Read 1,000 Jewish Recipes Online
Authors: Faye Levy
1,000 Jewish Recipes (168 page)
Lemon-mint dressing lends a Sephardic taste to this colorful salad, which makes a lovely first course or a good accompaniment for broiled or roasted chicken. It's a good choice for Passover, when beets, carrots, and potatoes are favorite menu item. To the cooked vegetables I like to add a crunchy raw oneâdiced jicama, which contributes its delightful texture as well as its delicate sweetness.
14 small beets (about 1
1
â
2
inches in diameter)
4 large boiling potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
6 large carrots, diagonally sliced
1
â
4
-inch thick
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1
â
2
large jicama
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1.
Prepare vinaigrette. Then, rinse beets, taking care not to pierce skin. Put 1 inch of water in a steamer and bring to a boil. Place beets on steamer rack or on another rack or in a colander above boiling water. Cover tightly and steam 50 minutes to 1 hour or until tender, adding boiling water occasionally if water evaporates. Let cool. Rinse beets with cold water and slip off skins. Dice beets.
2.
Meanwhile, put potatoes in a large saucepan with enough water to generously cover them. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over medium-low heat 5 minutes. Add carrots and return to a boil. Cover and cook over medium-low heat about 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Drain well. Transfer to a bowl. Add dressing and mix gently. Adjust seasoning. If making salad ahead, refrigerate it, covered. Refrigerate beets in a separate covered dish.
3.
Just before serving, peel and dice jicama. Add beets and half of jicama to salad and mix very gently. Sprinkle with reserved jicama, then with mint.
POTATO AND PASTA SALADS
The Jews of India lived primarily in Bombay and Cochin until the late 1940s, when many moved to Israel and England. They use cumin not only as a component of curries and other stews but also to flavor sauces like this yogurt dressing, in which a touch of ground cumin lends a subtle flavor. For garnish, the salad is sprinkled with toasted whole cumin seeds. Serve this tasty, refreshing salad as an alternative to the many rich dairy dishes served at the holiday of Shavuot. When you're having a fish barbecue, this light salad makes a good accompaniment instead of the usual high-fat potato salads.
2 pounds red-skinned potatoes of uniform size, scrubbed but not peeled
1 cup low-fat or nonfat plain yogurt
1
â
4
teaspoon paprika
1
â
4
teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
Salt, to taste
1 small green onion, green and white parts, chopped
1 cup cooked peas
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1.
Put potatoes in large saucepan, cover with water by about
1
â
2
-inch, and add a pinch of salt. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer over low heat about 25 minutes or until tender enough that a knife pierces center of largest potato easily; do not overcook, or potatoes will fall apart when cut.
2.
Drain potatoes in colander and peel while warm. Cut into medium dice. Put potatoes in a large bowl. Let cool to room temperature
3.
Mix yogurt with paprika, ground cumin, cayenne if using, cilantro, and salt. Pour over potatoes. Fold gently to mix, separating any potato pieces that are stuck together. Fold in green onion and peas. Adjust seasoning. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Remove from refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving.
4.
Toast cumin seeds in a small, heavy skillet over medium heat 2 minutes, stirring often; be careful not to let them burn. Just before serving, sprinkle toasted cumin seeds over salad.
Potato salad dressed with mayonnaise and studded with peas, carrots, and diced pickles is the type often made in Israeli homes. Unlike American potato salad, the dressing is not sweet and sour.
2 pounds red-skinned potatoes of uniform size, scrubbed but not peeled
1
1
â
2
cups diced cooked carrots
1 cup cooked peas
1
â
4
cup chopped onion
1 dill pickle, diced small
3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
3
â
4
to 1
1
â
4
cups mayonnaise
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1.
Put potatoes in large saucepan, cover with water by about
1
â
2
-inch, and add salt. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer over low heat about 25 minutes or until tender enough that knife pierces center of largest potato easily. Do not overcook, or potatoes will fall apart when cut.
2.
Drain potatoes in colander and peel while warm. Cut into medium dice. Put potatoes in large bowl. Add carrots, peas, onion, pickle, and parsley. Add mayonnaise and fold it in gently. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
During a walk with my mother around her neighborhood in Jerusalem, she pointed out the caper plants that were growing wild. Although I knew that capers are widely used in Mediterranean cooking, seeing the healthy plants in their native setting was a vivid illustration of the reason for their popularity. They're best known as a condiment for fish but they also lend a lively touch to salads, like this potato salad with fresh herbs, seasoned with a vinaigrette dressing instead of mayonnaise. Although tarragon is not traditional, I love its taste with potatoes. You can substitute Italian parsley, dill, or cilantro, which are more commonly used in Jerusalem. Serve this with grilled chicken.
2 tablespoons dry white wine
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 pounds boiling potatoes of uniform size, scrubbed but not peeled
1
â
4
cup minced red onion
2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar or white wine vinegar
5 or 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon capers, rinsed
1.
Combine wine, salt, and pepper in small bowl and stir to blend.
2.
Put potatoes in large saucepan, cover with water by about
1
â
2
-inch, and add a pinch of salt. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer over low heat about 25 minutes or until tender enough that knife pierces center of largest potato easily; do not overcook, or potatoes will fall apart when cut.
3.
Drain potatoes in colander and peel while warm. Cut into medium dice. Put potatoes in a large bowl. Add wine mixture and fold gently into mix, separating any potato pieces that are stuck together. Fold in onion. Cool to room temperature.
4.
Meanwhile, prepare dressing: whisk vinegar with salt and pepper in a medium bowl; whisk in oil. Adjust seasoning. Add dressing to potato mixture and fold it in gently with rubber spatula. Adjust seasoning. A short time before serving, fold in tarragon and 1 tablespoon capers. Serve salad at room temperature, sprinkled with remaining capers.
Some scholars date the ancient Jewish community of Yemen back to the time of the Queen of Sheba's visit to King Solomon in Jerusalem. She brought some of his advisers and their families back to her country, which many claim was Yemen. Most of the Jews from Yemen now live in Israel. They came primarily from Yemen's capital city of Sana and the coastal area of Aden. The exuberant seasonings favored by the Jews of Yemen make for tasty salads like this light and easy potato salad. Turmeric added to the cooking water gives the potatoes an attractive yellow hue.
2 pounds boiling potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled
1
â
2
teaspoon ground turmeric
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 or 2 jalapeño peppers, minced
1 tablespoon water
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1
â
3
cup chopped green onions
1
â
4
cup chopped fresh cilantro
Cayenne pepper to taste (optional)
4 plum tomatoes, cut into small dice
1.
Put potatoes in large saucepan, cover with water by about
1
â
2
-inch, and add turmeric and salt. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer over low heat about 25 minutes, or until a knife can pierce center of largest potato easily and potato falls from knife when lifted; do not overcook, or potatoes will fall apart when cut.
2.
Meanwhile, prepare dressing: In a bowl large enough to contain potatoes, whisk lemon juice with a pinch of salt, pepper, cumin, chopped jalapeño peppers, and water. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and whisk again.
3.
Drain potatoes in colander and peel while warm. Cut into medium dice. Add to bowl. Fold gently but thoroughly with dressing. Let cool. Fold in green onions and cilantro. Adjust seasoning; add cayenne, if using, and another tablespoon oil if desired. Gently fold in tomatoes. Serve at room temperature.