1,000 Jewish Recipes (167 page)
Read 1,000 Jewish Recipes Online
Authors: Faye Levy
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pound fairly thin carrots, quartered lengthwise and cut into 3-inch pieces
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pound zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 3-inch pieces
2 pounds fava beans in pods (about 2
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cups shelled)
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red onion, cut into thin slices and separated into slivers
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
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cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1.
Cook carrots in a saucepan of boiling water for 5 minutes, add zucchini, and cook 3 minutes or until vegetables are just tender. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain well.
2.
Boil the fava beans in a saucepan of boiling water 4 to 5 minutes or until tender. Drain the beans and let them cool until they can be handled. If you wish, peel off and discard the tough outer skins.
3.
Combine zucchini, carrots, fava beans, and red onion in a shallow bowl. Whisk oil, lemon juice, cayenne, and salt and pepper in small bowl. Add to salad and toss gently. Adjust seasoning. Add parsley, toss gently, and serve.
A perennial favorite in the delis of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv as well as Israeli delis in the United States, this spicy salad flavored with hot red pepper flakes, garlic, and lemon juice turns carrots into a wonderful savory dish. If you're used to carrots always being flavored with sweet seasonings, this salad will be a pleasant surprise.
2 to 3 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, pressed or finely minced
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
Salt, to taste
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teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon paprika
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teaspoon ground cumin
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pounds medium carrots, sliced into
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-inch-thick rounds
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cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
Cayenne pepper, to taste
1.
Combine lemon juice, garlic, oil, salt, pepper flakes, paprika, and cumin in a medium bowl. Whisk to blend.
2.
Put carrots in a saucepan, cover with water, add salt, and bring to a boil. Simmer about 7 minutes or until carrots are just tender. Drain carrots (reserve their cooking liquid to use as a vegetable broth). Transfer warm carrots to bowl of dressing and mix gently.
3.
Add parsley a short time before serving. Adjust seasoning, adding more salt and cayenne if needed. Serve hot, warm, or cold.
For this favorite North African appetizer, many cooks like to marinate the peppers in the dressing for a few hours before serving them. The garlic can be added finely chopped, as in this version, or in whole cloves that are removed before the salad is put on the table.
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bell peppers
, green, red, orange, or a mixture, roasted and peeled
2 to 3 teaspoons strained fresh lemon juice or vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small clove garlic, pressed or finely minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 large tomatoes, cut into wedges
1.
Cut each roasted pepper into 4 to 6 pieces lengthwise, each about
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- to 1 inch wide. Halve pieces if peppers are long. Put peppers in a bowl.
2.
Combine lemon juice, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in small bowl. Whisk to combine. Spoon dressing over peppers. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes or up to 2 days.
3.
Arrange peppers on platter, alternating them with tomato wedges. Spoon dressing over vegetables. Serve at room temperature.
The Moroccan Jewish kitchen is noted for its array of salads made from just about every vegetable. It's the seasonings that turn the vegetables into tasty appetizers. In this easy-to-make salad, the zucchini cook in a spicy tomato-garlic dressing, then are crowned with fresh cilantro.
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pounds zucchini, quartered lengthwise and diced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
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teaspoon hot red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
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cup water
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Cayenne pepper, to taste
1 green onion, chopped
1 to 2 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Put zucchini in a large skillet or sauté pan with garlic, pepper flakes if using, oil, and water. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cook uncovered over medium-high heat, stirring often, about 5 minutes or until zucchini is crisp-tender and most of liquid has evaporated. Add tomato paste, cumin, and cayenne and stir over low heat 30 seconds. Remove from heat, add onion and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning. Serve warm or cool, sprinkled with cilantro.
Jews from Egypt are real fans of okra and use it in many creative ways. Unlike other vegetables, that are usually cooked in plenty of water before being made into salad, I find that okra tastes better sautéed, then cooked slowly with a little water. Then it needs only a simple dressing, like this one of lemon juice, coriander seed, garlic, and cilantro.
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound fresh, small, tender okra, rinsed and patted dry, caps trimmed
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
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cup water
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cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoon strained fresh lemon juice
1 medium clove garlic, very finely minced
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teaspoon ground coriander
Cayenne pepper, to taste
2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large sauté pan. Add okra and sauté 2 minutes over medium heat, stirring lightly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add water, cover, and cook over low heat, shaking pan occasionally and adding water only if needed, about 7 minutes or until just tender. Remove okra gently to a shallow serving dish. Add onion and mix gently.
2.
Combine remaining tablespoon oil, lemon juice, garlic, coriander, cayenne, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Pour dressing over okra. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve at room temperature or cold.
In Israel, I learned that cooked cauliflower can be the basis of a tasty salad, like this one, redolent of the flavors of North Africaâcumin, cilantro, and a touch of hot pepper. Be sure to cook the cauliflower so it is crisp-tender, not mushy. This colorful salad makes a good pre-latke salad at a Hanukkah party. If your family isn't fond of cilantro, substitute Italian parsley.
2 pounds cauliflower
2 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
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teaspoon paprika
Cayenne pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon water
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 red bell pepper, diced
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cup chopped red onion
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cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1.
Divide cauliflower into medium florets. Peel stem and slice it. Cook cauliflower in a large pan of boiling salted water uncovered over high heat about 7 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain well.
2.
In a bowl large enough to contain cauliflower, whisk lemon juice with cumin, paprika, cayenne, and water. Add olive oil and whisk again.
3.
Add cauliflower to bowl. Add bell pepper, onion, and 3 tablespoons cilantro. Gently fold to mix. Season with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature, sprinkled with remaining chopped cilantro.