Judy Zeidler's Kitchen

Dip into honey for new year inspiration

Judy Zeidler — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 00:11:05 +0000

Photo by Dan Kacvinski

Rosh Hashanah, literally translated as head of the year, begins this year at sundown on Sept. 8, ushering in a 10-day period for reflection on the past year and making resolutions for the new one. It is a time when families come together for festive meals and where sweet foods are traditionally eaten, symbolizing hope for happiness and a sweet life in the coming year. In some homes, families follow the ancient custom of substituting sugar in salt shakers to be used during the holiday.

Honey, because of its sweetness, is an important ingredient in Rosh Hashanah cooking and baking. It is customary to dip slices of challah and apples in honey at the beginning of the meal. A tradition in our family is to hollow out a large apple, fill it with honey, and place it on a platter surrounded with sliced apples that can be dipped and eaten when guests arrive. The recipes I am sharing feature honey and apples, and any can be included in your holiday menus.

Using honey as a sweetener is not difficult, and you can substitute it for sugar in your favorite recipes. The general rule is to use one-quarter less honey than you would sugar, then reduce the amount of liquid by one-quarter as well. I have found that cakes made with honey seem to stay fresh longer.

There are many varieties of honey available. A few examples are orange blossom, chestnut, lavender and wildflower, and each has its own distinctive flavor. It is fun to experiment and use the taste you prefer.

Honey cake is a delicious dessert to make for this holiday. Over the years, I have experimented with many recipes, and this delicious, high-rise Spice and Coffee Honey Cake has a light, appealing texture, the result of folding in beaten egg whites. Try it once, and you’ll never buy another store-bought honey cake. If you are invited as a guest to a Rosh Hashanah dinner, it will make a wonderful holiday gift.

A round challah, signifying a long and full life, is the traditional shape to bake on Rosh Hashanah. Sweetened with honey and baked with apples and raisins, Fruit-Filled Holiday Challah is perfect for serving at dinner or toasted for dessert. An added plus: Because it has no egg yolks and very little oil, it is low in cholesterol.

The Apple-Spinach Salad With Sauteed Salmon follows the theme of combining apples and honey. Made with diced apples, tahini and honey, it is an ideal dish to serve during the holiday. The dressing can be prepared the day before and refrigerated. The spinach leaves are tossed with the mixture and topped with the sautéed salmon just before serving.

In many homes, a “first fruit of the fall season,” such as figs, grapes or pomegranates, is eaten. I have included an Apple-Pomegranate Sorbet recipe garnished with pomegranate seeds. The uncooked apples give it a delightful crisp texture; serve a scoop with the honey cake.

Have a healthy and happy New Year. L’Shanah Tovah.

APPLE-SPINACH SALAD WITH SAUTEED SALMON

1/2 pound Sauteed Salmon, cut into chunks (recipe follows)

3 apples, peeled, cored and diced

3 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced

3 stalks celery, diced

Juice of 2 lemons

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)

2 tablespoons honey

1 bunch fresh spinach, torn into bite-size pieces

1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

Prepare salmon; set aside.

In a large bowl, toss the apples, green onions and celery with juice of 1 lemon to keep the apples from darkening; set aside.

In a blender, food processor or small bowl, blend together the mayonnaise, tahini, honey and juice of the remaining lemon; the mixture will be very thick. Toss with the apple mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and chill.

Just before serving, place spinach in a large bowl, add the apple mixture, and toss to coat the spinach thoroughly. Arrange sauteed salmon chunks on top and garnish with sesame seeds.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Variation: Substitute poached chicken for the salmon. Dice and mix with the apple mixture for a chicken salad and arrange on spinach leaves.
SAUTEED SALMON

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 pound salmon fillet, cut into chunks

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a skillet, heat olive oil and sauté salmon chunks, tossing until lightly browned on all sides. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

Photo by Dan Kacvinski

FRUIT-FILLED HOLIDAY CHALLAH

1 package active dry yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 to 115 F)

Pinch sugar

1 tablespoon salt

3 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup safflower or vegetable oil

5 egg whites

6 to 7 cups flour

Cinnamon-sugar

Apple Filling (recipe follows)

Yellow corn meal for baking sheet

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of the warm water with a pinch of sugar; set aside until foamy.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the remaining 1 cup warm water, salt, honey, oil and 4 egg whites. Blend in yeast mixture. Add 4 cups flour, 1 cup at a time, blending with a beater after each addition. Spoon remaining flour on a wooden board. Pour dough onto flour and knead 5 minutes, incorporating enough flour to make a smooth elastic dough. Place dough in a greased bowl and grease the top. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Punch down the dough and divide in half. Working with one half at a time, divide into three parts. Roll each part into a rectangle. Brush with oil and top with an even layer of Apple Filling. Roll each rectangle into a long rope. Seal the ends of the 3 ropes together and braid. Gently work the braids into a circle and pinch the ends together to form a round challah.

Repeat with remaining half of dough.

Sprinkle corn meal on a large oiled baking sheet or two 8- to 9-inch round cake pans and place braided challah on the baking sheet or in the cake plans. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Brush with remaining egg white, then sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Bake in preheated 350 F oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Cool on rack.

Makes 2 round challahs.
APPLE FILLING

5 apples, peeled, cored and diced

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup honey

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine the apples, lemon juice, raisins, honey and cinnamon. Cover with plastic wrap and chill. Drain well and use for the challah filling.

Photo by Dan Kacvinski

SPICE AND HONEY CAKE

1 pound honey

1 cup sugar

1 cup strong black coffee

1/4 cup vegetable or safflower oil

4 eggs, separated

3 1/2 cups flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

In a large mixing bowl, blend honey, sugar, coffee and oil. Add the egg yolks and beat until light and smooth.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, cloves and ginger. Gradually add the flour mixture to the honey mixture, beating until well blended.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gently fold the beaten egg whites and almonds into the batter.

Pour batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Bake in preheated 350 F oven for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Immediately remove pan from oven and invert it onto a wire rack to cool. With a sharp knife, loosen cake from pan’s sides and tube. Remove cake from pan and transfer to a large cake platter.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.
APPLE-POMEGRANATE SORBET

1 1/2 cups unsweetened pomegranate or grape juice

1 cup sugar

3 large golden delicious apples, peeled, cored and pureed

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Pomegranate seeds for garnish

Place the pomegranate juice and sugar in a heavy pot over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a slow, rolling boil, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and chill.

Combine the pomegranate juice mixture, pureed apples and lemon juice; blend well. Freeze in refrigerator-freezer, electric or hand-crank freezer.

For refrigerator-freezer, pour the mixture into flat-bottomed ice cube trays without their dividers or a freezer-proof glass bowl. Place in freezer and stir with a fork every hour, scraping from the sides into the center. Continue stirring and freezing until the ice is set, 3 to 4 hours. Or follow the directions on your electric or hand-crank freezer.

Scoop into individual bowls and garnish with pomegranate seeds or serve with slices of honey cake.

Makes 1 quart.

Judy Zeidler is the author of “The Gourmet Jewish Cook” (Morrow, 1988) and “The International Deli Cookbook“ (Chronicle, 1994). She teaches cooking classes through American Jewish University’s Whizin Center for Continuing Education. Her soon-to-be-published cookbook, “Italy Cooks,” is based on 35 years of travel in Italy. Her Web site is judyzeidler.com.

http://www.jewishjournal.com/ high_holy_days/article/dip_into_honey_for_new_year_inspiration_recipes_20100824/

Easy cooking for the holidays

Judy Zeidler — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 17:19:22 +0000

By Judy Zeidler

(Photo by Dan Kacvinski)

If you are in a dilemma about what to serve your family for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot, expand your menu options to include dishes that can be served in both the dining room and the sukkah.

Rosh Hashanah (Sept. 8-10) usually occurs during the warmest days of the year, so I plan to serve a refreshing and delicious cold Apple-Spinach Salad With Sautéed Salmon as the main course. This recipe is made with a combination of diced apples, tahini and honey; it’s perfect because apples and honey are traditionally served during this holiday to ensure a sweet new year. The dressing can be prepared the day before and refrigerated. The spinach leaves are tossed with the mixture and topped with the sautéed salmon just before serving.

This year, Yom Kippur begins at sundown Friday, Sept. 17, and the break-the-fast meal is on Saturday evening. As with any Shabbat or Yom Kippur meal, most of the work for this menu can be done beforehand and carried to the table as the guestsarrive.

The transition from fasting to feasting should be a gradual one. Begin with challah to dip in honey. Serve a refreshing glass of lemonade, apple juice, tea or a glass of chilled rosé wine; that way, if family and friends arrive at different times, they can satisfy their thirst and hunger. Cold deli food is a great way to go — it allows you to serve an assortment of delicious cold dishes: platters of cheeses, potato salad, coleslaw, pickles, olives, cream cheese, lox and bagels. But the surprise will be a warm main dish, a Potato and Lox Casserole, which features a savory blend of potatoes, lox, onions and dill. Prepare the casserole in advance, store in the refrigerator, and reheat in the oven.

During the harvest festival of Sukkot (Sept. 22-29), children look forward to building the outdoor sukkah, where the traditional holiday meals are served. Many of the Sukkot main dishes include stuffed vegetables and casseroles of various kinds, which makes them easy to transport outdoors. Cabbage rolls baked in a rich tomato-wine sauce are a family favorite, especially when stuffed with a filling of ground chicken mixed with onions, garlic and grated potato.

Honey cake is the perfect dessert for all three holidays. Over the years, I have experimented with many recipes, and this delicious, high-rise spicy honey cake has a light, appealing texture, the result of folding in beaten egg whites. Try it once and you’ll never buy another store-bought honey cake.

A variation, especially for Sukkot, is to frost the honey cake with lemon icing and garnish with lemon peel; the lemon represents the ancient etrog, or citron, which is part of the holiday tradition.

APPLE-SPINACH SALAD WITH SAUTÉED SALMON

1/2 pound salmon, sautéed and diced
3 apples, peeled, cored and diced
3 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
3 celery stalks, diced
Juice of 2 lemons
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
2 tablespoons honey
1 bunch spinach, torn into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

Prepare salmon and set aside.

In a large bowl, toss the apples, green onions and celery with juice of one lemon to keep the apples from darkening. Set aside.

In a blender, food processor or a small bowl, blend together the mayonnaise, tahini, honey and juice from the second lemon; the mixture will be very thick. Toss with the apple mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and chill.

Just before serving, place spinach in a large bowl, add the apple mixture, and toss to coat the spinach thoroughly. Arrange diced sautéed salmon on top and garnish with sesame seeds.

Variation: Substitute poached chicken for the salmon.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

(Photo by Dan Kacvinski)

STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS

2 heads cabbage

Filling:
2 pounds ground chicken
2 eggs
1/4 cup finely diced onion
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 small potato, peeled and grated
1/4 cup uncooked white rice
2 to 3 tablespoons bread crumbs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Sauce:
1/4 cup safflower or vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped (reserve liquid)
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
Juice of 2 lemons
Salt and pepper, to taste

Cut away the core of each cabbage. In a large saucepan, steam the cabbage over simmering water until soft enough to separate the leaves and fold them without tearing or breaking.

For Filling: In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, eggs, diced onion, garlic, potato, rice and bread crumbs; blend well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

For Sauce: In a large ovenproof pot, heat the oil and sauté the chopped onion, garlic, celery and green pepper until tender. Add the tomatoes and their reserved liquid, tomato sauce, wine, brown sugar and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt, pepper, additional brown sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer while preparing the cabbage rolls.

Place a cabbage leaf on a flat surface, shape the chicken mixture into a ball, place it on the root end of the cabbage leaf, and roll it up to enclose the filling, envelope-style. Place the cabbage rolls close together, submerged in the pot of tomato sauce. Cover the pot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour.

Transfer the pot to a preheated 350 F oven and bake the cabbage rolls for 30 minutes.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

(Photo by Dan Kacvinski)

POTATO AND LOX CASSEROLE

8 (1 3/4 pounds total) white or red new potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced and boiled
8 large slices lox (smoked salmon)
1/2 small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh dill
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons bread crumbs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Coat the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking dish with butter. Arrange half of the sliced potatoes on the bottom. Arrange the slices of lox on top of the potatoes. Sprinkle with the onion, dill, and salt and pepper to taste. Repeat with a top layer of the remaining sliced potatoes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the cream over the potato mixture. Sprinkle the bread crumbs and pieces of butter over the potatoes.

Bake in preheated 400 F oven for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Serve hot or cold.

Makes 6 servings.

COFFEE AND SPICE HONEY CAKE

1 pound honey
1 cup sugar
1 cup strong black coffee
1/4 cup vegetable or safflower oil
4 eggs, separated
3 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

In a large mixing bowl, blend honey, sugar, coffee and oil. Add the egg yolks and beat until light and smooth.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, cloves and ginger. Gradually add the flour mixture to the honey mixture, beating until well blended.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gently fold the beaten egg whites and almonds into the batter.
Pour batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Bake in preheated 350 F oven for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Immediately remove pan from oven and invert it onto a wire rack to cool. With a sharp knife, loosen cake from pan’s sides and tube. Remove cake from pan and transfer to a large cake platter.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

http://www.jewishjournal.com/ tribe/article/easy_cooking_for_the_holidays_20100820/

The Joys of Summer Fruit

Judy Zeidler — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 18:15:03 +0000

BY JUDY ZEIDLER

Photo by Dan Kacvinski

Whether you are taking a picnic to the beach, a local park or the Hollywood Bowl, desserts made from fresh fruits — peaches, apricots, plums, cherries and all kinds of berries — are a refreshing complement to your summer menu.

One of the places to find the best summer fruit is at an open-air farmers market. I love standing in the middle of a crowd of shoppers at our local farmers market trying to decide between buying nectarines or a box of ripe figs to complement a family meal.

A selection of fruit can be turned into a simple salad; in Italy, this is referred to as Macedonia. There is no recipe necessary — just cut up your favorite fruits and add whole or sliced berries. Although the fruit makes its own juices, the secret to creating a great fruit salad is the addition of sugar syrup, and maybe a small amount of orange juice.

Another easy fruit dessert that needs no recipe is simply cutting a ripe cantaloupe in half, scooping out the seeds, and filling it with a sweet wine; Port is a perfect addition.

A little more time consuming, but worth the effort, is a Raspberry Crostata, bursting with fragrant juices (if peaches or plums are your favorite, then by all means replace the raspberries with either).

If working with pastry is not your favorite thing, then the Fresh Peach Crisp is a perfect dessert. The combination of sweet, soft, juicy fruit with a crunchy, buttery brown sugar toping is irresistible.

Old-Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake is a crowd favorite, and you can experiment with the different varieties of strawberry available. If your family likes fresh blueberries, add a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream to Blueberry-Buttermilk Coffee Cake for a special treat.

And if you have never made gelato (ice cream), you are going to love Strawberry Gelato. Although you can use an electric ice cream machine, the hand-crank kind is more fun; just add ice and salt and have all the children take turns until it is ready.

OLD-FASHIONED STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

Buy strawberries just before you want to eat them; store the berries on your kitchen counter or a cool place, and give them a quick rinse just before eating. When shopping for strawberries, try to taste when you can, and discover your own favorite varieties. Very red berries tend to be the sweetest.

3 pints fresh strawberries
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/4 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup unsalted butter or nondairy margarine
1 egg, lightly beaten
2/3 cup milk
2 cups whipped cream

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Grease and flour one 8-inch round cake pan.

Slice strawberries and toss them with 1/2 cup sugar. Set aside.

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine flour, baking powder, 2 tablespoons sugar, salt and butter or margarine. Blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

In a medium bowl, combine the egg and milk and blend. Stir into the flour mixture until just combined.

Spread batter into the prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool partially in pan on wire rack.

Slice in half, making two layers. Place half of the strawberries on one layer and top with the second layer. Top second layer with remaining strawberries and cover with the whipped cream.

Makes 8 servings.

Photo by Dan Kacvinski

FRESH RASPBERRY CROSTATA

Bake the crostata until it is golden brown and it will stay crisp for breakfast the next day.

1 1/2 cups flour
5 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter or nondairy margarine, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons ice water
2 cups fresh raspberries
1 tablespoon toasted sliced almonds
Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

In the bowl of a food processor, using the knife blade, blend flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, lemon zest and salt. Add the butter or margarine and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add ice water bit by bit, pulsing until moist clumps form. Gather the dough into a ball; flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour, or freeze for later use.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Roll out the dough on a large sheet of floured wax paper to 11 inches round. Place a sheet of wax paper over the pastry, fold in half and carefully transfer to a silicon- or parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Toss raspberries in 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Leaving a 1 1/2-inch border all around, cover the dough with the raspberries, stem ends down. Starting in the center, work your way toward the outside in concentric circles. Most of the berries will fit on the shell in one layer; mound any extra berries in the center. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Raise the dough border to enclose the sides of the tart, letting it drape gently over the fruit, pleating the crust loosely and pinching to seal any cracks in the dough.

Bake the crostata until crust is golden, about 25 to 30 minutes. Put the baking sheet on a rack to cool for 10 minutes, slide a metal spatula under the crust to free the crostata. Cool to lukewarm. Sprinkle with almonds and dust with confectioner’s sugar. Transfer to a platter and serve.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

FRESH PEACH CRISP

Filling

10 to 12 peaches, washed, pitted, cut in wedges
1/2 cup sugar (adjust to sweetness of fruit)
2 tablespoons flour

Streusel

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
Pinch salt
1 cup uncooked oatmeal
2 sticks unsalted butter or nondairy margarine

Preheat oven to 350 F and butter a 12×8-inch or 13×9-inch baking dish.

To prepare Filling: In a large bowl, toss sliced peaches with sugar and flour. Spoon into prepared baking dish, smoothing top.

To prepare Streusel: In the large bowl of an electric mixer or food processor, combine flour, cinnamon, brown sugar, salt and oatmeal. Add butter and blend until butter is in pea-size pieces. Mixture will be lumpy. Scatter on top of filling.

Bake for 1 hour or until crisp is browned and bubbly. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.

BLUEBERRY-BUTTERMILK COFFEE CAKE

1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
1/2 cup ground walnuts
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
10 tablespoons unsalted butter or nondairy margarine
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 to 1 1/2 cups blueberries tossed with 1 tablespoon flour
Streusel Topping (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Brush an angel food cake pan with the 1/4 cup melted butter and dust with ground walnuts.

In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In the large bowl of electric mixer, beat sugar with the 10 tablespoons butter until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

Beat in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat just until batter is smooth, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Fold in 1/2 cup blueberries.

Spoon batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with remaining blueberries. Sprinkle with 1/2 to 1 cup of Streusel Topping (freeze remaining streusel for next time).

Bake coffee cake 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 1 hour to serve warm; cool completely to serve later.

Makes 12 servings.
STREUSEL TOPPING

2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
4 tablespoons unsalted butter or nondairy margarine, cut in pieces
In the bowl of an electric mixer or food processor, combine brown sugar, flour, walnuts and butter. Blend until crumbly. Refrigerate until ready to use.

STRAWBERRY GELATO

Strawberry Compote

4 pints strawberries, hulled
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Ice Cream Base

2 cups heavy cream
2 cups milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
8 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar

To prepare Compote: In 2-quart nonreactive saucepan, combine strawberries, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla bean. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, about 30 to 40 minutes, skimming off foam that forms on top. Lower heat and cook until compote thickens, 15 minutes longer. Set aside.

To prepare Ice Cream Base: In a large saucepan, bring to a boil the cream, milk and vanilla bean with its scrapings. In a large heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Whisk the cream mixture into the yolks and return to saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the mixture coats the back of the spoon. Strain quickly into a clean bowl and stir in the reserved compote. Chill over ice cubes and water.

Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. Spoon into chilled containers, cover and place in freezer. If ice cream is frozen overnight, remove from freezer to refrigerator about 1 hour before serving.

To serve, place 1 or 2 scoops in a chilled bowl. Serve with sliced strawberries.

Makes about 2 1/2 quarts.

Topanga Days

Judy Zeidler — Wed, 26 May 2010 18:36:23 +0000

Judy’s Signature Strudel Photo by Dan Kacvinski

In the early 1960s, we bought a 45-acre ranch with a big, sprawling house in Topanga Canyon, not far from Pacific Coast Highway. The lush panorama seemed to stretch for miles into Malibu. Our rambling ranch house was a dream come true. From our living room, we had a view of the canyon, with Shetland ponies grazing below, framed by a big bay window.

Prior to buying the house, my husband and I had never been to Topanga before. We were living in a contemporary home in Brentwood when a real-estate friend told us about the ranch, which we had trouble locating at first. Once we found it and walked the property, we were sold.

We were young and adventurous, raising four children, with another one on the way. I don’t think we realized it then, but Topanga changed our life. And those memorable days included several firsts for me as a professional cook.

Topanga was a different place to live — a close-knit community, where neighbors were always available if anything went wrong. There was no daily mail delivery; instead, we had a box at the Topanga Post Office, near a small market, the Topanga Creek General Store, where we could pick up everyday necessities.

When we were typical city folk, the only animal we had was a cat. In Topanga, we kept sheep, chickens, ducks, goats, Shetland ponies, horses and dogs. We even had a peacock, which acted like a watchdog, shrieking when anyone arrived at our front gate; during molting season, we would race to find its long, colorful feathers.

Our children adapted easily to the country lifestyle, with after-school chores that included caring for the animals and collecting chicken and duck eggs from the coop for breakfast the next morning.
Soon after we moved to the ranch, a neighbor taught me how to bake bread, which kicked off a weekly ritual of making challah for Shabbat.

After we joined a synagogue in the San Fernando Valley, I was asked to help plan a lunch for the sisterhood. I was consulted on the menu — Caesar salad, fillet of sole, which was rolled and baked, and for dessert my Aunt Betty’s orange juice bundt cake. I invited the other members to my kitchen to teach them how to prepare the recipes. It would be my first of many cooking classes.

Down the road from us was the Discovery Inn, an organic restaurant that was also a gathering spot for Neil Young, Jimi Hendrix and other artists from Topanga’s music scene. When the owners tried my homemade strudel, they were hooked and commissioned me to make it for the restaurant — my first entry into the professional food world. When guests asked where the strudel came from, the owners would answer, “Oh, a little old lady in Topanga made it.”

During the summer, friends from the city would drop by with the excuse that they just happened to be in the area or on their way to or from the beach.

Among our summer Topanga highlights were our annual Kite Festival and a Labor Day Campout. At the kite-flying event, about 200 people arrived bringing kites, blankets and their own picnic lunches. We provided the drinks, homemade pita bread, hummus and dessert. We would all gather near the barn on a hilltop covered with grapevines, hoping for wind. The parents taught their kids to fly kites, but some children had trouble getting their dads to relinquish the kites. We had contests and gave out trophies for the most innovative, largest and highest-flying kite.

During our Labor Day Campout, we invited friends to camp overnight at the ranch. Guests would take care of their own breakfast needs and we would provide lunch and an evening barbecue. After dessert, everyone would gather for a campfire sing-along.

Our family treasures those 15 unforgettable years and the lifestyle we enjoyed together in Topanga Canyon.
HOMEMADE PITA BREAD

2 packages active dry yeast
Pinch sugar
2 1/2 cups warm tap water (110-115 F)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
6 cups unbleached flour

Dissolve the yeast with the sugar in 1/2 cup of the water. Let stand in a warm place a few minutes, until foamy.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the remaining 2 cups of water, the olive oil and salt. Add the yeast mixture and then the flour, one cup at a time, beating until the dough comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead until shiny and elastic, 5 to l0 minutes. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, and oil the top of the dough. Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rise in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Punch the dough down and knead it until smooth and springy to the touch, about 5 minutes. Roll the dough into a log. Cut it into l5 equal pieces and knead each piece into a ball.

Roll out each ball on a floured board to a diameter of 6 to 6 1/2 inches and a thickness of about 1/4 inch.

Place the pitas on individual pieces of foil or parchment paper, cover with towels and let them stand for l hour.

Preheat the oven to 500 F. Bake the pitas on foil on the lowest shelf or the bottom of the oven for about 5 minutes, just until they start to brown and puff like balloons. Remove immediately and serve hot.

Makes about 12 to 14 pitas.
HUMMUS

The red bell pepper adds a special flavor and gives the hummus a rosy tint.

1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, with liquid
1 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/2 roasted red bell pepper
1/2 cup lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/3 cup olive oil
6 fresh parsley sprigs, stemmed
1 to 2 teaspoons salt
12 small pitas, cut in wedges

Place the garbanzos, with liquid, in a processor or blender and blend until coarsely pureed.

Add the tahini, roasted red bell pepper, lemon juice, garlic and cumin. Blend to a smooth puree. Add olive oil in a thin stream and continue blending. Blend in the parsley and l teaspoon of the salt. Add additional salt to taste. Serve with hot Homemade Pita Bread.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.
CAESAR SALAD

Caesar salad — a mixture including crisp romaine, pungent anchovies and grated Parmesan cheese — is an all-time Southern California favorite.

2 heads romaine lettuce, hearts and tender leaves only
Mustard Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
1 tablespoon minced anchovies (about 4 anchovy fillets)
1 tablespoon mashed anchovies (about 4 anchovy fillets)
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Prepare Mustard Vinaigrette and set aside.

Separate lettuce leaves and discard coarse outer leaves. Wash, drain well, pat dry with paper towels, and tear into pieces.

In a large glass or stainless-steel bowl, toss lettuce with minced anchovies.

Just before serving, mix vinaigrette with mashed anchovies. Add Parmesan cheese and toss. Serve on chilled salad plates.

Makes 6 servings.

Mustard Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cups olive oil
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a bowl, combine mustard and lemon juice and mix well. Using a small whisk or fork, add olive oil and blend well. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and chill. This will keep for several days in a refrigerator.

JUDY’S SIGNATURE STRUDEL

1 cup unsalted butter or margarine
2 cups flour
1 cup sour cream
6 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1 jar (2 pounds) apricot-pineapple preserves
1 package (1 pound) shredded coconut
3 to 4 cups toasted chopped walnuts
Powdered sugar for garnish

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, blend the butter and flour until crumbly. Add the sour cream and beat until the mixture comes away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn the dough out onto a pastry board lined with generously floured waxed paper. Toss the dough around on top of the floured waxed paper to coat it lightly with the flour. Flatten it with the palm of your hand, shaping it roughly into a rectangle. Then use a well-floured rolling pin to roll it out into a rectangle, about 6-by-10-inches.

Drop 6 (1/2-teaspoon) small pieces of the short-ening equally spaced on top of the pastry; with your finger, smear the shortening down, and fold the pastry into thirds. Turn the pastry 90 degrees with the ends facing you. Roll it out again, dot with shortening, and fold into thirds again. Turn and repeat this procedure two more times. Wrap the pastry in waxed paper, and store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for at least two hours.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Cut the dough into four equal pieces. Roll out each piece on floured waxed paper into a rectangle, about 6-by-10 inches, as thin as possible. Spread generously with the preserves and sprinkle with the coconut and walnuts. Lifting the pastry with the waxed paper as a guide, roll up the strudel jellyroll fashion.

Place the strudel on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Lift the edges of the foil to transfer the strudel to a wooden board. Loosen the strudel with a knife, if necessary, and carefully roll it off the foil so it rests on the board, seam-side down. Cut it while still hot into 1-inch slices and transfer the slices to a cake plate or platter.

Just before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Makes 12 to 16 servings.
AUNT BETTY’S ORANGE-GLAZED BUNDT CAKE

1/4 pound unsalted butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
Grated zest of 1 orange
1/3 cup orange juice
2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1 cup toasted, chopped walnuts or pecans
1/4 cup ground walnuts or pecans
Orange Juice Syrup (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Add the zest and juice and blend well.

Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add to the butter mixture alternately with the sour cream until completely blended. Fold in the toasted, chopped walnuts.

Grease a 10-inch bundt or fluted tube pan. Sprinkle with the ground walnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out dry and the cake begins to shrink away from the sides of the pan.

Spoon the hot syrup over the cake as soon as you remove it from the oven.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

ORANGE JUICE SYRUP

3/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar

In a saucepan, combine the orange juice, lemon juice and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, and simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside.

Celebrate Shavuot with the Flavors of Spring

Judy Zeidler — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:16:49 +0000

Shavuot marks an important religious event — the receiving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai.

In ancient times, Shavuot was also celebrated as a spring harvest holiday, featuring foods gathered from the fields. Today, the traditional dishes we serve combine dairy products, fruits, vegetables and grains. The produce available at local farmers’ markets inspires us to celebrate the holiday with a variety of recipes using the freshest ingredients.

For your Shavuot meals, consider dishes like Fried Cheese With Fresh Tomato Sauce, which looks impressive in Italian restaurants and is easy to make at home. My first taste of this dish was in a small town in Italy — an unusual experience and a delicious combination of flavors.

And while shopping at the farmers’ market, stock up on fresh fava beans. Just shell, boil and puree them with sautéed onions for a wonderful soup. Heat, ladle the soup into bowls, and top with grated Parmesan cheese and olive oil.

Stuffed vegetables are another Shavuot tradition, and now is the season to find fresh zucchini squash blossoms, perfect to be filled with a ricotta cheese mixture, baked and served as a main course.

And don’t forget dessert! Although I seldom make cheesecake during the year, my family can count on having this treat during the holiday. For my Two-tone Strawberry Cheesecake, I use a natural, kosher cream cheese made without vegetable gum or other additives often found in the store-bought varieties; it is lighter, smoother and blends more easily with sugar, eggs and other ingredients.

Enjoy mixing and matching these dishes for your Shavuot holiday meal.

TWO-TONE STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE

Almond Crust (recipe follows)
3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon strawberry extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 tablespoons strawberry puree (4 to 5 fresh strawberries)
Sour Cream Topping (recipe follows)
Strawberries for garnish

Prepare Almond Crust; bake and set aside.

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar and eggs until blended thoroughly. Blend in the strawberry and almond extracts.

Pour 1 3/4 cups of cream cheese mixture into the baked Almond Crust. Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes, until firm.

Blend the strawberry puree into the remaining cream cheese mixture and mix well. Carefully pour strawberry mixture over the partially baked cheesecake layer. Return to the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until firm in the center and brown around the edges.

Remove from the oven; spread sour cream topping over cheesecake, return to the oven and bake 5 minutes. Cool, loosen from sides of pan, cover with foil and chill. Garnish with strawberries before serving.

Makes 12 servings.

Almond Crust

1 1/2 cups finely ground almonds
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon almond extract

Place the almonds, sugar, butter and almond extract in a food processor or blender and process until mixture begins to come together. Press almond mixture evenly into the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 375 F for 5 to 10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
Sour Cream Topping

2 cups sour cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon strawberry extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

In a bowl, combine the sour cream, sugar, and strawberry and almond extracts; mix well. Cover and chill.

FRIED CHEESE WITH FRESH TOMATO SAUCE

It is important to fry the mozzarella cheese cubes just before serving so they will be soft and melted on the inside. The sauce can be prepared in advance; simply spoon onto individual plates when serving.

1 pound mozzarella cheese, finely diced
6 eggs
1 1/4 cups dried bread crumbs
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons dry vermouth or brandy
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 parsley sprigs, stems removed
4 fresh basil leaves
1 cup flour
Vegetable oil for frying
Fresh Tomato Sauce (recipe follows)

In a double boiler, soften the mozzarella over hot water. Transfer the softened cheese to the large bowl of an electric mixer and beat in two of the eggs at medium speed. Add 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs, the oregano, half the garlic and the salt; mix well. Press the cheese mixture into a lightly oiled 5-by-7-inch glass dish. Cover and chill at least 1 hour, or until firm.

In a bowl, lightly beat the remaining four eggs. Blend in the vermouth. Set aside.

In a food processor or blender, blend the remaining 1 cup bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, basil and remaining garlic. Set aside.

Cut the cheese mixture into 1/2-inch cubes (about 15 pieces). Dip each into the flour, then the egg-vermouth mixture, and finally into the bread crumb mixture to coat evenly. Place on paper towels and chill 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

In a heavy skillet or deep fryer, heat 3 inches of oil until it registers 375 F on a deep-frying thermometer. Fry the cheese cubes, a few at a time, until evenly golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Serve at once with Fresh Tomato Sauce.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Fresh Tomato Sauce

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 onions, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
6 to 8 medium tomatoes, peeled and diced (1-inch dice) or 1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes
1 cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

In a heavy skillet, heat the oil. Add the garlic, onions, red bell pepper, carrots and celery; sauté until the onions are transparent. Add the tomatoes with their liquid, red wine, oregano, basil, parsley and sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer on medium heat, stirring occasionally until thick, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside.

Makes 4 to 6 cups.

SIMPLE ZUCCHINI SAUCE

2 zucchini (16 ounces), cut in 1-inch chunks
Water
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a medium-size saucepan, place zucchini with water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer until soft. Reserve 3 to 4 tablespoons of the cooking liquid. Cool. Place zucchini in food processor with reserved liquid, olive oil, salt and pepper, and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving, heat the sauce and serve with the squash blossoms.

STUFFED SQUASH BLOSSOMS

20 to 24 squash blossoms with tiny zucchini attached
1 pound fresh ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 egg yolks or whole eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 pound gorgonzola cheese, cut in small cubes
1/2 cup olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

Simple Zucchini Sauce

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Carefully open blossoms wide; remove the pistils — the fuzzy yellow floret — from inside the zucchini blossom and discard. Set blossoms aside.

In a large bowl, beat the ricotta, Parmesan, eggs and salt until smooth. Taste for seasoning; the mixture should be highly seasoned. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

To fill the blossoms, spoon the filling into a large pastry bag (a small spoon will also work). Fill the clean blossoms about three-quarters full. Push a piece of gorgonzola into the center of the filling and gently squeeze the petals together over the top of the filling.

Brush two 8-by-10-inch baking dishes with olive oil and arrange the stuffed zucchini flowers in the dishes. Sprinkle the blossoms with additional salt, pepper and remaining olive oil. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until the cheese is puffy and the juices that run from the blossoms begin to bubble.

To serve, ladle sauce into each serving plate and arrange two stuffed blossoms on top.

Makes 10 servings.

FAVA BEAN SOUP

5 cups cold water or vegetable stock
3 cups fava beans, shelled
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese

Place cold water and fava beans in a large pot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain fava beans, reserving liquid.

In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sauté onions until soft. In a blender or food processor, combine fava beans, onions and 1/2 of the reserved liquid. Puree until smooth. Add additional liquid as necessary to get desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle into serving bowls, and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and remaining olive oil.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

From Israel with love Itzik Hagadol celebrates its first anniversary in Encino

Judy Zeidler — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 19:14:11 +0000

Photo by Courtney Raney

Arriving at the crowded restaurant Itzik Hagadol Grill in Encino is like entering the hustle and bustle of Israel. Large groups of happy, noisy people talk at once while consuming platters of wonderful salad dishes and grilled meats that overflow tables.

Itzik Hagadol Grill opened its doors in March 2009 to a parking lot packed with Israelis eager for a taste of home. The restaurant, located in the Encino Commons’ Plaza de Oro, is a clone of its Jaffa counterpart, the popular Shipudei Itzik Hagadol (Big Itzik’s Skewers), founded 15 years ago by Itzik Luzon.

We were invited by friends who said teasingly that they would translate for us, as everyone in the restaurant spoke only Hebrew. That was an exaggeration, of course — the menu is in English and Hebrew. However, many of the diners and servers conversed in Hebrew.

Before we even had a chance to review the menu, a young Israeli waiter arrived with a plate of delicious grilled pita topped with zatar, a blend of herbs, and olive oil.

The only decision to make at first was whether we wanted to begin our meal by ordering 10 or 20 salads. We ordered them all, and they were refilled as we ate. The individual dishes arrived with hot laffa, an Iraqi flatbread baked in a tandoor-style oven called a taboon.

Our table was filled with small plates of hummus, grilled eggplant, falafel, roasted peppers, roasted potatoes, cauliflower, Turkish salad, Israeli salad, sautéed mushrooms and Moroccan carrot salad. Containing no meat or fish, these dishes are a vegetarian’s delight.

In addition to the salads, we ordered from the variety of main courses of grilled beef, lamb, chicken, fish and kebabs on skewers — something for everyone. One of my favorites was the grilled chicken livers.

We finished our meal with a glass of nana, traditional mint tea.

Itzik Hagadol Grill is now celebrating its first anniversary. When I asked partner Michael Faiman if anything has changed since the opening, he said, “Yes. In the beginning the customers were 80 percent Israeli, but now the majority are a combination of locals, Persians and Russians.”

He noted that the restaurant has never changed the menu to please Americans. “It is exactly the same traditional recipes as the restaurant in Israel, and when dishes are changed on the menu in Jaffa, they are changed in Encino,” he said.

Faiman says a new addition — a large outdoor oven, just outside the restaurant — will soon be fired up to grill chicken and vegetables.

Later, we discussed the preparation of the salads, the ingredients, herbs and spices that go into each dish. The recipes shared here are among my favorites, adapted for your kitchen: Hummus, Moroccan Carrot Salad and Eggplant With Tahini.

Hummus

Hummus is a simple, wonderfully flavorful dip or spread made from garbanzo beans (chickpeas) and tahini (sesame paste). Its texture is velvety, rich and firm enough to scoop up with wedges of pita bread or crisp vegetables. The taste is robust, nutlike, garlicky and so satisfying that you won’t be able to stop eating it.
(From “The Gourmet Jewish Cook”by Judy Zeidler)

l can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, with liquid
1 cup tahini (sesame paste)
1/2 cup lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/3 cup olive oil
6 fresh parsley sprigs, stems removed
1 to 2 teaspoons salt

Place the garbanzo beans and liquid in a food processor or blender and pulse until pureed coarsely.

Add the tahini, lemon juice, garlic and cumin; puree until smooth. Add olive oil in a thin stream and continue blending. Add the parsley leaves and l teaspoon salt. Add additional salt to taste.

Serve with hot pita bread and sliced raw vegetables such as carrots, zucchini and mushrooms.

Makes 8 servings.
Moroccan Carrot Salad

When it comes to Moroccan salads, this is my favorite. The combination of carrots (boiled, but still a little crunchy) tossed with cilantro, cumin, paprika and ginger puts taste buds on alert.

4 cups water, salted
2 bay leaves
1 pound carrots, sliced 1/8-inch thick
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 tablespoon minced cilantro
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups salted water and the bay leaves to a boil over high heat. Add carrots, cover pot, return to a boil, then remove from heat. Discard bay leaves. Drain carrots, rinse them with cold water, and transfer to a serving dish.

In a food processor or blender, combine vinegar, oil, garlic, onion, parsley, cilantro, cumin, paprika, ginger and tomato paste; puree until smooth.

Gently stir the mixture into the carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Eggplant With Tahini

Eggplant is a versatile vegetable that is much neglected in this country. Beautiful dark purple eggplants are used in many recipes throughout Israel and other Middle Eastern countries. White eggplants can be found in specialty produce markets. The delicate yet pungent flavor is great seasoned with garlic, olive oil and salt.

1 large eggplant
1 medium onion, finely chopped, juice squeezed out and discarded
1 cup finely chopped parsley
1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)
2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons water
Salt
Dash cayenne pepper
Parsley sprigs for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and place it cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake it until its skin is charred and the inside is tender, about 20 minutes. Let the eggplant cool, and then peel it and chop finely. Place eggplant in a mixing bowl, add the onion and parsley and blend well.

In a separate bowl, stir together the tahini, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, garlic and water until well blended.

Stir the tahini mixture into the eggplant mixture. Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Stir in remaining lemon juice to taste. Garnish with parsley.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Passover Prep, Unbound

Judy Zeidler — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:06:24 +0000

Food plays an important role during Passover — from the six symbolic items on the seder plate to those foods avoided during the eight-day holiday, like chametz (leavened grains) and kitniyot (legumes). But the dinner that follows the seder on the first two nights, when family and friends gather to retell the story of the Jews’ exodus from slavery to freedom, can leave a host slaving away in the kitchen.

Instead, consider liberating yourself with a traditional Passover menu made in advance. Gefilte fish, chicken soup, matzah balls, roast turkey, all of the old-time favorites that my family enjoys, can be made in less time and still taste delicious.

Homemade gefilte fish has always been thought to be time consuming, but the technique is just like making hamburgers. My Gefilte Fish Terrine combines ground whitefish, eggs, matzah meal and water, spooned into a baking dish and baked in a water bath (there is no need to make fish stock). Serve this with horseradish, a small green salad or julienne cucumbers and even people who don’t normally eat gefilte fish will love it. You can buy the fish already ground or grind it yourself.

Making chicken soup is no big deal, but using lots of chicken is important — the more chicken, the better the flavor. Place the chicken giblets in a cheesecloth bag, tie a whole chicken with string to keep it from falling apart, and then arrange both chicken and giblets in a large pot. Add water, diced onions, carrots, parsnips, celery and parsley, bring to a boil, and simmer for one or two hours. Remove the chicken from the soup and roast it in a tomato sauce, or use the leftover chicken to make a salad.

The secret to perfect, light matzah balls is to separate the eggs, fold the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk-matzah meal mixture, then poach in the chicken soup. They will be light and delicious.

Bake a separate vegetable stuffing in a casserole dish and serve with roast turkey breast. By using only turkey breast you eliminate some calories, and because the breast is much leaner, it takes less time to bake.

The Gefilte Fish Terrine, Chicken Soup and Vegetable Stuffing all can be made a day early.

Serve a Passover Fruit Cake, baked apples or pears poached in wine as a perfect addition to your menu. And for chocolate lovers, I have included an easy recipe for Chocolate Farfel Clusters.

GEFILTE FISH TERRINE

1 onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
3 pounds whitefish
2 eggs
1/3 cup matzah meal
1/2 cup water
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Horseradish

In a grinder or food processor, grind the onion, carrot, celery and fish. Transfer ground mixture to a large bowl and blend with eggs, matzah meal and water, mixing well to thoroughly combine ingredients, adding salt and pepper to taste. Mixture should be soft and light to the touch.

Lightly oil a 2-quart glass baking dish and line it with plastic wrap. Oil the wrap.

Spoon the fish mixture into the baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and a double layer of foil.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place the terrine in a large baking pan and pour in hot water to come halfway up the sides. Bake for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack 10 minutes. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve, invert the terrine on a platter, peel off the plastic wrap, and slice. Place on individual serving plates with horseradish.

Makes 8-10 servings.

CHICKEN SOUP WITH MATZAH BALLS

This recipe yields a truly classic version of chicken soup. For an unusual variation, or for any leftover soup, try pureeing the broth with the vegetables for the second night.

1 (5-pound) whole chicken or 2 (2 1/2- pound) chickens
Giblets from the chicken (or purchase 1 pound of gibletsfrom the butcher)
3 medium onions, peeled and diced
3 to 4 quarts water
16 small carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
5 celery ribs with tops, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
8 parsley sprigs
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Truss or tie the chicken or chickens with string to keep them from falling apart in the soup. Place giblets in a cheesecloth bag, and tie to secure.

In a large, heavy Dutch oven or pot, place the chicken and giblets, onions and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat and, using a large spoon, skim off the scum that rises to the top. Add the carrots, celery, parsnips and parsley. Cover, leaving the lid ajar, and simmer for 1 hour. Add salt and pepper to taste. Uncover and simmer 30 minutes more.

With a slotted spoon, remove the whole chicken and giblets from the soup. Let the soup cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Remove the fat that has hardened on the top. Bring to a boil, add matzah balls (recipe follows), cover and simmer. Ladle into heated soup bowls with matzah balls.

Makes 10-12 servings.

LIGHT AND FLUFFY MATZAH BALLS

3 eggs, separated
1/2 cup water
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1 to 1 1/2 cups matzah meal
2 quarts chicken soup

Put the egg yolks, water, salt and pepper in a small bowl and beat with a fork. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks; do not overbeat. Gently fold the yolk mixture alternately with the matzah meal into the egg whites until well blended, using only enough meal to make a light, firm dough.

Drop a tablespoon of matzah ball mixture into rapidly boiling soup to form each ball. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Do not uncover during this cooking time.

Ladle into hot soup bowls.

Makes 12 matzah balls.

PASSOVER VEGETABLE STUFFING CASSEROLE

1/4 cup peanut oil
3 onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 celery ribs, finely chopped
1 bunch carrots, peeled and grated
1 parsnip, peeled and grated
2 large zucchini, unpeeled and grated
1/2 cup minced parsley
1/4 cup raisins, plumped and drained
2 tablespoons matzah meal
2 tablespoons matzah cake meal
2 tablespoons Passover potato starch
1/2 to 3/4 cup Passover dry red wine or apple juice
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

In a large, heavy skillet, heat oil, and sauté onions and garlic until transparent. Add celery, carrots, parsnip and zucchini and toss. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften. Add parsley and raisins and mix thoroughly. Simmer for 5 minutes, mixing occasionally. Blend in matzah meal, matzah cake meal and potato starch. Add 1/2 cup wine and mix well. Add additional wine, a tablespoon at a time, until stuffing is moist. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place in an oiled 8-by-10 inch casserole and bake at 350 F until heated through.

Makes 8-10 servings.

JUDY’S PASSOVER FRUIT CAKE

2 tablespoons melted unsalted nondairy margarine
2 cups pitted dates, thinly sliced
2 cups dried apricots, quartered
1 cup golden raisins
1 1/2 cups toasted whole almonds
1 1/2 cups toasted walnut pieces
3/4 cup matzah cake meal
1 tablespoon potato starch
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 300 F. Brush a 5-by-9 inch loaf pan with melted nondairy margarine and line with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the dates, apricots, raisins, almonds and walnuts. In a separate bowl, combine the matzah cake meal, potato starch and sugar and mix well. Add fruit mixture and mix evenly. Beat eggs and vanilla to blend. Stir into fruit mixture. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pan and spread evenly, pressing into corners of pan.

Bake until golden brown, about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours. Cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes, then turn out of pan. Peel off paper and let cool on rack.

Wrap in plastic wrap and foil. Chill at least one day or up to two months. To serve, place cake on a wooden board and, using a sharp knife, cut in thin slices.

Makes 10-12 servings.

CHOCOLATE FARFEL-NUT CLUSTERS

1 (1-pound) package semisweet chocolate
1 cup toasted matzah farfel
1 cup toasted chopped pecans

Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water or in the microwave. Pour chocolate into large bowl. Add matzah farfel and pecans and mix thoroughly. Spoon chocolate mixture onto a baking sheet lined with wax paper or into ruffled paper cups. Refrigerate until set.

Makes about 30 clusters.

It’s a Wrap Sweet and savory folded dishes draw on international inspiration

Judy Zeidler — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:04:00 +0000

While growing up in Jewish Los Angeles, I was exposed to many traditional Ashkenazic dishes — kreplach, cheese blintzes and strudel, to name a few. But it wasn’t until I developed an interest in cooking that I realized most other cultures have similar dishes. Kreplach reminds me of Italian ravioli or Chinese pot-stickers, and the wrapping for cheese blintzes is the same as French crepes. My mother always put egg noodles in chicken soup, similar to Italian fettuccini. And the cabbage strudel that I make is like what the Hungarian strudel bars in Budapest serve.

The first recipe here, stuffed grape leaves, or Dolmas, consists of onions, rice and dried apricots wrapped in grape leaves and steamed. Many years ago, an Armenian friend brought us a platter stacked with Dolmas along with this recipe, which he had written on a legal notepad with drawings of how to assemble them in the pot. (I still have the original faded yellow page, stained with food, in my files.)

The second recipe, Cabbage Strudel, has sautéed cabbage, onions and brown sugar as the filing, which is wrapped in several layers of filo pastry dough, baked, and served topped with a sour cream dill sauce.

The last recipe, Cheese Blintzes, is a classic Ashkenazic Jewish food that probably originated in Poland. The blinis (crepes) are stuffed with a mixture of farmer’s cheese and eggs that are then folded (into) small envelope-like packets. I originally used hoop cheese, which is drier, but not easy to find, although it may be available in some specialty European markets.

DOLMAS (STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES)

From “The Gourmet Jewish Cook” by Judy Zeidler.

1 cup olive oil
4 large onions, finely chopped
1 cup water
1 cup long-grain white rice
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped mint leaves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (6 ounce) packages dried apricot halves
1 (16 ounce) jar grape leaves, rinsed
Juice of 3 lemons

In a large heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté, stirring frequently, until soft, but not yet browned, about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, the rice, parsley, mint, allspice as well as salt and pepper. Stir well, cover and continue cooking on low heat for about l5 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent sticking. The rice will be undercooked. Cool to room temperature. Dice 3 ounces of dried apricot halves and add them to the cooled rice.

Place 5 or 6 grape leaves on the bottom of a large pot. Place the remaining apricot halves on top of the grape leaves to cover. Set aside.

Snip off the stems of the remaining leaves and place on a work surface, vein sides up. Place a heaping tablespoon of the rice mixture in the center of each grape leaf. Roll the stem end over the filling, fold in the sides and roll up the leaf to enclose the rice completely.

Place the stuffed leaves seam sides down in neatly packed layers on top of the apricots in the prepared pot. Sprinkle with the remaining water and the lemon juice. Place a heavy oven-proof dish inside the pot on top of the grape leaves. Cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until the grape leaves are tender.

Serve Dolmas hot or carefully transfer them to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill in a refrigerator. Serve on a large platter surrounded by the cooked apricots.
Makes about 60 Dolmas.

CABBAGE STRUDEL with SOUR CREAM and DILL SAUCE

From “The Gourmet Jewish Cook” by Judy Zeidler.

1 package filo dough
1 pound unsalted butter,melted and clarified
2 cups fine breadcrumbs
Cabbage Filling (recipe follows)
Sour Cream Dill Sauce (recipe follows)
Sprigs of dill

Place a damp towel on a work area and cover with waxed paper. Remove 4 sheets of filo from the package. Keep the remaining sheets covered with waxed paper and a damp towel to prevent drying.

Fold the filo leaves in half like a closed book and unfold one page. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with breadcrumbs. Continue turning the pages of the filo, brushing with the butter and crumbs until you come to the center. Do not brush the butter in the center yet. Close the second half of the book over the first and work backwards: open the last leaf and continue spreading the butter and crumbs until you come back to the center. Now brush the center with the butter and sprinkle with crumbs.

Depending on how thick a strudel you want, spread 2 to 3 cups of the cabbage filling lengthwise on the open filo book, 2 inches from the edge closest to you and 2 inches from the sides. Cover the filling with the closest edge and fold the sides over. Brush the sides with butter and continue rolling up the filo, jellyroll fashion.

Cover a baking sheet with foil. Brush the foil with butter. Place the strudel on the foil, seam side down, and brush it with butter. Refrigerate uncovered until the butter hardens, 15 to 20 minutes. (The strudel can be frozen at this point.)

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Slice immediately and serve hot with Sour Cream Dill Sauce and garnish with sprigs of dill.

Makes 20 to 24 servings.

CABBAGE FILLING

1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons paprika
3 cups finely chopped onions
4 quarts shredded cabbage
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and stir until dissolved. Add the paprika and mix well. Add the onions and continue cooking for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking.

Add the cabbage, brown sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour or until golden brown. Stir occasionally. Remove from the heat and cool. This mixture can be made a day ahead and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.

Sour Cream and Dill Sauce

2 cups sour cream or non-dairy sour cream
1/8 cup snipped fresh dill

In a bowl, combine the sour cream and dill. Cover and chill.

CHEESE BLINTZES

From “The Gourmet Jewish Cook” by Judy Zeidler.

Usually cheese blintzes are rolled up so they have a round shape, but I like to fold the blini over the filling like an envelope so the results are flat blintzes, which helps keep toppings from rolling off.

3 eggs
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon brandy
Butter
Cheese Filling (recipe follows)
Strawberry or Raspberry Sauce (recipe follows)

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until well blended. Add the flour and salt and beat well. Slowly add the milk, blending until smooth. Stir in the melted butter and brandy.

In an 8-inch round skillet or crepe pan, melt 1 teaspoon of butter over medium heat. When the butter begins to bubble, pour in about 1/8 cup of the batter to cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer. Rotate the pan quickly to spread the batter as thinly as possible. Cook on one side only for about 1 minute or until the edges begin to brown. Turn onto paper towels and transfer to a platter.

Repeat with the remaining batter and stack the blintzes with wax paper in between. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to fill.

Fill the brown side of each blini or crepe with the cheese mixture and fold, tucking ends in. Melt about 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet. Cook the blintzes on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned. Repeat with the remaining blintzes adding more butter as needed. With a metal spatula carefully transfer the blintzes to a serving platter.

Serve with bowls of sour cream and strawberry or raspberry sauce.

Makes about 24 blintzes.

Cheese Filling

2 pounds hoop, farmer’s or pot cheese
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup golden raisins (optional)
grated peel of 1 lemon (optional)

In a bowl, combine all ingredients.

Strawberry or Raspberry Sauce

2 (10 ounce) packages frozen strawberries or raspberries, thawed
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice or strawberry liqueur

Press the thawed strawberries or raspberries through a fine sieve into a bowl, or puree in food processor or blender and strain. Blend in the sugar and lemon juice. Heat in a small saucepan or serve cold.
Makes about 1 cup.

Channukah in Tuscany Chef Jeff Thickman blends Russian and Italian cuisines for a holiday menu

Judy Zeidler — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:01:23 +0000

When we were invited for a Tuscan Chanukah dinner at the home of our friends chef Jeff Thickman and musician Igor Polesitsky, who live in a wonderful villa in the wooded hills of Roveta, just outside Florence, the menu included Italian Potato Latkes, Vegetarian Borshch and Stuffed Cabbage, all made with traditional Italian ingredients.

Thickman, a concert pianist, studied at Juilliard and played with the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino under Zubin Mehta until he decided that he loved to cook more than play the piano. This American cook graduated from the Cordon Bleu School in Paris and has been Mehta’s private chef since 1992, cooking for celebrities Luciano Pavarotti, Itzhak Perlman, Shimon Peres, Hillary Clinton and many others.

As we sat in their big open kitchen and discussed music, politics and Jewish holiday foods, Thickman performed at the stove and explained why he chose this meal.

“These are Igor’s favorite Chanukah dishes that he remembers from his childhood in Russia,” he said.
We began with the Vegetarian Borshch (he uses the Russian spelling for his recipe), a delicious thick soup that can be served hot or cold.

Then Jeff grated the potatoes by hand into a large bowl, tossed them with eggs, Italian parsley and chives, and gently placed small batches of the mixture into a large frying pan with hot olive oil. He served these very crisp latkes with his melt-in-your-mouth cabbage rolls, stuffed with meat and rice.

Thickman, in addition to his catering and private dinners, also teaches Italian cooking in his villa, where he has transformed the kitchen area into a state-of-the-art demonstration classroom.

Vegetarian Borshch
When serving with a dairy meal, spoon a dollop of sour cream on top of each serving.
2 quarts vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
1 leek, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
1 large onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
1 stalk celery, chopped
3 large beets, peeled and grated
2 boiling potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 pounds cabbage, coarsely shredded
1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon sour salt (citric acid)
1/2 cup sugar
Fresh dill, chopped for garnish

In a large pot, bring the stock and bay leaf to a boil. Add the leek, onion, carrot, celery, beets, potatoes, cabbage and canned tomatoes. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour. Season to taste with salt, pepper, sour salt and sugar. Cover and continue cooking for another 30 minutes. Allow to cool and refrigerate overnight. Serve hot or cold.
Makes 8 servings.

Tuscan Potato Latkes
2 pounds potatoes
1 large onion or 3 shallots
1 extra-large egg, beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup chopped chives
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
Olive oil for frying

Peel the potatoes and grate them coarsely along with the onions. Place in a strainer over a bowl and squeeze the potatoes well to remove their water. Let the potato water stand for five minutes. Carefully pour off the liquid and keep the starch that settles to the bottom of the bowl.
Mix the egg, salt, pepper, potatoes, onion or shallots, chives and parsley into the potato starch.
Heat a nonstick pan or cast-iron skillet and coat with a thin layer of oil. Take about 2 tablespoons of the mixture and flatten into thin pancakes with the back of a fork against the bottom of the frying pan. Fry until golden, turning once.
Serve with applesauce if desired.
Makes 8 servings.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
1 large cabbage
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 1/2 pounds ground beef (80 percent lean)
3/4 cup cooked rice
1 cup finely grated carrots
1 egg
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill
1-2 beef bones
3 cups (24 ounces) canned tomatoes
2 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup sugar, to taste
3/4 teaspoons sour salt (citric acid)

Boil the cabbage in a large pot of water until leaves can be removed easily without breaking. Remove and place the leaves on a dish towel to wait while preparing the filling.
In a large pot, heat olive oil, brown the onions and cool. In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, rice, grated carrots, egg, dill, 1 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stuff and roll cabbage leaves. Place them in a large pot along with the beef bones. Cover and cook over low heat until most of the liquid has left the cabbage rolls, about 30 minutes.
Add tomatoes, carrots, remaining salt and pepper, sugar and sour salt. Cook for about 1 hour, covered. Taste and adjust for salt, sugar and sour salt.
Makes 8 servings.

Sukkot Sweets, with Etrog’s Cousin

Judy Zeidler — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:57:49 +0000

Sukkot, one of the happiest of all Jewish festivals, is a home-centered holiday that actually takes place outside of the home. The festival’s main symbol is the decorated sukkah, a temporary outdoor booth or hut, where Jewish law requires Jews sleep and eat all their meals for eight days. Families often invite friends and neighbors into their sukkah to share a festive snack or join the family for a meal during the week.
Last year we were surprised to receive an invitation from our synagogue for a Sukkot celebration in our neighborhood. Since membership at Stephen S. Wise is spread out over a large geographic area, it was a great way to get together with families who live only a few blocks away.

It was sunset when everyone arrived at the home of Wendy and Barry Levin. Guests arrived on foot, some with little ones in strollers, or by car, and gathered in a sukkah that was large enough to hold almost 100 people.

The Levins built the lattice-wood sukkah on their tennis court, and the roof was covered with palm branches and vines, with fruit and holiday cards hanging from above. Rabbi Eli Herscher greeted everyone and discussed the relevance of the sukkah as well as the meaning of the holiday. Singing and dancing followed, and then the guests were invited to partake in an overwhelming selection of desserts: mini mixed fruit tarts, chocolate dipped strawberries, cookies, assorted brownies, large platters of fresh fruit and a selection of gourmet cheeses.

One of the many desserts Wendy served were lemon tarts — a perfect choice because the lemon is the modern-day counterpart of the etrog, or citron, an important symbol that is used in the ceremony observing Sukkot.

Plan a Sukkot event in your neighborhood and serve a large assortment of lemon desserts: homemade Lemon Mousse Slices With Chocolate Glaze, which can be prepared in advance and stored in your freezer, or Lemon-Chocolate Tartlets, featuring a rich chocolate layer between the tangy lemon filling and the flaky pastry.

If you want a lighter dessert, serve platters of Frosted Lemon Cookies. And in the same theme, I am sharing my favorite recipe for Lemon Pound Cake, which you can make as gifts for drop-in friends during the eight days of Sukkot.

Frosted Lemon Cookies
1 cup unsalted butter or nondairy margarine
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Grated peel of 1 lemon
1 cup toasted ground walnuts or pecans
Lemon Icing (recipe follows)
Preheat the oven to 300 F.

In the bowl of electric mixer, cream butter and sugar together until well blended. Add flour and beat until crumbly and moist. Add lemon juice and peel. Blend in nuts.
Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead with your hands into a smooth ball. Pinch off and roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Press each ball into a flat disc and arrange 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet or a silicon baking mat. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown.
Cool and frost with Lemon Icing.
Makes 5 to 6 dozen cookies.

Lemon Icing
1 1/8 cups powdered sugar
1 egg white, unbeaten
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon vanilla

In bowl of electric mixer, combine sugar, egg white, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat at low speed until sugar is dissolved. Then beat at high speed until mixture is light and fluffy. Cover with damp towel until ready to use.

Lemon Mousse SlicesWith Chocolate Glaze
8 egg yolks
2 cups sugar
2 cups lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons grated lemon peel
1 package (.25 ounce) unflavored gelatin
3 cups whipped cream
Chocolate-Apricot Glaze (recipe follows)

In a small mixing bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy, about 10 to 15 minutes.
In a small saucepan, over low heat, warm lemon juice and peel; add gelatin, stir until it dissolves and cool to room temperature.
Place mixing bowl with egg mixture over larger bowl filled with ice; add lemon juice mixture and beat until cool, just before gelatin sets. Fold in whipped cream. Line a 6-by-10-inch loaf pan with a large sheet of plastic wrap. Spoon in lemon mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and foil and freeze until serving time.
Just before serving, remove pan from freezer and unmold mousse onto chilled platter, peeling away plastic wrap. Frost with a thin layer of Chocolate-Apricot Glaze. Slice and serve with additional glaze.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Chocolate-Apricot Glaze
1 cup apricot jam
6 ounces cocoa powder
3 ounces crème de cacao
In a medium saucepan, combine the jam, cocoa powder and crème de cacao; bring the mixture to a boil, stirring continuously. Place in a processor and blend until smooth. Strain and cool to room temperature.

Sukkot Lemon Pound Cake
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter or nondairy margarine
1/2 cup ground almonds
1 cup unsalted butter or nondairy margarine, room temperature
1 2/3 cups sugar
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Powdered sugar and grated lemon peel for garnish
Preheat oven to 325 F.
Brush bottom and sides of one (9-by-5-inch) loaf pan or two (3-by-5-inch) loaf pans with melted butter, dust with almonds, and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until soft and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and beat until light and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemon juice and peel.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt and gradually stir into the butter mixture. Blend well.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan or pans and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes for one large cake or 1 hour for two small cakes, or until golden brown (a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean when done).
Cool in pan on a wire rack. Slide knife around sides to loosen. Tip cake out of pan, set upright on rack and cool completely.