1,000 Jewish Recipes (102 page)
Read 1,000 Jewish Recipes Online
Authors: Faye Levy
My niece Adi Levy, who grew up at Kibbutz Ein Harod in northern Israel, learned this dish when she worked in the kibbutz kitchen. The chicken was partially roasted, then finished cooking with a sauce of honey, dry wine, and soy sauceânow a popular seasoning in Israelâwhich formed a sweet glaze. At the kibbutz they prepared this dish for Rosh Hashanah. With the chicken they served rice, potatoes, carrots, and many salads. I like it with
Sweet Carrot Coins
or with
Carrot Puree
, and with
Rice Pilaf with Golden Raisins and Pistachios
.
One 3
1
â
2
- to 4-pound chicken
1
â
4
cup honey
1
â
4
cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons soy sauce
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1
1
â
2
cups chicken stock, broth, or water
1 teaspoon potato starch or cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water
1.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Reserve chicken neck and giblets. Pull out fat from inside chicken. Truss chicken if desired.
2.
Set chicken on a rack in a heavy roasting pan. Roast chicken for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, mix 3 tablespoons honey with the wine, soy sauce, and pepper in a small bowl. Remove chicken from oven and brush all over with honey mixture. Add
1
â
2
cup stock to roasting pan.
3.
Roast chicken 20 more minutes. Turn chicken over. If it's browning too fast, cover it with foil. If pan is dry, add a few tablespoons stock. Roast 10 to 20 minutes longer or until it is done. Juices should run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with thin knife or skewer; if juices are pink, roast a few more minutes and test again. Transfer chicken to a board, cover and keep warm.
4.
To make sauce, remove roasting rack from pan. Skim fat from roasting juices in pan. Set roasting pan on a burner over medium heat. Add remaining stock and bring to a simmer, scraping browned juices into stock. Remove from heat. Strain juices into a medium saucepan. Skim fat again.
5.
Bring juices to a simmer. Whisk potato starch mixture and gradually pour into simmering juices, whisking constantly. Return to a boil, whisking. Simmer 1 or 2 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in remaining tablespoon honey. Season with salt and pepper.
6.
Carve chicken and serve with sauce.
SIDE DISHES
Everyone loves these carrots, including children, because of their appealing sweetness. I first learned to prepare sweet glazed carrots in France, where they are made with white sugar and butter. I add honey for Rosh Hashanah and I cook the carrots with oil, to keep the holiday meal kosher, since it usually includes meat or poultry.
A friend of mine from Morocco adds a pinch of cinnamon, which is also a delicious addition. She cooks the carrots for a long time over low heat until they are brown on the edges and beginning to caramelize.
2 pounds carrots, sliced
2 cups water
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons brown or white sugar
3 tablespoon vegetable oil
1
â
4
teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
Combine carrots, water, and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat 10 minutes. Add honey, sugar, oil, and cinnamon, if using. Continue cooking over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until carrots are very tender and liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Watch so mixture does not burn. Serve hot.
In Sephardic homes sweet winter squash is a customary vegetable on the Jewish New Year menu. For this easy dish, I streamline the usual braising technique by using the microwave. It not only shortens the cooking time, but it also saves me the trouble of cutting the skin off the squash, and is especially useful if you want to substitute one of the ridged squashes like sweet dumpling or acorn. I simply scoop out the cooked pulp and braise it briefly with the flavorings.
2
1
â
2
pounds butternut squash
1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, minced
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1
â
4
cup vegetable broth or water
1
â
2
teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of sugar (optional)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1.
Halve squash and remove seeds and strings. Put squash halves cut-side down in a microwave-safe baking dish, add 2 tablespoons water and cover with wax paper. Microwave on high power about 15 minutes or until tender; check by piercing squash in its thickest part with a fork. Remove squash pulp from peel. Roughly dice pulp.
2.
Heat oil in a large skillet or sauté pan. Add onion and sauté over medium heat, stirring often, 7 minutes. Add minced ginger and sauté over low heat 30 seconds. Add squash pieces,
1
â
4
cup broth, ground ginger, sugar if using, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes or until squash is coated with flavorings and is heated through. (Don't worry if squash pieces fall apart.) Serve hot.
 or
Â
Leek compote is a delicious and simple French specialty. Basically it is leeks cooked until tender with only delicate seasoning, so you really enjoy the flavor of the vegetable. I find it's perfect for Rosh Hashanah, especially because leeks are one of the traditional vegetables on the Sephardic holiday table.
The leeks are a wonderful accompaniment for chicken or fish. If you're serving them at a vegetarian or fish dinner, you can cook them with butter instead of oil and use vegetable stock. For this dish, use the white and lightto medium-green parts of leeks. Reserve very dark green parts for making soups and stocks (you can freeze them).
2 pounds leeks, rinsed, halved, and thinly sliced
2 or 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1
1
â
2
teaspoons fresh thyme or
1
â
2
teaspoon dried
1
â
4
cup chicken or vegetable stock
1.
Put sliced leeks in a bowl of cold water and separate the pieces. Let stand about 5 minutes. Lift leeks out of water. Put them in a colander to drain. If water is sandy, soak and drain them again.
2.
Heat oil in a heavy casserole or stew pan. Add leeks, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add thyme and stock. Cover and cook, stirring from time to time, about 15 minutes or until leeks are tender. If mixture is soupy, uncover and cook, stirring often, to evaporate the excess liquid. Adjust seasoning. Serve hot.
Israelis often have a multicultural approach to tomato sauce. They take cumin, turmeric, and plenty of garlicâfavorite flavors in Middle Eastern tomato saucesâand match them with those loved by Eastern European Jewsâdill and a pinch of sugar. The result is a wonderful sauce that turns a common vegetable into a rich tasting side dish. It's a very good accompaniment for roasted or grilled chicken.
For this dish the zucchini are usually cooked until very tender. If you prefer them al dente, simmer them only a few minutes in the tomato sauce.
4 to 5 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, minced
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1
1
â
2
teaspoons ground cumin
3
â
4
teaspoon paprika
1
â
4
teaspoon ground turmeric
2 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or two 28-ounce cans plum tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1
â
4
teaspoon sugar, or to taste
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1
1
â
4
to 1
1
â
2
pounds zucchini, halved and cut into 3/8-inch slices
2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill
1.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large saucepan. Add onion and sauté over medium-low heat about 7 minutes or until soft and golden. Add garlic, cumin, paprika, and turmeric and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, and pepper and stir well. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Cook uncovered over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, 20 to 30 minutes or until tomatoes become a thick, chunky sauce. Add sugar and cayenne pepper, and adjust seasoning.
2.
Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil in large, heavy skillet. Add zucchini, salt, and pepper. Sauté over medium heat, stirring often, about 3 minutes or until nearly tender. Add sauce and simmer 5 to 10 minutes or until zucchini are done to your taste. Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in dill. Serve hot or at room temperature.