Kosher and Traditional Jewish Cooking: Authentic Recipes From a Classic Culinary Heritage: 130 Delicious Dishes Shown in 220 Stunning Photographs (15 page)

75–90ml/5–6 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

2.5ml/
1
/
2
tsp ground ginger

2.5ml/
1
/
2
tsp curry powder

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

10ml/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1.5ml/
1
/
4
tsp saffron threads

30ml/2 tbsp hot water

75–120ml/5–9 tbsp honey, to taste

250ml/8fl oz/1 cup beef or lamb stock

30ml/2 tbsp chopped coriander (cilantro)

3 hard-boiled eggs, cut into wedges

salt and ground black pepper

1
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas 4. Soak the prunes in the tea until they plump up. Meanwhile, cut the lamb into chunks and toast the almonds.

2
Put the lamb, chopped onion, parsley, ginger, curry powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and a large pinch of ground black pepper in a roasting pan. Cover and cook in the oven for about 2 hours, or until the meat is tender.

3
Drain the prunes; add their liquid to the lamb. Combine the saffron and hot water and add to the pan with the honey and stock. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, turning the lamb occasionally.

4
Add the plumped prunes to the pan and stir gently to mix. Serve immediately sprinkled with the toasted almonds and chopped coriander, and topped with the wedges of hard-boiled egg.

Nutritional information per portion: Energy 618kcal/2564kJ; Protein 42.7g; Carbohydrate 0.8g, of which sugars 0.1g; Fat 49.3g, of which saturates 21.2g; Cholesterol 183mg; Calcium 16mg; Fibre 0.2g; Sodium 150mg.

This slow-braised dish of lamb with beans, stewed in a spicy tomato sauce, shows a Greek influence. It is also good made with courgettes instead of beans.

SERVES 8

8 garlic cloves, chopped

2.5–5ml/
1
/
2
–1 tsp ground cumin

45ml/3 tbsp olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

1kg/2
1
/
4
lb lamb on the bone

2 onions, thinly sliced

500ml/17fl oz/2
1
/
4
cups lamb stock

75–90ml/5–6 tbsp tomato purée (paste)

1 cinnamon stick

2–3 large pinches of ground allspice

15–30ml/1–2 tbsp sugar. to taste

400g/14oz/3 cups runner (green) beans, sliced

salt and ground black pepper

15–30ml/1–2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

1
Preheat the oven to 160ºC/325ºF/Gas 3. In a bowl, mix the garlic, cumin, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, add the lamb and toss to coat.

2
Heat a flameproof casserole and sear the lamb on all sides. Add the onions and pour the stock over the meat to cover. Stir in the tomato purée, spices and sugar. Cover and cook for 2–3 hours, depending how well done you like it.

3
Remove the casserole from the oven and pour the stock into a pan. Move the onions to the side of the dish and return to the oven, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

4
Meanwhile, add the beans to the stock and cook until the beans are tender and the sauce has thickened.

5
Slice the meat and serve with the pan juices and beans, garnished with parsley.

Nutritional information per portion: Energy 371kcal/1544kJ; Protein 26.3g; Carbohydrate 7.9g, of which sugars 6.5g; Fat 26.4g, of which saturates 10.9g; Cholesterol 104mg; Calcium 40mg; Fibre 1.9g; Sodium 103mg.

 

This big, pot-roasted meat dish includes the traditional kishke, a heavy, sausage-shaped dumpling, which is added to the pot and cooked with the meat. Serve with kasha varnishkes – meat gravy with kasha is one of life’s perfect combinations.

SERVES 6–8

5 onions, sliced

3 bay leaves

1–1.6kg/2
1
/
4
–3
1
/
2
lb beef brisket

1 garlic head, broken into cloves

4 carrots, thickly sliced

10ml/2 tsp paprika

500ml/17fl oz/2
1
/
4
cups beef stock

3–4 baking potatoes, peeled and quartered

salt and ground black pepper

FOR THE KISHKE

250g/9oz/2
1
/
4
cups plain (all-purpose) flour

120ml/4fl oz/
1
/
2
cup semolina

15ml/1 tbsp paprika

1 carrot, grated, and 2 carrots, diced (optional)

250ml/8fl oz/1 cup rendered chicken fat

30ml/2 tbsp crisp, fried onions

1
/
2
onion, grated, and 3 onions, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

salt and ground black pepper

90cm/36in sausage casing

1
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas 4. Put one-third of the onions and a bay leaf in an ovenproof dish, then top with the brisket. Sprinkle over the garlic, carrots and remaining bay leaves and season. Top with the remaining onions. Pour stock to a depth of 5–7.5cm/2–3in and cover with foil. Cook in the oven for 2 hours.

2
Meanwhile, make the kishke. Combine all the ingredients and stuff the mixture into the casing, leaving enough space for the mixture to expand. Tie into sausage-shaped lengths.

3
When the meat has cooked for 2 hours, add the kishke and potatoes, re-cover and cook for a further 1 hour until the meat and potatoes are tender.

4
Remove the foil and increase the temperature to 190ºC/375ºF/Gas 5. Move the onions away from the top of the meat and return to the oven for a further 30 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

Nutritional information per portion: Energy 781kcal/3271kJ; Protein 44.2g; Carbohydrate 74g, of which sugars 12.7g; Fat 36.4g, of which saturates 14.4g; Cholesterol 113mg; Calcium 124mg; Fibre 5g; Sodium 124mg.

These stuffed cabbage leaves are a traditional dish for Sukkot, the harvest festival in autumn. Versions of this dish have been enjoyed by Jewish communities in the Middle East and Europe.

SERVES 6–8

1kg/2
1
/
4
lb lean minced (ground) beef

75g/3oz/scant
1
/
2
cup long grain rice

4 onions, 2 chopped and 2 sliced

5–8 garlic cloves, chopped

2 eggs

45ml/3 tbsp water

1 large head of white or green cabbage

400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes

45ml/3 tbsp demerara (raw) sugar

45ml/3 tbsp white wine vinegar, cider vinegar or lemon juice

pinch of ground cinnamon

salt and ground black pepper

lemon wedges, to serve

1
Put the beef, rice, 5ml/1 tsp salt, pepper, chopped onions and garlic in a bowl. Beat the eggs with the water, and combine with the meat mixture. Chill.

2
Cut the core from the cabbage in a cone shape and discard. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and blanch the cabbage for 1 minute, then remove from the pan. Peel one or two layers of leaves off the head, then replace it in the hot water. Repeat until all the leaves are removed.

3
Preheat the oven to 150ºC/300ºF/Gas 2. Form the beef mixture into ovals and wrap each in one or two cabbage leaves.

4
Lay the rolls in an ovenproof dish, alternating with the sliced onions. Pour the tomatoes over and add the sugar, vinegar, seasoning and cinnamon. Cover and bake for 2 hours, basting with the tomato juices, then uncover and cook for 30–60 minutes until the sauce is thickened. Serve with lemon wedges.