The Art of Jewish Cooking (11 page)

Read The Art of Jewish Cooking Online

Authors: Jennie Grossinger

Tags: #Cooking, #Regional & Ethnic, #Jewish & Kosher, #Holiday, #General

BOOK: The Art of Jewish Cooking
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Kasha Varnitchkes

1 cup minced onions

⅓ cup chicken fat

2 cups cooked kasha

3 cups cooked broad noodles, drained

1½ teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

Brown the onions in the fat. Combine with the kasha, noodles, salt and pepper. If you have any
grebenes
(
this page
), add some. Toss until well mixed. Serve hot. Serves 6.

Noodles with Honey and Poppy Seeds

½ cup honey

½ cup light cream

½ cup milk

¼ cup poppy seeds

4 cups cooked medium noodles, drained

Cook the honey, cream, milk and poppy seeds for 5 minutes. Stir in the noodles and serve immediately. Serves 6–8.

Verenikas

3 cups pitted sour red cherries or blueberries

¾ cup sugar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon cold water

Homemade noodle dough (
this page
), one recipe

1 cup sour cream

Save any juice that oozes from the cherries (if cherries are used). Combine the fruit and juice, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan. Mix cornstarch and water and add. Cook over low heat 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Drain, reserving the syrup.

Make the noodle dough and roll it out but do not let it dry. Cut into 3-inch circles. Place a tablespoon of the fruit on each. Fold over into half-moons and press edges together with a little water.

Cook in rapidly boiling salted water for 10 minutes or until verenikas rise to the top. Drain. Serve with the syrup and garnish with sour cream. Makes about 24.

KUGELS AND CHARLOTTES

In the Middle Ages, when Jewish cuisine was coming into existence, vegetables were available only during the harvest season. For this reason, vegetables are comparatively unimportant in most Jewish homes. In their place,
kugels
and
charlottes,
resembling puddings or pudding-soufflés, were substituted. They may be served as separate courses, as accompaniments to meats or poultry, or even as dessert if they are sweet. A potato
kugel
is so good that it may be served at any meal, and most people try to make enough so that they may be sure of leftovers, for cold
kugel
is equally delicious.

Fish Kugel

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup sliced onions

4 cups thinly sliced potatoes

3 cups cooked or canned flaked fish

1½ teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon pepper

2 eggs

1½ cups light cream

Melt the butter in a skillet. Brown the onions in it.

Arrange alternate layers of the potatoes, fish and onions in a buttered baking dish, starting and ending with the potatoes. As you arrange the layers, sprinkle the potatoes with 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper.

Beat the eggs, cream and remaining salt together and pour over the contents of baking dish.

Bake in a 350° oven 45 minutes or until firm. Serves 6.

Barley Kugel

1 cup pearl barley

4 cups boiling water

2 teaspoons salt

½ pound chopped mushrooms

2 onions, diced

2 tablespoons fat or butter

¼ teaspoon pepper

2 eggs, beaten

Stir the barley into the water. Bring to a boil; add the salt, cover and cook over low heat 45 minutes or until soft. Drain.

Brown the mushrooms and onions in the fat or butter. Add to the barley with the pepper and eggs. Taste for seasoning. Turn into a greased baking dish or casserole.

Bake in a 350° oven for 40 minutes or until browned and set. Serves 6 as a substitute for potatoes.

Rice Kugel

4 cups boiling water

1½ teaspoons salt

1½ cups rice

6 eggs

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup seedless raisins

⅓ cup melted butter or fat

Boil the water, salt and rice in a covered saucepan for 10 minutes. Drain.

Beat the eggs and brown sugar together until thick. Stir in the rice, raisins and butter or fat. Turn into a greased baking dish or casserole.

Bake in a 350° oven 40 minutes or until browned. Serves 6.

Tzibbele Kugel

6 egg yolks

3 cups minced onions

⅓ cup cracker or matzo meal

1½ teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

4 tablespoons melted fat or butter

6 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Beat the egg yolks until thick. Stir in the onions, meal, salt, pepper and fat or butter. Fold in the egg whites. Turn into a greased 2-quart casserole.

Bake in a 350° oven for 40 minutes or until set. Serves 6–8.

Kraut Kugel

5 cups finely shredded cabbage

2 teaspoons salt

⅓ cup butter or fat

½ cup boiling water

1½ cups cubed white bread

⅓ cup potato flour

¼ cup seedless white raisins

¾ cup sliced blanched almonds

2 tablespoons sugar

4 eggs

Cook the cabbage and salt in the butter over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Cool.

Pour the water over the bread and squeeze dry. Mash. Add the potato flour, raisins, almonds and sugar. Separate the eggs and add the yolks and cabbage. Mix until smooth.

Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold into the mixture.

Turn into a greased 2-quart casserole. Bake in a 350° oven for 40 minutes, or until set. Serves 6.

Potato Kugel

3 eggs

3 cups grated, drained potatoes

⅓ cup potato flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

1½ teaspoons salt

⅛ teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons grated onion

4 tablespoons melted butter or fat

Beat the eggs until thick. Stir in the potatoes, potato flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, onion and butter or fat.

Turn into a greased 1½-quart baking dish or casserole. Bake in a 350° oven until browned, about 1 hour. Serve hot. Serves 6–8.

Noodle Kugel

3 eggs

4 tablespoons brown sugar

⅛ teaspoon nutmeg

4 cups cooked broad noodles

½ cup seedless white raisins

½ cup sliced blanched almonds

1 tablespoon lemon juice

4 tablespoons melted butter or chicken fat

2 tablespoons bread crumbs

Beat the eggs and brown sugar until fluffy. Add the nutmeg, noodles, raisins, almonds, lemon juice and melted butter or fat. Turn into a well-greased ring mold or baking dish. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Bake in a 375° oven 50 minutes or until browned.

Serve with meat or poultry dishes or as a dessert with a sweet fruit sauce. Serves 6–8.

Onion Charlotte

4 cups diced onions

2 tablespoons butter

½ cup milk

3 egg yolks

1 teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon pepper

1 cup light cream

⅓ cup bread crumbs

Cook the onions, butter and milk over low heat for 10 minutes. Drain and turn into a buttered 9-inch pie plate.

Beat the egg yolks, salt, pepper and cream together. Pour over the onions and sprinkle with the bread crumbs.

Bake in a 350° oven for 35 minutes or until set. Serve hot. Serves 6.

Potato-Carrot Charlotte

1 cup grated carrots

¾ cup water

3 cups grated, drained potatoes

3 egg yolks, beaten

4 tablespoons cracker meal

1½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon ginger

4 tablespoons melted butter or fat

3 stiffly beaten egg whites

Cook the carrots in the water for 15 minutes. Let cool in the water.

Mix the potatoes, egg yolks, cracker meal, salt, sugar,
ginger, butter or fat and the undrained carrots. Fold in the egg whites. Turn into a greased 2-quart baking dish.

Bake in a 350° oven 1 hour. Serve hot. Serves 6–8.

Apple Charlotte (Passover)

3 egg yolks

⅔ cup sugar

Dash salt

2 cups grated apples

⅓ cup matzo meal

2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

1 tablespoon slivovitz (plum brandy)

3 egg whites, stiffly beaten

4 tablespoons ground pecans

Beat the egg yolks, sugar and salt until thick and lemon colored. Stir in the apples, matzo meal, lemon rind and slivovitz. Fold in the egg whites. Turn into a greased 8-inch spring form. Sprinkle the nuts on top.

Bake in a 350° oven 35 minutes or until brown and firm. Cool before removing sides of pan. Serves 6–8.

Matzo-Farfel Charlotte (Passover)

2 cups matzo farfel

3 egg yolks

⅔ cup sugar

¼ cup sweet red wine

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons grated orange rind

2 tablespoons salad oil

3 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Soak the farfel in cold water for a few minutes, then drain and crush to a paste. Beat the egg yolks and sugar together until thick. Stir in the wine, salt, orange rind, oil and farfel. Fold in the egg whites. Turn into a greased 1½-quart baking dish.

Bake in a 350° oven 30 minutes or until browned. Serves 6–8.

VEGETABLES
Sweet-and-Sour Green Beans

1 cup boiling water

2 packages frozen green beans

1 teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon pepper

1 bay leaf

3 cloves

2 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons vinegar

3 tablespoons butter or fat

Combine the water, beans, salt, pepper, bay leaf and cloves in a saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat 3 minutes less than package directs. Drain and add the sugar, vinegar and butter or fat. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove bay leaf. Serves 6.

Braised Kale

3 pounds kale

4 tablespoons butter or fat

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon potato flour

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Wash the kale and remove the tough veins. Wash again in several changes of water.

Melt the butter or fat in a saucepan and stir in the garlic, kale, water, salt and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat 15 minutes or until tender. Mix together the potato flour and lemon juice and stir into the kale. Cook 2 minutes. Serves 4–5.

Bean Panache

1 onion, chopped

2 tablespoons butter

½ pound green beans, cooked and drained

½ pound wax beans, cooked and drained

½ pound lima beans, cooked and drained

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Cook the onion in the butter for 10 minutes. Toss with the green, wax and lima beans. Add salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with the parsley. Serves 4–6.

Prunes and Beets

1 pound unsweetened prunes

3 cups undrained julienne beets

½ teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons vinegar

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