1 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil, to grease the tin
• 225g/8 oz thin lokshen or vermicelli
• 30ml/2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 100ml/3½ fl oz granulated sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried cinnamon
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• Garnish: dill pickled cucumbers, sliced, sprigs of dill
Method
• Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas mark 4.
• Grease and line a 1 kg/2¼ lb loaf tin.
• Cook the lokshen according to the packet instructions. Drain well and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, heat the oil then add the sugar. Cook over a low heat stirring constantly until the sugar starts to darken to a caramel colour – about 5 minutes.
• Immediately add the lokshen, salt, pepper and cinnamon and stir well.
• Leave to cool slightly and then stir in the beaten eggs. Pour into the prepared loaf tin.
• Bake uncovered until golden brown – about 35 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and invert. It will look like a cake with a golden crust.
To serve the stylish way: Decorate with sliced dill pickled cucumbers, sprigs of dill and a dusting of black pepper.
Whisky Chicken
M DAIRY-FREE SHABBAT RH SUCCOT
Jews love whisky, it is always served as a ‘l’chaim’ at family celebrations and at Kiddush on Shabbat in synagogues worldwide.
This recipe makes liberal use of whisky, mushrooms and apricots and I recommend varying the type of mushrooms dependent on the season. I have used ready-soaked dried apricots, which provide an excellent colour and do not fall apart in cooking. They also absorb all the flavours of the whisky and chicken juices, but fresh apricots, if in season, are even better.
This is an easy meal to make that captures the theme of the Highlands, so for any Scottish cooks who celebrate Burns’ Night this is perfect alternative to the ‘traditional’ Haggis with neeps and tatties as part of their celebration. I serve it with roasted swedes, parsnips and potatoes to honour the occasion.
There is even a ‘Jewish tartan’. It was designed in 2008 for the Chabad Rabbi Mendel Jacobs of Glasgow and features blue, white, silver, red and gold. These colours represent both Scotland and the colours of the Israeli flag with the central gold line symbolising the Biblical Tabernacle, the Ark and ceremonial vessels.
Chef’s Tip: As a variation, liquidise half of the sauce for a smoother consistency.
Info
• Preparation Time: 15 minutes
• Cooking Time: 45 minutes
• Serves: 6
Ingredients
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 6 breasts of skinless, boneless chicken or 1 whole large chicken (approx. 2.3 kg/5 lb), cut into 6
• 2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
• 450g/1 lb shiitake or brown cap mushrooms, washed and sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 250g/9 oz/1 cup dried apricots, ready soaked and roughly sliced, or fresh, de-stoned and sliced
• 300ml/½ pint/1¼ cups whisky
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 450g/1 lb potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces
• 450g/1 lb swede, peeled and cut into large pieces
• 450g/1 lb parsnips, peeled and cut into large pieces
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• olive oil, for drizzling
• Garnish: sprigs of fresh parsley
Method
• Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas mark 4.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan. Brown the chicken pieces or breasts on both sides, remove and place in a large ovenproof dish with a lid.
• Sauté the onions, mushrooms and garlic for 3 minutes in the original pan.
• Add this to the ovenproof dish together with the apricots and whisky.
• Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and cook for about 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook the potatoes, swedes and parsnips for 5 minutes in boiling water.
• Drain and dust the vegetables with some seasoned flour and chopped parsley, drizzle with some olive oil and more salt and pepper. Place on a baking tray and roast for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
To serve the stylish way: Place a selection of the cooked vegetables on each warm serving plate. Sit a cooked chicken piece on top and pour over the apricot and mushroom sauce and garnish with a sprig of parsley. Complete the dish with a dusting of freshly ground black pepper.
Passover Beef Lasagne
M P
I always find that if I can prepare a few ready-made meals for Passover, a little less time is spent in the kitchen, otherwise with a big family and guests, as soon as one meal is finished, I am busy preparing the next. This lasagne is a delicious combination of red peppers, tomato sauce and minced beef layered with matza. Seasoned with plenty of fresh basil it is a tasty treat. In addition, for those who have nut allergies this is nut-free.
Serve it hot with a green salad or cold cut into squares and taken for packed lunch. It is quicker and easier to use the large square matza (not egg variety) for the filling. Also for a further short cut, buy ready-prepared tomato pasta sauce if available.
This is a ‘multi task’ recipe so you can cook the sauce and the peppers at the same time if you choose.
Info
• Preparation Time: 20 minutes
• Cooking Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Serves: 6
Ingredients
For the tomato sauce
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 onions, peeled and chopped
• 1 × 400g/14 oz can tomatoes
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3 tbsp Kosher for Passover red wine
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 450g/1 lb minced beef
For the lasagne
• 2 red peppers, quartered, deseeded and roughly chopped
• 1–2 tbsp olive oil
• 6 large square matzas
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• large bunch of basil
• Topping: 2 tbsp olive oil
Method
• For the tomato sauce, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic, carrots and onions and sauté until just golden. Lower the heat and stir in the tomatoes, sugar and wine and season with salt and pepper. Add the beef and stir from time to time.
• Simmer covered for 35 minutes.
• Transfer the mixture to a food processor or mixer and whiz briefly to combine.
• Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas mark 6.
• Place the peppers on a tray lined with non-stick baking parchment. Drizzle with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas mark 4.
• Run the matzas under water, turning to rinse both sides. Do not soak the matza, just dampen.
• Lightly coat both sides of the matzas with the beaten egg.
• Place 1⁄3 of the meat mixture on the base of a rectangular ovenproof dish measuring approximately 23 × 23cm (9 × 9 inches).
• Sprinkle over 1⁄3 of the red peppers, roughly chopped basil and cover with 2 square sheets of matza.
• Repeat the layers twice more.
• Pour any remaining egg mixture and the topping oil over the top layer of matza.
• Bake for 40 minutes or until golden.
Chicken Goujons with BBQ Sauce
M CHANUKAH SHABBAT YT
Goujons or chicken pieces are always a family favourite and these are no exception. Serve at a drinks party, use as part of a buffet selection or make for the children for supper. Serve them with different sauces – tomato ketchup, sweet chilli sauce, lemon mayonnaise. For this recipe I have made my special BBQ sauce.
Every chef has his or her own ingredients for a BBQ sauce and I like to include some sesame oil, which gives it a slight oriental flavour. Keep the sauce for use over turkey, burgers or even duck.
BBQ style cooking is extremely popular amongst South African Jews because of their reliable climate. In the UK we tend to wait for ‘the good weather’ and still take a risk.
The Jewish population of South Africa started to increase in the nineteenth century with German and Dutch immigrants coming to Cape Town. Some Jews moved into farming, others developed the wine, clothing and steel industries. However, it was the discovery of diamonds that spurred significant growth. Between 1880 and 1910, over 35,000 Yiddish-speaking Jews arrived from Lithuania alone. These new immigrants brought their Eastern European influence to the existing Jewish cuisine: for example perogen, kitke (chollah) herring and gefilte fish. In 1930 a strong Jewish lobby restricted some anti-Semitic legislation and assisted many Jews to escape from persecution in Eastern Europe until 1937 when militant Nazi influences in South Africa restricted further immigration.
Much later, the tensions caused by the anti-Apartheid movement led to the departure of many of the more prosperous Jews, with most going to the UK, the USA and Israel. Within my own community we have several families who moved here in the 1990s. However, there are still over 70,000 Jews in South Africa mainly in Jo’burg and Cape Town.
Boerwors sausages are a South African speciality made from minced beef or lamb and flavoured with toasted coriander, black pepper, nutmeg, cloves and allspice. Traditional Boerwors is formed in a continuous spiral. Another great South African favourite is biltong which is a kind of cured meat made from raw fillets cut into strips or flat pieces sliced across the grain very similar to beef jerky. Kosher butchers in the United Kingdom now sell Biltong and Boerwors and kosher supermarkets stock specific South African items to cater for the immigrant community.
Info
• Preparation Time: 10 minutes plus 10 minutes marinating
• Cooking Time: 30 minutes
• Serves: 6–8
Ingredients
For the sauce
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 60g/2½ oz/¼ cup honey
• 150ml/5 fl oz tomato ketchup
• 60ml/2½ fl oz/¼ cup soy sauce
• 60ml/2½ fl oz/¼ cup sesame oil
• 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
For the chicken
• 6 chicken breasts, cut into strips
• juice of 1 lemon
For the coating
• 100g/4 oz breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp medium matza meal
• zest of 2 lemons
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 100ml rapeseed oil, for frying
Method
• Combine all the sauce ingredients in a food processor. Pulse it a few times and then blend on high until it has thoroughly combined into a smooth sauce.
• Marinate the chicken pieces in the lemon juice for 10 minutes.
• Mix together the breadcrumbs, matza meal, lemon zest and salt and pepper.
• Dip the chicken pieces into the beaten egg followed by the breadcrumb mixture. Repeat the process twice so they are well coated.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan until it is hot.
• Shallow fry the chicken for 3–4 minutes on each side until crispy.
• Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas mark 4.
• Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Place the crispy chicken on the oven tray and bake for 10 minutes.
• Heat the sauce either in the microwave or in a small saucepan.
To serve the stylish way: Place in a fancy dish, stack the goujons in layers and serve the sauce separately. Dust with a sprinkling of black pepper.
Classic Cheese Blintzes
D SHAVUOT V
They may be called crepes in France; the Polish call them nalesniki, the Hungarians palascinta, the Lithuanians have naliesnikai, the Ukrainians call them nalysnyky or they are blinis in Russian, but the real Jewish version is a blintze. These are crepe-like thin pancakes filled with cream cheese or cottage cheese and sometimes fruit.
The Polish like to dip their pancakes once filled and rolled in beaten egg and breadcrumbs and either bake or pan fry.
This is my mum’s recipe, which she used to cook with her mother. The family version measures the ingredients in spoons, cups and pinches. I have brought it into the twenty-first century by standardising the random quantities. Many traditional Jewish recipes have been passed down through the generations and my cheese blintzes are part of this tradition.
Info
• Preparation Time: 20 minutes
• Cooking Time: 20 minutes
• Makes: 8 blintzes
• Will freeze
Ingredients
For the batter mixture
• 110g/4 oz self-raising flour
• 1 egg
• pinch of salt
• 300ml/½ pint/1¼ cups milk
• sunflower or vegetable oil, for frying
For the cheese filling
• 225g/8 oz cream cheese
• 1 egg
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Garnish: granulated sugar, zest of 1 lemon, 150ml/¼ pint/5 fl oz sour cream
Method
• Make the batter by mixing the flour, egg, salt and milk in a food mixer or blender until smooth.
• Heat a little oil in a 20 cm/8 inch pancake pan. When the oil is hot pour in three-quarters of a soup ladle of batter. Swirl around so the mixture covers the pan in a thin layer.
• When the batter has set and the edges of the pancake begin to lift, gently loosen the edges and flip the pancake over onto the other side for a few seconds. Using a palette knife remove and gently place on some non-stick baking paper. Continue with the remaining batter to make about eight pancakes.
• Mix together all the ingredients for the filling. Place about 1 tbsp of the cheese mixture in the centre of each pancake. Fold in the top and bottom of the pancake over the filling, then fold over one side and roll up carefully to enclose the filling completely.
• To finish the blintzes, heat the pan again with a little oil. Put the pancakes in the pan and fry until slightly golden brown. Turn over for a second so that it is hot on both sides.
To serve the stylish way: Serve hot. Dust with a little sugar, lemon zest and sour cream.
Chicken Tagine with Citrus Couscous
M SHABBAT RH YT
This recipe for me is a modern classic – it captures all the ingredients of a perfect Rosh Hashanah or Shabbat meal and is something that you will want to make time and time again. It does not need any additional vegetables, which makes serving for a dinner party very straightforward. For stunning presentation, use an individual pudding basin or a greased ramekin or an ice cream scoop to portion out the cooked couscous on to each plate. Decorate with pomegranate seeds and dust the edge of the plate with a sprinkling of ground cinnamon.
Chef’s Tip: The best way to reheat couscous is to cover it with cling film and place in the microwave.
Info
• Preparation Time: 20 minutes
• Cooking Time: 1½ hours
• Serves: 6
Ingredients
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 6 chicken breasts
• 1 large red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp coriander, ground
• 150g/5 oz/¼ cup dates, stoned
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 8 strands of saffron
• 150ml/¼ pint chicken stock
• 300ml/½ pint/1¼ cups red wine
• 225g/8 oz/1 cup raisins
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the citrus couscous
• 570ml/1 pint/2½ cups hot vegetable or chicken stock
• 300g/11 oz/1 cup couscous
• zest and juice of 2 lemons
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Garnish: bunch of parsley, preferably flat-leaf, 1 large pomegranate, deseeded, 150g/5 oz/¼ cup blanched almonds, toasted
Method
• Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas mark 6.
• Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Sauté the chicken breasts in batches until brown.
• Remove the chicken from the pan and place in a deep ovenproof dish.
• Sauté the onion, garlic, cinnamon and coriander for 2 minutes in the saucepan and mix with the chicken.
• Add the dates, lemon, saffron, stock, wine and raisins to the chicken.
• Season well with salt and pepper before covering the dish and cooking in the oven for 1¼ hours.
• Pour the hot stock over the couscous. Cover immediately with cling film and leave for 10 minutes. Remove the cling film and fluff up the couscous with a fork. Stir in the lemon zest and juice and season with salt and pepper.
To serve the stylish way: Place a generous helping of couscous on a warmed plate adjacent to a ladleful of chicken tagine. Complete with sprigs of parsley, pomegranate seeds and toasted almonds.
Lebanese Tabbouleh
RH PAREV V DIABETIC FRIENDLY DAIRY-FREE SUCCOT SHABBAT YT
Tabbouleh is a traditional Lebanese salad made with bulgur wheat. It is said to have originated as a way of using up the random pickings of whatever was in the kitchen garden. This dish is a standard part of a cold Middle Eastern meze starter. I like to use a ratio of 5:1 parsley to mint for the perfect flavour. Use the baby gem lettuces to scoop the salad into manageable serving portions.
Almost all of what was once a thriving Mizrachi Jewish community in Lebanon has emigrated to the USA, Canada, France, Israel, Argentina, Brazil and Australia. The remaining few Lebanese Jews today live in and around Beirut and tend to keep a low profile.
Info
• Preparation Time: 15 minutes
• Cooking Time: 10 minutes
• Serves: 6
Ingredients
• 110g/4 oz bulgur wheat
• 500g/1 lb tomatoes: chop half and thinly slice the rest
• 3 spring onions, peeled and finely chopped
• 20g/¾ oz mint, finely chopped
• 100g/4 oz parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp sumac
• sea salt and black pepper, to taste
For the dressing
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1–2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• Garnish: 12 baby gem lettuce leaves, olives, chopped
Method
• Put the bulgur wheat in a pan of boiling water. Cover and simmer for 8–10 minutes or until just soft. Drain and cool.
• Add the tomatoes, spring onions, mint, parsley and sumac and season well.
• Combine the dressing ingredients and pour over just before serving.
• Keep chilled until ready to serve.
To serve the stylish way: Place a circle of baby gem lettuce leaves around the tabbouleh. Garnish with chopped olives.
Tropical Fruit Filo Pie
PAREV SUCCOT SHABBAT RH YT
When you think of filo pastry desserts, apple strudel tends to come to mind. This, however, is a layered filo pastry pie topped with tropical fruits of mango and papaya flavoured with roasted desiccated coconut and zest of lime. When buying a mango, make sure it has a tropical fruity aroma; unripe mangoes have no scent. A fresh mango will give slightly to the touch, but avoid very soft or bruised fruit.
This dessert can be parev and made in advance, served hot, cold or warm with mango sorbet or coconut ice cream. I like to keep the same flavours together to enhance the whole dessert.
Strudel originates from Austria; mainly from Vienna. The word ‘strudel’ means whirlpool, symbolising the way it is rolled. The Jews of Austria adjusted this pastry so that it was non-dairy, making it suitable to enjoy after a meat meal.
Info
• Preparation Time: 35 minutes
• Cooking Time: 35 minutes
• Serves: 6
Ingredients
• 75g/3 oz/¼ cup desiccated coconut
• 50g/2 oz/¼ cup split almonds
• 2 ripe mangoes, peeled and stoned
• 1 ripe papaya, peeled and deseeded
• zest of 2 limes
• 250g/9 oz butter or non-dairy margarine
• 5 filo pastry sheets
• 2 tbsp apricot jam
• 250ml/9 oz mascarpone cheese or parev whipping cream
• 3 tbsp icing sugar
• Garnish: toasted coconut, zest of 1 lime
Method
• Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas mark 6.
• Roast the desiccated coconut by placing on a lined baking tray in a single layer. On a separate tray roast the split almonds.
• Bake for about 8–10 minutes or until golden. Remove and set aside.
• Chop the mangoes and papaya into small cubes.
• Stir in the coconut and lime zest. Set aside.
• Melt the butter or margarine. Brush the base and sides of a round 23cm/9 inch loose-based flan tin, 3 cm/1½ inches in depth. Take one sheet of pastry and brush with melted butter/ margarine and insert inside the tin. Sprinkle over some toasted almonds and cover with another 3 overlapping sheets, brushing with melted butter/margarine so that the whole tin is covered. Repeat with the final sheet of pastry.
• Use scissors to trim the edges but leave a 3 cm/1½ inch edge.
• Blind bake by covering with foil and insert baking beans.
• Bake for 20 minutes.
• Remove the foil and baking beans and whilst hot gently ease the sides of the pie tin to remove the pastry base and transfer to your serving plate.
• Put the apricot jam in a small glass container. Cover with cling film and place in the microwave on high for 1 minute. Brush the base of the pastry with the melted jam.
• Place the mascarpone cheese in a small bowl. Stir and mix in the icing sugar. If using the parev whipping cream, whip until thick and do not add the sugar.
• When you are ready to serve the dessert, spoon the mascarpone mixture on the base of the pie and add the prepared fruit. Top with toasted coconut.
To serve the stylish way: Garnish with lime zest.
Rye Bread
PAREV V
Sliced rye bread is still very popular and is commonly served with salt beef, herring, smoked salmon or egg and onion. Rye was traditionally the most important grain of all crops in Germany and so naturally German bakers were great masters at baking rye breads. Although you can buy ready-made loaves in kosher delis you can’t beat baking your own bread. In fact I never really enjoyed rye bread until I made this recipe.
As noted here, there are two main cultural sides to Judaism: Sephardi and Ashkenazi. The latter primarily evolved from those Jews living in Germany during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Largely assimilated by the 1930s, the community prospered and was taken by surprise at the rise of Nazism and anti-Semitism. Starting in 1933, these policies saw Jewish doctors, shopkeepers, lawyers and businesses boycotted but it was the mass destruction of Jewish properties including synagogues, schools and businesses during Kristallnacht, 9–10 November 1938 that caused widespread alarm and the efforts of many to leave the country. Although a lot of Jews were able to flee Germany, most had to stay and 90 per cent died in the Holocaust. After the war few survivors chose to stay – most went to Israel or America – and it is only in recent years that there has been a significant Jewish community in the enlarged Germany of the twenty-first century.
Info
• Preparation Time: 10 minutes plus 2 hours rising and proving time
• Cooking Time: 25–30 minutes
• Makes: 2 loaves
Ingredients
• 350ml/12 fl oz/1½ cups warm water (100ml/3½ fl oz followed by the rest)
• 1 × 7g/¼ oz sachet dried yeast
• 200g/8 oz strong white flour
• 300g/11 oz rye flour
• 2 tbsp caraway seeds
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp honey
• 1–2 egg yolks, to glaze
• 1 tsp caraway seeds, for topping
Method
• Mix 100ml/3½ fl oz of the warm water with the dried yeast. Leave for 10 minutes until the yeast starts foaming.
• Place both flours, the caraway seeds and salt in a food mixer. Add the yeast mixture, oil and honey. Continue to mix together, ideally using a dough hook. The remaining warm water should be added slowly so that the dough is soft and well kneaded but not too wet.
• When the dough springs back as you touch it, it has been kneaded enough.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, and turn the dough in it so that it is coated.
• Cover with cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 1½ hours or until it has doubled in size.
• Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas mark 6.
• Punch the dough down and shape it into two 20 cm/8 inch oval loaves.
• Glaze with the egg yolk and sprinkle with the caraway seeds.
• Using a sharp knife, make five slashes across the top of each loaf.
• Leave in a warm place to prove (second rising) for 30 minutes or until the bread has significantly risen again.
• Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the bread is deep golden and sounds hollow when the bottom is tapped. Leave to cool before slicing or freezing.
Duet of Fish Balls
PAREV
Very sadly, many traditional recipes like gefilte fish are being purchased ready-made and not made from scratch. I am always being asked to teach recipes like this one at cookery school as the new generation want to learn their Ashkenazi heritage classics. These recipes were never written down and were made by adding a little of this and a little of that. Flavouring was according to one’s personal taste, hence each family has their own magic ingredient. The recipe was originally carp stuffed with the minced fish. Due to the scarcity of food, Eastern European Jews used the recipe and added matza meal or breadcrumbs or ground almonds to stretch the meal, ensuring that even the poorest families had a good fish dish on Shabbat.
Variations tend to sway to either sweet or savoury depending on which Jewish community you descended from. Sweet fish balls were from the heritage of Ashkenazi Jews of western Ukraine and Poland (Polaks) and the more peppery flavour were from Lithuania (Litvaks.)
I have slightly modernised the mixture by adding spring onions and a bunch of fresh parsley to the boiled fish ball recipe and used minced salmon coated in matza meal as the fried.
Note: You will only be able to obtain fish bones for the stock from a fishmonger’s; supermarkets will not sell them to you because of ‘health and safety’. The best mix of fish and flavour is achieved by mincing it yourself.
This mixture can be boiled and simmered in fish stock or deep fried in a deep fat fryer. It is often served with chrain, beetroot-flavoured horseradish sauce.
Boiled Fish Balls
PAREV
Chef’s Tip: To make the carrot flowers, use a canelle knife to make four lengthways indentations, spaced evenly down the carrot. Then slice to the desired thickness.
Info
• Preparation Time: 30 minutes
• Cooking Time: 1 hour
• Makes: 40 small balls
Ingredients
For the stock
• 1.2 litres/1¼ cups water
• 4 onions, peeled and sliced
• 225g/8 oz skin and bones of fish
• 2 sticks of celery
• bunch of fresh parsley
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• pinch of sugar
For the fish mixture
• 1.4 kg/3 lb mixed fish made up of haddock, cod and bream
• 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp medium matza meal
• 2 tsp salt
• pinch of white pepper
• 2 tsp sugar
• drop of almond essence
• Garnish: 2 carrots, peeled and made into carrot flowers
Method
• Place all the stock ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Put all the fish ingredients in a food mixer and mince together. Taste to check the seasoning before making the fish balls. The mixture should be light and slightly sticky.
• With wet hands, roll the fish mixture into balls the size of an egg. Flatten slightly, place in the stock and cook covered for 45 minutes.
• Remove the cooked fish with a slotted spoon.
To serve the stylish way: Top with the carrot flowers. The fish balls can be served warm or cold.
Salmon Fried Fish Balls
PAREV
Info
• Preparation Time: 30 minutes
• Cooking Time: 15 minutes
• Makes: 40 small balls
Ingredients
• 1.4 kg/3 lb salmon, skinned and filleted
• 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tbsp matza meal
• 1 tbsp ground almonds (optional)
• 2 tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 6–8 tbsp matza meal
• vegetable oil, for frying
• Garnish: a tiny dab of chrain, 1 ready cooked non vinegar beetroot, finely sliced or use a decorative biscuit cutter as a template to cut a top
Method
• Place the salmon in a food processor with the other ingredients and whiz until thoroughly combined.
• With wet hands roll the fish mixture into the matza meal, making balls the size of an egg or smaller.
• Heat the oil in a deep fat fryer to its highest setting.
• Put the fish in the baskets and cook in batches for approximately 2–3 minutes. Remove and leave to drain on kitchen paper. These can also be shallow fried for 2–3 minutes on each side.
To serve the stylish way: Place a tiny amount of chrain on the top of the salmon fish balls and complete with a thin slice of beetroot or beetroot shape. Allow to cool and either freeze or refrigerate until ready to serve. They can be served hot or cold.
Cheese and Onion Pie
D SHAVUOT SHABBAT V
The tradition of enjoying dairy foods at Shavuot often means eating cheesecake or blintzes. I have devised a savoury dairy option in which the slowly cooked onions are meltingly sweet, contrasting with the sharper taste of the mature cheddar. Putting cheese into the pastry lifts the whole dish and gives a richer overall flavour.
You may buy ready-made pastry to speed up your cooking but homemade does taste better.
Info
• Preparation Time: 20 minutes plus 30 minutes for the pastry
• Cooking Time: 55 minutes
• Serves: 6 people
Ingredients
For the pastry
• 300g/11 oz plain flour
• 160g/6 oz unsalted butter or margarine
• 1 egg
• 30g/1 oz strong Cheddar, grated
• pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the filling
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 5 red onions, peeled and sliced
• 3 white onions, peeled and sliced
• 1 egg yolk, to glaze pastry
• 3 eggs, whisked
• 75g/3 oz mature Cheddar, grated
• 300ml/½ pint/1¼ cups double cream
• 1 tsp whole grain or similar mustard
• 3 tbsp snipped chives
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Garnish: 2 tbsp snipped chives
Method
• Combine the pastry ingredients in a food processor into a dough.
• Cover with cling film, flatten and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to allow the butter to harden and the gluten in the flour to relax. This will make it a lot easier to roll out.
• Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Sauté all the onions over a low heat so that they soften and caramelise but do not burn – about 20 minutes.
• Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas mark 6.
• Roll out the pastry on a work surface dusted with flour. Line a loose-based 27cm (13 inch) pie tin with the rolled out pastry. Cover with foil and fill with baking beans.
• Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and baking beans and glaze the pastry with beaten egg yolk.
• Return to the oven for a further 5 minutes.
• Put the onions in the cooked pie base. Mix together the eggs, cheese, cream, mustard and chives. Season well with salt and pepper and pour over the onions.
• Bake for 30 minutes until set and golden and slightly risen.
To serve the stylish way: Snip more chives on the top and serve hot, warm or cold.