Kosher and Traditional Jewish Cooking: Authentic Recipes From a Classic Culinary Heritage: 130 Delicious Dishes Shown in 220 Stunning Photographs (12 page)

Nutritional information per portion: Energy 359kcal/1496kJ; Protein 33.8g; Carbohydrate 13g, of which sugars 5.7g; Fat 19.3g, of which saturates 2.9g; Cholesterol 108mg; Calcium 55mg; Fibre 1.7g; Sodium 181mg.

This Jewish Italian dish of fresh tuna and peas is especially enjoyed at Pesach, which falls in spring. Before the days of the freezer, spring was the time for little seasonal peas.

SERVES 4

60ml/4 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

4–5 garlic cloves, chopped

45ml/3 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

1–2 pinches of fennel seeds

350g/12oz tuna steaks

400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes

120ml/4fl oz/
1
/
2
cup dry white wine or fish stock

30–45ml/2–3 tbsp tomato purée (paste)

pinch of sugar, if needed

350g/12oz/3 cups fresh shelled or frozen Peas

salt and ground black pepper

1
Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/Gas 5. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, then add the chopped onion, garlic, parsley and fennel seeds, and fry over a low heat for 5 minutes, or until the onion is softened but not browned.

2
Season the tuna on each side and fry for 2–3 minutes on each side until lightly browned. Transfer the tuna to a shallow baking dish, in a single layer.

3
Add the canned tomatoes along with their juice and the wine or fish stock to the onions and cook over a medium heat for 5–10 minutes, stirring, until the flavours blend together and the mixture thickens slightly.

4
Stir the tomato purée, sugar, if needed, and salt and pepper, into the tomato sauce, then add the peas. Pour over the fish steaks and bake, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, or until tender. Serve hot.

Nutritional information per portion: Energy 339kcal/1411kJ; Protein 28.1g; Carbohydrate 15.4g, of which sugars 7.2g; Fat 16.7g, of which saturates 3g; Cholesterol 25mg; Calcium 49mg; Fibre 5.5g; Sodium 71mg.

This dish is quick and easy to make and can be served as a main course or as a part of a celebratory meal. If you don’t have any fresh red chillies then add one or two teaspoons of chilli paste instead.

SERVES 8

300ml/
1
/
2
pint/1
1
/
4
cups passata (bottled strained tomatoes)

150ml/
1
/
4
pint/
2
/
3
cup fish stock

1 large onion, chopped

60ml/4 tbsp each chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) and parsley leaves

5–8 garlic cloves, crushed

chopped fresh red chilli, to taste

large pinch of ground ginger

large pinch of curry powder

1.5ml/
1
/
4
tsp ground cumin

1.5ml/
1
/
4
tsp ground turmeric

seeds from 2–3 cardamom pods

juice of 2 lemons, or to taste

30ml/2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil

1.5kg/3
1
/
4
lb mixed white fish fillets

1
Put the passata, stock, onion, herbs, garlic, chilli, ginger, curry powder, cumin, turmeric, cardamom, lemon juice and oil in a large pan and bring to the boil.

2
Remove from the heat and add the fish fillets to the hot sauce. Return to the heat and allow the sauce to boil briefly again. Reduce the heat and simmer very gently for about 5 minutes, or until the fish is tender. (Test the fish with a fork. If the flesh flakes easily, then it is cooked.)

3
Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning, adding more lemon juice if necessary. Serve hot or warm, with bread.

Nutritional information per portion: Energy 191kcal/803kJ; Protein 35.1g; Carbohydrate 3.3g, of which sugars 2.7g; Fat 4.2g, of which saturates 0.5g; Cholesterol 86mg; Calcium 39mg; Fibre 0.9g; Sodium 202mg.

Any type of tiny white fish, fried, then marinated with vegetables, is a favourite food in Peru, especially among the Jews. Serve these tangy morsels as an appetizer with drinks or as a main course with a salad of cold mashed potatoes dressed with onions, chillies and lemon juice.

SERVES

800g/1
3
/
4
lb whitebait or tiny white fish

juice of 2 lemons

5ml/1 tsp salt

plain (all-purpose) flour, for dusting

vegetable oil, for frying

2 onions, chopped or thinly sliced

2.5–5ml/
1
/
2
–1 tsp cumin seeds

2 carrots, thinly sliced

2 jalapeño chillies, chopped

8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

120ml/4fl oz/
1
/
2
cup white wine vinegar

2–3 large pinches of dried oregano

15–30ml/1–2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves

corn on the cob, olives and coriander (cilantro), to garnish

1
Put the fish in a bowl, add the lemon juice and salt and leave to marinate for 30–60 minutes. Remove the fish and dust with flour.

2
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan until hot enough to turn a cube of bread golden brown in 30 seconds. Fry the fish, in small batches, until golden brown, then put in a shallow serving dish and set aside.

3
In a separate pan, heat 30ml/2 tbsp of oil. Add the onions, cumin seeds, carrots, chillies and garlic and fry for 5 minutes. Add the vinegar, oregano and coriander, stir well and cook for 1–2 minutes. Pour the onion mixture over the fish and leave to cool. Serve, garnished with slices of corn on the cob, olives and coriander leaves.

Nutritional information per portion: Energy 1087kcal/4504kJ; Protein 40.3g; Carbohydrate 18.5g, of which sugars 5.9g; Fat 95.3g, of which saturates 8.9g; Cholesterol 0mg; Calcium 1743mg; Fibre 2.3g; Sodium 471mg.

This delicious dish comes from Jerusalem, where whole fish are wrapped in filo pastry and served with a zesty tomato sauce. The choice of fish can be varied according to what is in season and what is freshest on the day of purchase.

SERVES 3–4

450g/1lb salmon or cod steaks or fillets

1 lemon

30ml/2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing

1 onion, chopped

2 celery sticks, chopped

1 green (bell) pepper, diced

5 garlic cloves, chopped

400g/14oz canned tomatoes, chopped

120ml/4fl oz/
1
/
2
cup passata (bottled strained tomatoes)

30ml/2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

2–3 pinches of ground allspice

cayenne pepper, to taste

pinch of sugar

130g/4
1
/
2
oz filo pastry (6–8 large sheets)