Kosher and Traditional Jewish Cooking: Authentic Recipes From a Classic Culinary Heritage: 130 Delicious Dishes Shown in 220 Stunning Photographs (2 page)

Filo-wrapped fish – best served with a zesty tomato sauce.

The noted Andalucian-Egyptian philosopher and physician Moses Maimonides (Moses ben Maimon) emphasized the importance of serenity of spirit, both for cook and diner. He also stressed the value of eating healthy food, prepared appealingly. Sharing sociable meals, he suggested, not only made for a happier, less anxious individual; it also bridged the differences between ethnic groups.

Fried matzo meal and cottage cheese latkes.

When Jews gather together, we eat, and what we eat are often the traditional foods, because each food has its own story. The flavour of remembrance seasons all our meals as we recall where we have wandered and who we met along the way, the meals we shared and the ingredients that filled our pots along each mile, in every place.

In this book I would like to share with you my favourite recipes from various Jewish communities throughout the world, and from my own life and traditions as well. In the words of the Hebrew expression that translates as
bon appetit
, I wish you all
B’tay avon
.

Marlena Spieler

Israeli couscous is a toasted, round pasta, which is much larger than regular couscous. It makes a wonderful addition to this warm and comforting soup. If you like your soup really garlicky, add an extra clove of chopped garlic just before serving.

SERVES 4–6

30ml/2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1–2 carrots, diced

400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes

6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1.5 litres/2
1
/
2
pints/6
1
/
4
cups vegetable or chicken stock

200–250g/7–9oz/1–1
1
/
2
cups Israeli couscous

2–3 mint sprigs, chopped, or several pinches of dried mint

1.5ml/
1
/
4
tsp ground cumin

1
/
4
bunch fresh coriander (cilantro), or about 5 sprigs, chopped

cayenne pepper, to taste

salt and ground black pepper

1
Heat the oil in a large pan, then add the onion and carrots and cook gently for about 10 minutes until softened.

2
Add the tomatoes, half the garlic, stock, couscous, mint, ground cumin, coriander, and cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste.

3
Bring the soup to the boil, add the remaining chopped garlic, then reduce the heat slightly and simmer gently for 7–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the couscous is just tender.

4
Serve piping hot, ladled into individual serving bowls.

Nutritional information per portion: Energy 130kcal/541kJ; Protein 2.6g; Carbohydrate 21.3g, of which sugars 3.9g; Fat 4.3g, of which saturates 0.6g; Cholesterol 0mg; Calcium 19mg; Fibre 1.3g; Sodium 11mg.

This delicious Sephardi Israeli soup, of black-eyed beans and turmeric-tinted tomato broth, is flavoured with tangy lemon and speckled with chopped fresh coriander. It is ideal for serving at parties – simply multiply the quantities as required.

SERVES 4

175g/6oz/1 cup black-eyed beans (peas)

15ml/1 tbsp olive oil

2 onions, chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 medium-hot fresh chilli, chopped

5ml/1 tsp ground cumin

5ml/1 tsp ground turmeric

250g/9oz fresh or canned tomatoes, diced

600ml/1 pint/2
1
/
2
cups chicken, beef or vegetable stock

25g/1oz fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves, roughly chopped

juice of
1
/
2
lemon

pitta bread, to serve

1
Put the beans in a pan, cover with cold water, bring to the boil, then cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover and leave to stand for 2 hours.

2
Drain the beans, return to the pan, cover with fresh cold water, then simmer for 35–40 minutes, or until the beans are tender. Drain and set aside.

3
Heat the oil in a pan, add the onions, garlic and chilli and cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion is soft.

4
Stir in the cumin, turmeric, tomatoes, stock, half the coriander and the beans and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and remaining coriander and serve at once with pitta bread.

Nutritional information per portion: Energy 172kcal/727kJ; Protein 10.9g; Carbohydrate 25.4g, of which sugars 6g; Fat 3.7g, of which saturates 0.6g; Cholesterol 0mg; Calcium 73mg; Fibre 8.5g; Sodium 17mg.

A bowl of chicken soup can heal the soul as well as the body, as anyone who has ever suffered from flu and been comforted, or suffered grief and been consoled, will know. This is why this warming soup is often known as the Jewish antibiotic.

SERVES 6–8

1–1.5kg/2
1
/
4
–3
1
/
4
lb chicken, cut into portions

2–3 onions, kept whole

3–4 litres/5–7 pints/12–16 cups water

3–5 carrots, thickly sliced

3–5 celery sticks, thickly sliced

1 small parsnip, cut in half

30–45ml/2–3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

30–45ml/2–3 tbsp chopped fresh dill

1–2 pinches ground turmeric