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February 16, 2023

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Cooking and Convalescing

To update all you loyal readers: this is the eighth attempt at publishing this blog, as I’ve had nothing but glitches with this WordPress site. So let’s hope all goes well this time. My husband, John, underwent an extensive surgery last month and was set to be transferred to a convalescent hospital almost two weeks ago. Our health care group would only pay for four hospitals in the North (the periphery). All were overcrowded, understaffed and not as clean as I’d like. So we petitioned the doctor to let John do shikum at home. We’ve had a nurse come to show me how to do wound care and apply dressings and give medications; a physical therapist who gave exercises (that turned out to be way to advanced at this time); a social worker and a dietician.

Together with the dietician, we worked out a specific meal plan with foods that are low in acid and fiber, are easily digestible, high in protein and soluble fats, red meat free, grain and seed free, salt free, cruciferous veg free…. Plus I wanted to serve him a diet high in probiotics and prebiotics to replace his gut flora. He lost 22 pounds, so they wanted to put him on Ensure and other highly processed drinks and shakes. I wanted to keep the diet as natural as possible. Yes! Challenge accepted!

Healthy recipes here we come! As soon as we got home, I made a 48-hour bone broth in the crockpot. I took beef bones with the marrow, onions, carrots, celery, parsley, bay leaves, ginger, peppercorn, garlic and cooked it until the marrow was completely melted into the soup. High in protein, probiotics and collagen, super delicious, it would be a base for other soups once strained and frozen. There was zucchini mushroom soup, chicken soup with matzah balls, potato leek soup and two varieties of the quintessential Israeli Marok Katom orange soup, so named for its bright orange color. Every household has their own version of orange soup which uses any of an assortment of orange veggies and spices. I made one of a large bag of peeled carrots, a peeled sweet potato and water with some cloves and nutmeg. My favorite (I’ve given the recipes in past blogs) uses a sautéed onion and peeled apple slices with roasted sweet potato, butternut squash and carrots. This gets a can of coconut milk, grated orange peel, a hefty tablespoon of curry powder and water. All the soups are well blended with an immersion blender until creamy.

For breakfast John I make a smoothie. I like to buy as local and as fresh as possible… from our local farmers. We are so blessed to have free-range goats and goatherds throughout the Galilee. Fresh goat milk products are amazing- not at all ‘goaty’ or ‘wild’ tasting. The milk is very mild, sweet, and easily digestible. We have more than a few artisanal goat dairies in the vicinity, so I eat a cup of goat yogurt every day and use it in smoothies. Recently, I found a new superfood called fonio. It’s high in protein and minerals and low glycemic. The closest I can describe it is that it is a bit like cream of wheat when cooked as a breakfast food. I add a scoop of PB (peanut butter) protein powder that I order from the States, goat yogurt, cinnamon, honey and banana. It’s very tasty!

Roasted, peeled beets are extremely high in antioxidants and iron. Another superfood. You can find them prepackaged in the supermarkets (and in the US, at Trader Joe’s). I developed this recipe with a couple Israeli/ Mediterranean twists. I use a goat feta that is very very low in salt and very firm and mild. It comes in a block submerged in water, and can be cut into smaller cubes. Hopefully you will be able to find something quite similar. Fresh dill is found in many recipes here, as is mint. The two together make this salad really fresh and the dressing is a twist on the Israeli lemon juice and olive oil.

Mediterranean Beet Salad

Ingredients:

  • 3-4 medium beets, roasted & peeled, or 1 pack pre-cooked beets
  • 1/2 cup goat feta, as fresh as possible
  • 2 TBSP freshly chopped dill leaves
  • 1 TBSP freshly chopped mint leaves
  • Vinaigrette , recipe below

In a large bowl cut the roasted beets into bite sized cubes. Add the fresh feta, cubed. Add mint and dill. In a small bowl mix together the vinaigrette until it forms a creamy emulsion. Pour over salad and mix thoroughly.

Vinaigrette ingredients:

  • Juice of 1/2 freshly squeezed lemon
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 TBSP Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed


I’ve made a big casserole of Mac and Cheese from scratch, and several egg dishes including this one quiche. Usually coming up with new recipes is successful, but there are occasional flops. The tuna quiche was one of those disasters. It was crustless with a sliced potato base. I loaded it up with spinach, peeled finely grated carrots, cheese, and a lovely custard. Coming out of the oven it looked absolutely glorious, but it smelled and tasted like cat food. It was pretty gross, and the neighborhood felines had quite a treat. So much so, that I believe I’ve made a new friend. She comes around to my kitchen window every morning now.

Eggs have become a really important part of John’s diet. After all these years, I just found out he hates hard boiled eggs by themselves. Who knew? I love that after over 40 years together, we are still discovering new things about each other. He loves fluffy scrambled eggs, in Hebrew – mitgushgeshet. It reminds me of the Netflix “Somebody Feed Phil” episode where his father insists on fluffy eggs. It’s even on Max’s tombstone: But are they fluffy? I’ve come to love the Israeli chavitah pronounced kha-vee-TAH. Its origins are from kibbutz days. They were made in the main kitchen en masse for the agricultural workers. The scrambled eggs are cooked very flat and very crispy then folded into a rectangle. That way they could be quickly put between pieces of bread, wrapped up and taken into the field. The IDF soldiers are still fed this way in the field. Add an Israeli salad of chopped cucumber and tomato with a drizzle of olive oil and a spritz of lemon juice and you’re good to go.

Fluffy and loose for John
Flat & crispy for me


Israeli Chavitah

Ingredients:

  • 1 TBSP butter
  • 2 eggs
  • splash of milk
  • 3 TBSP assorted fresh herbs, chopped finely. I used parsley, cilantro, dill and chives
  • 2 TBSP finely chopped red onion, optional
  • 1/4 cup feta cheese cubes or crumbles

Melt butter on medium high flame in medium sized pan. Scramble the eggs with a splash of milk. Finely chop all the herbs and the onions. The onions should be a teeny, tiny, mince. Put the eggs into the pan and let sit. The edges should brown slightly. As bubbles for they can be popped. Sprinkle half the herbs on the eggs, which should be undisturbed and completely flat. Flip the eggs and let brown slightly on the other side. As they are cooking, sprinkle the feta and remaining herbs and onions over top. Fold the edges over so the eggs look like a rectangle or fold blanket. Slide onto the plate. It can also be put into a sandwich with a sh ear of cream cheese and mustard. Really!!!! Try it. The combo is surprisingly good!

The next recipe is a variation of my mother’s salmon loaf recipe. So it’s a real comfort food to me as well as being protein rich and high in Omega fatty acids. I used canned salmon, which is easy to find here and much cheaper than fresh. It’s boneless and skinless, so there is little waste. The dish can be served hot or cold and makes the best sandwiches the next day. In the photo below are my Mrs. Meyer’s products. I order them from the States because they are my favorites. They do a fantastic job, are ecologically friendly, and the scents are heavenly… it’s a bit of a comfort of home for me.The loaf pan was made by my son, Max, when he was 14 and took a ceramics class. It’s one of my favorites. My dill is in a little earthenware crock from England. That’s how fresh cream used to be delivered in the late 1800s….it’s just so sweet! I’d been looking for one for decades and found it in Scotland for £6 at an antiques store.

Salmon Loaf

Ingredients:

  • 3 200g cans boneless, skinless salmon, drained
  • 1 medium onion, chopped finely
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and grated finely
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup ketchup
  • 1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 3/4 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 TBSP chopped fresh dill

Preheat oven to 170*C/350*F. Line a loaf pan with parchment/baking paper. In a large bowl combine all the above ingredients, mixing with your hands, until it quickly comes together. The mixture should be moist and malleable, but not overly wet. If it seems too loose, add a bit more panko breadcrumbs. Place in the loaf pan and form into loaf. Make a deep well down the center and fill with ketchup. Bake for about 40 minutes and salmon is gently browned on top. Garnish with extra dill sprigs. Enjoy!

My pour neighbors have been totally helpful and understanding. My next door neighbor went and bought a little chair for the shower. Other Friday of Shabbat, he brought over a full dinner. Complete with challah, wine and candles! It was the sweetest thing ever.

Our other neighbor, a Ukrainian refugee who is living with her host family, brought over a wonderful Apple Charlottka, which was kind of like a pancake, but different. She serves it with a dollop of sour cream. Amazing! I got the recipe and made one after this was rapidly devoured. It’s really easy to make, and the ingredients were on John’s diet list.

Ukrainian Apple Charlottka

Ingredients:

  • 3 green cooking apples
  • 3 red cooking apples
  • 1/freshly squeezed juice from 1/2 lemon
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 TBSP sugar (I use coconut sugar)
  • 4 cup yogurt
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 gluten free baking flour)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar (you can use regular, but this is low glycemic)
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 3 TBSP white or sanding sugar

Preheat oven to 200*C/400*F. Line a springform pan with baking/parchment paper. Peel the apples and slice thinly. In a medium bowl, toss apples with lemon juice, cinnamon and sugar. In a large bowl, mix the eggs and sugar until thick and lemony yellow. Mix in the yogurt and almond extract. In separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Whisk to incorporate the air and make light and fluffy. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Stir until smooth. Fold in the apples. Pour into the pan and bake for 25 minutes until the top is golden. Remove from oven. Pour the melted butter over top and sprinkle the sugar evenly over the cake. Bake for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven. Loosen the pan. Remove ring after 10 minutes. Let rest until transferring to plate.

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December 20, 2022

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Let the Cooking Begin! Chanukah Edition

Hanukkah. Hanukka. Chanukah. Chanuka. Chanukkah. Whatever. The holidays are upon us. And for many of my readers that means Advent, Christmas, New Years and Kwanzaa, Kwanza, Kwaanza, Whatever. Let the celebrations: the telling of the story, the decorating, the cooking, the presents and the feasting begin!

We are Americans living abroad. We celebrate American style. Always did. Always will. I love decorating the house seasonally. To make the home warm, inviting, beautiful and fun no matter the occasion is always something I enjoy. And, along with our California neighbors, decorating for Chanukah was no exception. We were not competing with Christmas. It was a festive way of spreading cheer. So when we moved to Israel and put up all the Chanukah decorations (minus the 8 foot Star of David in the front yard made of shiny silver, blue and turquoise Mylar balloons lit by white up lights), our Jewish neighbors thought we were absolutely mishuggeh. Stark raving nuts!! Wow! Those Americans! I don’t care. Now, we have several Israeli friends who stop by just to see the American decorations. I am not worried about assimilation. I know we celebrate the heroism of Mattityahu, Judah, Shimon, Yochanan and the Maccabees who valiantly fought the Greeks, the Seleucids, the Syrians. They faced certain destruction of Israel, their ancestral homeland. They faced annihilation of their religion, Judaism. They saw the defilement of their sacred Temple, yet they fought on to victory. They reclaimed the Temple and saved Judaism. The commemoration of these events are recorded in the books of the Maccabees and in the writings of Josephus. We celebrate this season of Light in the darkness for eight days. Lighting the menorah/chanukiyyah; chanting the blessings; singing great songs that just get better each year; playing games and eating fried foods to remind us of the miracle of the oil that lasted eight days in the Temple.

This year is especially great. When I was back in the States a few weeks ago, all the stores had their holiday wares out. Target had really nice kitchen towels 2/$5!!! Beautiful banners and signs. Window clings. World market had ornaments for Chanukah (OK- so I bought a ton of gorgeous fruit and veggie blown glass ornaments to hang up in the sukkah… can’t we just skip ahead to fall?). Don’t even get me started on HomeGoods, Marshalls and TJMaxx!! Sofa pillows and bathroom towels. PJs for the entire family. They even had Chanukah pet offerings, which I did not get. This time we brought back six full suitcases. Oy to the world-

This year, we’ll try to have over a just a handful of guests: our dear Russian-Israeli neighbors. They are nuts over America and I brought back several goodies for them including the candy they requested. Chanukah jelly-bellies anyone? My old Ulpan teacher and her family. We’ve stayed in touch for years and they’ve become dear friends. Then on Thursday, our son comes home. His university has been on Chanukah break, but he’s been called up for army reserves for most of it. No matter. On Friday three of his school friends are also arriving. They are international students. One is Jewish from Argentina. One is German, and the other American, both Christian. So we’ll be doing a combined Shabbat/Chanukah/Christmas weekend for all to feel included. The more the merrier. (Please, G-d, let my back hold up!!)

Anyway, before we dig into these glorious recipes – I’m just super excited this year! – let me show you some of our table settings past. I use my good blue and white china, which I especially love for the holidays. Before anyone makes any comments about blue and white being dairy plates…I’ve always had this as my good dishes. They are our meat holiday dishes. So, please…. For Chanukah I have my blue tablecloth. At least one Chanukiyyah/Menorah is out as a centerpiece. I use fairy lights, shiny dreidels and gold foil wrapped gelt/coins scattered about. This Shabbat, I’ll combine my white and gold dishes with the blue for a more festive feel.

Last week I sent John to the store to get a few things. One item on the list was fresh ginger. He returned with this:

O.K. I can’t blame him. It does look like ginger. But what the heck are these knobby things? Turns out they are Jerusalem artichokes, or what we called Sunchokes back in California. Actually here they are called tapuah Yerushalmi, or Jerusalem potatoes. They are not potatoes, and I don’t think they grow in Jerusalem, at least I’ve never seen any in the ground there, but…what to do with them???? I can’t believe I actually came up with this recipe, but it was the best, silkiest, richest, most decadent soup!!!! Please, try this one sometime this winter. You must. You won’t regret it. It’s dairy, but you can use plant-based milk if you want to keep it vegan. We always have one complete dairy day during Chanukah to commemorate the heroine, Judith. She vanquished the Seleucid army by plying their general, Holofernes, with warm milk, honey, cheese and wine until he fell into a stupor. Then she cut off his head. When the army saw her come out of his tent holding the head of their top general, they all fled. (Did you know that after the Madonna paintings this is the most widely represented piece of art in both sculpture and oil painting? Botticelli, Caravaggio, Michelangelo, Donatello, Artemesia Gentilleschi and Gustav Klimt to name but a few). Now for the recipe:

Jerusalem Artichoke & Chestnut Soup

Ingredients :

  • 1 leek, sliced thinly, white part only
  • 3 medium white or yellow carrots, peeled, cut in chunks
  • 4 cups sunchokes, peeled & cut into chunks
  • 2 cups (4 100gram pre-packaged) roasted chestnuts
  • 5 cups water or veggie broth
  • 2 veggie boullion cubes, if not using broth
  • 2 large sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 large sprig (5-7 leaves) fresh sage, plus some for garnish
  • Sea salt, pepper
  • 1 cup milk or half and half (can use Rich’s large milk or cream substitute or plant milk)

Sauté leek slices in bottom of heavy pot. When translucent, add veggie chunks and water or vegetable stock, herbs, and spices. Bring to a gentle boil, then let simmer about 30 minutes or until vegetables become tender. Blend thoroughly with an immersion blender until the consistency is silky smooth. It will be on the thick side. Add the milk or milk substitute. Serve hot with a garnish of chestnuts and a sprig or two of rosemary or sage.

Yes, I shall serve the French brisket and techineh cookies from my last blogpost on the last night of Chanukah, which is also Christmas. Hans and James, you will be well taken care of. Friday night Shabbat, we will have turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and sweet potato latkes. I’ll do regular potato latkes and applesauce on Sunday. But as an appetizer for both evenings, I shall serve these amazing Levantine meatballs with Whisky Fig Old Fashions as a cocktail. I’m calling them Levantine because they have claim not just by the Israeli, but also the Lebanese or Moroccan or Persian or Syrian. In any case, they are decidedly Middle Eastern and incredibly delicious – and easy to make. You can serve them as a main dish over rice with a green vegetable on the side. I will give each guest a small plate of four meatballs with toothpicks to enjoy before the festive meal gets underway.

Levantine Meatballs with Pomegranate Glaze

  • makes 30 ping-pong sized meatballs

Ingredients:

For the meatballs-

  • Large red/purple onion peeled and chopped fine, reserving 1/4 cup for glaze
  • 1 pound ground lamb (if you can’t find lamb, substitute beef, but seriously try to get lamb)
  • 2 eggs
  • 3/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander, ground
  • 1 1/2 heaping tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice
  • 1/2 cup bulgur wheat (burgil)

For the glaze-

  • 1/4 cup red/purple onion, reserved from above
  • 1 cup pomegranate syrup (found in MidEast stores) or pomegranate concentrate
  • 3 Tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tsp baharat (mixture of allspice, cumin, black pepper, ground cloves, salt, ground cinnamon)

The first thing is to cook the glaze while all else is getting ready. In a small saucepan, add in all above ingredients for glaze. Heat over medium heat until just before a boil sets in. Then turn down heat to low and simmer while meatballs are prepared. The volume of the sauce will be reduced.

Place uncooked bulgur in a medium bowl. Pour about 1cup (or a little more) boiling water over top and let sit. In a large bowl, combine ground lamb, onion, chopped herbs, eggs and spices. When bulgur has puffed up and absorbed the liquid, drain well with a colander. Add grain to meat mixture and mush together all the ingredients with your hands. In a large skillet, heat up a bit of olive oil until hot and shimmery. Form meat into ping pong sized balls and add to skillet. Brown meatballs on all sides. Transfer to a baking dish. Pour reserved pomegranate glaze over top. Finish cooking by baking 20 minutes in a 350*F/170*C oven. To serve, pour a bit of the glaze over meatballs and garnish with pomegranate arils and mint leaves.

My last recipe can be served as a hearty lunch or as a side dish. It’s pareveh, which in Kosher talk means it’s neither meat or dairy: it’s a neutral food that can be served with everything. It, too, uses bulgur, which really is a staple food here. I figure, why leave you with an open bag of bulgur, which you might not use up, so here’s another healthy, hearty dish (served cold or at room temperature). And yes, I brought back 3 bottles of Brianna’s dressing with me. Go figure-

Harvest Bulgur Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup uncooked bulgar wheat
  • 3 cups boiling water
  • 1 medium orange sweet potato
  • 1 small red onion, peeled and chopped fine
  • 1 avocado, medium ripe, diced
  • 1/3 cup dried cherries or cranberries
  • 2 red gala apples, diced
  • 1/3 cup Brianna’s Blush Wine vinaigrette dressing (or recipe below)

Preheat oven to 400*F/200*C. Bake the sweet potato until just tender (20-30 minutes depending on size). Don’t overtake! In large bowl, pour boiling water over bulgur. Let stand about 30 minutes to puff up and absorb the water. Drain very well using a large colander. Transfer bulgur to large bowl. Peel and diced baked sweet potato. Add in chopped onion, avocado, apple and sweet potato cubes. Add in dried fruit. Mix gently just to combine. Toss with Brianna’s dressing or with dressing recipe given below.

Vinaigrette: mix well following ingredients-

  • 1/3 cup sunflower or canola (or avocado or pumpkinseed oil)
  • 1/4 cup sweet blush or white wine
  • 1/4 cup champagne or white wine or forest fruit vinegar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • juice of 1/4 onion (hack: use a garlic press to squeeze out onion juice!) and reserved pulp

Combine above ingredients. Using funnel, pour into nice bottle. Cap. Shake well before using.

And to all my readers out there in Blogland-

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December 12, 2022

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Welcoming the Light

Almost three months of travel!! We went to England (at the time of the Queen’s funeral) which was indescribably lovely. The occasion: to meet my daughter’s fiancé – who is every bit the quintessential Victorian gentleman – and his family. We fell in love with them all!! So much fun touring the Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire areas. Then my husband and I toured the Lake District of Northwest England, home to Wordsworth, Coleridge, Beatrix Potter, Charlotte Mason, standing stones, and the natural beauty of mountains and lakes just as the leaves were beginning to turn: it was a dream! Our son met us and it was on to Scotland with its castles, whiskey distilleries and highlands. We visited friends in the Highlands, toured Pluscarden Abbey and the Highland Heritage Center (Outlander!) and learned so much about the history and culture of the Scots. Later that month, our daughter got married in St Andrews, Scotland. We were amazed at the family and friends who came from California, New Jersey, Ohio, Virginia & Maryland, Italy, France and Israel. I’m sure I left people out. The wedding itself was the most holy, meaningful, thoughtful ceremony with gorgeous music provided by Tristan’s sister, a trumpet player with the London Phil and my daughter, an opera singer. And the reception was nothing less than an outpouring of love with everyone in attendance helping put it all together the day before and during…. I’ve never experienced such a coming together of friends and families from both sides.

After the wedding, we flew to Los Angeles to welcome our oldest daughter’s newborn baby into our family. The latest little blessing was named after my father and is the easiest, best baby I’ve ever seen. My husband and I were blessed to be able to take him overnight for over a week, and it was pure joy and love. It was hard to give him back. We visited our other daughter north of LA and stayed with a couple super fun grandkids while my daughter and her husband were at work. It was warm enough for my husband to take them swimming, and we watched them, too, for a week. Super fun. We now know every Superhero in the Marvel Universe and can sing Baby Shark in our sleep. On to Seattle to visit our youngest daughter and her wonderful family. Heavy frost on the ground each morning and a brilliant display of color as G-d’s majesty was on full display made for glorious walks with our other granddaughter. The last couple weeks was spent relaxing on a small island off the coast of Northern Florida visiting my husband’s 95 year old father and the Dunbar Clan there. Family, food and football marked our American Thanksgiving in the States.

Unfortunately, my back started to give out again in Los Angeles, limiting our visit to just family in our hotel room. Next time we shall see our friends in California. It finally gave up the ghost in Florida and the 12 hour flight back to Israel was intense to say the least. It’s interesting that we usually have no problem traveling in Europe or America on our Israeli passports or telling people where we are from. There’s so much antiSemitism now and anti-Israel bias that we used our U.S. passports exclusively and told people we were form Los Angeles. Not a lie, but…. How sad is it that there is so much division, mistrust, and baseless hatred in the States currently!!! I’ve never experienced anything like it before. And that it a topic I shall cover in my next blogpost after the holidays – but for now let’s celebrate!!!

It’s holiday time in Israel again, and this year the days are concurrent on the calendar as we welcome the Season of Light in the Holy Land. During the darkest point the of the year, it’s a time of great rejoicing and light. The Jewish people are celebrating the victory of the Maccabees over the Greco-Syrians in 150 BCE and of the Rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, which had been defiled. There was only one small cruze of oil found to light the giant menorah. Only enough to last one day. The first major supply chain shortage. To bring the pure olive oil from the Galilee to Jerusalem would take a week. Miraculously, that little bit of oil lasted eight full days until more oil could be had. Therefore, the celebration of Chanukah lasts eight days and nights. We light our chanukkiahs, our nine- branched menorahs, eat fried foods and jelly-filled donuts, sing songs, play dreidels, spinning tops, and have fun.

Northern Israel is where the majority of the Christians live. Most are Maronite Catholics. The Aramaeans who dwelled in the Galilee region alongside the Jews, and with many Jews in that area, followed Jesus as their Messiah two thousand years ago. They became the first Christians. There are also Greek Orthodox and Byzantine rite Catholics up here. Today, they are full Israeli citizens with all the rights and privileges that offers (except they serve in the army only voluntarily and are exempt from property taxes). The Christian towns of Fassuta and Ma’Ilya and the city of Nazareth are all lit up with Christmas trees and decorations. Christmas markets have just become a thing. And tourism to the area is growing as many of the more secular Jewish population are drawn to the celebrations.

These Christian families are celebrating the birthday of the One who proclaimed to be the Light of the World. As a Jew living in the HolyLand (home to Christians as well as Jews), Jesus was worshipping and celebrating Chanukah at the Temple Mount in the gospel of John. So, in light of unity, we celebrate a common ancestry with each of our Festivals of Light. The Christians here commemorate Christmas differently from Europe or America. Many erect huge nativity scenes in the living rooms of their homes or apartments. Sometimes, they move out much of the furniture, spending much of the Advent weeks building rocks and deserts, inns and villages in miniature with a crèche or manger scene as the focal point. From the midst, the Christmas tree (a more modern tradition) rises.

We have Lebanese Christian friends in Tiberias. Paula makes many varieties of cookies, cakes, puddings and sweets for Christmas. (Their apartment is the above middle photo. You can see the elaborate scene they made – and if you can look out the windows, you will see a magnificent view of the Sea of Galilee at night). My favorite cookies, which are actually kosher, dairy, are the techineh and rose water balls. Melt in your mouth delicious. One bowl. They can’t be easier to put together. I’m making a batch now and can’t wait until they come out of the oven. These cookies freeze well, so I’ll be sure to have them around when my son and his friends come home for Chanukah.

Techineh (tahini) Rose Cookies

(Makes about 50-60 cookies)

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup techineh (tahini)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 6 tsp rose water (found in large supers or MidEast stores)
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom
  • 1 stick butter, room temperature
  • optional: sesame seeds, dried rose petals (MidEast markets sell them)

Preheat oven to 150*C/3255*F. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix with you hand until the dough sticks together nicely. Form into balls a little smaller than a ping pong ball – about the size of a large walnut. You can roll some in sesame seeds at this point. Space on parchment or slip at lined cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes. C when they come out of oven, you can gently decorate with pieces of rose petals, dried, organic. Or dust with powdered sugar, sanding sugar or leave plain.

The next recipe is from Lily Cohen. Lily moved here with her husband and three children from just north of Paris about two years ago. They are fairly secular Jews living in Herzliya, a suburb of Tel Aviv. Even though the boys, ages 9 and 11, do not wear a kippah (yarmulke), they were constantly getting bullied in school because of their name. Etienne was on his way home, when he was beaten up by a throng of other boys, kicked numerous times, pelted with stones. The family decided it was time to leave. Daniel, the father, was a fairly respected university professor, and he, too, was feeling the effects of antiSemitism. Now the family is thriving. My son was invited to dinner at their house and called me absolutely RAVING about Madame Cohen’s delicious brisket. I have always made my brisket smothered in onions and a tomato sauce. Very heavy. This is a much lighter, dare I say, French version. I will definitely serve this for Chanukah this year. Can’t wait!!! It’s become my new favorite way to make a brisket.

Lily Cohen’s French Brisket Au Jus

Ingredients:

  • 1 4 pound (2kg) brisket
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 cup white Zinfandel wine (or white grape juice)
  • 1/3 cup strong Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tsp dried tarragon
  • 1/2 tsp rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp thyme
  • 1tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
  • 7-9 shallots, thinly sliced
  • 10-12 mushrooms, sliced medium fine
  • Sear brisket in skillet over high heat on all sides until browned. Sauté shallots and mushrooms in leftover brisket drippings, adding a little oil if needed. In large bowl, stir Dijon into broth incorporating well. Transfer meat to a Dutch oven or baking pot. Pour mustard broth over. Add in wine or grape juice and seasonings. Cook, covered, at 325*F/150*C and bake 25 minutes per pound (50 minutes a kilo). Add in shallots and mushrooms over top in last 15 minutes. The natural gravy is fantastic over the brisket or rice. I’ll be pouring mine over potato latkes.

No matter what feast you will be celebrating, I wish you a happy, healthy and peaceful one. Thank you for your continued readership and I shall see you in 2023.

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August 16, 2022

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It’s Fig Season!

Lychees in the Galilee
Fig Picking
Fresh Mangoes & Lychees

The days are sweltering, sizzling hot. At night a breeze picks up bringing with it the fragrance of ripe fruit and sages. John and I have been spending the middling of an Israeli summer driving around the lake (Sea of Galilee) buying fresh fish as it comes off the boats and picking fruits. Lychees, mangoes, passion fruit and figs! Of course, this means creating delicious new recipes, canning, drying and freezing to have produce on hand in the winter months. So for all you foodies out there, here goes!!!

Let’s start with an easy to assemble and totally decadent salad. I add blue cheese, but you can leave the cheese out if you are sticking to a kosher meat menu.

ROASTED FIG SALAD (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

  • 8 fresh figs
  • 4 cups arugula or rocket lettuce
  • 2 cups butter lettuce or baby spinach
  • 1 small red onion, sliced thin and quartered
  • 1/4 cup walnut pieces
  • 1/4 cup candied/spiced pecans
  • 1 small wedge blue cheese (about 1/3 cup)
  • 2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 TBSP balsamic vinegar

Set oven to 200*C/400*F. Quarter figs and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with fresh cracked black pepper. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Let cool. Reserve juices. In a large bowl, add the arugula and lettuce. Mix in the sliced red onion and cheese crumbles. Add the nuts. Place the figs on top. Drizzle with the reserved fig juices. Serve.


The next recipe was given to me by my oldest daughter. I love it that all my children have become first rate cooks. Katie raved about this one, so I had to try it. It calls for a mild white fish. We used St. Peter’s Fish, which is tilapia. I also bought a nice mild Levrak (it’s the Hebrew name so I have no clue what it’s called in English, but it was buttery, flaky and extremely mild with no fishy taste at all). There are two keys: fresh picked fig leaves and timing…. It gets baked for 6-8 minutes only.

FIG FISH

The ingredients are simple. A nice mild white fish, cleaned, de-scaled and sliced in half down the middle. A bunch of fresh fig leaves, olive oil, salt, pepper and some toothpicks.

Preheat oven to 200*C/400*F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Drizzle olive oil over the fish and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap in the fig leaves and secure with toothpicks (see photos), making sure the leaves also line the middle in between the two layers of fish. Bake in oven for just 6-8 minutes. Remove and unwrap the leaves. This is seriously amazing! If there are any leftovers, it makes dynamite fish tacos! (I bring 4 large packs of corn tortillas from this US each trip and freeze them).

The next two recipes are a collaboration between Katie and myself. She came up with the first, and I tweaked the second recipe to make it truly Israeli. The result is a satisfyingly rich and filling couple of breakfast shakes.

KATIE’S FIG FITNESS SHAKE (serves 1)

Ingredients:

  • 3 fresh figs
  • 3 pitted dates
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup coconut cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 TBSP honey
  • 1/2 cup blueberries
  • lots of ice

Mix all the ingredients in a blender or Vitamix. Pulse until smooth and creamy. Pour into a glass and enjoy. If there is any leftover, you can pour into popsicle molds and freeze for a cold summertime treat.

ISRAELI FIG AND DATE SHAKE

Ingredients:

  • 3 fresh figs
  • 2 dates, pitted
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1 cup almond milk or fresh low-fat goat yogurt
  • 1 small individual serving packet of Turkish coffee with hel (if you live in Israel! if not, go to next 2 items) –
  • 1 TBSP powdered espresso if no Turkish coffee powder
  • 1 tsp powdered cardamom if no powdered hel or Turkish powder
  • 1/4 cup techineh (‘tahini’)- if you can find Ethiopian dark techineh, all the better
  • 1/4 cup silan (date syrup, at Trader Joe’s) or honey
  • lots of ice

Put all ingredients in a blender or Vitamix and pulse until smooth and creamy. Pour in a tall glass and top with crumbled halvah. Makes a great dairy dessert!

BAKED CHICKEN WITH FIGS AND ROSEMARY

I forgot to take a picture when it came out of the oven! This was after we ate and added in the leftover rice-

This was dinner tonight. The secret is to prep it in the morning. Let it marinate in the “sauce” all day, and then pop it in the oven. Of course, I served it with the fig salad (but this time I left the figs raw and didn’t add blue cheese) and a heavenly Middle Eastern spiced rice with lentils. Oh my word!! This was just super flavorful! It smelled so good, we just dug in before I could remember to snap a picture-

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole skin-on chicken, cut up
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • salt & pepper
  • 1 small red onion, cut up
  • 1/3 cup silan (date syrup… Trader Joe’s) or honey
  • 6 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp powdered cloves
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp allspice
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Rinse and pat dry the chicken pieces and place in a large freezer baggie. Cut up the red onion into bite-sized pieces and add to bag. Add the liquid ingredients, then the dry spices and the rosemary. Seal the bag tightly and squish the ingredients around to evenly distribute. At this point, you can freeze the bag of chicken for later use or let it marinate at least 6 hours in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 170*C/350*F. Place the entire contents of the what is in the chicken baggie in a large baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for an additional 10-12 minutes. Serves 4-6.

So glad I took a preliminary photo this morning!

FIG BALSAMIC GELATO

This was our weekend dessert. Can’t believe I gave away my ice cream maker before we moved. I bought another the first summer we were here. Nothing speaks lazy summer nights than fresh fig gelato on the terrace.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound/1/2 kg fresh ripe purple figs
  • 10 ounces/284 grams mascapone cheese in Israel I use Gad Dairy)
  • 2 cups 32% sweet cream (in Israel, there’s nothing comparable to Yotvata Dairy)
  • 1 14 ounce can sweet condensed milk
  • 1/2 cup honey (or coconut sugar)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • juice 1 small lemon
  • 3. TBSP brandy
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 200*C/400*F. Trim and halve figs & place on foil lined baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and purée until mushy using an immersion blender. In blender or food processor, add cream, canned milk, cheese, honey. Blend thoroughly. Transfer both the container of figs and cream mixture (I use Mason jars) to fridge and let chill overnight. When all is really cold, shake the jar and put the cream mixture into the ice cream maker. Add the salt. Let churn for about 15 minutes. Scrape down sides and add fig mixture, cinnamon and squeezed lemon juice. When rich and thick, drizzle in the brandy and balsamic. Finish churning and pour into glass or plastic containers. Put a layer of plastic wrap directly on top of the gelato. Let it freeze for a couple hours to become firm. This makes about 24 small scoops. Adorn with a quarter slice of fresh raw fig and a ginger wafer to serve.

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July 11, 2022

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Diversity in Israel: Meet the Circassians

Circassian Cultural Heritage Center in Kfar Kama, Galilee

Adding to the rich cultural diversity in Israel, we have the Circassians. Mainly living in two communities in the North and numbering approximately 4,000, the Circassians’ history goes way back to pre-4th century. Originally from what is present-day Russia – from between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, they were the indigenous people of the Caucasus Mountains. They lived from Sochi to Baku: their capital city was Nalchik and they were known as the Adyghe (Adiga) people. In their language Ady means highlander and ghe means sea. Between the 4th and the 9th centuries, many of them converted to Christianity. When the Tartars and Ottoman Turks conquered their territory, many were forcibly converted to Islam. The Turks called them Cherkess which was Latinized to Circassian. After many years as dhimmie under the Ottomans, most adopted the Muslim religion voluntarily. 1763 marked the 100 year war between the Circassians and the Russians for access to the Black Sea. Eventually, in 1864, Russia launched a genocidal campaign. 90% of their population were exiled from their land – put on ships bound for the Balkans, Anatolia, Bulgaria and Turkey. From there they were taken to the Middle East and can be found throughout the Levant. Their population is about 1.5 million.

Because they were such good fighters, the Ottomans took them in as brother Muslims; and it was the Turks who scattered them throughout the Lebanon/Syria/Israel/Jordan region as a counterweight tothe non-Muslim Jewish, Christian and Druze populations as well as to the Bedouin. Even though they are Sunni Muslim, they are not Arabs. They were brought here in the 1870s as tax collectors for all the other Arab villages in the surrounding area (today, this practice no longer exists).Here in Israel, they maintain excellent relations with the Jewish and Arab populations. The Circassians, although very separate with their own language and educational system, all serve in the IDF. They have kept their ancient phonetic language, Adyghebza, but are fluent in Hebrew, Arabic and English. Their educational levels are very high, their communities, impeccably clean with flowers blooming in every windowbox and garden. There are only 26 family groups or clans within the Israeli Circassian community.

We visited the two Circassian towns recently. Kfar Kama (pronounce Comma) is a thriving village on the upper slope of Har Tavor (Mt. Tabor) in the lower Galilee. The mountain village is walled in, an old form of defense. All of the stone houses are interconnected, sharing a back or side wall. The only way through into the village is from a guardpost/ gate, like a fort. The mosque stands in the very center of the town. And it is the location of the Circassian Heritage Center. Every day, the center welcomes Israeli school groups as part of their educational enrichment program. We were greeted graciously by our docent, Ibek, dressed in a black costume and high fur hat.

After sharing their history with the large group, several members of the village put on a dance exhibition in their native noble costumes. Red and black are their battle colors, turquoise symbolizes the sea and green, the land from which they came.


All Circassians are taught the traditional dances from the time they are young, and all can play at least one musical instrument. The women have much power in their society, and are free to make their own decisions. When a young man comes of age, it is traditional for the Circassian man not to ask permission of the girl’s parents to marry. He asks the girl to marry him directly. This is where the story gets good. Without her parent’s knowledge, the bridegroom and his male attendants, kidnap the beloved at an agreed upon time and place. Two of the bridegroom’s attendants, then go to her family’s home to inform the parents (after she has not shown up). The family must then go out in search of their daughter, but it is the girl’s decision entirely to marry. The parents have no say in the matter. The bride is taken into the groom’s family’s home, and it is they who pay for the entire wedding feast. The families marry within their clans. Sometimes the men travel to Eastern Europe or Turkey where other clan member reside to find their betrothed.

Circassian young woman in native dress

Much of their labor today is agricultural. Olive growing has played a large role in their subsistence . They follow the Muslim dietary laws (refraining from pork, Hallal slaughter) with the exception of fish. Because so many of their people were killed in the Black Sea War, fish and seafood are off the menu in homage to their brethren. They are fairly famous for their smoked meats and hard smoked cheeses. The cheese shop in Kfar Kama boasts of the oldest cheese in Israel: this hard, smoked cheese is shaped like an enormous dagger and is 43 years old!

Today in Israel, about half of the Circassians are devout, the other half fairly secular. There is no pressure to be traditional, although all intimately know the culture and traditions. Observant women wear a white headscarf, like Druze women, but the Circassian style for every day is more like a hijab. Colorful clothes as well as pants are worn by the younger women.

The other Circassian village is Rechaniya, near the Lebanese border, established in 1878 by 66 families. It too is built in the fortified walled village style with a central mosque as in Kfar Kama. Because of their location, the village maintained active ties with their Lebanese and Syrian relations across the border. This proved problematic for the Israeli authorities during the 1967 and Lebanese Wars. Frequent home searches were conducted by the IDF for security reasons. Smuggled weapons were confiscated and some of the Rechaniya townsfolk were temporarily moved to Kfar Kana, 30 miles to the south. Mostly, they preferred to remain neutral during the wars Israel faced. Today, friendly relations have been restored. They pride themselves as being full Israeli citizens and part of the fabric of society. Many Circassians today serve in the police and border patrol units. Several are noted Israeli football stars.

Hani Madaji is the owner of the Rechaniya restaurant, Nalchik. There you can eat like a local, feating on lots of carbs, some baked, some fried, all with different fillings. One of the favorites is Haliva, a fried dough dumpling filled with Circassian cheese, potatoes and herbs. Some variations use beef and leeks.

There are Kalkata, dumplings filled with sheep milk yogurt and paprika; memjak, a savory lentil dish and an interesting type of chicken salad. The shredded, cooked chicken is dressed with a rich, garlicky tehineh and is served at room temperature. Before eating a red olive oil that has been infused with spicy Aleppo pepper and paprika, is drizzled over top. Walnuts, also are sprinkled over (Note: for those visitors keeping Kashrut, this food is definitely not Kosher! Still, interesting to see and learn). Also in Rechaniya is a specialized cheese dairy that has been in the same family for generations. It is an art that has been passed down from mother to daughter for hundreds of years.

Nadi explained to us when we asked how the Circassians fit into society in Israel today that it is a matter of tolerance. They see other people and other cultures as having tremendous dignity and worth as human beings. We are all brothers and sisters, she said. We seek to live peaceably among our own people and alongside the other Israeli citizens. However every Circassian carries deep within him the desire to go back to their original homeland that is today part of Russia. They are all a part of the Great Circassian Diaspora. For them, May 21 is their Genocide Remembrance Day. In both Kfar Kama and Rechaniya there are parades, special services and speeches made. All are welcome to attend.

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March 3, 2022

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A Quintessential Israeli Dish- 5 Ways!

I thought I’d take us all away from the constantly dismal news cycles and do a fun food blogpost this time. I was first introduced to chicken schnitzel by my California/Israeli girlfriend, Bilha. Every Friday afternoon, my son Max and I and Bilha would go to the local retirement home and do a Shabbat liturgy for the elderly Jewish residents. We’d light the Shabbat candles, sing wonderful songs, read a part of the Torah passage for the week, tell a story and say the blessings over the wine and challah bread. It really was a highpoint of our week, something we always looked forward to and something I still miss terribly. We made beautiful friendships with Holocaust survivors and other residents. And I really miss Bilha. As we’d leave to go back to our homes each week, we’d discuss what we were making for Shabbat dinner. For me, it was invariably salmon: for Bilha, who grew up in Israel, it was usually schnitzel. She gave me her recipe. I tried it, and was hooked! It was delicious…. and really easy to prepare. And the leftovers!!!

Fast forward to our lives here in Israel. I quickly discovered the ubiquitous schnitzel. First brought over by German and Austrian immigrants, it is a staple food here. It’s very economical and easy to prepare. In the stores here, you can buy ”chicken schnitzel,” boneless, skinless chicken breasts that have been pounded thin into cutlets. Or there are plenty of pre-made frozen varieties that all you have to do is pop theEm in the oven or frying pan. When my husband and I volunteered to serve in the army (warehouses) each week, we were usually served chicken schnitzel for lunch. It was at the army that I first discovered corn schnitzel patties, because 32% of the soldiers were vegetarian. And there are many fast food schnitzel and chips shops including Schnitzelina, which specializes in the tasty cutlets stuffed into a baguette sandwich.

I will begin with Bilha’s recipe, the basic schnitzel (it’s ALWAYS chicken for the meat) and then go into some easy and tasty variations. The recipe calls for a kilo (about 2 pounds) of chicken cutlets. I don’t know if they sell pounded breasts in the markets where you are, but if you buy the boneless, skinless breasts or tenders, they can be pounded to flatten to about 1/2 inch thick between two sheets of waxed paper. A kilo is about 6 half breasts for me. O.K. Let’s start

Bilha’s Chicken Schnitzel, Israeli Style

I serve this with wedges of lemon to squeeze on top (a must!!!), an Israeli salad of chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, salt, olive oil and lemon juice. Roasted or mashed potatoes are also delicious with this, but most Israelis eat this with chips or French fries. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do- oh!!!! if there are any leftovers – I ALWAYS make enough to have leftovers- they make the BEST sandwiches, cold with lettuce and tomato, mayo and Thousand Island or for me, just humus.

Ingredients:

  • 1 kilo (2.2 lbs or 6 half breasts) chicken cutlets
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 cups dried breadcrumbs
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbsp mayonnaise
  • 3 lemons
  • lemon zest
  • salt and pepper, about 1/2 tsp each)
  • 1 tsp paprika, optional
  • 1 TBSP sesame seeds, optional
  • vegetable oil

In a flat pan, beat the eggs and add in the dijon and mayo. In another flat dish or pan, pour on the flour. In a third flat dish, the bread crumbs, grated lemon zest from one lemon, salt and pepper. (Many people here add 1 tsp paprika and 1 TBSP sesame seeds which I find adds to the deliciousness).

Rinse off the cutlets and towel dry. First dredge in the flour. Using a long tongs, coazt the floured chicken cutlet in the egg mixture. Then place in the pan of bread crumbs to cover each side. Heat the oil (canola, safflower, sunflower) in a large skillet until shimmery. I use about 4 TBSP, then add more. I don’t like the cutlets swimming in oil, but do want to have a nice crunchy outcome. Place the breadcrumb coated chicken pieces in the hot oil and let fry until they are nice and golden brown on each side. Transfer the cutlets to a wire rack with paper towels underneath the rack, but not touching the schnitzel. Serve hot with lemon wedges to squeeze over the top.

Shevvy’s Trader Joe’s Falafel Schnitzel

This is a fun recipe that I got from my friend in the States. She raves about it. The kids love it, her Israeli husband is addicted to it, and I had to bring back two boxes of falafel mix to Israel so we could enjoy it as well. It does not disappoint. Seved with a side of chips (fries), a salad or chopped Israeli salad, fluffy pita bread and humus and/ or techineh. Oh my goodness! For those of you who don’t live near a Trader Joe’s market, see if you can find a standard dry falafel mix-

Ingredients:

  • 1 kilo chicken cutlets (see notes above)
  • 1 cup panko (Japanese style bread crumbs)
  • 1 cup Trader Joe’s falafel mix
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup humus or techine
  • vegetable oil
  • humus or techine for dipping

In flat bowl or dish, beat the eggs. In another flat bowl, combine the panko and falafel mix. Dredge rinsed and dried chicken cutlets first in egg to coat, then in the panko falafel mix. Heat about 4 TBSP oil in a skillet until hot and shimmery. Add the cutlets, frying on each side until browned and crispy. Add more oil as needed. Transfer the cooked schnitzel pieces to a wire rack to drain and keep crunchy. Drizzle with techine or put a dollop of humus on top. We do both. Oy va voy, is is amazing!


Crunchy Seeded Schnitzel, Yotam Ottolenghi Style

I love Chef Ottolenghi’s recipes. I have all of his cookbooks and was first introduced to him here in Israel. A friend of mine who lived in Jerusalem had a cookbook club. We would pick a certIn chef each month, prepare their recipe as was written, then do a riff on the original recipe. This is my slightly modified version of his schnitzel.

Ingredients:

  • 1 kilogram schnitzel chicken cutlets
  • 6 TBSP sunflower seeds
  • 3 TBSP toasted white sesame seeds
  • 2 TBSP black sesame seeds
  • 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 TBSP mayonnaise or humus
  • 1 cup flour
  • extra virgin olive oil

Start by combining the seeds and spices in a large flat-bottomed pan. In a second flat pan, beat the eggs and mix in the mayo or humus. This helps the coating to stick to the cutlets. In a third pan, place the flour. Rinse and pat dry the pounded chicken cutlets (they may be already flat, or you can flatten the breasts between two sheets of waxed paper). Dredge the cutlets, one at a time, in the flour. Then using a tongs, transfer to the egg wash, coating both sides. Next, place each cutlet into the seed mixture. Both sides should be covered. Heat the olive oil, about 4-6 TBSP in a large skillet. When very hot, place the cutlets in the oil, frying on each side until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to drain.

Tamar’s Asian-Inspired Schnitzel Curry

I looked all over, but could not find a photo of this one. So sorry. This is a must-try, and frankly, is our favorite twist to the standard schnitzel recipe. I marinate the cutlets overnight to infuse the flavor and tenderize. Because many recipes for chicken include a milk bath, and that is not within the Kosher guidelines, I decided to try coconut milk. Infused with the curry and lemongrass, it’s heavenly! Also pretty funny, in Israel canned coconut milk must be labeled ’coconut liquid’ so people don’t get confused and think it’s a dairy product. Only in Israel! I always bring at least 6 bags of Angel-Flake coconut back from the States. We don’t have it here, and it’s just so moist and delicious. If you don’t have Angel-Flake, use the dried coconut shavings. I serve this with chutney on top and rice as the side. Add in roasted broccoli with a bit of teriyaki or soy sauce and some roasted carrots and you have a feast.

Ingredients:

  • 1 kilo chicken cutlets (see note above)
  • 1 can coconut milk (liquid)
  • 1 TBSP yellow curry powder
  • 1 4-5 inch piece of lemongrass cut in thirds
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 cup baker’s Angel Flake coconut (or desiccated coconut)
  • coconut oil
  • apricot or fruit Indian Chutney to top

In a freezer bag, or a glass baking dish, shake up and pour the can of coconut milk/liquid. Add the curry powder and the sticks of lemongrass. Add the chicken cutlets to coat. Let marinate overnight or at least six hours. (I put several bags of this in the freezer along with the coating mix in a separate freezer bag. Defrost in the fridge and assemble for a quick dinner)

In a flat pan, add the panko and the shredded coconut flakes. Mix well. Remove the marinated chicken to the breading pan and coat on both sides. Heat up about 1/4 cup coconut oil until shimmering. Add the cutlets to the hot oil and cook until golden on each side. Transfer to a wire rack for draining. This is my favorite. Please try it!

Jessica Halfin’s Vegetarian Corn Schnitzel

I’d never leave out the vegetarians! We first had these when doing our army service and they were quite tasty. Here in Israel, they are a staple on the kiddie menu. My friend, Jessica Halfin, who did Haifa Street-food Tours and who also writes for Hadassah Magazine, developed this healthy version of corn schnitzel. The recipe makes about 10 patties.

Ingredients:

  • 5 1/2 cups canned and drained or frozen corn
  • 3/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 cups breadcrumbs
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
  • 1 egg
  • 1 TBSP white sesame seeds
  • vegetable oil

Process 4 cups of corn kernels in the food processor until smooth. In a large bowl, add the processed corn along with the 1 cup whole corn kernels. Mix in the egg, the flour, the spices and 1 cup of the breadcrumbs. In a flat pan, mix together the additional cup of breadcrumbs and the sesame seeds.

Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the wet mixture into the bread crumb pan and flatten, coating the patty with breadcrumbs on both sides. In a skillet, heat the vegetable oil until hot and shimmery. Using a spatula, transfer the corn cutlet to the skillet and fry until golden brown on both sides. Drain on wire rack.

Serve with ketchup and Israeli tomato-cucumber salad, pita and humus on the side.

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November 3, 2021

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It’s All About the ”Red Stuff!”

Middle Eastern Red Lentil Stew (vegan!)

Yaakov (Jacob) simmered a stew, and Esav (Esau) came in from the field, and he was exhausted. Esav said to Yaakov, ‘Pour into me now some of that very red stuff for I am exhausted.’(From then on they called him Edom) Yaakov said, ’Sell me today your birthright.’ And Esav said, ’ ’Look, I am going to die, so of what use to me is a birthright?’ Yaakov said, ’ Swear to me this day;’ he swore to him and sold his entire inheritance to Yaakov. Yaakov gave Esav bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, and got up and left; thus, Esav spurned the birthright.

Each year we read through the Torah, the first five books of the Bible. I have always loved the story of the two brothers, Jacob and Esau, on so many levels. It’s so descriptive. And I’m a real foodie, so I appreciate that it centers around food – but to sell off my entire inheritance (Esav, the oldest brother was a son of Yitzhak (Isaac), and grandson of Father Abraham, the Patriarch: two incredibly wealthy men). He had to be mighty hangry!!! And that must have been some mighty delish stew!! Each year I try to test a new recipe for that ’red stuff,’ so now I’m going to share three of my favorites. So glad I had this blogpost in reserve to pull out for you all. This year’s trio is decidedly MiddleEastern, as I’m trying to be more authentic and historical. Next year, I’ll actually be up and able to make them… in the meantime, somebody bring some of that mejaddra!!

– Genesis 25:29-33

The first recipe is true Middle Eastern comfort food. I think my tastes are changing a bit from strictly Western to other things. I first had this on my pilot trip to Israel in 2014. I hadn’t really eaten much in a couple of days because I was so on the go, and I was starving. Like Esau. In the ancient city of Tsfat in the Upper Galilee, I met a native Israeli family who invited me in to their home for lunch. They served the most delicious dish: simple home cooking. The perfect, satisfying, filling, comfort food, and so easy to make. It’s not red stew, but a combination of rice, lentils and fried onions. We feasted on freshly-made cheeses, mejaddra, and yogurt. And afterwards the father brought out a carafe of strong Turkish coffee infused with cardamom, which we sipped from tiny demitasse cups while eating a little piece of halvah. It was the best, just an unforgettable moment of Israeli hospitality. So glad I snapped photos of it back then. What I wouldn’t give for this plate of mejaddra now…. I hope you enjoy!

Mejaddra

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 3 large brown onions (the onions are the star of the show here)
  • 1 cup dried brown lentils (or 1 can lentils, liquid reserved)
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1 cup Basmati rice
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp powdered cumin
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp allspice
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 3 cups of water or vegetable stock, or if you are using dried lentils, the boiled lentil water)

In separate bowls, soak the rice and the lentils for a couple hours, straining out and changing the water twice. Next, drain off the lentil water and place the lentils in a medium sized pot. Cover the lentils completely with water with a good inch more over the top of the lentils. Add about a tsp salt and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to simmer and cook about 20-30 minutes until the lentils are tender. NOT MUSHY! Drain off the lentils SAVING THE LENTIL WATER! (If you are opting for the quicker, canned lentils, drain, reserving the liquid.)

Thinly slice the onion. Place in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and flour. Toss to coat the onion in the flour. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or medium sized pot. When glistening, add the onion slices and fry up for 10-12 minutes until the onions are a crispy brown. DO NOT BURN!! Transfer out the crispy onions to a paper-towel lined plate. In the same heavy saucepan in which the onions were cooked, add the cumin and coriander seeds. It should become quite fragrant after heating for about a minute. Now add in the drained rice and the remaining powdered spices. Stir to coat the rice in the oil and spice. Add in the lentils and reserved lentil water. The liquid should measure 3 cups. If necessary, add in more water. Bring to a boil, then turn down to low and cover. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Uncover and fluff rice. season with salt to taste.

Spoon the rice-lentil mixture onto a large plate or bowl and top with the crispy fried onions. If you’d like, you can top it off with a small handful of chopped parsley or cilantro.

This next soup is more of an accurately Biblical lentil dish. the spices and the red lentils really bring out that glorious color:

Red Lentil Soup vegan

Now this red lentil soup is the real deal. The Red Stuff. Esav’s Bane. True flavors of the Levant. Israeli cooking, whatever that is. It’s fragrant, filling, flavorsome, fantastic. I think once Esav got a whiff of this soup, he was justified in saying, “Just pour it right down my throat, Bro!” Not only a lovely soup, but the lentils are just full of protein, so it is quite life-sustaining.

Jacob’s Big Boilin’ Pot of Red Stuff, aka Red Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups red lentils
  • 5 cups vegetable broth (or water or a combo of both)
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 5 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne or chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt
  • 1 lemon, cut up
  • optional garnishes: chopped parsley or cilantro; yogurt; crumbled feta cheese bits (we’re keeping it Israeli)

In a large bowl, soak the lentils for about two hours, straining out and replacing the water at least once. Heat olive oil in a medium/large pot. When glistening, add in the garlic, onion, and bay leaf until the onion is soft and fragrant. Add in carrot slices and cook, stirring about 2-3 minutes. Mix in all the spices with about 1/4 cup of the veggie broth or water. It will be very rich in color and very fragrant. Add in drained lentils and 5 cups of veggie broth or water. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to a simmer and let gently cook on low heat for 20 minutes. The lentils should be tender/ slightly chewy, but not mushy.

I keep the soup chunky. It’s more rustic and has more of a Biblical feel to it that way, but feel free to puree it with an immersion blender. Add salt to taste, and garnish with the chopped herbs. Serve with a wedge of lemon on the side, which can be squeezed into the soup at table. You can also add crumbled (goat) on top. This is great served with light, fluffy Israeli pita and humus (NOT the American cardboard that passes as pita!!) or pieces of crusty, wholegrain bread.

But I like the idea of a red stew. A stick to your ribs kind of meal. Hearty and healthy.

Hearty Red Lentil Stew with Chickpeas and Pumpkin vegan

This is the one! The lentil stew to sell a birthright for …. almost … not quite. But still, this is the one I was making all last winter that is, quite frankly, one of my favorites. It can be made in a crockpot for a Shabbat lunch (perfect for this weekend!). Great lefovers. Freezes well.

We have lots of pumpkin here. Big, huge, light brown monsters that are cut into wedges and sold fresh at the market. Our dlaat is a staple food here. As is the lentil. As is the humus. Not the paste, but the bean. The Hebrew and Arabic word for chickpea is actually humus, pronounced KHOO- moose. I’ve tried to keep this stew as authentically Biblical, using foods indigenous to this region. If you are a geeky homeschool mom (ME!!), then this is a perfect food to cook with the kids as a historical re-creation. Enjoy!!

HEARTY RED LENTIL STEW WITH CHICKPEAS AND PUMPKIN


Ingredients:

  • 1 1/5 cups red lentils
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained (15 ounce/ 425 g)
  • 1 kg/ 2 pounds of peeled, chopped pumpkin cubes or butternut squash cubes
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 TBSP olive oil
  • 5 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 28 ounce/794 g can chopped tomatoes, with the liquid
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne or chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp paprrika
  • 1/2 tsp cloves
  • 1/2 tsp allspice
  • salt, to taste
  • garnishes: lemon wedges; chopped herbs (parsley, cilantro, zaatar), grated nutmeg, (goat) yogurt

In a medium bowl, soak lentils in water for about two hours, changing the water at least once in the process. Heat olive oil on medium high heat until shimmering, then add the garlic and onion, sautéing until soft. Add in the spices and 1/2 cup of the broth to form a red, fragrant paste with the onions. Cook about 2 minutes. Now add the rest of the broth. Mix in uncooked squash or pumpkin cubes, the undrained canned tomatoes, and the drained lentils. Pour the chickpeas into a strainer, drain, and rinse under cold water. Let drain and add to pot. Stir until well mixed. Bring to a slight boil, then turn down heat to low and let simmer at least an hour. Add salt to taste. Cook low and slow, the longer the better, stirring the bottom and sides every half hour to prevent sticking.

Garnish with lemon wedges, chopped herbs, yogurt, or sour cream. Serve with soft, fluffy pita, or a hearty whole grain sourdough. Makes great leftovers. Freezes well. This is also a fantastic crockpot meal for Shabbat.

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October 27, 2021

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culture, food, MidEast, Recipes, Uncategorized

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A Diversity of Cultures

When last I wrote, I think I was still in the hospital – I can’t even remember any more. So much has been happening both globally and domestically in just the past couple months that it makes my head spin! I’m home, post a very extensive back surgery. After putting out a call for meals, I got a few real winners – one, a whole Indian dinner from a Mumbai immigrant that was so surprising and so phenomenal that I promise to devote an entire blog just to her story and her food. She’s in Austria now, but as soon as she returns I hope to be up to spending a day in the kitchen with her, learning her secrets.

This was the BEST Indian food ever!!!! The red at 7 o’clock on the plate is a roasted Tandoori cabbage slice!!!

The diversity of cultures here always astounds me. Israel is truly a melting pot in every sense of the word. Claudia’s family came from from Damascus in 1949. The dishes she brought us are very typical of the cuisine of the region. I found her Makhloubeh , a very simple chicken and rice dish to be entirely flavorsome and entirely satisfying. It’s economical and nicely spiced. She also brought us kishou (KEY-shoo) squash, cored, stuffed with a spiced meat, rice and tomato, swimming in a tomato sauce.

Before I start with recipes, I’d like to share our conversaton. She came up to my bedroom to find out how I was doing. I find Israelis to be much more forward than we Americans. “What did the doctor do? Who was the doctor? Which hospital?”Then, “How was I doing now? Was I swelling? Did I run a fever? (Do you have heat? was how she put it-) Was I going to the bathroom regularly? What was I drinking and eating? Was I getting up and walking?” She’s not a nurse. She’s a tour guide, a beautiful woman in her forties. When she found out I was eating lots of salads and raw fruits, she was horrified (I was trying to keep food prep as simple as possible for my husband, who was lacking in culinary skills). “After surgery, you must only eat hot foods! Cooked foods. Soups. Never anything raw. Certainly never raw vegetables!” I had never heard this before, and she thought I was completely off my rocker for not knowing this fact, although I never did find out why this was. And never, ever, ever, under any circumstances drink cold drinks!!

Anyway, it was so nice of her. And the Makhloubeh was lovely. John was quite impressed and took a picture of it before serving.

MAKHLOUBEH (meat/basari)

The dish is an all-in-one meat, veggie and rice “cake.” The word makhloob means upside down in Arabic. It’s a Middle Eastern comfort food. Many of these recipes are found throughout the Levant, from Iraq to Egypt, with lots of family or ethnic variations: differences in vegetables, meats or spices used. The following recipes were not tested by me, but Claudia assured me they are very easy to assemble. Some of the instructions are from her memory and taste and not measured. Both serve about 6 generous portions.

Ingredients:

  • 1 large potato, peeled and sliced in 1/2 inch/ 1 cm rounds
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced in 1/2 in/ 1cm coins
  • 1 medium brown onion, peeled and sliced
  • 1 small purple eggplant, sliced
  • 1 small head of cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 1 small can or package tomato paste
  • 1kg/ 2 pounds chicken, cut up: 2 legs, 4 thighs, cut up, skin on.
  • 6 cups water
  • 2 cups rice
  • 2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1TBSP salt
  • 1 TBSP black pepper
  • 1 tsp cloves
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cumin

Slice the veggies. Sprinkle salt on the eggplant and potato; let stand for 5 minutes and then rinse. Soak the rice in a bowl of very warm salted water. In a large pot, add extra virgin olive oil to generously coat the bottom. Heat the oil, then add the onion, potato, carrot and cauliflower. Cook, stirring until slightly soft. Now add the spices. Continue to cook, stirring to coat the veggies. The vegetables will be soft. Add the tomato paste, a heaping serving spoon and stir in. Next add in the eggplant. When all is nice and soft, remove the veggies to a paper-lined platter, leaving the sauce behind. Place the cut up chicken pieces over into the pot. Stir to brown. Add 6 cups of water. Place the lid on the pot and cook on medium heat about 30 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate. Reserve the stock/soup to a bowl.

To assemble the makhloubeh, in the same large pot, add a little more olive oil, layer the vegetables in your desired circular pattern covering the bottom. Then add the layer of chicken pieces (bones and all!) and finally the strained, uncooked rice on top.

To the reserved stock, add another 1/2 tsp salt and some additional cumin, about a teaspoon. Pour it slowly over the vegetable, chicken, rice pot. The stock should cover the rice. If it does not, add a little extra water. Place pot on medium high heat on the stove until just before boiling, about five minutes. Cover pot and let simmer another 40 minutes to let the rice fully absorb the liquid. Remove from heat and let cool about 10 minutes.

Very carefully place a plate over the pot of makhloubeh and turn upside down. It can be sprinkled with pistachio or almond and and freshly- chopped parsley.

RICE-STUFFED SQUASH (meat/basari)

This reminded me so much of the stuffed vegetables my mother used to make. I haven’t had this in years. I guess it’s Jewish comfort food. But this had a decidedly Mizrachi (Middle Eastern) flavor. The secret here is hollowing out the palm-Sized squash. There is a special coring tool Claudia uses. It cores out the center of the squash, but could also be used on apples, pears, potatoes…In Hebrew the word for squash is kishu, in Arabic, kusa.

Ingredients:

  • 8-10 palm-sized green squash
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 large serving spoon of tomato paste
  • 1/2 kg or 1 lb ground beef
  • 1/2 cup white rice, rinsed welland drained
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons mint, chopped
  • 2 Tbspparsley, chopped
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • lemon juice

Wash and cut ends off the squash. Use the coring tool to remove the inside, hollowing out the meat of the squash so it looks like a tube. Set squashes aside.

In a bowl, mix the rice and onion in with the ground beef. Both will be raw. Add half of the mint, half of the parsley and the salt and pepper. Mix gently with hands to combine. In a large pot, pour in the water and stir in the tomato paste until it resembles tomato juice. Heat until it comes to a boil. While tomato liquid heats up, stuff each squash leaving a little at the ends (an inch/2cm to allow for expansion. Add parsley, mint, a pinch of salt to the liquid. Squeeze the lemon into the tomato broth. You can also add a pinch of sugar. place the stuffed squash into the pot. Cover and reduce heat. Let simmer for 35minutes.

My good friend, Ronnie, is an American, but is married to an Israeli man. She brought over one of his favorite salads -and our too. This one is really quick and easy to make. Perfect for any meal, breakfast, lunch or dinner, and is so healthy! It’s a powerhouse in a bowl. The quinoa and humus ( that’s the actual Hebrew word for garbanzo beans!!) add protein and are filling. The veggies are tomato, red onion and cucumber. Top it off with tiny cubes of bulgarit cheese or its saltier cousin, feta crumbles. And add a simple dressing. It’s absolutely wonderful! I had John do some photos of this one, too.

RONNIE’S QUINOA SALAD (dairy)

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 1 cup small Persian cucumbers, sliced OR 1 English cucumber, chopped
  • 16-20 small cherry tomatoes, halved
  • lemon juice
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp vinegar
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 tsp chopped fresh mint or parsley, optional
  • 1/2 cup feta crumbles or bulgarit cubes

Put the water and quinoa with a dash of salt into a pot and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer. While quinoa is cooking 12-15 minutes, uncovered, chop the veggies and add to a bowl. Fluff the quinoa. Let cool. Add to bowl and mix with the vegetables and drained chickpeas. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Drizzle with olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the cheese bits. Combine gently. Top off with the mint and/ or parsley, if desired.

Over the past few weeks, my progress has been very slow, but very much forward. I tire very easily, and realize I’m not as young as I used to be. My husband, John, has been an absolute tsaddik, righteous person, in his care for me and the house. He’s trying so hard, G-d bless him, caring for me, shopping, cleaning, fixing meals and snacks. He has salads and snack down, and has mastered marinated, grilled salmon fillets (one day he will ‘get’ rice, but that’s a tricky one). I gave him instructions for a simple zucchini soup. It was delicious!

So, I’m pretty exhausted now. John is following my instructions for a potato leek soup. At the rate he’s going, Master Chef is soon to come. I’m getting totally spoiled…. he will soon need a break. Can’t wait to get back to fun day-tripping and cooking! Until next time-

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September 12, 2021

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fall feasts, food, Holidays & Feasts, Recipes

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New Year, New Recipes

Upon our return to Israel, we entered into a mandatory 14-day quarantine (with 3 molecular PCR tests done!!!). Our son had come home two days before our arrival to open up and air out the house. I had given Max a long list of groceries to get so that we wouldn’t co home to an empty fridge. Entering the front door, the house was clean and Max had even left a a bouquet of flowers. Previous to our arrival I had also ordered a ton of organic, freshly-picked-from-the-fields produce. Three huge crates were left at my front doorstep the next morning. It was absolutely glorious! Squash, white and purple cabbages, pears, the last nectarines of the season, avocados, pumpkin, greens, carrots, beans, onions, sweet and regular potatoes, mangos, limes, fresh dill, parsley, cilantro, basil and so much more. Gad even put in exras like cherry tomatoes, eggplant, pomegranates, and oranges.

It had been so long since I’d written a blogpost that I had to spend the whole day developing and perfecting the recipes for you. Which was great, because by the end of the second day, I’d fully realized that I herniated or ruptured a disc and had to take to bed (which will also give me time to write and to design the embroidery for my daughter’s wedding dress). But with my husband’s help, I’d put up several jars of spiced pears, zucchini pickle relish and some pickled corn. Lots was frozen and there’s food to last for weeks which will also be served for the Jewish holidays(Rosh haShannah the New Year; Yom Kippur the Day of Atonement & Sukkot the weeklong Festival of Booths). Interesting fact: in Israel, almost all stores and businesses completely shut down for each of the holidays – sometimes that can last up to three days in a row!!! So we’ve learned from past mistakes to have everything we need for the days before, during and after.

So here goes. This first recipe is an old family favorite, made by my dad of blessed memory. A few years ago I was going through an old box of letters and photos and I found his hand-written list of ingredients. His recipe called for whole Seckel pears. I had four kilos (8.8lbs) of regular hard green pears, so I used many and put up 12 pint jars of spiced pears. I substituted honey for the sugar to make it a little healthier.

Vegan,pareve… these pears are delish as a side or relish, but we love eating them on hot oatmeal on a cold winter morning. Makes 3 quarts

Spiced Autumn Pears

  • Ingredients:
  • 5 pounds pears
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 1/2 cup dark honey
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 3 cinnamon sticks, broken up
  • 1/4 cup cloves
  • about 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
  • 1 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Sterilize canning jars and lids in boiling water 20 minutes,making sure all are completely submerged.
While the jars are going, make the syrup. in medium pot, bring water, vinegar and honey to a boil, then reduce to low. Add spices. Halve pears. remove the core with a melon baller and cut each half into 3 slices. On a clean kitchen towel, using tongs (there are special, inexpensive canning tools that are a mainstay in my kitchen) remove the sterilized jars. Divide pears between the jars. Using a funnel, pour hot syrup into each jar up to 1/4 inch from top. Put lids and sealing rings on jar. Process back in hot water bath for another 20 minutes.

The next recipe is great for Rosh haShannah because it incorporates many of the symbolic foods we use at the festive meal. Plus, many of the ingredients are used in the other recipes. I roast a pound piece of fresh pumpkin (our pumpkins are different than the US/UK varieties) or a nice sized butternut squash, halved, seeds reserved and roasted with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. The salad below keeps well for up to a week, and is absolutely gorgeous with all those jewel-like autumn colors! Plus it’s packed with proteins, vitamins and antioxidants.

Vegan,pareve,serves 6-8

Autumn Harvest Quinoa Salad

  • Ingredients:
  • 1 cup multicolored quinoa
  • 2 1/4 cups water
  • 1 1/2 cups (or more) roasted pumpkin or buttternut squash, cubed
  • 1/2 cup red/ purple onion, diced
  • 1/4 cup candied or regular roasted pecan pieces
  • 1/3 cup large yellow raisins
  • 1/4 cup raisins or currants
  • 1/4 cup dates, chopped (I used 5 large, soft dates, pitted)
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 pomegranate’s arils

Dressing ingredients:

  • 1 large orange
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • juice and ”mash” of 1/2 red/purple onion (I will explain)
  • 1 heaping teaspoon baharat spice (I will explain)*

Cook quinoa in water according to package directions. Fluff and let cool. While quinoa is cooking dice the onion and cube the roasted gourd into small, bite-sized pieces. In large bowl, add fluffed quinoa, onion, squash/gourd, pecan pieces and dried fruits. Fold together gently. Pour 1/2 cup dressing over top. Directions below. Reserve remaining dressing for fruit salads or green salads. Fold gently to incorporate. Mix in most of the pomegranate arils, reserving some for the top.
This is so tasty. The flavors are popping bright, and the dressing really adds an exotic complexity.

To make the dressing:
Grate the orange rind into a large tumbler or drink shaker. Squeeze orange into bowl, removing any pits. I keep the orange bits. Transfer to the shaker. Add oil and honey. Using a garlic press, squeeze the onion juice from the cut-up red onion into the shaker. Add the left-over mashed onion. Add the baharat.* Add water. Shake vigorously.

  • *If you don’t have the Middle Eastern spice blend, baharat, you can make some easily. It is quite versatile – used in salads, soups, casseroles, stews, and baking:
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 Tbsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Assessing what I had in the produce boxes, I decided to make a vegetable quiche using ingredients on-hand. Hmmm… what do I have a ton of that might go well together? I had the veggies, 18 eggs, cream and four cheeses Max had bought (but no parmesan). It turned out to be the best quiche I have ever made!!! This is best eaten hot or warm and served with a side salad or a fruit salad – or the Autumn Harvest Quinoa Salad above.

Vegetable Quiche dairy, 8 servings

Vegetable Quiche

  • Ingredients:
  • 1 frozen and defrosted deep dish pie shell OR frozen, defrosted pastry to line a large, greased quiche dish
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 red bell pepper, roasted and peel removed
  • 1 red/purple onion, chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 medium-sized zucchini, quartered lengthways and sliced
  • 1 large carrot or 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced thin 1/8”)
  • 5 large eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar
  • 1/3 cup shredded smoked gouda (this really adds the complexity!)
  • 2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
  • salt and freshly cracked pepper

Roast the pepper 15 minutes at 400*F/200*C then let cool. Peel the skin off and remove the seeds. Place your pastry-lined quiche dish on a foil-lined jelly roll pan (baking sheet with sides). In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmery, then add the cut-up onion, carrot and squash. Sauté until the vegetables are tender. Set aside. In a medium sized bowl, lightly beat eggs and stir in cream. Spoon the cooked veggies into the bottom of your prepared pastry-lined dish. Layer the shredded smoked gouda, distributing evenly. Cut pepper into thin strips and lay them over the cheese. Sprinkle with the thyme, salt and pepper. Gently pour in the egg mixture. Let settle. Sprinkle shredded cheddar over top and sprinkle paprika over cheddar. Place in oven pre-heated to 375*F/188*C for 45-50 minutes or until top is bubbly and golden brown.

I can’t even begin to believe I forgot to photograph this one! We devoured the ”test soufflé”for lunch and froze the second one. The third, my husband brought me on a plate for Rosh haShonnah dinner, and hadn’t taken any pictures beforehand. But I wouldn’t share this recipe unless it was absolutely mouth-watering. Baking it just makes the entire house smell like the fall holidays!! The soufflé is a bit like the filling for a pumpkin pie, only lighter and fluffier- and more tasty. It’s a great side dish, but I think it would be super with cream on top for breakfast or as part of a cheesecake (I’ll save that project for another day).

“Orange” Soufflé
(6-8 servings, pareve)

  • Ingredients:
  • 1 large sweet potato
  • 2 large carrots, peeled
  • 1 cup roasted pumpkin, butternut squash or canned pumpkin purée
  • 6 pitted dates OR 1/2 cup silan (date syrup) OR 1/2 cup honey
  • 1 orange, peel grated, and juiced – seeds removed
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 1 1/2 tsp flour ( can be a GF substitute)
  • 1 TBSP baharat spice powder ( see above recipe)

Preheat oven to 400*F/200*C. Wrap the sweet potato, and carrots in aluminum foil and roast for about 45minutes or until tender. Oil a soufflé dish or tall casserole dish. After the veggies have roasted and cooled, peel the sweet potato and cut the carrots into chunks. Transfer the veg along with the pumpkin/squash into a large mixing bowl. Add the dates, silan or honey, the grated orange rind and juice. Purée thoroughly with an immersion blender. When well-blended, gently fold in the beaten eggs, sprinkled flour and baharat. Very gentlytransfer the mixtue to a greased soufflé dish and bake for 25-30 minutes, uncovered until soufflé rises and top has browned. Can be served warm or cold.

The next dish is another salad. It’s traditional to eat beans on the Jewish New Year as a sign of our fruitfulness and of the many good deeds we will do in the upcoming year. In the Southern United States we would eat black-eyed peas as a symbol of good luck for the new year (January 1). Also, because beans are a humble dish, according to the Southerner, starting out the year in humility ensures wealth in the months to come. The Jewish custom is to eat scallions: scallions look like whips. At the Rosh haShonnah table the little kids like to smack each other with scallions. It’s a fun object lesson of slavery in Egypt. May we continue to live in freedom without fear of the taskmasters’ whips! Whatever the tradition or superstition, it’s a healthy side dish that can stand alone as a hearty lunch.

Black-eyed Pea Salad

serves 6-8 vegan, pareve

  • Ingredients:
  • 3 cups black-eyed peas, soaked, rinsed and cooked (can use frozen, defrosted)
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1 orange bell pepper
  • 4-6 scallions
  • 1 stalk celery
  • handful of each: fresh parsley, oregano, basil, chives
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 lemon
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • sea salt & freshly-cracked pepper

In large serving bowl, add cooled tender peas. Finely chop the peppers and celery. Slice white/light green parts of scallions. Add to bowl. Finely chop herbs and mix into salad. Crush the garlic into the mixture. Add the juice of the lemon (seeds removed). Drizzle in about 1/4 cup olive oil, then salt and pepper to taste. Combine thoroughly and place the bowl, covered, in fridge for at least an hour. Serve cold. This actually tastes better the next day when the flavors have melded together.

Enjoy!

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July 13, 2021

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archaeology, Crusaders and Crusades, culture, Daytrips Israel, food, History, israel, Israel Restaurants, MidEast, Uncategorized

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Living Like Kings

Perched high atop a hill in the Northern Israeli village of Mi’ilya  were the vestiges of an old castle. For decades families had used the outer towers, building their homes over and inside the walls. But time had long ago taken its toll, and the structure had fallen into such disrepair that it was structurally unsafe. 

Labib Assad (of blessed memory) lived in one of those houses since his childhood. He had many childhood stories to pass down of life in the village. Labib, a policeman, and his wife, Salma, owner of the village gas station, gradually bought up the other existing houses one by one until they owned a large part of the complex. It had been Salma’s dream for years and years to bring to life the existing skeleton. In 2012 the Assafs received a letter telling them the castle needed to be restored or destroyed. It could no longer safely stand on its own with its crumbling walls and arches. There was an existential dilemma. What to do? The cost of a rebuild would be absolutely exorbitant, but this could be their one opportunity to make Salma’s dream come true, while at the same time preserving an important part of the local heritage.

Flash back to the 12th century: Baldwin Bourcq led a Crusade from France to the Holy Land with his cousins Godfrey de Bouillon and Baldwin du Boulogne in 1096. On the way, he became Count of Edessa  (in present-day Turkey), marrying and setting up a fiefdom there. He rode into Jerusalem in 1100, winning many battles, and was crowned King Baldwin II of Jerusalem in 1118, expanding the reach of his empire to as far as Damascus. He was aided by the Knights Templars and the Knights Hospitallers.  King Baldwin had four daughters by his Armenian Christian wife, Morphia. The eldest daughter, Mellisande, became his successor. 

Mellisande married and had a son, Baldwin III, in 1129. He was crowned King Baldwin III of the Crusader State of Jerusalem when he was 14 years old. Eventually wresting power from his mother during a familial civil war, he ceded Jerusalem, Judaea and Samaria to her. Keeping his title, King Baldwin set up his home in the mountains of the Galilee. His reign extended from the Jezreel Valley in the south to Beirut in the north and as far as Damascus in the east. On a mountaintop in Mi’ilya, midway between the coastal cities of Acre and Tyre, with sweeping views to the Mediterranean and the Galilee, he built “Castellum Regis,” the King’s Castle. It would serve as the capital of his Frankish Lordship in the Galilee. It was a massive, walled stone compound with four square guard towers, one at each corner. 

The property was first mentioned in 1166 after the death of Baldwin III in a land transfer to a Jean d’Khayfa (John of Haifa). It was, in turn, sold along with the surrounding houses, gardens and vineyards to Count Jocelyn III, uncle of Baldwin IV in 1179 under the name Castellum Novo. A sizable Byzantine church adjacent to the castle was also part of the property. It all fell to the Muslim conqueror Saladin in 1187 during the Third Crusade. However, in 1192, with the signing of the Treaty of Jaffa by Saladin, Richard the Lionhearted and Phillipe of France, it was returned to the Crusaders, along with the Western Galilee and the city of Acre, six miles to the west. 

By the mid-1200s, the castle had been superseded by the newly-built Starkenberg Castle (Castle Montfort) just three mountaintops away. Starkenberg was built by German Teutonic Knights, who also bought the Castellum Novo property for 7000 silver marks. It was a short-lived investment, as Baybars, the Mamluk Turk known infamously as the “Father of Conquest” swept in and took everything, levying a 25% dhimmi tax on the barley, olives, wheat, dates, figs, goats, and beehives owned by the resident Christians. There are no existing records after that. The castle and its inhabitants were wiped out in the 15th century. Was it the result of the Ottoman invasion? An earthquake? Black Plague brought to the area by the Europeans? It remains a mystery. 

Melkite (Greek Orthodox Catholic) Christians returned to the area in the mid 1700s, with the Assaf, Shufani, Abo-Oksa and Arraf families among the first residents. They rebuilt a little village in and around the old castle, and resurrected a church near the site of the original Crusader era one that had been completely destroyed. Upon digging the foundations for their Ottoman-era houses, they began to uncover treasures from the past – mosaic tiled floors, burial chambers and an underground water reservoir. The finds were covered up, but stories of riches in the ground were passed down through the generations.

Salma Assaf had heard the rumors of hidden treasure from her childhood. She was passionate about history.  When the letter threatening possible demolition was received, Salma and her husband made the decision to restore the houses, starting a project that took over a decade and a half to complete. It was her life’s dream. Unfortunately, Labib passed away in 2012 before seeing the project to its fruition.

When reaching the final stages of restoration of the buildings, on a whim and out of curiosity, the Assaf family decided to put spade to the ground below. Would stories of the past be revealed or were they all just legend? Salma reached out to her neighbor, Rabei Khamisy, Doctor of Archaeology at the University of Haifa. He, too, a lifelong resident of Mi’ilya, had been brought up with these stories from the past. Together they sprang into action. In a short time, something extraordinary came to light: the largest winepresses and two treading floors from the Latin East (the correct term for the Crusader period in the Levant) had been discovered. Further digging  2 meters from the winepresses revealed a stone dome which covered a 6-meter deep Roman period cistern from the first century. The Crusaders had repurposed the ancient cistern to hold barrels of wine for aging in the cool deep cavity below. For Salma, it was a good omen. It was upon this historical foundation that she would build her restaurant, Chateau du Roi, the King’s Castle. Salma enlisted her son, Khalil, a successful accountant, to be the CFO.

The whole project – the restoration of the above-ground building as well as the excavation – were privately funded by the Assaf family. A greatly appreciated contribution of the local community helped finance the shoring up of the crumbling north wall of the castle adjacent to the restaurant.

They worked tirelessly for four years in tandem with the Israeli Antiquities Authority to complete the excavation. Much more treasure was unearthed: ancient coins; the seal of the archbishop of Acre, who also lived there at one time; cooking tools, trenchers, and plates from the Crusader kitchen. As to the buildings above ground (where the restaurant, bar and boutique hotel rooms stand today), architects and contractors carefully conserved much of the traditional structure. The winepresses have been preserved in the basement of Chateau du Roi, and are open for viewing. Plexiglass windows have been thoughtfully and strategically placed in the floor of the restaurant’s main dining room so guests can view the winepresses below.

The restaurant is composed of many spaces, each with stone walls, high arches, balconies accessible by winding staircases, cozy inglenooks and fireplaces. A large outdoor patio offers a sweeping panorama of the picturesque Northern Galilee mountains. Chateau du Roi has the ambiance of the finest European restaurant. No detail is overlooked from the china, silver and crystal on the beautifully set tables to the antiques throughout. 

In the cozy and comfortable pub, a large wooden bar stands along one wall. The room is flanked by niches and pillowed window seats built into the arched windows. Luxurious leather chairs invite a person to relax and cast aside all cares. All the culinary equipment and accoutrements throughout the restaurant including the pizza oven in the bar are of the finest quality imported from Italy. Live jazz and acoustic music is featured regularly. Other dining options include a spacious covered patio courtyard with full service, and private dining niches under the castle’s stone arches. It doesn’t get more romantic than this!

Salma called in an old family friend, Elian Layousse, originally from Mi’ilya, who was working as a chef in Padua, Italy. He was more than happy to oblige and quickly assembled an award-winning team. The menu at this five-star restaurant is a fusion of Northern-Italian and Israeli. The dishes are traditional, yet unique. Everything is prepared from the freshest seasonal ingredients: Golan beef, Mediterranean seafood, homemade pasta, locally grown fruits and vegetables. Elian’s passion for detail is evident in every bite. The wine list is impressive. As an added bonus, Salma is able to provide jobs for many of the locals. The staff is warm and welcoming, and not only is Hebrew spoken, but Arabic, English, French and Italian, so guests should feel at home. It is one of Israel’s top gourmet destinations. 

In addition to the restaurant, the Assafs have opened two guest rooms on the property. Khalil, speaking lovingly about how his mother pampers all the guests as if they were her own family, says she serves “the grandest local breakfast. Wow!” Work has already started on converting the west wing of the castle into seven additional luxury guest rooms and suites. No expense will be spared and the fully-appointed rooms will be a blend of ancient architecture and antiques with top-of-the-line modern conveniences. A stay in the castle will make you feel like as if you were living like kings.

Currently, the Assafs are correlating with the Israel Antiquities Authority to open a museum on site. All of the finds from the excavations, which have been catalogued and stored in the Institute of Archaeology at Haifa University, would be returned so visitors can see the town’s history from Roman times onward. 

In addition to Chateau du Roi, the villagers have begun unearthing treasures on their ownproperties. The Arraf family, for instance, are sitting atop a Byzantine church and adjoining monastery. Beautifully colored geometric mosaic floors are once again coming to light. The recent excavations are exposing a complete Frankish rural settlement in what was once known as the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. 

Today, Mi’ilya has grown to about 750 homes with a population of about 3000. It is one of two exclusively Christian villages in Israel (the other being Fassuta, about 4km to the east). All of the land and the excavations are privately funded by each villager. The Israeli government has commiserated, but has done nothing to help financially. All of the funds for the digs have been raised privately by the village and through donations. Each year during the Christmas season, they hold a Christmas market. The village is festooned with lights and decorations. It is a grand celebration and thousands of people from miles around come to enjoy the festivities. In addition to this religious festival, the municipality holds a social/cultural Spring Festival with musical shows and local products for sale. 

A trip to Mi’ilya is a trip back in time, and a stay at Chateau du Roi will make you feel pampered like royalty. Their website is https://chateauduroi.co/