Read 1,000 Jewish Recipes Online
Authors: Faye Levy
1,000 Jewish Recipes (181 page)
APPETIZERS
Lavosh, the thin, flat, soft bread that looks somewhat like a large square tortilla, is terrific for wrapping around cheeses and vegetables with savory seasonings and rolling into a delicious sandwich. Lavosh was originally a specialty of the region of Armenia and Iran; now, in America, it is available in many Israeli and Middle Eastern stores. If you can't find it, you can substitute thin flour tortillas.
1 roasted peeled green or red
bell pepper
, or roasted pepper from a jar
3 ounces soft mild goat cheese, or more if desired
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon strained fresh lemon juice
1
â
4
teaspoon hot pepper sauce, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 or 3 sheets lavosh, 8- or 9-inch square
1 cup shredded lettuce, preferably green leaf or romaine
2 ripe small tomatoes, cut into thin slices or half slices
4 large white mushrooms, sliced thin
6 to 9 black olives, pitted and halved
1.
Prepare pepper, if roasting.
2.
Cut roasted pepper into strips. Cut goat cheese into thin slices. Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, hot pepper sauce, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl.
3.
To make each sandwich, put cheese slices on lavosh, near one edge. Top with lettuce, tomato slices, and mushroom slices, spacing them evenly. Drizzle with olive oil mixture. Scatter pepper strips and olive halves over top. Roll up tightly and serve.
I became familiar with this salad when I lived in Paris, where it is a favorite lunchtime salad served in the cafés. In France it is made with Gruyere cheese from the Alpine region or with Cantal or Roquefort cheese from central France. You can use any firm kosher cheese that can be cut into slices, or a crumbly cheese like feta or goat cheese. I love Israeli Kashkaval, as its assertive flavor stands up well to the potatoes. For a mild cheese that is also tasty, try American-made yogurt cheese, which is available sliced in many kosher markets.
2 pounds red-skinned potatoes, scrubbed and unpeeled
3 to 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1
â
2
to
3
â
4
cup olive oil or vegetable oil
6 to 8 ounces Kashkaval, Swiss, or firm yogurt cheese, cut into thin strips
1 head romaine or other green leaf lettuce
2
â
3
cup walnut pieces
1.
Put potatoes them in a saucepan, cover them generously with water, and add a pinch of salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer for 25 minutes or until tender when pierced with a sharp knife.
2.
Whisk vinegar with salt and pepper in a medium bowl; whisk in oil. Adjust seasoning.
3.
When potatoes are tender, drain them and leave until cool enough to handle.
4.
Peel potatoes, halve them lengthwise, and cut them into slices. Put them in a large bowl. Rewhisk dressing. Spoon
1
â
3
cup dressing over potatoes and mix gently.
5.
Let cool to room temperature. Add cheese strips.
6.
Rinse and dry lettuce leaves thoroughly. Tear large leaves in half.
7.
A short time before serving, toss lettuce with
1
â
4
cup dressing. Arrange on a platter. Add enough of remaining dressing to potato mixture to lightly coat ingredients. Add all but 2 tablespoons of walnuts. Mix gently, adjust seasoning. To serve, spoon potato salad onto bed of lettuce. Garnish with remaining walnuts.
For
milchig
meals Israeli salad is sometimes made in this mild and delicious way. In Israel
leben
or
eshel
, dairy products resembling mild yogurt, are used. This salad also makes an appealing complement for spicy dishes and for casseroles of beans or of grains, such as
Curried Cabbage with Rice, Mushrooms, and Peas
.
2 cups plain yogurt
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or 1 teaspoon dried
1 green onion, chopped
1 long (hothouse) cucumber, finely diced
4 small or medium tomatoes, diced
Mix yogurt with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Lightly stir in mint, onion, cucumber, and tomatoes. Adjust seasoning and refrigerate. Serve cold.
Radishes are very popular among Jews from Poland. A refreshing way to use them is in this very quick and easy salad along with cucumbers, cottage cheese, and chives. The mild cottage cheese is a pleasing foil for the sharpness of the radishes.
In some homes other fresh cheeses like pot cheese are used instead of cottage cheese. Sometimes the cucumber is halved and shaped into boats and stuffed with the cheese and radish mixture instead of being mixed in. For richer versions, some cooks add
1
â
2
cup sour cream and 2 chopped hard boiled eggs.
The salad is traditionally served with pumpernickel or rye bread. It's good for a Saturday night supper, which is usually light after all the hearty Shabbat specialties eaten during the day.
2 cups cottage cheese
Salt to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
1 bunch small red radishes, thinly sliced
1
â
2
long (hothouse) cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
Mix cottage cheese with salt and 1 to 2 tablespoons chives in a medium bowl. Lightly stir in radish and cucumber slices and refrigerate. Serve cold, sprinkled with about 1 tablespoon chives.
VEGETABLES
Meat stuffings are most often used for zucchini, but zucchini are also delicious with this French-inspired onion stuffing. Serve them as a festive side dish for Shavuot or for a meatless Sukkot meal. If you make the stuffing ahead, this dish is quick to assemble.
2 to 3 tablespoons bread crumbs, fresh or dry
2 to 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan or Swiss cheese (optional)
6 medium zucchini (about 1
1
â
2
to 2 pounds total)
1 tablespoon butter or vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1.
Prepare compote. Stir in bread crumbs. If using cheese, reserve 1 tablespoon for topping; stir rest into stuffing.
2.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Add whole zucchini to a large saucepan of boiling salted water. Boil 2 minutes and drain. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Trim zucchini ends. Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise. With a small sharp knife, carefully scoop out seed-filled centers of each half, leaving a boat-shaped shell; do not pierce the sides.
3.
Generously butter or oil a shallow baking dish. Put zucchini in dish. Dot them with butter or sprinkle them with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 5 minutes.
4.
Spoon onion stuffing into zucchini. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cheese, if using. Bake 10 minutes or until ends of zucchini are tender when pierced with a sharp knife. If you like, broil for about 30 seconds to lightly brown cheese; watch carefully so zucchini do not burn. Serve hot.
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