Read 1,000 Jewish Recipes Online
Authors: Faye Levy
1,000 Jewish Recipes (236 page)
5.
Oil a 2-quart casserole dish. Spoon about half of potato mixture into casserole dish. Top with all of cabbage mixture, then with remaining potatoes. Smooth top. Sprinkle lightly with paprika.
6.
Bake kugel uncovered about 50 minutes or until top is firm and light golden at edges. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving. Use a spoon to serve.
 or
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Jewish cooks don't hesitate to serve mashed potatoes with their
fleishig
(meat-based) meals. In many families they are a standard on holiday tables because children love them. By using chicken or meat broth to cook and moisten the potatoes, you can make them taste great without any butter, cream, or milk. If you want to make them pareve, you can use vegetable broth. For extra flavor, I simmer the stock with thyme and a bay leaf so their flavor infuses into the liquid, and I cook a few garlic cloves along with the potatoes and mash them together. The garlic becomes tender and mild-tasting and adds good flavor to the potatoes.
Don't use a food processor to mash the potatoes or they will become gluey. If you like, leave the peel on the potatoes for a "country" look.
2
1
â
2
pounds boiling potatoes or all-purpose potatoes such as Yukon Gold
4 large cloves garlic, peeled
1 large sprig fresh thyme or
1
â
2
teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
3 cups beef, veal, chicken, or vegetable stock or broth
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or margarine
1.
Cut each potato into 3 or 4 pieces. Put them in a large saucepan and add garlic, thyme, bay leaf, stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat about 25 minutes or until potatoes are very tender. Discard thyme sprig and bay leaf. Remove garlic from pan and reserve. Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon, reserving the cooking liquid, and peel them if you like.
2.
Puree potatoes in a food mill or mash them in a bowl with a potato masher. Chop garlic very fine or mash it with a fork.
3.
Heat oil in saucepan. Add potatoes and cook 1 minute over low heat, stirring. Add garlic. Slowly stir in
3
â
4
cup of the stock used to cook the potatoes. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring, about 3 minutes or until stock is absorbed. If you like, stir in a few more tablespoons stock. Adjust seasoning. Serve hot.
Jewish home cooks have long used horseradish as a seasoning, and in recent years it has become "discovered" by restaurant chefs as well. It's great for adding zip to mashed potatoes, as in this pareve yet creamy version. Serve it with poached or braised chicken, such as
Braised Chicken with Winter Vegetables
.
2 pounds boiling potatoes
2 cups vegetable stock
1
â
2
cup nondairy soy milk or rice milk
2 to 3 teaspoons finely grated fresh horseradish or bottled white horseradish, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1.
Cut each potato into 3 or 4 pieces. Put in a medium saucepan and add 2 cups stock. Cover, bring to a boil, and simmer over medium-low heat 25 minutes or until potatoes are very tender. Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon and peel them. Mash with a potato masher in a bowl. Return puree to saucepan.
2.
Slowly add nondairy milk, stirring with a wooden spoon. If you would like softer mashed potatoes, beat in a little of the cooking liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time. Add horseradish to taste. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
Deep-fried potatoes are ubiquitous in restaurants in Israel, as accompaniments for meat, poultry, fish, and even omelets. In many home kitchens oven-fried potatoes are made more often than French fried potatoes, as they are easier to prepare and use less oil.
2 pounds boiling potatoes
1
â
3
cup vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 large cloves garlic, minced (optional)
About
1
â
2
teaspoon paprika (optional)
1.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Peel potatoes, if you like. Cut each into 8 lengthwise wedges. Heat oil in a heavy roasting pan in oven 5 minutes. Add potatoes and sprinkle them evenly with salt, using
1
â
2
to
3
â
4
teaspoon.
2.
Bake potatoes uncovered, gently stirring and turning from time to time, 30 minutes. Sprinkle potatoes with garlic, if using, pepper, and paprika, if using, and toss to combine. Bake 5 to 10 more minutes or until potatoes are tender and lightly browned. Serve hot.
The Jews of Alsace are fond of all sorts of dumplings, not just matzo balls. They're not limited to soups either. These make a fine side dish, bearing a slight resemblance to Italian potato gnocchi, and are good with a savory mushroom duxelles sauce.
Duxelles Sauce for Savory Kugels
2 medium baking potatoes (total 10 ounces)
1 cup matzo meal
2 large egg whites
1
â
2
cup water
1
â
2
teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly ground pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
1.
Prepare sauce. Then, peel potatoes and grate them on a coarse grater; you will need 1
1
â
2
cups grated potato. Mix potato and matzo meal in a bowl. Add egg whites and mix well. Gradually mix in water. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg, and oil and mix well.
2.
Bring 3 to 4 quarts salted water to a boil in a large saucepan or stew pan. With wet hands, take about 1 scant tablespoon of potato mixture and roll it between your palms into a ball. Set balls on a plate. Reduce heat so water in pan simmers. With a rubber spatula, carefully slide balls into water. Return to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat about 1 hour or until firm. Cover and keep them warm until ready to serve.
3.
Heat sauce. With slotted spoon, remove potato kneidelach from water and put them in a shallow serving dish. Coat with sauce. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Unlike most sweet potato kugels, this one is flavored with sautéed onions instead of sugar. The onions are cooked slowly to develop their natural sweetness. I like the way they complement the natural taste of the sweet potatoes.
2
1
â
2
pounds orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (often labeled yams), unpeeled and cut into 3-inch chunks if large
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1
â
2
teaspoon ground ginger
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 large eggs
1
â
4
cup bread crumbs
1.
Put sweet potatoes in a large saucepan with water to cover and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat about 30 minutes or until tender. Drain and let cool.
2.
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet, add onions, and sauté over medium-low heat, stirring often, about 15 minutes or until tender and golden brown.
3.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Peel sweet potatoes and cut each into a few pieces. Put in large bowl and mash. Stir in sautéed onions with their oil. Add ginger. Season with salt and pepper. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
4.
Grease a 6- or 7-cup casserole dish and add sweet potato mixture. Smooth top and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Drizzle with remaining oil. Bake uncovered about 45 minutes or until top is firm.