1,000 Jewish Recipes (191 page)
Read 1,000 Jewish Recipes Online
Authors: Faye Levy
3.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until eggs are done to your taste. Serve immediately.
This time-honored Sephardic specialty is made by cooking eggs in the slow-cooked stew called
hamin
, which explains their name. (The name comes from Ladino, a language spoken by descendants of Jews who left Spain in the fifteenth century.) The eggs in their shells are placed inside the pot of
hamin,
or
cholent,
and cook all night. They are served for Shabbat, along with the
hamin.
In Yemenite kitchens they might bake overnight with a Shabbat pastry such as
jahnoon
.
These eggs are so popular, however, that they are made for other occasions as well, for serving with phyllo pastries such as
bourekas
. They are simmered very slowly in seasoned water with skins of onions, which give the shells a brown hue. Simply save the peel from onions for a few days until you have enough.
These eggs go against the usual culinary guidelines for cooking hard boiled eggs but they are delicious and have a slightly creamy texture.
Brown skins of 8 to 10 onions (about 4 to 5 cups)
10 large eggs that have no cracks
1 teaspoon salt
2
1
â
2
quarts water
2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
1
â
2
teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Choose a medium, heavy saucepan in which eggs fit in a single layer. Put half the onion peels in the pan. Carefully set eggs on top. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat as low as possible. Cover and cook eggs for 6 hours or overnight. Serve hot or warm.
Matzo brei is a year-round treat, too good to be reserved only for Passover. If you like yours on the sweet side, sprinkled with sugar or topped with jam, you'll like this version made with butter-sautéed apples. Serve topped with sour cream and, if you like, sprinkled with more sugar.
5 plain, egg, or whole-wheat matzos
1
â
4
cup (
1
â
2
stick) butter or vegetable oil
2 large apples, cored and sliced
2 tablespoons sugar
1
â
2
teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 large eggs
1
â
4
cup milk
1
â
4
teaspoon salt
1.
Cover matzos in cold water and soak about 10 minutes.
2.
Heat 2 tablespoons butter or oil in a large, heavy skillet. Add apples and sauté over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and sauté another minute, stirring and turning so apples are well coated.
3.
Drain matzos, break them into bite-size squares, and place in a bowl. Beat eggs with milk and salt in a bowl and pour over matzos. Stir until matzos are coated. Add sautéed apples and stir.
4.
Melt remaining butter in skillet. Add matzo mixture. Cook over low heat, stirring, until the eggs are set to your taste. Serve at once.
Fish
In the Jewish kitchen fish plays a special role because it can appear at kosher meals that include either meat or dairy foods. For traditional holiday meals, fish is often an appetizer that is then followed by a main course of meat. Quite a few Jewish fish appetizers are served cold or at room temperature, because of the prohibition of cooking on Shabbat. These make-ahead specialties are convenient for serving at festive meals.
Gefilte fish is the best-known Jewish fish dish. This Eastern European Jewish specialty is widely available in jars but for holidays, many people prefer to make it at home. Classically it is made of fresh-water fish like those available in the recipe's place of origin: carp, pike, and whitefish. Originally gefilte fish meant a stuffed whole fish. Today the term refers to ground fish poached in the form of balls, oval cakes, or long cylinders that are similar to classic French galantines. The seasoning of gefilte fish may be delicate, sweet, or peppery and usually includes onions and carrots.
Sephardic Jews also prepare fish appetizers for holidays, often whole fish or pieces, flavored with garlic, peppers, cilantro, and tomatoes.
Because today many Jews are health conscious or simply prefer fish, in many homes it has replaced meat as a holiday entree. Depending on the quantity served, most fish appetizer dishes can be transformed into main courses. Many people bake gefilte fish mixture in loaves and serve it during the week as a hot or cold entree. Fried fish are popular among all Jewish ethnic groups. Sephardic Jews also like grilled fish. Baked fish is also a frequent choice for entertaining because of its ease and convenience.
On menus for brunches and casual get-togethers, a variety of smoked and cured fish, notably lox, whitefish, and herring, are much esteemed, especially by Ashkenazic Jews. Traditionally they are served with bagels and cream cheese but might also be served as a saladâon a bed of greens. Smoked salmon or lox is also a popular ingredient in scrambled eggs and omelets on deli menus as well as at home.
= Pareve  = Dairy  
= MeatBAKED, GRILLED, AND BROILED FISH
With no fat added, this delicious salmon is perfect for light menus. We love it for Shabbat, with basmati rice and
Rachel's Spiced Cauliflower with Chickpeas
. I like to marinate the salmon with a dry rub of thyme, oregano, and cumin. After baking the salmon, I broil it very briefly to give it a tasty, attractive crust.
1
1
â
4
to 1
1
â
2
pounds salmon fillet, preferably tail section, about 1 inch thick
1
â
2
teaspoon dried thyme
1
â
2
teaspoon dried oregano
1
â
2
teaspoon ground cumin
1
â
2
teaspoon paprika
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Lemon wedges
1.
Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a heavy roasting pan with foil. Set fish on foil. Sprinkle fish evenly with thyme, oregano, cumin, and paprika. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle fish evenly with salt and pepper.
2.
Roast fish in oven about 10 minutes or until the thickest part of the fish is pink inside; check with a sharp knife. Broil fish 30 seconds to 1 minute to lightly brown top. Serve with lemon wedges.
This colorful entree is perfect for Passover or other festive occasions in springtime. It is flavored with a Sephardic sauce of fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and an abundance of Italian parsley, and is quick and easy to prepare. Red trout fillets make this a beautiful dish but you can use any trout that is fresh at your market. The entree is also delicious with salmon fillets.
1 pound thin asparagus, thick bases removed
