Jewish | Saveur

Za’atar Dip

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:26:34 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

The Middle Eastern spice blend za’atar (which combines sumac, oregano, sesame, hyssop, and other spices) flavors this simple cilantro-and-garlic dip. It’s ideal served alongside roasted meats, or slathered on fresh-baked pita.

Featured in “Season of Rejoicing: Celebrating Sukkot in Crown Heights” by Katie Robbins.

Yield: 8–10

Time: 5 minutes

½ cup olive oil
3 Tbsp. za’atar
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

In a food processor, blend together the oil, za’atar, garlic, and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

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Classic Beef Brisket

Kelly Alexander — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:37:25 +0000

Take note: This recipe comes from the author’s Grandma Lil, who insisted that the brisket tasted better the day after it was cooked. Maura McEvoy

“I remember being really happy the day Melissa Hamilton (SAVEUR’s former food editor), and Julia Lee (then test-kitchen director) were making my grandmother’s brisket in the test kitchen,” says former SAVEUR staffer Kelly Alexander. “The whole staff loved it and chowed down. I was hoping for leftovers, but there were none.” The resulting recipe, and Alexander’s feature about the iconic braise that helped define her identity as a Southern Jew, appeared in our April 2004 issue. And though her grandmother Lil passed away four years later, the brisket lives on. “Every year on Jewish holidays I still get emails from SAVEUR subscribers about how it’s become a family staple for them too,” says Alexander, now a food anthropologist. “When people make this recipe, they pay my mema the best kind of respect.”

Yield: serves 6-8

Time: 4 hours 45 minutes

2 tsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. sweet paprika
1 Tbsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 Tbsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 5-lb. beef brisket, preferably a flat cut, trimmed of any large pieces of fat
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 ¹⁄₂ cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 14 ½-oz. can diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
3 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
3 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 1 Tbsp.)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the oregano, paprika, pepper, and salt, then rub all over the brisket.
In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat the oil until it shimmers, then add the brisket and sear until browned on both sides, about 10 minutes per side. Remove from the pot and set aside.
Pour off and discard the rendered fat from the pot, then return the pot to medium-high heat and add the stock, tomatoes, and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Add the brisket and its accumulated juices, and scatter the onions and garlic atop the meat. Cover the pot, transfer to the oven, and cook for 1 hour. Remove the lid and continue cooking until the onions begin to melt, about 1 hour more. Push some of the onions and garlic into the braising liquid surrounding the brisket. Cover the pot again, and continue cooking until the meat is very tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 2 hours more.
Transfer the meat to a cutting board and loosely tent with foil. The onions and garlic that remain in the pot should be very soft, and the braising juices rich and saucy. If the juices are watery, return the pot to the stovetop and simmer over medium heat until the juices thicken, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
To serve, slice the brisket against the grain, transfer to a serving platter, and spoon the vegetables and sauce on top.

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Savory Lokshen Kugel

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:28:56 +0000

Photography by Murray Hall; Food Styling by Jessie YuChen

Noodle kugel is a festive staple that graces many Jewish families’ tables during holidays like Rosh Hashana. Though the casserole is typically a sweet dish, this version is savory, flavored with garlic and onions. We recommend making this lokshen kugel recipe in a cast-iron skillet—around 12 inches is ideal—for even cooking and crisp edges.

This recipe first appeared in our October 2011 print issue with the story, “Season of Rejoicing,” by Katie Robbins.

Yield: 8-10

Time: 1 hour

1½ cups sour cream
1¼ cups cottage cheese
8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, divided
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
8 oz. wide egg noodles
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, cottage cheese, 6 tablespoons of butter, and the eggs.
Set a large pot of salted water over high heat, bring to a boil, then add the noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain the noodles, return to the pot, then stir into the sour cream mixture, and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
To a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, add the remaining butter. When the butter is hot, add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in the noodles, transfer to the oven, and bake until golden-brown, 35–40 minutes. Serve warm.

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Old-School Gefilte Fish

Anya von Bremzen — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 13:56:51 +0000

Photo: Linda Xiao • Food Styling: Pearl Jones • Prop Styling: Dayna Seman. Photo: Linda Xiao • Food Styling: Pearl Jones • Prop Styling: Dayna Seman

This Passover, consider ditching the usual jarred gefilte and make your own instead. This gefilte fish recipe is lighter, fresher, and less cloying than the dense, oblong patties found on the shelves of Jewish groceries next to the matzo ball mix and egg noodles. Those who enjoy a sweet-and-sour taste should double or triple the sugar. Horseradish is an essential accompaniment.

Featured in “You Never Forget Your First Gefilte Fish,” by Anya von Bremzen.

Yield: Serves 10 as an appetizer

Time: 8 hours 30 minutes

2 Tbsp. peanut or vegetable oil, plus more for brushing
2 medium onions, finely chopped, divided
2 matzo sheets, broken into pieces
2 medium carrots, 1 peeled and coarsely chopped, 1 sliced into ¼-in. coins
¾ lb. whitefish, pike, or other firm white fish fillets, cut into ½-in. chunks
¾ lb. carp fillets, cut into ½-in. chunks
2 large eggs
1½ tsp. sugar
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground white pepper, or black pepper
2½ cups fish stock, or chicken stock
Curly (or flat-leaf) parsley sprigs, for garnish
Fresh or bottled horseradish (white or red), for serving

Instructions

To a medium skillet set over medium heat, add the oil and three quarters of the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and beginning to brown, about 14 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, cover the matzos with cold water and set aside for 10 minutes. Drain, use your hands to squeeze out as much liquid as possible, and return to the bowl.
In a food processor, pulse the carrot and remaining onion until very finely chopped, then add the matzo and pulse to combine. Scrape into the bowl and set aside.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425ºF. To the empty food processor, add the whitefish and onions and pulse to a paste (the fish chunks should be no larger than a grain of rice). Scrape into the bowl with the matzo mixture. To the food processor, add the carp, salt, sugar, and white pepper and pulse to a paste. Scrape into the bowl with the whitefish, then add the eggs. Using your hands or a spoon, mix until homogeneous. (If the mixture is too loose to shape, cover with plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.)
Using two large spoons or wetted hands, shape about 2 tablespoons of the mixture into a quenelle or oblong ball and transfer to a greased 9-by-13-inch pan. Brush lightly with oil. Repeat with the rest of the mixture, then bake until just beginning to brown, about 21 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small pot, bring the stock and sliced carrot to a simmer, then pour over the fish to come two thirds of the way up the quenelles. Loosely cover with foil and turn the oven down to 325ºF. Bake, turning the balls over halfway through cooking, until cooked through and moist, about 45 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow the fish to cool in the liquid, about 3 hours. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 3 hours.
To serve, cover the bottom of a large platter with parsley if desired and scatter with the radishes, then arrange the gefilte fish on top. Top each fish with a carrot slice and parsley sprig and serve cold with horseradish on the side.

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Kosher Cachopa

Michael Twitty — Fri, 23 Sep 2022 23:27:32 +0000

PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID MALOSH; FOOD STYLING BY PEARL JONES; PROP STYLING BY SOPHIE STRANGIO

The collection of islands off the coast of West Africa known as Cape Verde was colonized by the Portuguese from the Age of Exploration well into the 20th Century, from 1462 until the islands gained their independence in 1975. Today’s Cape Verdean diaspora is rediscovering its Jewish roots. Worked by forced labor from West Africa, the Cape Verdean people are a mixture of Africa, Iberia, and all the worlds in between, including Jews who sought refuge from the Inquisition. When adapted to feature kosher cuts of meat, cachopa, one of the island nation’s signature dishes, makes an excellent Shabbat stew or replacement for cholent. (This recipe from writer Michael Twitty also works well as a slow cooker supper for Shabbat afternoon.) Many kosher butchers and farmers markets offer “bacon” made from beef brisket or lamb. For the kosher sausage, use an all-beef version, chicken sausage, or a mix.

Yield: 4

Time: 1 hour

3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped (1½ cups)
4 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
6–8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
One 15-oz. can white hominy, drained
One 14.5-oz. can light kidney beans, drained
½ cup frozen lima beans
1 lb. kosher sausage, sliced ½-in. thick
¼ lb. kosher beef or lamb bacon, cut into small cubes
2 cups coarsely chopped green cabbage or kale
1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into 1–in. cubes (2 cups)
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-in. cubes (2 cups)
1 medium plantain, peeled and thinly sliced into ½-in. thick rounds (1 cup)
½ medium butternut squash (or other winter squash), peeled and cut into 1-in. cubes (1 cup)
¼ cup green beans, sliced lengthwise
One 5½-lb. chicken, cut into 8 pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium plum tomatoes, quartered
½ cup store-bought sofrito
Coarsely chopped cilantro, for garnish

Instructions

To a large pot over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of the oil, the onion, garlic, and bay leaves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and fragrant, 5–7 minutes. Add 6 cups of broth, then stir in the hominy, kidney beans, and lima beans. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and cook at a simmer until the beans are very tender and the flavors have mingled together, about 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
To a large skillet over medium heat, add the sausage and bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until they have rendered a little of their fat, 5–6 minutes. Add the cabbage, potatoes, plantain, squash, and green beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage has wilted, about 12 minutes. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the pot, wipe the skillet clean and return it to the stove.
Season the chicken all over with salt and black pepper. Set the skillet over medium heat and add the remaining oil. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the chicken pieces in batches and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned all over, about 14 minutes per batch.
Transfer the browned chicken to the pot, and add the tomatoes. If necessary to submerge the chicken, add more broth to the pot, then set over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally and skimming any foam off the surface, until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 hour.
Stir in the sofrito and continue cooking until the chicken is very tender and the broth is flavorful and concentrated, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside until the juices have cooled slightly and thickened about 30 minutes. Ladle the cachopa into wide bowls, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve warm or at room temperature.

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Minnie’s Rosh Hashana Honey-Chocolate Swirl Cake

Ellen Gray — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 01:59:18 +0000

Photography by Belle Morizio

On the red carpet of Rosh Hashana desserts, honey cake has a far smaller fan base than some of its glittering apple counterparts. Yet honey cakes are iconic, tethered to the High Holidays as a symbol of hope for a sweet New Year and a nod to Israel, “a land flowing with milk and honey.” (Book of Exodus 3:8) The Jewish New Year is a time of introspection and celebration, and an opportunity to reflect on the previous year and consider the one forthcoming. It’s why Jewish bakers also gravitate towards circular baked goods for this season, symbolizing life’s continuous cycle.

Honey-laced cakes have long been embraced by cultures around the world. As far back as the 12th century, Italian bakers were known for a dense and honey-sweetened semolina cake; in the 13th and 14th centuries, heavily spiced and honeyed gingerbread, studded with nuts and dried and candied fruit, was prevalent throughout Europe. Eventually, the Ashkenazi Jews in Central Europe embraced their own version, which they enjoyed alongside strong coffee or tea.

Honey cake—also known as “lekach” a Yiddush word derived from the German lecken, meaning “lick” and perhaps the Aramaic lĕkhakh, meaning to “mix in thoroughly”—is often maligned. Much like fruitcake, an overpowering spice profile and stodgy texture are at the heart of the dish’s bad reputation. Even honey cake devotees admit that the dessert is more often about family tradition than flavor, tethering us to generations that once circled the holiday table. In revisiting the tradition, I turned to a cake culled from Bayswater, Queens circa 1950, when recipe swapping was popular within the Temple Sisterhood and the American Jewish volunteer women’s organization, Hadassah. My grandmother, Minnie, was a dedicated member of both.

Minnie’s Rosh Hashana cake is a happy marriage between golden honey cake and rich chocolate cake. It is, as my grandmother would say, “a good keeper,” in part due to the high concentration of honey, which works as a preservative. Her recipe also includes a generous splash of Coca-Cola which, having been deemed kosher in 1936, has found its way into many subsequent Jewish recipes. Because we were a family of Dr. Brown’s cream soda fans, I’ve swapped that in (it’s also kosher) for the original cola. And though Minnie’s version was unglazed, I’ve also added a slick of dark chocolate-honey icing, which I find elevates this humble cake to superstar status.

Yield: 16

Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the honey cake layer:

1¾ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1½ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cardamom
1 tsp. finely grated orange zest
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. ground allspice
¼ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. kosher salt
½ cup clover honey
½ cup dark brown sugar
½ cup neutral oil, plus more for greasing
½ cup sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup strongly brewed coffee or tea, at room temperature
¼ cup whiskey or orange juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the chocolate layer:

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup medium rye flour
⅓ cup dark cocoa powder, sifted
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. kosher salt
1 cup sugar
½ cup dark brown sugar
½ cup neutral oil
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup cream soda (preferably Dr. Brown’s brand)

For the glaze:

8 oz. dark chocolate, finely chopped (preferably 60%)
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 Tbsp. clover honey

Instructions

Preheat the oven (with one of the racks positioned in the bottom third) to 350°F. Lightly grease an angel food cake pan with neutral oil. Line the bottom of the pan with a circle of parchment paper, lightly grease the paper, then dust the pan very lightly with all-purpose flour, knocking out any excess.
Make the honey cake layer: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, orange zest, baking soda, allspice, ginger, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey, dark brown sugar, oil, sugar, eggs, coffee, whiskey, and vanilla. Turn the mixer on low and gradually pour in the wet mixture, occasionally pausing to use a silicone spatula to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl, until the batter is smooth. Pour evenly into the prepared cake pan and set aside.
Make the chocolate cake layer: Clean and dry the stand mixer bowl and whisk and return to the mixer. To the bowl, add the flour, rye flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In the medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and cream soda. Turn the mixer on low and gradually pour in the wet mixture, occasionally pausing to use a silicone spatula to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl, until the batter is smooth. Slowly and evenly pour the chocolate batter over the honey batter. Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, smooth the surface of the cake, but do not swirl the two layers together. Place the cake pan on a large baking sheet, transfer to the oven, and bake until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 60–75 minutes. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and set aside to cool in its pan for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the glaze: To a heatproof bowl set over a small pot of simmering water, add the chocolate, coconut oil, and honey; cook, stirring frequently, until the chocolate is nearly melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside, stirring occasionally, until the glaze is completely smooth. Set aside.
Using an offset spatula or a thin knife, loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. Invert onto a plate to remove from the pan, discard the parchment paper circle. Set aside to cool completely before inverting the cake once again onto a large serving plate. Pour the glaze evenly over the top of the cooled cake, allowing the excess to drip down the sides. Cut into slices and serve at room temperature. Covered loosely with plastic wrap, the cake will keep well at room temperature for 4 days, or longer if refrigerated.

The post Minnie’s Rosh Hashana Honey-Chocolate Swirl Cake appeared first on Saveur.

Ring in the High Holidays with These 21 Jewish Recipes

SAVEUR Editors — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 16:08:03 +0000

Photography by Linda Xiao; Food Styling by Christine Albano; Prop Styling by Dayna Seman

The High Holidays are all about preserving tradition through ancient rites of passage, but they’re also about the food: Pass the brisket and chopped liver, please. Over the centuries, the Jewish diaspora has enriched food the world over—and we’re not just talking matzo ball soup and deli sandwiches, but also chreime, lekash, poike, and so much more. Even if you can’t tell a knish from challah, we have you covered with a wealth of Jewish recipes that would give any Bubbe nachas.

Classic Jewish Brisket

Photography by SAVEUR Editors

After a long braise in an aromatic tomato broth, this brisket develops even more flavor if you can resist temptation and let it rest overnight. Get the recipe >

Shtetl Toast

Photography by Matt Taylor-Gross

Save the skin from leftover roast chicken to make gribenes, crispy cracklings and onions fried in schmaltz. Spoon it on rye bread and top it with peppery radish slices to make what one California deli calls shtetl toast. Get the recipe >

Edith’s Matzo Ball Soup

Photography by Linda Xiao; Food Styling by Christine Albano; Prop Styling by Dayna Seman

In this robust recipe from Edith’s Eatery & Grocery in Brooklyn, a whole chicken simmers with parsnips, kombu, and roasted bones to make a belly-warming broth. Matzo meal dumplings get a surprising, unconventional hug of heat from dried ginger. Get the recipe >

Fried Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich

Photography: Belle Morizio; Food Styling: Victoria Granof; Prop Styling: Dayna Seman

At Montreal’s Arthurs Nosh Bar, buttermilk fried chicken cutlets are seasoned with the peppery local steak spice and stacked high on challah toast. Add go-to toppings like honey, crunchy kosher dills, and iceberg lettuce slaw. Get the recipe >

Pistachio-Date Rugelach with Rosewater Syrup

Photography by Eitan Bernath; Food Styling by Olivia Anderson

For his Israeli-style rugelach, Eitan Bernath rolls rich yeasted babka dough around a sweetly spiced pistachio-date filling, then gilds the lily with a drizzle of rosewater honey. Get the recipe >

Sufganiyot with Bourbon-Orange Glaze

Photography by Amy Harris

Donuts aren’t just for Hanukkah—consider breaking the fast (or ringing in the New Year) with this adult-only riff from Kentucky, drizzled with orange marmalade glaze laced with a healthy slug of bourbon. Get the recipe >

Traditional Hamantaschen

Photography by Drew Lederman

These triangular pastries always appear on dessert trays at Purim, or the Feast of Lots, which commemorates a biblical heroine named Esther. Our version replaces the more traditional prune and poppy seed filling with a sweeter apple butter in honor of Rosh Hashana. Get the recipe >

Carrot and Horseradish Relish

Photography: Paul Sirisalee; Food Styling: Eugene Jho

Shared by Brooklyn’s The Gefilteria, this grated carrot-fresh horseradish relish is usually paired with poached gefilte fish, but we also love it with scrambled eggs or gooey grilled cheese. Get the recipe >

Brisket and Potato Kugel

Photography by Matt Taylor-Gross

Who says Ashkenazi-style kugel has to be plain mashed potatoes or egg noodles? The quintessential Bubbe meal gets a meaty makeover in this updated recipe. Get the recipe >

Potato Jalapeño Latkes

Photography by Matt Taylor-Gross

Don’t knock this Mexican fusion fritter from Toloache until you try it: We think you’ll love the combination of jalapeños and horseradish crema. Complete the feast with some smoky whitefish guacamole or brisket tacos. Get the recipe >

Chestnut and Goji Berry Rugelach

Photography by Matt Taylor-Gross

These flaky cream cheese pastries fuse Jewish and Chinese traditions that cross-pollinated on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Chinese five spice replaces the traditional cinnamon, while puréed chestnuts and goji berries simmered in ginger liqueur stand in for fruit preserves. Get the recipe >

Kiddush Cookies

Photography by SAVEUR Editors

Crumbly cookies dabbed with chocolate sprinkles are a staple of deli counters everywhere, but this buttery version, adapted from The 100 Most Jewish Foods, turns out cakey with a kiss of almond. Go wild with the unicorn sprinkles. Get the recipe >

Carrot and Pistachio Salad

Photography by Matt Taylor-Gross

For a side dish to cut the richness of brisket or chicken, roasted carrots tossed with bitter radicchio, salty nuts, and sweet figs do the trick. Get the recipe >

Nanny’s Rosh Hashanah Apple Cake

Photography by Matt Taylor-Gross

On Rosh Hashana, apples and honey symbolize the sweetness of a new year. This cake marries Granny Smiths and plump raisins with a streusel topping and pie-like dough. Get the recipe >

Cream of Parsley Soup with Fresh Horseradish

Photography by Matt Taylor-Gross

A verdant soup of puréed parsley blended into chicken stock and cream makes a refreshing starter for multicourse holiday feasts. Get the recipe >

Chreime (Spicy Tunisian Fish Stew)

This quick stew, brightened with chiles and lemon juice, is a Tunisian Jewish specialty. Some recipes call for caraway, harissa, or paprika, but we like the clean taste of sea bass or grouper swimming in minimally seasoned tomato purée. Get the recipe >

Rhubarb Passover Chremsel with Beet Preserves

Photography by Paola + Murray; Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich; Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio

Chremsel matzo-meal fritters are Passover staples, but tart chunks of fresh rhubarb can be swapped in for dried fruit and nut fillings to extend the season. Serve them with a ruby red beet-and-citrus eingemachtes, or conserve. Get the recipe >

Beet Stew with Lamb Meatballs

Speaking of beets, this traditional Iraqi-Jewish vegetable stew hits complex spice notes, thanks to cumin, coriander, cayenne, and paprika. It’s all spooned over turmeric-infused rice and ground lamb meatballs. Get the recipe >

Jewish Chicken Foot Fricassée with Meatballs

Photography by Thomas Payne

Everything but the feathers winds up in this homey braise, brimming with pan-seared offal and matzo-meal meatballs and tempered by a sweet-and-sour tomato sauce. Get the recipe >

Sweet and Sour Potted Meatballs

Photography by Todd Coleman

Adapted from Arthur Schwartz’s Jewish Home Cooking: Yiddish Recipes Revisited, these “potted,” or covered, rice-and-beef chuck meatballs simmer in a citrusy tomato gravy. Get the recipe >

Dark Chocolate Matzo Brittle

Too much matzo in the cupboard? Use it up in this unorthodox brittle drizzled with caramel, chocolate, and crushed pistachios. Get the recipe >

The post Ring in the High Holidays with These 21 Jewish Recipes appeared first on Saveur.

Pistachio-Date Rugelach with Rosewater Honey

Eitan Bernath — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 14:22:49 +0000

Photography by Eitan Bernath; Food Styling by Olivia Anderson

The most quintessential part of every weekend in my childhood home (at least, culinarily speaking) was rugelach. The dough was super thin and light, almost babka-like, and rolled into a tiny croissant shape. The traditional fillings were never overly sweet; warm and earthy cinnamon was balanced with just a touch of sugar; chocolate was always semisweet, never cloying. These were the perfect two-to-three bite treat at the end of our family’s Shabbat meal, a little afternoon pick-me-up or, dare I say, a late night snack.

Rugelach are a traditional Jewish pastry, with roots in a variety of Eastern European baked goods, like Hungarian kifli and Polish rogal. Early rugelach were likely made with a yeasted dough, and filled, much like today, with jam, poppy seed paste, or nuts. Eventually, rugelach made their way to the U.S., and American bakers adapted the old recipe for speed. They replaced the slow-moving yeast pastry with a cream-cheese based one that’s more similar to pie dough. American-style rugelach are now more or less defined by this rich and crumbly dough, which requires no kneading or rising time, and which removes at least a full hour from the old process. And while these are perfectly delicious, they aren’t the rugelach I crave.

Since these pastries were such an important part of my childhood, once I started cooking and baking, they were one of the first things I wanted to learn how to make. I quickly realized that the vast majority of the recipes online are nothing like the versions I grew up eating. After exhaustive research into the pastry’s history, I solved this mystery: I had grown up eating yeasted Israeli-style rugelach, while most of the recipes published here in the U.S. are, of course, American-style.

Once I figured that out, it didn’t take too much work for me to adapt my babka dough to create a classic, Israeli-style rugelach. I also spiced up the traditional fillings with some of my favorite Middle Eastern flavors that I think pair beautifully: toasted pistachios, date syrup, honey, rose water, cardamom, and cinnamon. (Rest assured—if you prefer simpler flavors, this dough also works just as well with cinnamon and honey.) In my humble opinion, the resulting rugelach are just as delicious as any I’ve had from a bakery.

Yield: 48 rugelach

Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients

For the dough:

1 tsp. instant dry yeast
¾ cup whole milk, slightly warmed
3¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
⅓ cup sugar
½ tsp. kosher salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
⅓ cup vegetable oil, plus more for greasing

For the filling:

1½ cups shelled unsalted pistachios
¾ cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. ground cardamom
½ cup date syrup, divided

For finishing:

1 large egg, at room temperature, well beaten
¼ cup honey
1 tsp. rosewater

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, stir together the yeast and milk. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt, then transfer the dry ingredients to the yeast mixture. Add the eggs and oil, then mix on medium speed until the ingredients are just combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then continue mixing on medium speed until a smooth dough forms and pulls away from sides (but not the bottom) of the bowl, about 5 minutes. If dough seems very wet, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing well between additions, until it cleans the sides of the bowl.
Lightly oil a large, clean bowl, then transfer the dough into it. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and place in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, make the filling. To a small, dry skillet over medium low heat, add the pistachios and cook, tossing frequently, until fragrant and toasted, 5–6 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until very finely ground (about the size of breadcrumbs), about 45 seconds. Measure a tablespoon of the ground pistachio and set aside for garnish; transfer the rest to a medium bowl, then stir in the sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt. Set aside.
Once dough has risen, preheat the oven to 350°F. Position two oven racks in the top and bottom third of the oven. Line 2 large sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside.
Lightly flour a clean work surface and transfer the dough out onto it. Divide the dough in half, set one half aside and cover with a tea towel. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the other half out to an even circle, approximately 20 inches in diameter and ⅛ inch thick. (The dough should be very thin and nearly transparent.) Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread ¼ cup of the date syrup evenly over the dough, all the way to the edges, then sprinkle half the pistachio mixture evenly over top. Using a pizza cutter or large knife, cut the circle into 24 even wedges. Starting at the outer edge of each wedge, roll the dough into snug spirals, maintaining tension by gently pulling towards the outer part of the circle as you roll. (The final shape should look like a mini croissant.)
Place the rugelach, pointed-end-down, on one of the baking sheets, leaving them about 2 inches apart. Brush the tops lightly with egg wash and bake, rotating the sheet once halfway through cooking, until golden brown, 15–18 minutes.
While the first batch of rugelach bakes, repeat the process with the second half of dough and filling.
Finally, make the rosewater honey: To a small, heatproof bowl, add the honey and microwave just until liquidy, about 30 seconds. Stir in the rosewater and set aside. Remove the rugelach from the oven, immediately brush with the warm rosewater honey, then sprinkle lightly with reserved pistachios. Serve warm or at room temperature. Stored in an airtight container, leftovers keep well for up to three days. (If you enjoy the flavor of rosewater and are eating the rugelach after the first day, you may top with a second layer of glaze just before serving.)

Note:
If you prefer to make a classic cinnamon rugelach, leave out the pistachio-date filling. Onto each half of dough spread 4 tablespoons of softened unsalted butter then top with a mixture of 1 cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon. Shape and bake as above, omitting the honey glaze and pistachio garnish.

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For Cookbook Author Michael Twitty, African and Jewish Diaspora Cuisines Share a Crucial Bond

Michael Twitty — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 19:18:05 +0000

Photography by Johnny Shryock

It was partly by using food to teach seventh-graders about the Shoah and trying to communicate the deeper ways to understand loss, memory, and a retained culture that I began to appreciate how much the cuisines of Black and Jewish Diasporas had in common. Civilizations without borders re-create themselves after tragedies and traumas, and they migrate and mutate in response. Just as important, and maybe more important, as what their canons dictate is how their constructs grow and push the culture and its cuisines forward. In particular, the legacies of African Atlantic/African American and Ashkenazi Jewish cultures in the West are important, given the rich dialogue generated by two hundred or so years of common concerns and evolving cooperation and conflict in the United States. Above all is the familiar guest, trauma, and its best friend, want.

Yiddish foodways are extremely beautiful because there are so many similar issues with their cultural interpretation of African American foodways. They even have the same kind of language transmission—the recipes were passed to the next generation in a terse vernacular that bridged ancient homelands and new realities. (Yiddish wasn’t “bad German,” and AAVE [African American Vernacular English, or Ebonics] wasn’t bad English; they were languages born in their place to facilitate specific communal transitions.) In my opinion, people ascribe way too much to ingenuity and poverty; “that’s all they had” gets said, and then a shrug, a look, a dismissal. No, that’s not enough. What does it mean to see these others and how they eat and know what you eat and what you have to have and translate everything in a vernacular born in exile, mixing ideas from all the places you’ve been?

Photography by Johnny Shryock

What’s most galling is that we’ve generally missed the mood that looms over both Yiddish food and soul food traditions. They are exploited and extolled for their comfort but demeaned for their lack of health benefits or damned as irrelevant. There is a familiar feeling of shame among some: Yiddish food was pre-Shoah/ Holocaust food, the food of balobostehs (homemakers) and weakened, starving, pious yeshivah boys compared with Newish-Jewish (Israeli-Mediterranean food—the food of the sabra). Soul food was that of ignorant “slaves” fed a diet to match their bonds in other ways, something to keep them in physical chains that did not require shackles. One recent news story spoke of an employee at Ikea who was offended that his manager served watermelon because “the masters gave that to the slaves,” a complete fallacy.

In both cases, the foods of Ashkenazi Jews and Black Americans have been maligned and marginalized right along with the people. If the food was corrupt, so was the beleaguered, antiquated way of life we no longer have a taste for because it embarrasses us. However, these were survivors; they were hyperaware of the seasons, frugal and attentive, and most of all, they used their food to show transgenerational love. The idea that something somehow lacked in their gastronomy or worldview came from without, not from within. When people feel that connection between Jews and Blacks in America, it’s not just in struggle, or in satire or survival; it’s in the very soul of the cooking itself.

When people ask me about my favorite “Jewish” food, I say kasha varnishkes. I understand it. It’s the best of the earth in one bowl. The barley that people saw in fields, the pasta it took G-d and miller and mother to partner in making, and onions—the soul of any soul cuisine, brown and sweet and savory and present—are all in one dish with butter or schmaltz and salt. What more do you need? I see all the people and the feelings they had about their food and their position in life, their pride despite their degradation, and the sense of relief when they got to enjoy just one more thing in life.

As I write this bricolage narrative, it becomes clear that a linear account of Jews and Blacks eating and cooking together or for each other is thorny because we are so often oppressed and marginalized and pushed to the edges. So much is missing, but worse yet, the generations descended from the survivors sometimes do not know how to feel about or comprehend their Ancestors. And yet, our job is to bridge the chasms and feel our way back to a place where we can see beyond imposed lenses that regard us as earth-shatteringly oppositional and then to seek out history. Those accounts, where we find common ground in spirit and purpose, do exist. Food was where these common Ancestors of mine tucked away secrets, hopes, and tactics for overcoming being forgotten and telling a story in which all humans could see themselves reflected.

Recipe

Kosher Cachopa

Photography by David Malosh; Food Styling by Pearl Jones; Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio

Get the recipe >

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Matzo Ball Soup

Elyssa Heller — Thu, 07 Apr 2022 23:03:25 +0000

Photo: Linda Xiao • Food Styling: Christine Albano • Prop Styling: Dayna Seman. Photo: Linda Xiao • Food Styling: Christine Albano • Prop Styling: Dayna Seman

When Elyssa Heller, owner of Edith’s Eatery & Grocery in Brooklyn, was growing up, her mom made matzo ball soup every year for Passover. But she also prepared the dish throughout the entire year—for Heller whenever she was sick, or even for regular weeknight dinners.

Today, Heller considers this belly-warming recipe, which has evolved throughout the decades, a symbol of the long and winding journey of Jewish people to America. Her mom added her own twists to the traditional techniques—like roasting the chicken bones separately and including lots of parsnip in the stock—resulting in a richer, sweeter matzo ball soup.

Featured in: “For My Family, This Passover Staple Is Year-Round Comfort Food.”

Yield: 4

Time: 11 hours

Ingredients

For the stock:

1½ lb. chicken bones
One 3- to 4-lb. chicken, giblets removed
¾ cup coarsely chopped parsley
1 tsp. kosher salt
4 medium parsnips, peeled
2 bay leaves
2 medium carrots, peeled
2 celery stalks
2 large yellow onions, peeled
1 small fennel bulb
One 6-by-5-in. piece dried kombu
Chicken fat (schmaltz), or substitute olive or vegetable oil

For the matzo balls:

1 cup matzo meal
1 Tbsp. finely chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp. dried ginger
4 large eggs

Instructions

Make the stock: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400ºF. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and add the chicken bones. Bake until the bones are a dark golden brown, about 1 hour.
To a large pot over medium-high heat, add the roasted bones, the chicken, and enough cool water to cover the chicken by 3 inches. Bring to a boil, skimming off and discarding any froth that forms along the surface. Turn the heat to medium-low, add the parsley, salt, parsnips, bay leaves, carrots, celery, onions, fennel, and kombu, and simmer until the stock turns a deep golden color, 4–6 hours.
Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a large bowl and allow to cool slightly. In a fine-mesh sieve set over another large pot, strain the stock, reserving the parsnips, carrots, celery, and fennel and discarding all the other solids. Transfer the vegetables to an airtight container, allow to cool to room temperature, and refrigerate. Pick the meat from the chicken, discarding the skin and bones, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate.
Allow the stock to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until the fat solidifies on the surface, 2–24 hours. Skim off the chicken fat and set aside for the matzo balls. (You should have ¼ cup of fat. If you have less, supplement it with store-bought schmaltz or olive or vegetable oil.)
In a large bowl, stir together matzo meal, cilantro, parsley, salt, black pepper, ginger, eggs, the reserved chicken fat, and ¼ cup of the stock. Cover and refrigerate 1–24 hours.
Fill a large pot halfway with lightly salted water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. With wet hands, gently divide the matzo mixture into eight 3-tablespoon portions and roll into balls, gently dropping them into the boiling water as you go. (Do not pack the dough tightly or the balls will not puff as they cook.) Turn the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and simmer until the matzo balls expand, float to the surface, and are evenly cooked through, about 25 minutes. To test if they’re ready, use a spoon to remove one matzo ball and cut it in half; it should be the same color throughout and have a consistent light texture.
Meanwhile, return the stock to the stove and turn the heat to medium-low. Shred the reserved chicken into bite-size pieces, then add to the pot. Coarsely chop the reserved vegetables, then add to the pot. Cook until heated through, 7–8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Divide the soup among four wide soup bowls. Using a slotted spoon, add 1–2 matzo balls to each bowl, then garnish with parsley and serve hot.

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Fried Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich

Stacy Adimando — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:48:44 +0000

PHOTOGRAPHY: BELLE MORIZIO; FOOD STYLING: VICTORIA GRANOF; PROP STYLING: DAYNA SEMAN

Raegan Steinberg, co-owner of Arthur’s Nosh Bar in Montreal, calls her partner chef Alex Cohen an “everything and the kitchen sink kind of cook.” His piled-high creation, called the McArthur Sandwich (named for Raegan’s late father), is a crispy breaded chicken schnitzel seasoned with Montreal steak spice and served on challah toast. Toppings include sweet honey, salty dill pickles, and vinegary iceberg slaw. The secret to the hearty schnitzel breading? Instant mashed potato flakes.

Yield: 4

Time: 3 hours

Ingredients

For the chicken:

2 cups buttermilk
6 oz. plain full-fat yogurt
1 tbsp. Montreal steak spice (optional)
1 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste, divided
¹⁄₄ cup grated yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 large chicken breasts, halved crosswise, each piece pounded ¼-in. thick
8 oz. uncooked instant mashed potatoes
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
2 ¹⁄₂ cups bread crumbs
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
¹⁄₂ cayenne pepper
3 large eggs
Vegetable oil, for frying
¹⁄₂ lemon

For the sandwich:

¹⁄₂ cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp. chile paste, such as Israeli schug
¹⁄₄ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
pinches kosher salt
pinches freshly ground black pepper
4 cups thinly sliced iceberg lettuce
2 whole pickled chiles, finely chopped
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
Softened unsalted butter
8 ½-in.-thick slices of challah
Honey
Kosher dill pickles, thinly sliced lengthwise

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, yogurt, steak seasoning (if using), 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the onion and garlic. Add the chicken breasts, turn to coat, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 and up to 24 hours.
In a large bowl, whisk together the instant potatoes, 1 cup of the flour, the bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt, and black pepper to taste. In another large bowl, whisk together the remaining flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, remaining salt, and black pepper to taste. In a third large bowl, beat the eggs with 1 cup of the buttermilk marinade from the chicken until combined.
Make the chicken: Coat one of the breasts first with the flour mixture, then in the egg, then with the potato-bread crumb mixture, packing the crumbs onto the meat to adhere. Transfer to a plate by the stove and repeat with the remaining breasts.
Place a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and set it next to the stove. Into a large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, pour the oil to a depth of 3 inches and attach a deep-fry thermometer. When the temperature reads 350°F, add two of the breasts and cook, turning once, until golden, crisp, and cooked through, 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer to the rack and season with salt to taste. Repeat with the remaining breasts. Squeeze the lemon over the 4 fried breasts.
Make the sandwiches: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and schug. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and black pepper; spoon two tablespoons of the vinaigrette into a small bowl and set aside. To the medium bowl, add the lettuce, pickled chiles, and shallot, and toss to coat. Set the three bowls aside.
Generously butter both sides of each challah slice. To a large cast-iron skillet set over medium heat, add 4 of the slices and cook, turning once, until browned and crisp, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and repeat with the remaining slices.
Spread the mayonnaise mixture evenly over 4 pieces of the challah (one side only). Place the breasts on top, then drizzle with honey to taste and the reserved vinaigrette. Top each chicken schnitzel with 1 cup of the slaw, the pickle slices, and finally the remaining slices of bread. Slice the sandwiches in half, and serve.

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