Read 1,000 Jewish Recipes Online
Authors: Faye Levy
1,000 Jewish Recipes (217 page)
3 pounds lean beef short ribs
1 large onion, diced
One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, with their liquid
3
â
4
cup ketchup
1
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2
cup water
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â
2
teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
1
1
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2
tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 to 3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1.
Preheat broiler. Cut off excess fat and gristle from ribs. Put ribs in broiler pan. Broil until brown.
2.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Put onion in a large roasting pan and brown in oven 5 minutes.
3.
Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Put ribs in roasting pan with onions. Mix tomatoes with ketchup, water, pepper flakes, ginger, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Adjust balance of hot and sweet flavors to your taste by adding more pepper flakes or brown sugar if needed.
4.
Pour sauce over ribs in roasting pan. Cover and bake, basting occasionally and checking water level so pan does not get dry, about 2 hours or until meat is tender.
Beef-in-the-pot is a staple on deli restaurant menus. Often it's made with short ribs and includes potatoes and vegetables. It's quite similar to
pot au feu
, a beloved standard of homey French cooking. I like beef-in-the-pot best with matzo balls, as they are so good in the rich, flavorful broth. As in the French version, I like to add leeks and to flavor my version with a bouquet garni. You can serve the meat the French way, accompanied by Dijon mustard, or the way a Romanian Jewish friend of mine does, with white or red horseradish.
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 bay leaf
1 large sprig fresh thyme
6 fresh Italian parsley stems (without leaves)
2 whole cloves
5 peppercorns
1 large onion
2 ribs celery
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 quarts water, or more if needed
3 pounds lean beef short ribs
3 medium leeks, cleaned
1
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2
pounds boneless beef chuck
4 medium carrots, halved crosswise
1 medium turnip, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
1.
Put garlic, bay leaf, thyme, parsley, cloves, and peppercorns on a piece of cheesecloth and tie ends to form a seasoning bag.
2.
Combine seasoning bag, onion, celery, salt, water, and short ribs in stock pot or other large pot of at least 7 quarts. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 30 minutes, skimming occasionally.
3.
Cut off dark green tops of leeks. If you like, tie dark parts in a bundle with string and put in the pot to flavor the broth. Tie rest of leeks in another bundle, leaving them whole; set aside.
4.
Add beef chuck to pot and bring to a simmer; skim froth from surface. Cover and cook over low heat, skimming froth and fat occasionally, 1
1
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2
hours. Water should bubble very gently; if it boils hard, reduce heat to very low and cover pot only partially.
5.
Meanwhile, prepare matzo balls. After chuck has simmered 1
1
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2
hours, add carrots, turnip, and whole leeks to pot. Push vegetables into liquid. Add water, if necessary, so it barely covers vegetables. Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook about 1 hour or until beef and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a sharp knife. If cooking this ahead, refrigerate broth in one container and beef and vegetables in another. Before serving, remove fat from surface of broth.
6.
Reheat beef and vegetables gently in broth. Reheat matzo balls in their cooking liquid. Remove beef and vegetables to serving bowls. Cover and keep warm. Discard celery, onion, dark green of leeks, and seasoning bag. Season broth to taste with salt and pepper.
7.
Ladle broth into bowls. Add matzo balls with a slotted spoon. Serve meat and vegetables moistened with a little broth.
GROUND BEEF
Seasoned in the fashion of Indian Jewsâwith garlic, cumin, and dillâand spooned over Bulgur Wheat Pilaf, this chili is tasty and simple to prepare. If you prefer, use ground chicken or turkey instead of beef.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, minced
3
â
4
pound extra-lean ground beef
4 large cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 pound ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or one 28-ounce can plum tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1
â
4
teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
One 15-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1
â
4
cup water
1
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4
cup chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
1.
Heat oil in a sauté pan. Add onion and sauté over medium heat about 5 minutes. Add beef, garlic, and cumin and sauté, stirring often, about 7 minutes or until meat changes color. Add tomatoes, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Add chickpeas, tomato paste, and water and stir until blended. Cook uncovered 5 minutes or until sauce is thick. Discard bay leaf. Stir in dill. Adjust seasoning.
2.
Prepare Bulgur Wheat Pilaf. Then, transfer pilaf to a serving dish. Ladle
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â
3
to
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2
cup chili over the center of the pilaf and sprinkle with a little of the parsley. Spoon remaining chili into a serving dish and sprinkle with remaining parsley.
Just a small amount of olives, capers, and raisins lift this meat filling beyond the usual mixture of meat and onions. Beef is the traditional choice for meat blintzes but you can make this filling with chicken or turkey if you like. Serve them with
Sephardic Tomato Sauce
,
Tomato Sauce with Mild Chiles
, or your favorite tomato sauce.
2 or 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
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2
green bell pepper, chopped
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2
pound lean ground beef (about 1 cup packed)
2 ripe medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or canned tomatoes, drained and chopped
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2
teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons raisins
1
â
3
cup diced green olives
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and chopped
1 large hard boiled egg, chopped (optional)
10 to 14
Herb Blintzes for Meat Fillings
1.
Heat 1 or 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet. Add onion and pepper and sauté over medium heat 7 minutes or until softened. Add beef and sauté, stirring, until it changes color, 3 or 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, oregano, salt, pepper, and raisins and bring to boil. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in olives, capers, and chopped egg, if using. Adjust seasoning. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.
2.
Prepare blintzes. Then, lightly oil 2 medium baking dishes. Spoon about 3 tablespoons filling onto less attractive side of each blintz, across the third of the blintz nearest you. Slightly fold over each side of the blintz, to your right and left, then roll up in cigar shape, beginning at edge with filling and rolling away from you. Arrange blintzes seam-side down in one layer in oiled dish. Brush them with 1 tablespoon oil.
3.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake blintzes about 20 minutes or until filling is hot. Serve immediately, with tomato sauce.
Meatballs in tomato sauce are popular among Jews from most parts of the world. Jews from Middle Eastern countries like to make them spicy, adding the lively flavors of cumin, turmeric, and fresh garlic. Serve these meatballs over rice.
1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons bread crumbs
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3
cup finely minced onion
4 large cloves garlic, minced
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2
teaspoons ground cumin
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2
teaspoon ground turmeric
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4
teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus a pinch for sauce
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4
to
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2
teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
2 cups tomato sauce
1
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2
cup water
1.
Put beef in a bowl. Mix bread crumbs with onion, garlic, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, and salt in another bowl. Add to beef and mix well. Shape mixture into small balls, using 1 or 2 tablespoons for each. Roll them between your palms until they are smooth.
2.
Heat oil in a heavy skillet. Add meatballs and brown them on all sides over medium-high heat. Transfer to paper towels with slotted spoon. Discard fat form skillet.
3.
Heat tomato sauce and water in a medium saucepan. Simmer 2 minutes. Add meatballs, cover and cook over low heat 30 minutes. Taste sauce for seasoning, adding a pinch of cayenne, if desired.