Kosher and Traditional Jewish Cooking: Authentic Recipes From a Classic Culinary Heritage: 130 Delicious Dishes Shown in 220 Stunning Photographs (11 page)

Nutritional information per pastry: Energy 210kcal/876kJ; Protein 3.6g; Carbohydrate 22.7g, of which sugars 2.4g; Fat 12.3g, of which saturates 7.4g; Cholesterol 43mg; Calcium 44mg; Fibre 1.1g; Sodium 86mg.

Whole baked salmon is a classic dish served at Bar and Bat Mitzvah feasts, wedding parties and any big simcha, or festival. Baking the salmon in foil produces a flesh rather like that of a poached fish but with the ease of baking. Decorating the fish with thin slices of cucumber looks pretty and will conceal any flesh that may look ragged after skinning.

SERVES 6–8

2–3kg/4
1
/
2
–6
3
/
4
lb salmon, cleaned with head and tail left on

3–5 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced

1 lemon, thinly sliced

1 cucumber, thinly sliced

fresh dill sprigs, to garnish

lemon wedges, to serve

FOR THE WATERCRESS SAUCE

3 garlic cloves, chopped

200g/7oz watercress leaves, chopped

40g/1
1
/
2
oz fresh tarragon, chopped

300ml/
1
/
2
pint/1
1
/
4
cups mayonnaise

15–30ml/1–2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

200g/7oz/scant 1 cup butter

salt and ground black pepper

1
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas 4. Rinse the salmon and lay it on a large piece of foil. Stuff the fish with the sliced spring onions and layer the lemon slices inside and around the fish, then season.

2
Loosely fold the foil around the fish and fold the edges over to seal. Bake for 1 hour. Let the fish stand, still in the foil, for 15 minutes, then unwrap and leave to cool.

3
When the fish is cool, lift it on to a large plate, still covered with lemon slices. Cover tightly with clear film (plastic wrap) and chill for several hours.

4
Before serving, discard the lemon slices around the fish. Using a blunt knife to lift up the edge of the skin, peel the skin away from the flesh and pull out any fins. Arrange the cucumber slices in overlapping rows along the length of the fish, to resemble large fish scales.

5
For the sauce, put the garlic, watercress, tarragon, mayonnaise and lemon juice in a food processor or bowl and process or mix to combine. Melt the butter, then add to the watercress mixture, a little at a time, until the butter has been incorporated and the sauce is smooth. Cover and chill before serving, garnished with dill, with the sauce and lemon wedges.

Nutritional information per portion: Energy 515kcal/2133kJ; Protein 25.5g; Carbohydrate 0.7g, of which sugars 0.6g; Fat 45.6g, of which saturates 14g; Cholesterol 114mg; Calcium 67mg; Fibre 0.4g; Sodium 275mg.

Gefilte means stuffed and originally this mixture of chopped fish was carefully stuffed back into the skin of the fish before cooking. These fishballs are served at the start of most Jewish festivities.

SERVES 8

1kg/2
1
/
4
lb of 2–3 varieties of fish fillets, such as carp, whitefish, yellow pike, haddock and cod

2 eggs

120ml/4fl oz/
1
/
2
cup cold water

30–45ml/2–3 tbsp medium matzo meal

15–45ml/1–3 tbsp sugar

fish stock, for simmering

2–3 onions

3 carrots

1–2 pinches of ground cinnamon

salt and ground black pepper

chrain or horseradish and beetroot (beet) pickle, to serve

1
Sprinkle the fish with salt and chill for 1 hour, or until the flesh has firmed. Rinse, then process in a food processor until minced (ground).

2
Put the fish into a bowl, add the eggs, mix, then gradually add the water. Stir in the matzo meal, then the sugar and seasoning. Beat until light, then chill for 1 hour.

3
Take 15–30ml/1–2 tbsp of the mixture and, with wet hands, roll into a ball. Continue with the remaining mixture.

4
Bring a pan of fish stock to the boil, lower the heat to a simmer and add the fishballs. Return to the boil, lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour. Add more water, if necessary, to keep covered.

5
Add the onions, carrots, cinnamon and a little sugar, if you like, to the pan and simmer, uncovered, for 45–60 minutes.

6
Leave to cool slightly, then remove from the liquid. Serve warm or cold with horseradish and beetroot pickle.

Nutritional information per portion: Energy 159kcal/667kJ; Protein 25.5g; Carbohydrate 8.7g, of which sugars 4.7g; Fat 2.6g, of which saturates 0.5g; Cholesterol 105mg; Calcium 37mg; Fibre 1.4g; Sodium 100mg.

If you cannot find preserved lemon then you can always use a fresh lemon. Just cut the lemon into small dice and add it with the tomatoes. You can use cod, haddock or whiting for this dish.

SERVES 6

65g/2
1
/
2
oz bread (about 2 slices)

1kg/2
1
/
4
lb minced (ground) white fish

2 onions, chopped

8 garlic cloves, chopped

2.5–5ml/
1
/
2
–1 tsp ground turmeric

2.5ml/
1
/
2
tsp ground ginger

2.5ml/
1
/
2
tsp garam masala

1 bunch fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped, plus extra to garnish

1 egg

cayenne pepper, to taste

150ml/
1
/
4
pint/
2
/
3
cup vegetable oil

4 ripe tomatoes, diced

5ml/1 tsp paprika

1 preserved lemon, rinsed and cut into small strips

salt and ground black pepper

1
/
2
lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

1
Remove the crusts from the bread, soak in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes, then squeeze dry.

2
Add the fish to the bread with half the onions, half the garlic, half the turmeric, the ginger, half the garam masala, half the coriander, the egg and cayenne. Mix and leave to chill.

3
For the sauce, heat the oil, add the remaining onion and garlic and fry for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the remaining turmeric and garam masala and warm through.

4
Add the diced tomatoes, paprika and remaining coriander to the pan and cook over a medium heat until the tomatoes have formed a sauce consistency. Stir in the preserved lemon.

5
With wet hands, roll walnut-size lumps of the fish mixture into balls and flatten slightly. Place in the sauce. Cook gently, for 20 minutes, turning twice. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing.